Book of Mormon Lands Passion River Model Tour / Guatemala and Belize (9 days/8 nights)

DAY 1 – Fri. 17th– Guatemala City

PM Tonight our flight will arrive at the Guatemala City airport and we will transfer to our hotel nearby for check-in, dinner, and a brief welcome and orientation meeting regarding our tour.

DAY 2 – Sat. 18th – Guatemala City

AM After breakfast we will visit the LDS temple in Guatemala City and learn about the interesting history of the church in Guatemala and the fulfillment of promises for the descendants of Father Lehi with the construction of the first LDS temple in Central America and its dedication in 1984. Afterward we will transfer to the Guatemala Relief Map, a large scale outdoor relief map to visualize the Passion River model of Book of Mormon geography and to compare and contrast it with other Book of Mormon geography models and theories in Mesoamerica.

PM In the afternoon we will transfer to Kaminaljuyu, a proposed candidate for the City of Nephi, that dates to the 6th Century BC. Next we will visit the National Archaeology and Ethnology museum to learn about the history and cultural of the people of Guatemala principally known as the Maya and their Pre-Colombian history. Afterward we will return to our hotel for a dinner presentation on the Passion River model before retiring for our overnight stay.

DAY 3 – Sun. 19th – Guatemala City / Salama

AM After breakfast we will attend local worship services and then return to our hotel for check-out. Then we will then transfer to the Salama Valley, proposed in the Passion River model to be the land of Nephi.

PM We will visit Tzalcam, the best candidate for the City of Nephi, that exhibits from archaeological investigations to have both Maya and non Maya structures. We will transfer to a nearby hotel for check-in and dinner and our overnight stay.

DAY 4 – Mon. 20th – Salama / FloresAM

AM After breakfast we will transfer to Coban, proposed to be the City of Manti and stop briefly en route to visit a satellite fortification that anciently defended the overland trail through a strategic mountain pass from possible enemy invasions coming up from the eastern and southern areas.

PM Next we will transfer to Ceibal, proposed to be the city of Zarahemla, the capital city of the Nephites , high above the western bank on a bend of the Passion River, proposed to be the River Sidon of the Book of Mormon. Afterward we will cross the river by ferry at nearby Sayaxche and then continue our transfer by ground to Flores to check into our hotel for dinner and our overnight stay.

DAY 5 – Tues. 21st – Tikal

AM After breakfast we will visit the awe-inspiring city of Tikal (600 BC to 900 AD), an immense and impressive Mayan city for the start of a 4+ hour foot tour of restored areas including the Great Plaza, North Acropolis, Temples III, IV and V and the Lost World, etc. From atop Temple IV particularly will have a breath-taking view of what has been proposed is the East Wilderness referenced in the Book of Mormon and discuss its impact in both historical and spiritual perspectives.

PM Afterward we will visit the museum, and take time for souvenir shopping before returning to our hotel in Flores for dinner.

DAY 6 – Wed. 22nd – Yaxha / San Ignacio

AM After breakfast we will transfer to Yaxha (800 BC to 900 AD), a Pre-Classic and Classic Maya city, the fourth largest city of the Maya lowlands. This is a beautiful site that also dates to the times of the Book of Mormon. Afterward we will also take a short boat ride to visit the nearby satellite site of Topoxte that was inhabited after the Maya collapse of the Classic period.

PM Next we will cross the border into Belize and transfer to our hotel in San Ignacio, for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 7 – Thurs. 23rd – Caracol

AM After breakfast we will transfer to Caracol (900 BC to 900 AD), a Pre-Classic and Classic Maya city, a very important and dominant city of the Maya lowlands. This is a beautiful and remote site that also dates to the times of the Book of Mormon.

PM In the afternoon we will return to our hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 8 – Fri.. 24th – Lamanai / Belize City

AM After breakfast we will transfer to Lamanai, a Pre-Classic and Classic Maya city that was inhabited continuously for over 1500 years during and after the times of the Book of Mormon. Interestingly, the name of the city predates the Spanish conquest, an intriguing cognate that was common among the Lamanites of the Book of Mormon. This magnificent day features exploration of the city and learn about its flora and fauna.

PM Next we will transfer to the Bravo Escarpment near the Mexican border to view the Achotal hill across the Rio Hondo in Mexico. The hill is proposed to be the Hill Cumorah or the infamous site of the final defeat and demise of both the Jaredite and Nephite nations. After the days activities we will transfer to Belize City and check into our hotel for dinner.

DAY 9 – Sat. 25th – Belize City / home

AM After breakfast we will check-out of our hotel and transfer to the airport for our departure flight back home, buen viaje!

The 9 day/8 night Passion River Model Book of Mormon Lands tour package is $1995 per person (based on double occupancy) and includes ground and air transportation (not international airfare), bilingual LDS guide, hotel room accommodations, breakfasts, dinners, park and museum admission fees, bottled water, tips and taxes. A $250 deposit secures your space on the trip with the balance due within 60 days of beginning of tour. 

For those who wish to stay a few extra days in Belize to enjoy the water activities on Ambergris Caye or Caulker Caye or another island of your choice, ask us for our special resort pricing discounts.