Book of Mormon Tours

13-Day Land of Nephi and El Mirador Tour

November 6 – 18, 2021

With option to El Mirador by Helicopter 

$3,195 per person double occupancy

Does not include international airfare

(United States to Guatemala City and Guatemala City to the United States)

 

On this unique, deluxe tour you will cover the Book of Mormon history throughout the land of Nephi, including the city of Nephi, the land of Ishmael, the waters of Mormon, the land of Helam, the land of Middoni, and the East Wilderness. This all-inclusive deluxe tour is a fantastic mix of archaeology, museums, exciting places of interest, and is filled throughout with the history of the Book of Mormon. You will see the LDS Temples in Guatemala City and Quetzaltenango, ten archaeological sites and museums, seven other places of interest, and seven locations associated with the Book of Mormon. Call today to book your space on this premium Book of Mormon experience. 1.801.226.5200 or email us at BookOfMormonTours@gmail.com.

 

Tour Includes: twelve nights hotel accommodations, two or more meals daily except on first and last days, first-class bus transportation, airfare from Flores (Tikal) to Guatemala City, 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 Allen.

 

A special option is available on this tour:

El Mirador by Helicopter

Spend an exciting day flying by helicopter from the Flores International Airport to the magnificent ruins of El Mirador. Visit the lost city of Guatemala's El Mirador – a chance to see one of the most impressive gems of Maya culture. The unparalleled vistas nestled deep in the Petén jungle in Guatemala provide a glimpse back in time. Taking a helicopter to El Mirador provides a breathtaking vantage point from which to see this Mayan ruin. El Mirador flourished as a trading center from around 200 BC to AD 150 during the Maya Pre-Classic Period. With a population as high as 80,000, it was one of the first large cities in North America. Add this amazing experience for only $350 per person.

 

Tour Deposit

A tour deposit of $500 per person is due in order to reserve your space on the tour. Full payment is due 60 days prior to departure. The deposit is non-refundable; however, it may be transferred to another tour if taken within 12 months of the original scheduled tour departure. See terms and conditions for details. Prices and itineraries are subject to change.

 

Trip Cancelation Insurance:

You are encouraged to purchase trip cancellation insurance to protect your deposit and to protect yourself in case of unforeseen personal circumstances. Typical reasons for trip insurance include injury or illness of insured, hurricane or natural disaster, and terrorism or mandatory evacuation at destination. Please visit our website at www.BookOfMormonTours.com for more details.

ITINERARY

 Day 1: Saturday, November 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, November 7, Guatemala City

After attending church with the local saints, we will visit the Guatemala LDS temple and then later, 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 his son 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, November 8, Lake Atitlan

This morning we will check out of our hotel and then 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 continue 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 the village of Panajachel, and check into our hotel that is nestled on the shores of Lake Atitlan. (Breakfast, Dinner)

 

Day 4: Tuesday, November 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. Upon our return, you will have time to relax or shop at the exciting street shops in Panajachel with typical native souvenirs and other interesting items. 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: Wed, November 10, Quetzaltenango

After a leisure morning, we will check out of our hotel and continue along 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 second temple in Guatemala which we will see prior to checking into our hotel that overlooks the city square.  (Breakfast, Dinner)

 

Day 6: Thursday, November 11, Antigua

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 bus to Antigua, the old Spanish capital of Guatemala. Several buildings date to the 16th and 17th centuries. We will visit the jade factory before checking into our hotel for the evening. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 

Day 7: Friday, November 12, Copan, Honduras

This morning, we will leave our hotel early and begin our adventure 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: Sat, November 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, November 14, Petén, 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 four nights as we appreciate the natural and cultural mysteries of the Mayan World at our deluxe lakeside hotel. (Breakfast, Dinner)

 

Day 10: Mon, November 15, Petén, 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: Tues, November 16, Petén, Guatemala

After breakfast, we will return to the Tikal National Park area and visit the archaeological site of Uaxactun. Uaxactun (pronounced waw-shock-TOON) lies about 12 miles north of the Tikal. It is an ancient sacred place of the Maya civilization. Uaxactun was defeated by forces led by Fire is Born of Tikal in AD 378, just seven years prior to the final Nephite/Lamanite battle at Cumorah. Fire is Born might have come from Teotihuacán, been the general of the Teotihuacan ruler Spearthrower Owl, and conquered Tikal earlier the same year. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 

FOR THOSE CHOOSING THE EL MIRADOR OPTION On either Monday or Tuesday, you will transfer to the Flores International Airport and board a helicopter for a 30-minute flight to the El Mirador basin and archaeological site in the remote part of the northern Petén jungle. On this thrilling excursion, you will get to know the largest pyramid in the Americas, La Danta. You will fly over the Mayan Biosphere, see the first roads of the history of mankind and visit the largest city of the Pre-classic Mayan era. Few people have had the opportunity to know this place in one of the most remote places on the planet. El Mirador flourished from about the 6th century BC to the 1st century AD, reaching its height from the 3rd century BC, the Mosiah time period. Then it experienced a hiatus of construction and perhaps abandonment for generations, followed by re-occupation and further construction in the Late Classic era, and a final abandonment about the end of the 9th century. Your guide will explain the fascinating history of this pristine site. Lunch will be provided prior to your return to the airport and hotel. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 

Day 12: Wed, November 17, Guatemala City

This morning we will visit the pre-classic site of Yaxha. Yaxha was the third largest city in the region behind El Mirador and Tikal in size. It was first settled between 1000 and 350 BC and became the largest city in the eastern Petén region between 350 BC and AD 250 and therefore may have been involved in Book of Mormon events. It also shows a strong relationship with Teotihuacan. Afterwards, we will bus to the Flores International Airport for a flight to Guatemala City for our last night. (Breakfast, Lunch)

 

Day 13: Thursday, November 18, Flights Home

Transferring to the Guatemala City 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:

● Twelve 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 Allen.