Peru Tailor-made

Visit Ancient Civilizations on the date of your choosingTwo nights in  Lima, one night in Machu Picchu and three nigths in Cuzco with air from Mexico City starting at $1,450 USD. 

• Hotels are three and four star with breakfast
• Vista Dome train and and from Machu Picchu
• Tours of Lima, Pisac Market, Machu Picchu site and Cuzco
• Coach class air including the intra-Peru flights

Nights can be added for the Sacred Valley, train to Puno for visiting the Islands on Lake Titicaca and the Peruvian Amazon.  

Call or contact us to learn more and book your trip today. ]]> http://www.viajesvertiz.com/2010/09/peru-tailor-made/feed/ 0 http://www.viajesvertiz.com/2010/09/save-up-to-63-on-3-exotic-oceania-cruises/ http://www.viajesvertiz.com/2010/09/save-up-to-63-on-3-exotic-oceania-cruises/#comments Thu, 16 Sep 2010 20:40:58 +0000 admin http://www.viajesvertiz.com/?p=34

 

Choose from three exotic cruises and save up to 63%. For a limited time only!

Limited Time Offer - Don't miss these once-in-a-lifetime deals

Oceania Cruises, together with Viajes Vértiz is providing once-in-a-lifetime deals on cruise packages.  Contact us to book yours today before they’re gone!  

Choose from Oceania’s latest exotic cruises:  

• 24 Nights – from Bangkok to Beijing on the Nautica
  Ship leaves on February 15, 2011
  From $3,000 USD per person
•  

  25 Nights – from Hong Kong to Dubai on the Nutica
  Ship leaves on March 26, 2011
  From $3,125 USD per person

• 10 Nights – round trip from Miami on the Regatta
  Ship leaves on January 2, 2011
  From $1,500 USD per person

Contact us to learn more about these exceptional cruises including all of the stops and visits along the way.  

 

Book your cruise today and take advantage of these amazing deals.  Click here to contact us or give us a call to learn more.

]]> http://www.viajesvertiz.com/2010/09/save-up-to-63-on-3-exotic-oceania-cruises/feed/ 1 http://www.viajesvertiz.com/2009/12/path-of-the-jaguar-mayan-history-tour/ http://www.viajesvertiz.com/2009/12/path-of-the-jaguar-mayan-history-tour/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:12:37 +0000 admin http://www.viajesvertiz.com/2009/12/path-of-the-jaguar-mayan-history-tour/
An 8 Day Tour of Chiapas – Ancient Mayan Culture, History & Lore

The Path of the Jaguar: Highland Chiapas, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Palenque and Environs

The Path of the Jaguar - Immerse Yourself in Ancient Mayan Culture

This package tour includes guided visits to the Mayan villages and churches of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan, San Cristobal de las Casas,  the Sergio Castro Museum, the Na Bolom Museum, the Museum of Amber and the ancient Mayan city of Palenque, with optional extension to Bonampak and Yaxchilan in the Lacandon rain forest.

The Maya and the peoples of ancient Mexico knew what they were made of, corn, and they knew how long it took to complete numerous cycles derived from the movements of the heavens, the life spans of plants and human gestation. The fore bearers of those shamans, kings and scribes who studied time and the cycles of the sun, moon and planets were those who gave birth to the Mesoamerican calendar and kept it alive so that we would know when it was time to germinate again and rise up as gods into the sky. The year 2012 is an important signpost along the way during that ascension. As we fall back into the earth now it has been what seems like only a short time since we had come full circle before and we are once again standing at the point of destruction in order to create…

The Path of the Jaguar winds its way upward into the highlands of Chiapas, where we’ll  see variations in dress, unique agricultural adaptation, as well as ritual, faith and symbolism that has remained unchanged for more than 2000 years or been melded with European colonial and Christian imprints that sometimes mimic them. The cross and cardinal directions, reciprocal sacrifice, and the sacred geography of a living landscape become ever more important to us thematically as we begin our immersion into the art and iconography of the ancient Maya, now wearing the regalia of Christendom. After seeing manmade mountains and temples of stone that emulate the earth, heavens and underworld toppled and used again to construct the edifices of Spanish royalty and the conformity of catholic salvation, we admire the will of a people as strong as the Maya who survived it all and continue to grow like the World Tree, the sacred Ceiba, that holds their universe together.

The details that pick and peck at the minds of master scholars are but glimpses of a larger picture unfolding all around us as we walk through a sacred city of ancient savants. Winding down toward the Gulf coast flood plain of Tabasco to the tropical edge of highland Chiapas and the forested Usumacinta river basin at Palenque, Bonampak and Yaxchilan, we see the vestiges of gods, rulers and dynastic history interwoven with images of religious and cosmic ritual, war and sacrifice that still speak from ancient remains beneath a canopy of rainforest. At times, they remind us of who we are and of our ability to properly mark the passage of time.  They offer us lessons in their silence about the fates of gods and societies.

The Path of the Jaguar Itinerary

Day 1 - Our journey begins after arrival in Tuxtla Gutierrez in the afternoon by air, having connected through Mexico City.  Land transport to San Cristobal de Las Casas. Overnight San Cristobal de las Casas.

Day 2 - Wake up to a crisp San Cristobal morning amid the mystical mountains of central Chiapas. After breakfast, we head out for a guided tour of the city, its landmarks and monuments that speak from an indigenous past, cloaked now in Christianity. The local markets, the Na Bolom museum (former home of the late Danish archeaologist Frans Blom and his wife Gertrude and dedicated to the study and support of the Lacandon Maya), museums of jade and amber and of prehispanic/colonial history and Mayan culture; as well as an international array of restaurants give us plenty to do the rest of the day. Breakfast included, overnight San Cristobal.

Day 3 - Guided tours of the Tzotzil Maya villages of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan, just outside of town, are great first-hand introductions into a world that we as outsiders can only hope to better understand with time. The mystical manner with which these modern descendents of ancient shamans conduct their lives and rituals leave us spellbound and longing to learn more about things like alternative methods of healing (we get a closer look at the Museum of Mayan Medicine). With total respect for the sanctity of the community we visit, we are given unique and intimate presentations of culture and tradition, truly beautiful and sometimes shocking to behold.  Free afternoon. Breakfast included, overnight in San Cristobal.

Day 4 - Option : A day trip down into the lush Grijalva river basin and historic first capital of the Spanish in the region, Chiapa de Corzo, with boat trips through the awe inspiring Sumidero canyon and the scenic eco-park located inside it. This place is where the earliest Maya long-count date was found, inscribed in jade.
A visit to the Sergio Castro Museum in the evening will be an inspiring lesson in the culture, daily life and variety of dress of the Maya that Sergio has become an expert on after over 50 years of charity work in Chiapas.

Those who do not choose the optional canyon trip will have the day free to enjoy and explore the traditional markets and museums of historic San Cristobal de Las Casas.  Breakfast included, overnight in San Cristobal.

Day 5 - We begin the second leg of our journey this morning, gradually moving north, lower and lower through changing vegetation (and traditional clothing) and purely Mayan areas, toward Palenque.  We stop at the cascades of Agua Azul, at about midway.  As we descend further, we begin to see the dramatic difference between the tropical highlands we are leaving and the lush rainforest we are entering. Arriving to the town of Palenque in the afternoon, we have time to shake off the dust of the day’s road travel and settle into our hotel, tucked into the forest near the archaeological zone; perhaps receiving a visit from some of the local howler monkeys. Breakfast included, overnight in Palenque.

Day 6 - After a breakfast overlooking the rainforest canopy we ride or walk into the national park and archaeological zone of Lacamha, known today as Palenque.  We see immediately why the city’s name meant “big or wide waters” and why Palenque’s record is so important scientifically and spiritually to the study of the Mayan people and the human race. We experience dynastic history and religion worked into mountains of stone and stucco, demonstrating faith in a wide range of gods and their aspects in nature; as displayed through cosmic ritual and sacrifice. In the site museum we gaze upon lifelike portraits in clay, stone and stucco as we come face to face with the ancient ruling lineage of Palenque. The natural setting of encroaching rainforest, sacred geometry, recent studies in ancient astronomy, 2012, the calendar and the decipherment of Maya glyphic code are all subjects to be addressed during our days and nights in Palenque. Breakfast included, presentation by Albert and The Maya Exploration Center, overnight in Palenque.

Day 7 - This day is free to roam the ruins, trails and museum of Palenque with guidance available by Albert and the associates of The Maya Exploration Center. In the afternoon and evening, talks with archaeologists, art historians or other experts in the field of Maya research with many years working at the ruins will further enhance our experience of ancient Mayan cosmological vision, history and thought.  Dinner that evening gives us time to reflect a bit and enjoy the tropical atmosphere before departing the next morning for home or, for those who choose the extension, to the Lacandon rainforest, the stunningly preserved painted mural scenes of ancient Bonampak and the classic period power center of Yaxchilan on the Usumacinta river that forms the border with Guatemala (accessed by boat). Breakfast included, overnight in Palenque.

Day 8 - We depart after an early breakfast for the airport in Villahermosa, Tabasco, passing through the ancient homeland of the Olmec for midday/early afternoon flights home. Breakfast included.

Yaxchilan/Bonampak Extension

Day 8 - Transport to Bonampak and guided tour of site and mural paintings with Albert and the associates of The Maya Exploration Center. After beholding some of the most vivid and well preserved mural paintings by classic period Maya scribes, where live the Lacandon Maya who still practice their ancient religion, we transfer to our accommodations for the night on the banks of the Usumacinta river in the rustic frontier town of Frontera Corazal. Breakfast, lunch included, overnight in Frontera Corazal.

Day 9 - We reach Yaxchilan by boat, awed by the beauty of the rain forest and the ancient history that it holds hidden beneath. After roaming the enchanted, forested ruins of this riverside capital whose ancient works of art still portray vividly the bloody rites, self sacrifice and warlike doctrine of the classic period Maya; we understand clearly why it was worth it to come so far. After that we head back to Palenque for our final night. Breakfast, lunch included, overnight in Palenque.

Day 10 - We depart after an early breakfast for the airport in Villahermosa, Tabasco, passing through the ancient homeland of the Olmec for midday/ early afternoon flights home. Breakfast included.

About Your Guide

Albert Tyler Coffee

Albert Tyler Coffee is a graduate of Louisiana State University in Anthropology where his professors were leaders in Mesoamerican research. After leaving LSU he went to work in contract archaeology throughout the southeastern U.S. for several years before moving to Mexico to pursue his dream of exploring the lands and sites of ancient Mesoamerica. He has remained in Mexico for the last 6 years, now married to a Mexican national and with two young children. His time in Mexico has been full of experience both in language teaching and traveling and studying the ruins and cultures throughout the country. He was also invited to work on the excavation of the classic and post classic period Toltec-Chichimec-Otomi site of Canada de la Virgen (Virgin Canyon) outside of San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato where he lived for several years. That archaeological zone will soon open to the public.

In Oaxaca he served as the director of the language center at UMAR, The University of the Sea on the coast in Puerto Escondido while immersing himself in the local indigenous culture. By bringing to the attention of INAH (National Institute of Anthropology and History) the looting and unprotected state of a hilltop Zapotec / Mixtec fortress there on the coast, he aided in the preservation of the site and several beautifully carved stelae, one of them a depiction of the plumed serpent. The only thing that Albert loves more than traveling through and researching the ancient cultures of Mexico and Central America is to share his knowledge and experience with others who have the desire to learn first hand at the actual places where this history has been left to the earth and to humanity. Albert and the other scholars and guides involved will make sure that your experience is an authentic and unforgettable one.

Gorgeous Beaches or Mayan Ruins - Your Choice

Looking to spend some time on the beach this winter?  How about a 3, 4 or 7 day trip to Cancun with airfare and accommodations included?  Book a vacation for October, November or December and lock in these amazing package rates.   

There are hundreds of package combinations with over 28 hotels to choose from.  Here are just some examples of these amazing deals…   

Stay at the AQUAMARINA hotel for just…   

• 3 night stay – $5,788 pesos per person (less for minors)
• 4 night stay – $6,546 pesos per person
• 7 night stay – $8,819 pesos per person

Stay at the CROWN PARADISE CLUB for just…   

• 3 night stay – $7,473 pesos per person
• 4 night stay – $8,792 pesos per person
• 7 night stay – $12,750 pesos per person

Stay at the GRAN MELIA CANCUN for just…   

• 3 night stay – $9,279 pesos per person (less for minors)
• 4 night stay – $11,200 pesos per person
• 7 night stay – $16,964 pesos per person

All options shown include round-trip airfare from Leon, Guanajuato, transfers between the airport and hotel and all meals.   

Let a Viajes Vértiz travel agent help you find the right hotel and package for you.  Click here to contact us or call us at the numbers shown at the bottom of the page.   

Prefer the Riviera Maya?

Package prices start at just $6,011 pesos including airfare from Leon, Guanajuato.  Contact us to learn more.

The Path of the Feathered Serpent

7 Day Archaeological Excursion through Central Mexico

An immersive journey into the mystical heart of ancient Mexico, with access to relaxing spa treatments and wellness centers in resort areas once frequented by the Aztec kings and Cortez himself…

The trip includes visits, guided by anthropologist and teacher Albert Coffee, to: the ruins of Cacaxtla and Xochitecatl in Tlaxcala; the great pyramid of Cholula, Puebla; the Olmec ruins of Chalcatzingo, Mayan Xochicalco and Aztec temple Tepozteco in Tepoztlan, Morelos; the museum in Cortez’s palace in Cuernavaca; the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City and Teotihuacan.

Trip accommodations in:

• Hotel Las Iglesias, a “sanctuary for the senses”, in Cholula, Puebla
• Posada del Tepozteco, part of the “Tesoros” line of boutique hotels with optional spa treatments and temazcal, in Tepoztlan, Morelos
• Hotel Villas Arqueologicas, situated right near the pyramids of Teotihuacan

Interested?
Here is a detailed description of the trip…

Discover the Hidden Treasures of Central Mexico

If you have a keen and sincere interest in the pre-Columbian history of Mexico and the ancient cultures of Mesoamerica like the Olmec, Teotihuacan, Toltec, Aztec and Maya then you’re in luck this December when Viajes Vertiz, together with degreed anthropologist and teacher Albert Coffee, offer a tour of central Mexico’s ancient sacred sites imparting knowledge based on years of archaeological survey and research in the lands of Mexico that make up what is known today as Mesoamerica.

This fascinating immersion into the cultural traits and remains of the civilizations and peoples who once occupied the archaeological ruins of this country could not be better taught than at the actual places where this rich history has been left to the earth and humanity. These places include the great pyramid of Cholula and the ruins of Cacaxtla and Xochitecatl in the Puebla valley under the gaze of the watchful volcanoes Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl; and magical Tepoztlan, Morelos, the mythical birthplace of the god Quetzalcoatl or ‘feathered serpent’ near the ruins of the Aztec temple Tepozteco and the Maya dominated hilltop city of Xochicalco. With visits as well to the museum in Cortez’s palace in Cuernavaca, to Teotihuacan, and to the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City you will become well acquainted with the origins, complexities and fates of the ancient native cultures of Mexico.

Guided tours of the sites and museums included in the trip make up only part of the overall experience while you stay in some of the most charming boutique hotels and enjoy some of the finest spa/retreats that Mexico has to offer in some of the most sacred and magical places in the country. This trip combines the relaxation of top quality accommodation and optional spa treatment with an in depth course in Mesoamerican archaeology and cultural history, led by an anthropologist gifted in bringing to life the ruins of these incredible, ancient cities for those who accompany him.

Hotel & Accomodations Included

Viajes Vertiz partners with Albert Coffee for the 7 day “Path of the Feathered Serpent” tour from December 14th to 20th, which visits the magical towns and pre-Columbian ruins of central Mexico offering a once in a lifetime journey through the ancient heart of Mesoamerica now covered in a colonial and modern guise. The tour is limited to 12 people to offer a more intimate, focused yet relaxing experience.

Having recently returned from a similar trip with Viajes Vertiz through Chiapas and the areas of San Cristobal de las Casas and Palenque in which he accompanied a group as conductor and guide, Albert is anxious again to make your experience of ancient and modern Mesoamerica an authentic, accurate and unforgettable one.

Here are a few comments from some of the group who went on that Chiapas trip…

“Tour guide Albert Coffee is more than just a ‘tour guide’….We watched with great interest how he handled the morning walking tour of Palenque…carefully considering the interest, walking and climbing abilities of the group. He did this so well that we felt sure that no one felt left out…His considerable knowledge of not only the past but of what would be discovered in years to come really shown. It is rare in our experience to find a ‘tour guide’ who shares his knowledge with such enthusiasm…His assets are his considerable knowledge, enthusiasm and presentation style. If he were to (do another tour) designed to look, see and understand an area and part of its history that he knows so well…we would be first in line.
– Dennis and Gay Mayfield

“When you put enthusiasm, hard work, good education and in-depth subject matter expert into a guide you can’t have anything but success. That was our experience of Albert Coffee. He made our trip to Palenque one of my greatest experiences I have ever had I all my travels through Mexico and Latin America. He was well organized gracious and extremely knowledgeable about Mesoamerica. I hope he will be leading other groups around Mexico and Latin America.
– Bill Fisher

“Albert was terrific. His knowledge of the region made our trip to Palenque extra special. He also took very good care of us…”
– Donna Matteson

“Albert Coffee was a superb guide. His knowledge of Palenque is astounding and his willingness to make the trip go smoothly was unending. I can’t wait to go on another tour with him!”
– Jane Sallis

“On a recent trip to Chiapas, our group was lucky enough to have Albert Coffee as our guide. Not only is Albert a courteous, charming and completely bi-lingual young man, he has a degree in Mesoamerican anthropology from Louisiana State University. His enthusiasm for the cultural history of the locality and particularly of the ruins of Palenque was infectious. We not only learned a great deal about the area, we had a wonderful time doing it thanks to Albert.”
– Leslie Von Jaeger

The Path of the Feathered Serpent Itinerary

Day 1 – Monday – Leave San Miguel in the early morning, transport to the scenic ruins of Cacaxtla and Xochitecatl in the Tlaxcala/Puebla valley; overnight in Cholula. Lunch included.

Day 2 – Tuesday – Tour of the Great Pyramid of Cholula, Tlachihualtepetl , topped by a colonial period church and one of the largest manmade monuments in the world, and visit to museum learning about the pre-Columbian history of Mexico under the shadow of volcanoes; free afternoon, overnight in Cholula.

Day 3 – Wednesday – Leave Cholula for Tepoztlan, Morelos; stop for tour of Olmec ruins at Chalcatzingo and the Museum Cuaunahuac (Cortez’s Palace) in Cuernavaca; overnight in Tepoztlan.

Teotihuacan

Day 4 – Thursday – Free Day in Tepoztlan with optional hike to pyramid (built to house the Aztec god of Pulque, which is readily available for consumption), tour of museum and church and assortment of spa services (temazcals etc.). Time to absorb the rejuvenating energy of this magical town and the mountains surrounding it which attracted the Aztec kings and Cortez to rest in this region.

Day 5 – Friday – Tour of the impressive Maya dominated, hilltop ruins of Xochicalco or “House of Flowers” and the site museum and free afternoon and evening in Tepoztlan. Overnight in Tepoztlan.

Day 6 – The way to Teotihuacan, the most influential unifying force in Mesoamerica includes a tour through the world class Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City; overnight in Teotihuacan. Breakfast included.

Day 7 – Tour of Teotihuacan in the morning and early afternoon and transport back to San Miguel, arriving by evening.

About Your Guide

Albert Tyler Coffee

Albert Tyler Coffee is a graduate of Louisiana State University in Anthropology where his professors were leaders in Mesoamerican research. After leaving LSU he went to work in contract archaeology throughout the southeastern U.S. for several years before moving to Mexico to pursue his dream of exploring the lands and sites of ancient Mesoamerica. He has remained in Mexico for the last 6 years, now married to a Mexican national and with two young children. His time in Mexico has been full of experience both in language teaching and traveling and studying the ruins and cultures throughout the country. He was also invited to work on the excavation of the classic and post classic period Toltec-Chichimec-Otomi site of Canada de la Virgen (Virgin Canyon) outside of San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato where he lived for several years. That archaeological zone will soon open to the public.

In Oaxaca he served as the director of the language center at UMAR, The University of the Sea on the coast in Puerto Escondido while immersing himself in the local indigenous culture. By bringing to the attention of INAH (National Institute of Anthropology and History) the looting and unprotected state of a hilltop Zapotec / Mixtec fortress there on the coast, he aided in the preservation of the site and several beautifully carved stelae, one of them a depiction of the plumed serpent. The only thing that Albert loves more than traveling through and researching the ancient cultures of Mexico and Central America is to share his knowledge and experience with others who have the desire to learn first hand at the actual places where this history has been left to the earth and to humanity. Albert and the other scholars and guides involved will make sure that your experience is an authentic and unforgettable one.