Nephi to Bountiful 07-06-2019

Day 1: Saturday, July 6, Guatemala City

Our flights take us to Guatemala City, the city of Eternal Spring. Upon arrival we will transfer and check into our deluxe hotel. (No meals included)

Day 2: Sunday, July 7, Guatemala City

After attending church with the local saints, we will visit the Guatemala LDS temple and then later, the large relief map of Guatemala in order to orient ourselves with the geographical overview of the country in relation to the Book of Mormon. We will then visit the National Museum of Archaeology of Guatemala where we will analyze Kaminaljuyu’s stela 10, an altar that dates to 147 BC and may suggest a transfer of kingship from King Noah to Limhi (see Mosiah 18 & 19). (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 3: Monday, July 8, Lake Atitlan

This morning we will check out of our hotel and explore the archaeological zone of Kaminaljuyu, a place considered by many to have been settled by Nephi in the 6^th century BC (see 2 Nephi 5:5-10). We will then bus to Antigua, the old Spanish capital of Guatemala. Several buildings date to the 16^th and 17^th centuries. We will visit the jade factory prior to continuing on to Lake Atitlan. En route, we will pass by the Cakchiquel Maya village of Patzicia, almost entirely destroyed by the 1976 earthquake. We will recount the courage and faith of the missionaries and members of the Patzicia stake. We will continue on our trek to the village of Panajachel, and check into our hotel that is nestled on the shore of Lake Atitlan. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 4: Tuesday, July 9, Lake Atitlan

Flanked by three dramatic volcanoes, Lake Atitlan has been a scenic retreat for over 2000 years. It has been proposed by many LDS scholars as a site for the Waters of Mormon where Alma organized the church of Christ in the first century BC (see Mosiah chapters 18 and 19). The day will consist of a cruise on the lake to see the area where an ancient city was covered by water. This city may have been Jerusalem mentioned in Alma 21:1 or it may have been one of the other cities mentioned in 3 Nephi 9:7. The afternoon will be free for shopping or relaxing or other available activities. A presentation on the historical literature of the Book of Mormon will be presented by your tour director in the evening. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 5: Wednesday, July 10, Lake Atitlan

This morning, we will leave our hotel early for a day excursion to pick up Alma’s trail as we make our way through the wilderness to the land of Helam where we will visit the fresh food market of Almolonga. The village of Almolonga, renowned for its pure water and lush vegetable gardens, a place that may have been occupied by Alma and his followers in the first century BC for 25 years (Mosiah chapters 23 & 24). Almolonga is just a few miles from Quetzaltenango, the second largest city in Guatemala and the location of the new, second temple in Guatemala. On our return to Lake Atitlan we will pass by what may have been the valley of Alma. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 6: Thursday, July 11, Guatemala City

After checking out of our hotel, we will visit the market day at Chichicastenango. It was here wherein the sacred book of the Maya called the Popol Vuh was discovered. This document predates the Spanish conquest and tells about the creation of the world, the fall of man, and the destruction of two evil sons that represent death and hell. We will then make a return trip to Guatemala City for one more night in the area of the city of Nephi. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 7: Friday, July 12, Copan, Honduras

Our adventure begins today as we journey to the country of Honduras to visit the amazing size of Copan. Copan was the capital city of a major Classic period kingdom from the 5th to 9th centuries AD. It was occupied for more than two thousand years, from the Early Preclassic period to the Post Classic. There is an inscription that refers to the year 321 BC, but no text explains the significance of this date. Copan was a powerful city ruling a vast kingdom within the southern Maya area. It has been labeled a mini-Tikal and is a great precursor to our own visit to Tikal. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 8: Saturday, July 13, Rio Dulce, Guatemala

Today we leave Honduras and return to the country of Guatemala. We will visit the archaeological site of Quirigua. There is evidence that Quiriguá was occupied as early as the Late Preclassic period (400 BC–AD 200). It was in relationship to Quirigua that the prophet Joseph Smith is reported to have said, “It will not be a bad plan to compare Mr. Stephens' ruined cities with those in the Book of Mormon.” Quirigua is home to the tallest stone monumental sculpture ever erected in the New World. Stela D is approximately 20 feet tall. We will then continue on to the Rio Dulce area for the evening. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 9: Sunday, July 14, Peten, Guatemala

We begin our day with a visit to the Spanish colonial fort at the entrance to Lake Izabal in eastern Guatemala called the Castle of San Felipe. Lake Izabal is connected with the Caribbean Sea via the Dulce River and El Golfete lake. The fort was strategically situated at the narrowest point on the river. The Castillo de San Felipe was used by the Spanish for several centuries, during which time it was destroyed and looted several times by pirates. We will then make our way to the Peten region of Guatemala where we will spend the next two nights. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 10: Monday, July 15, Peten, Guatemala

Today we visit the awe-inspiring, Maya archaeological zone of Tikal, occupied from 600 BC to AD 750. This dense rain forest is considered by many to be the East Wilderness where the Nephites, under the direction of the military leader Moroni, built many fortified cities during the 1st century BC (see Alma 50:7-15). New evidence shows a strong relationship between Teotihuacan and Tikal at the close of the Book of Mormon history which resulted in the downfall of the Nephite nation. In the early evening we will return to our hotel for the evening. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).

Day 11: Tuesday, July 16, Belize City, Belize

We will cross the border into Belize today as we continue on through the proposed East Wilderness area of the Book of Mormon. We will visit the site of Xunantunich. Although primarily a post-Book of Mormon site, there is evidence that the site was settled during the pre-Classic period. The structure called The Castle (El Castillo) is the second tallest structure in Belize at about 130 feet tall. Evidence of construction suggests the temple was begun around 800 AD. We will continue on to Belize City for the night. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 12: Wednesday, July 17, Chetumal, Mexico

This morning we will travel north to the New River. Traveling up the river by speed boat is an amazing experience as our guide introduces us to some of the many species of tropical birds, the beautiful vegetation, and possibly a crocodile or two. Arriving at Lamanai we will have a guided tour of the remnants of this ancient Mayan city that may have been the land of Jershon mentioned in the Book of Mormon. After enjoying a traditional Belizean lunch, we will return by boat to Orange Walk and continue on to the border with Mexico and then on to Chetumal for the night. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 13: Thursday, July 18, Kohunlich, Mexico

The high point of the Book of Mormon was the visit of the resurrected Christ to the Nephites as outlined in 3^rd Nephi. Our visit to the ruins of Dzibanche and Kohunlich allows us to discuss this monumental event. The former is proposed in Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon as a leading candidate for the city Bountiful. The earliest dating for the Dzibanche site is AD 200. Dzibanche, meaning “writing on wood,” owes its name to the fact that Temple number VI had a fairly large lintel made from quebracho wood that bears eight glyphs dated to AD 618. Tonight we stay at the beautiful Explorean Resort at Kohunlich. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 14: Friday, July 19, Campeche

Today is a very exciting day as we first visit the ancient fortified city of Becan, which is remarkably similar to those constructed by Captain Moroni in the East Wilderness of the Book of Mormon, which constructions have been labeled by a leading archaeologist as “the brainchild of some local innovator.” The military leader Captain Moroni may have been that local innovator. We will continue on to the city of Campeche Captain Moroni may have been that innovator. We will stay in Campeche tonight. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 15: Saturday, July 20, Merida, Mexico

The time to travel from Campeche to Merida is a little over two hours which allows us time to visit two major Maya sites; Edzna and Uxmal. Edzna is a Pre-classic (Book of Mormon period) site, and Uxmal corresponds with the great Nephite apostasy as outlined in 4 Nephi. The name Uxmal means 'thrice-built' in Mayan, referring to the construction of its highest structure, the Pyramid of the Magician. Uxmal is a photographer’s paradise and a beautiful site to visit. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 16: Sunday, July 21, Merida, Mexico

After attending church with the local saints, we will see the LDS temple in Merida. We will also enjoy a city tour of Merida, the “White City” as well as a visit to the Mayan World Museum of Merida. The museum exhibits a magnificent collection of over 1,160 pieces that allows you to enjoy, among other things, textiles, religious objects, and various items that reflect the current daily life of the Mayans. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 17: Monday, July 22, Merida, Mexico

Today we go to the archaeological site of Chichen Itza, which demonstrates the occupation of two civilizations, Mayas and Toltecs, dating from about AD 600 to AD 1200. Both Mormon and Moroni wrote of the many wars among the Lamanites during around AD 400. The Mayans thirst for warfare continued through the Classic period (AD 300 to AD 700) and from the beginning of the Post-classic era up to the coming of the Spaniards. We will continue on to the resort city of Cancun for our final night. You may want to stay longer at Cancun at your own expense. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 18: Tuesday, July 23, Flights Home

Transferring to the Cancun airport, we will check in for our flights home. Our journey to the Book of Mormon lands has come to an end, but we will take with us memories that will last a lifetime.

Included in the Tour:

● Seventeen nights in deluxe hotel accommodations

● Two or more full meals daily

● First-class bus transportation

● Entrance fees and guide service to places listed on the itinerary

● Taxes and tips on group items

● Literature and maps pertaining to your tour

● Escorted by professional tour director, Blake Joseph Allen.

Provided meals are noted at the end of each day. Time will be given for optional third meals during the day. Prices and itineraries are subject to change.