22 Day Nephi to Bountiful Tour
December 27, 2008 – January 17, 2009
$4,695 per person double occupancy
Does not include international airfare
(United States to Mexico City and Guatemala City to the United States)
Includes six internal air flights, twenty-one nights hotel accommodations, two or more 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, and escorted by professional tour director Blake Joseph Allen.
A tour commitment fee of $100 per person is due by April 1, 2008. For those who pay by this date, a discount of $50 off of the $4,695 price per person will be given on the final invoice. A tour deposit of $500 per person is due by May 15, 2008. The total payment is due by October 27, 2008. The commitment fee and deposit are non-refundable; however, they may be transferred to another tour if taken within 12 months of the original scheduled tour departure. See terms and conditions for details.
This is the ultimate Book of Mormon Tour. You will cover the Book of Mormon history including the Land of First Inheritance, the land of Nephi, the land of Zarahemla, the land northward, the East Wilderness, the hill Cumorah where the Book of Mormon came to an end, the land of Moron, the land Bountiful and the land of Jershon. You will visit six LDS Temples, twenty-one archaeological sites and museums, and twenty-three locations associated with the Book of Mormon. Call today to book your space on this ultimate Book of Mormon experience.
Itinerary
Day 1: Saturday, December 27, 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.
Day 2: Sunday, December 28, Guatemala City
After attending church with the local saints, we will 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). We will then visit 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. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 3: Monday, December 29, Guatemala City
Our air flight will take us to 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 take a return flight to Guatemala City. (Breakfast, Lunch).
Day 4: Tuesday, December 30, Antigua
For those who desire, we will attend a session at the Guatemala City temple. Afterwards, 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 6th century BC (see 2 Nephi 5:5-10). We will then bus to Antigua, the old Spanish capital of Guatemala. Several buildings dating to the 16th and 17th centuries, the jade factory, the artisan’s market and a charming town square are not to be missed during our stay in Antigua. We stay in this charming city tonight. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 5: Wednesday, December 31, Lake Atitlan
This morning we travel 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. The hotel has fun activities and a spectacular New Year’s party planned for you to attend. (Breakfast, Dinner).
Day 6: Thursday, January 1, 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, Dinner)
Day 7: Friday, January 2, Quetzaltenango
After having the morning free, we will check out of our hotel and pick up Alma’s trail as we make our way through the wilderness to the Valley of Alma. Our journey will take us to Quetzaltenango, the second largest city in Guatemala and the location of the newly announced second temple in Guatemala, where we will check into our hotel that overlooks the city square. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 8: Saturday, January 3, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
After checking out of our hotel, we will visit 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 (Mosiah chapters 23 & 24). We will then travel down from the highlands to the Pacific coast where we will cross the border into Mexico and visit the archaeological site of Izapa. While visiting Izapa, we will see Stela 5, the “Tree of Life Stone”. This engraved stone dating back to 300 BC may depict Lehi’s dream as recorded in first Nephi. Following our visit of Izapa we will check into our hotel in the nearby city of Tapachula. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 9: Sunday, January 4, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas
Following church services, we will travel by bus along the Soconusco coastal region as we discuss things such as Lehi’s landing site, a day and a half journey for a Nephite, and the city of Ammonihah and its destruction. We will arrive in the Chiapas valley, considered by many to have been the Land of Zarahemla where the Nephites had their headquarters for 550 years (Omni 1:13-15 and Mormon 2:28-29). (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 10: Monday, January 5, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas
We will begin our day with a visit to the archaeological zone of Chiapa de Corzo, a candidate for the City Sidom (See Alma 15:1-8). We will then take a boat ride through the majestic Sumidero Canyon on the Grijalva River, with walls towering 3000 feet above our heads. The Grijalva has been proposed as the River Sidon in the Book of Mormon. In the afternoon we will visit the zoo and see the majestic Quetzal bird, the national bird of Guatemala and the bird used to represent the white god Quetzalcoatl. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 11: Tuesday, January 6, Villahermosa, Tabasco
This morning we will check out of our hotel and visit the temple at Tuxtla Gutierrez and the Regional Museum of Tuxtla Gutierrez that shows many pre-Classic (Book of Mormon time period) sites and artifacts, including an engraved stone that manifests the early long count date of December 9, 36 B.C. (See Helaman chapter 4). We will then bus to Villahermosa which represents the western edge of the “land among many waters” described in Mosiah 8:8. Upon arrival we will visit the outdoor La Venta Museum, a place that houses large engraved stone monuments dating to the Jaredite time period. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 12: Wednesday, January 7, Villahermosa, Tabasco
Although only four percent of the population of the country of Mexico live in the State of Chiapas, over 40% of the wild animals live in the Tehuantepec, Chiapas and Lacondone mountains. This is reminiscent of the statement in Ether wherein it states that the “land southward was preserved for a wilderness to get game” (Ether 10:21). We will take a two hour bus ride to the majestic Classic time period Maya ruins of Palenque. We will analyze the panel of glyphs at the Temple of the Cross which shows the lineage of a 7th century AD king named Chan Balaam, which dates back to a Jaredite king named Kish, who was born on March 8, 993 BC. We will return to Villahermosa where we will spend the night. (Breakfast, Lunch)
Day 13: Thursday, January 8, Catemaco, Veracruz
Today we will visit the Villahermosa Temple and then bus along Mexico’s “golden lane” passing by both the “place where the sea divides the land” (Gulf of Mexico), and the “narrow neck of land” (Isthmus of Tehuantepec). (See Ether 10:20.) Prior to our arrival at beautiful Lake Catemaco where we will spend the night, we will pass by the hill Shim (Cintepec) where Mormon obtained the records for his history (See Mormon 1:3, 17). (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 14: Friday, January 9, Veracruz, Veracruz
Today is a highlight of the tour. We will check out of our hotel and visit the hill where leading Latter-day Saint scholars are in agreement as to the location of the hill Ramah/Cumorah mentioned in the Book of Mormon (Mormon 6:2,6; Ether 15:11). We will travel through the area of the waters of Ripliancum (Ether 15:8), a place that has the same meaning in the Aztec (Nahuatl) language, “exceeding large waters.” We will drive into the city of Veracruz where we will spend the night and have the opportunity to see the Veracruz Temple. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 15: Saturday, January 10, Mexico City, Mexico
This morning we will take a flight to Mexico City. Upon arrival we will visit the ancient ruins of Teotihuacan. Occupied from about 200 BC to AD 900, Teotihuacan was one of the largest populated cities in the world during its peak. The inspiring pyramids of the Sun and Moon attract millions of visitors to this most popular archaeological zone in Mexico. This may have been the great city built by King Jacob of the Gadianton Robbers (See 3 Nephi 7). Returning to Mexico City in the afternoon, we will stop at the Shrine of Guadalupe where we will learn about the origin of the Catholic Church in Mexico. (Breakfast, Lunch)
Day 16: Sunday, January 11, Mexico City
This morning we will attend church and see the LDS temple which has been recently renovated. Afterwards, we will visit see the Mexico City temple which is currently undergoing renovation. We will also visit the downtown center of Mexico City and see the National Palace, National Cathedral and Great Temple of the Aztecs. In the afternoon, we will visit the National Museum of Anthropology, one of the most spectacular archaeological museums in the world. Touring the museum will provide us with an excellent review of our tour and expose us to many beautiful exhibits ranging from ancient pottery to gold and jade jewelry. We will return to the hotel for our last night. (Breakfast, Lunch)
Day 17: Monday, January 12, Oaxaca, Oaxaca
Transferring to the Mexico City airport we will take a morning flight to the colonial city of Oaxaca (pronounced Wa-Ha-Ca). Oaxaca represents the beginning of Book of Mormon history and also the beginning of investigative study on Book of Mormon history and geography. The Oaxaca valley has archaeological evidence that dates to the Jaredite time period and as a result is considered to be the ancient area of the Jaredite lands called Moron. LDS scholars believe that the Jaredites landed on the Pacific side and moved inland and that a branch of their society settled in the Oaxaca area. Three kingships later they moved to the Gulf Coast area. Olmec/Jaredite settlements began to show up along the Gulf Coast between 2000 and 1500 BC. As we arrive in Oaxaca, we will visit the site of San Jose Magote dating to 2600 BC and having Mesopotamian style stonework which may indicate their coming from the Tower of Babel area and time period. We will also visit a black pottery shop. Today, there are four stakes, a mission and a temple at Oaxaca. A visit to the Oaxaca Temple will culminate our day. This is the 74th temple of the church and was dedicated in 2000. It withstood two earthquakes during construction. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 18: Tuesday, January 13, Oaxaca, Oaxaca
This morning we will climb by bus to the top of the mountain where the ancient Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban are located. The early Zapotecs may also have been part of the Mulekite culture. Here we will summarize the three civilizations identified in the Book of Mormon: the Jaredites, Mulekites and Nephites. It was at Monte Alban, excavated by Alfonso Casso, where the evidence of a written language was first discovered in Mesoamerica. The site dates from 500 BC to AD 700 and may have been controlled by the Nephites beginning at the reign of King Mosiah at about 100 BC. In the afternoon we will visit the Zapotec ruins of Mitla. Although built about AD 700, it shows outstanding accomplishment in the workings of cement and intricate design. Zapotec civilization began in the Oaxaca valley about 500 BC and would probably be considered as part of the Mulekite culture. Mitla is a post Book of Mormon site. This is a fun place to shop as a variety of woven goods made by the modern day Zapotecs are available for sale. We will also have time to visit the Santo Domingo Church and Museum and enjoy the flavor of the central square of Oaxaca. As a colonial city, Oaxaca was also the home of Benito Juarez, a contemporary of Joseph Smith, and Mexico’s only pure native President. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 19: Wednesday, January 14, Kohunlich, Quintana Roo
A morning flight will take us to the far eastern coast of Mexico at Chetumal. Upon arrival we will transfer to the archaeological site of Kohunlich which is best known for its Temple of the Masks, an Early Classic pyramid whose central stairway is flanked by large stucco masks. The temple was built around AD 500. The giant masks represent the Sun God "Kinich Ahau". The city rose to prominence in the Early Classic when there were important ties to the cultures of northern Belize. Afterwards, we will check into our deluxe jungle lodge cabanas, a favorite of all. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 20: Thursday, January 15, Kohunlich, Quintana Roo
This morning we will visit the archaeological zone of Dzibanche, a fertile region where evidence suggests the city Bountiful may have been located where the Savior visited the Nephites. 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. Dzibanche was a major site in the Maya area in the Classic Period (AD 300-900). Afterwards, we will 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. Becan would be located in the East Wilderness area. After our visit of Becan we will return to our hotel. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 21: Friday, January 16, Belize City, Belize
This morning we will cross into the country of Belize and travel south to the New River. Traveling up the river by speed boats 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 proceed to Belize City for our last night of the tour. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 22: Saturday, January 17, Flights Home
We transfer to the airport where 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.
Prices and itineraries are subject to change.
Book of Mormon Tours
Let the Book of Mormon change your life.....again!
Toll Free (888) 226-5205
Utah County (801) 226-5200
www.bookofmormontours.com