Lands of the Book of Mormon-Guaranteed departure!

The Lands of the Book of Mormon

July 5–14, 2010

Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras

Director: Jonn Claybaugh, institute instructor, former mission president in Costa Rica

Cost: $2199 per person in double occupancy not including air

Note: Do not purchase airline tickets without consulting LDS Travel Study. There is a minimum amount of people need to operate this tour.

(see available group price at end of itinerary)

Tentative Itinerary

Day 1: Monday, July 5                                       U.S.A. • Villahermosa, Mexico      

Today we begin the journey of a lifetime as we fly from our various departure locations to Villahermosa, Mexico. From the airport we will go to the amazing display of large stone Olmec heads at the site of La Venta (most scholars correlate the ancient Olmec culture with the Jaredites of the Book of

Mormon). From there we will take our comfortable, air-conditioned bus to

Villa Kin Ha Hotel in Palenque, where we check in for two nights and dinner.

Day 2: Tuesday, July 6                                  Palenque

After breakfast at the hotel, we will spend the day exploring the amazing

ruins of Palenque, which date to the times of the Book of Mormon. Palenque

was explored in 1841, and the Prophet Joseph Smith read the reports and

commented in the Church publication Times and Seasons (15 Sept. 1842) that

it was likely a Nephite ruin. Palenque is truly one of the wonders of the Mayan

world and includes the Temple of Inscriptions, the tomb of Pacal, the

Palace, Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Cross, and Temple of the

Foliated Cross. In the afternoon we will go to the beautiful 120-foot Misol

Ha Falls for relaxation and a swim. We then return to our hotel in Palenque

for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Wednesday, July 7                             Mexico • Guatemala

We will have breakfast and depart early, our first stop being the famous

murals of Bonampak, followed by the intriguing site of Yaxchilán, on a

bend of the Usumacinta River (regarded by many as the Book of Mormon’s

Sidon River).Next we will cross the border into Guatemala and check in at

the Petén Espléndido Hotel for two nights in Tikal and for dinner.

Day 4: Thursday, July 8                                Tikal

After breakfast in our hotel, we will have the incomparable experience of

touring the ancient ruins of Tikal. These extensive ruins date from 600 BC

to 900 AD and reveal the ancient Maya civilization in its splendor. We will

visit the Great Plaza and its Temple of the Jaguars, then climb Temple II.

We will also see the Lost World Pyramid and Temples IV and V. We will

have lunch at the site and then take time for shopping and relaxing before

returning to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Friday, July 9                  Quiriguá • Copán, Honduras

Following breakfast we will travel south through the Petén Jungle to

the ruins of Quiriguá. This is a fabulous site which also came to the

attention of Joseph Smith,  and he also referred to Quiriguá as being

Nephite. Here are the tallest and some of the most distinctive monuments

of the Mayan world. We will then continue our travel, crossing into

Honduras and arriving at the charming village of Copán, where we will

have dinner and overnight at the Marina Copán Hotel.

Day 6: Saturday, July 10                            Copán • Guatemala City

After breakfast we will visit the ruins of Copán, another major site dating

to the times of the Book of Mormon. Copán was a major ceremonial

complex with extensive structures. We will also visit the on-site museum

and then take our bus to Guatemala City. Along the way, we will stop

at the Chayal obsidian site, a proposed location for the Nephite “place

of arms” (Alma 47:5). We will have dinner and check in at Biltmore

Express Hotel for the night.

Day 7: Sunday, July 11        Patzicía • Iximché • Lake Atitlán

We will have breakfast in our hotel and then travel a short distance to

the unique highland town of Patzicía, where we will attend LDS sacrament services alongside the Mayan Indians. One of the chapels here was destroyed

in the 1976 earthquake, and we will discuss the amazing resulting events

among missionaries and members. Next we will visit the Iximché ruins,

where we may observe Mayan ceremonial worship, and then continue on

to what some have called the most beautiful lake in the world, Lake Atitlán.

Our dinner and overnight will be at our lakeside Posada de Don Rodrigo

Hotel in Panajachel.

Day 8: Monday, July 12               Santiago Atitlán • Panajachel

After breakfast we will take a breathtaking boat ride to the village of Santiago Atitlán. You will never forget your experience in this village and as we visit

the LDS chapel, the Catholic cathedral, the centuries-old market place,

and the Mayan god Maximón and mingle among the Indians of the community. You will also be able to shop and bargain for rare treasures. Next we will take

our boat to the village of San Antonio Palopó and enjoy the natural hot springs. Finally, we return to our hotel in Panajachel for dinner and overnight.

Day 9: Tuesday, July 13                  Sololá • Guatemala City

We will have breakfast and then head for market day in nearby Sololá, another unforgettable experience. Our next stop will be the lovely town of Antigua,

the ancient capital of Guatemala, followed by our return to Guatemala City.

Here we will visit the LDS Temple and the MTC, with options of going to the National Museum and/or the Central Market. We will have dinner and overnight at the Biltmore Express Hotel.

Day 10: Wednesday, July 14                   Guatemala City • U.S.A.

We will have breakfast and then check out of our hotel and head to the airport

for our flights home. We take with us the memories of an experience never to

be forgotten—our journey among the lands, peoples, and cultures of the Book

of Mormon. 

(the above itinerary and flight times are subject to change)

Price includes:

·         Airport transfers

·         Deluxe motor coach transportation

·         Local guides

·         Moderate-class hotel accommodations, or best in location

·         Meals as indicated on the itinerary

·         Sightseeing tours as outlined on the itinerary and all entrance fees

·         Baggage handling, porterage, and gratuities

·         Travel bag and belt pack

·         Group travel insurance

Price does not include:

• Round-trip airfare from Salt Lake City estimated at $TBA Note: Do not purchase your airline ticket without consulting LDS Travel Study.  There is a minimum number of people needed to operate this tour.
• Passport fees
• Additional flight arrangements or hotel accommodations
• Meals not included on the itinerary
• Sightseeing not included on the itinerary
• Items of a personal nature (i.e., phone calls, room service, e-mails, etc.)
• Individual travel insurance and cancellation protection
• Single supplement: $300

 6/25/09

Payment and Documentation Information:

Deposit and Enrollment:             At time of booking

Final Payment:                       90 days prior to departure     

Anyone wishing to join the group after the deadlines may do so pending availability with the airlines and land arrangements.  Rates may be subject to last-minute booking fees.  If the tour is sold out, a waitlist will be taken, and we will do everything possible to add you to the tour.  Tour components and itinerary are subject to change.

LDS TRAVEL STUDY TOURS

Questions on money and air—contact Karen:

515 S. 700 E. Suite 1B, Salt Lake City, UT 84102

Toll Free 866-277-0900—801-483-6152—Fax 801-483-6366

kgerlach@ldstravelstudy.com

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