11 Day Nephi to Zarahemla Tour
February 24 - March 6, 2009
$2,795 per person double occupancy
Does not include international airfair
(United States to Guatemala and Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico to the United States)
Includes two internal air flights, ten 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 May 1, 2008. For those who pay by this date, a discount of $50 off of the $2,795 price per person will be given on the final invoice. A tour deposit of $500 per person is due by June 15, 2008. The total payment is due by December 24, 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.
On this tour you will follow the Book of Mormon history from the land of Nephi to the land of Zarahemla including the land of First Inheritance and the Tree of Life Stone. Most tours don’t even go to the area of the Chiapas depression with the greatest amount of evidence that supports this area as the land of Zarahemla. Over 80% of the history in the Book of Mormon has been proposed as having taken place in the areas visited on this all-inclusive deluxe tour. You will visit two LDS Temples, seven archaeological sites and museums, eleven locations associated with the Book of Mormon and other places of interest. Call today to book your space on this deluxe Book of Mormon experience, toll free (888) 226-5205.
Itinerary
Day 1: Tuesday, February 24, 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: Wednesday, February 25, Guatemala City
After a delicious buffet breakfast, we begin with a visit to 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. Afterwards we will 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). After a lunch break, we will see 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 Thursday, February 26, 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: Friday, February 27, Antigua
For those who desire, we will attend a session at the Guatemala City temple. Afterwards, we will check out of our hotel and 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 your stay in Antigua. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 5: Saturday, February 28, 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. (Breakfast, Dinner).
Day 6: Sunday, March 1, Lake Atitlan
After attending church with local members, the afternoon will be free to enjoy the Sabbath and the beauty of Lake Atitlan. 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 7: Monday, March 2, Quetzaltenango
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. In the afternoon 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: Tuesday, March 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: Wednesday, March 4, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico
Today 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). We will check into our hotel where you will have the remainder of the day free. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 10: Thursday, March 5, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico
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. We will also visit the LDS temple 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). (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 11: Friday, March 6, Flights Home
Transferring to the 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.
Prices and itineraries are subject to change.
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