The rugged mountains and deep jungles, not to mention the teeming wildlife in the virgin rainforests, are all the reasons why you should go on hiking and adventure trips in Guatemala. The vast jungle of Guatemala presents great hiking opportunity for the avid backpackers.

If you're one of them, you shouldn't dare miss this opportunity to go trekking up on the mountains. Just add a little human intervention provided by the local Mayan people, and this trip can be the most amazing adventure you'll have in your life.

Guatemala is a small country on the Pacific Ocean, bordering Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Belize. Spanish is the official language in Guatemala. The country has access to the Caribbean, which makes it a perfect destination for travelers interested in nature, wildlife and adventure.

There are many outdoor adventures you can participate in – canopy tours, fishing, swimming with dolphins, birding, scuba diving and more. The best thing you can do is to join an organized tour, as this way you will get the best experience possible for your money. There are organized outdoor adventure tours in Guatemala for many activities, and you can get full information about it from your travel agent or from your hotel once you have arrived.

In the very heart of Central America is Guatemala; a must for every tourist who is interested in nature, culture and history, a country with extraordinary ethnographic variety, cultural wealth, geographic diversity and a zone of economical and cultural contacts between all the cultures of Central America.

There are many ways to explore Guatemala. You can travel on your own or with some friends who are local and who can show you around and tell you more about the local culture and history. You can also choose to join one of the organized jungle tours, offered by many travel agencies.

We have come to realize that every traveler has his or her own specific interests and needs, which is why Duende Tours has developed a new adventure package; YOUR package, which accommodates your needs and travel wishes in Mexico, Guatemala, and/or Belize.

So, this is my first "blog". It's in quotations because, well,.....you'll see.......

A very good friend of mine once told me that traveling to distant and exotic places only meant as much as the person with whom you shared it. I disagree.

Mayans, baby!

OK, sorry for the pause in the vacation slides. I haven't been feeling well this week. I'm hoping for a tapeworm -- it'd save me a lot of money on Weight Watchers.

Chantal sent some of her photos from the Guatemala trip, so we can fill in some gaps.

Experiences That Words So Poorly Expresss in Mystic Jungles of Guatemala, Belize, Mexico.

Rediscovered in 1905 by Maurice Perigny, Nakum has had several archaeological and restorative sessions including a Guatemalan official restoration in 1990.

Nakum is a Mayan Jungle Site and a former ceremonial center and city of the ancient Maya of Guatemala. Located in the northeastern portion of the Petén Basin region, it rests in what is called the Guatemalan department of Petén. The northeastern Petén region contains significant Maya sites, Nakum being one of three sites composing the cultural and political triangle of "Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo". Approximately 17 km to the north of Yaxha and some 20 km to the east of Tikal. Outside of Tikal its main temple, a visibly-restored feature, serves as one of the Maya civilization’s best preserved archeological artifacts.