Itinerary - Umoja Journey

APRIL 1
3
- M
AY
13
ICA 2017
R
E
UMOJA LATIN AM
Umoja Journey by
LAND ROVER
Led by
DAVID MARSHALL
International Needs Canada
Travel from Colombia to Guatemala
through Panama and Costa Rica
YO
UR I
TINER
ARY
WELCOME
The Umoja Journey is an adventure that will remain with you for the rest of your life. After you say ‘yes’ to
thischallengethemostdifficultpartoftheprocesswillbeover,andthefunandexcitementcanbegin.
OVERVIEW OF THE UMOJA JOURNEY
The Umoja Journey is a road trip through Latin America. We will be travelling in a convoy of Land Rovers,
with 4-5 people in each vehicle. The tour highlights the work of International Needs in Colombia and
Guatemala, and gives you the travel adventure of a lifetime.
The objectives are as follows:
• To give you a glimpse into the development projects in Colombia and Guatemala
• Toprovidefundingfortheprojectswewillbevisiting.
• To invite you to share your expertise and insight with our development partners.
• Toenableyoutoexperiencethestunningbeautyofthesecountriesandbeinspiredby
theirpeople
UMOJA JOURNEY COST
The cost of the journey is US $15,000 per person, which may be processed as a charitable donation
toward the work of International Needs, if your country of residence permits deductions of this nature. You
canmakeastraightcontribution,findsponsors,ordosomefund-raising.
Your donation will cover the cost of the following:
• FundingforthedevelopmentprojectsinColombiaandGuatemala
• Alltravelcostsofthetrip,includingairfarefromNorthAmerica
• You can join us for the whole journey or just one leg. However, the full cost applies.
LOGISTICS OF THE JOURNEY
This itinerary provides the day-by-day details so you know what to expect:
• Destinations and maps
• Travel plans
• Accommodations
• Activities
• Projects we will be visiting
2
UM O J A J O UR N E Y
UMOJA JOURNEY AT A GLANCE
Colombia to Guatemala
April 19 through May 13, 2017
Day Date
Destination
What’s Happening
1
Wednesday, April 19 ................................Barranquilla, Colombia
Travel day
2
Thursday, April 20 ....................................Barranquilla, Colombia
Visit Program:
Rose of Sharon Elementary School
3
Friday, April 21 ............................................Cartagena, Colombia
Visit International Needs program
4
Saturday, April 22 .......................................Cartagena, Colombia
Sightseeing and rest
5
Sunday, April 23..........................................Cartagena, Colombia
Sightseeing and rest
6
Monday, April 24 ........................................Panama City, Panama
Travel day
7
Tuesday, April 25 .......................................Panama City, Panama
Sightseeing and rest
8
Wednesday, April 26 ..........................Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
Travel and sightseeing
9
Thursday, April 27 ..............................Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
Whitewater rafting
10
Friday, April 28 .......................................Jaco Beach, Costa Rica
Travel day
11
Saturday, April 29 ..................................Jaco Beach, Costa Rica
Sightseeing and rest
12
Sunday, April 30.........................................Rio Dulce, Guatemala
Travel day
13
Monday, May 1 ..........................................Rio Dulce, Guatemala
River cruise
14
Tuesday, May 2 .....................................Las Lagunas, Guatemala
Travel and rest
15
Wednesday, May 3 ............................................ Tikal, Guatemala
Mayan ruins of Tikal
16
Thursday, May 4 .............................................. Yaxhá, Guatemala
Visit ancient Mayan City of Yaxhá
17
Friday, May 5 ...................................... Todos Santos, Guatemala
Travel day
18
Saturday, May 6 .................................. Todos Santos, Guatemala
Visit maternal health program
19
Sunday, May 7 ....................................... Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
Travel day
20
Monday, May 8 ...................................... Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
Sightseeing and rest
21
Tuesday, May 9 ............................................. Antigua, Guatemala
Travel and visit maternal
health program
22
Wednesday, May 10 ..................................... Antigua, Guatemala
Visit maternal health program
23
Thursday, May 11 ......................................... Antigua, Guatemala
Sightseeing and rest
24
Monday, May 12 ........................................... Antigua, Guatemala
Rest
25
Tuesday, May 13 .............................. Guatemala City, Guatemala
Fly home
LAT IN AM E RICA 2017
3
DAY ONE
DAY TWO
Wednesday, April 19
Thursday, April 20
Fly to Barranquilla, Colombia
Activities
Colombia’s economy is the third largest in
Latin America; its principal industries include
oil, mining, chemicals, health related products,
food processing, agricultural products, textile
and fabrics. However, this picture of economic
prosperity is clouded by longstanding political
violence and drug-related crime, which has
producedsignificantsocialdisplacement.
Accommodations
Hotel Dann Carlton, Barranquilla (1 of 2 nights)
Visit the work of International Needs Colombia
The Rose of Sharon Elementary School is a
Christian school located in the slums on the
outskirts of Barranquilla, Colombia. Many
students come from broken homes — typically
singlemotherswhohavefledabusivehusbands.
Others live with grandparents because their
parents were killed in street violence
Accommodations
Hotel Dann Carlton, Barranquilla (2 of 2 nights)
www.danncarltonbaq.co
4
UM O J A J O UR N E Y
DAY THREE
Friday, April 21
Activities
In the morning, visit the work of International Needs Colombia.
Travel to Cartagena, Colombia in the afternoon. Cartagena is a colonial gem on the Caribbean coast,
considered by many to be one of the world’s most beautiful cities. The old city has been designated as a
UNESCO World Heritage site.
Accommodations
Oasis villa (1 of 2 nights)
www.oasiscollections.com/cartagena/property/1587/
DAY FOUR & FIVE
Saturday, April 22 and Sunday, April 23
Activities
SightseeinginCartagena.VisittheSanFelipeFort,ConventdelaPopa,ortravelonfishermen’scanoes
throughmangroveswampstotheoldfishingvillageofLaBoquilla.
Accommodations
Oasis villa (2 of 2 nights)
LAT IN AM E RICA 2017
5
DAY SIX
Monday, April 24
Fly from Cartagena to Panama City
Accommodations
Casa Antigua (1 of 2 nights)
www.casaantiguapanama.com
DAY SEVEN
Tuesday, April 25
Activities
Visit the Panama Canal and see the sights in Panama City.
VisittheMirafloresLockstoseethefamousPanamaCanalandappreciatethescaleofthisengineering
miracle. Running 50 miles, the canal was carved out of the rainforest and through hillsides; lakes
were dammed and locks built. After a serious French attempt costing more than 20,000 lives, the US
successfully completed this remarkable endeavor, after 10 years of toil, in 1914.
In the afternoon you may like to visit ‘Casco Viejo’, the heart of colonial Panama City. Its ramparts were
builttofendoffmaraudersandencirclethepromontory.Astrollalongthetopaffordsviewsofthe‘Bridge
of the Americas’, and far in the distance the skyscrapers of the modern town, a total contrast to the
Spanish plazas and colonial buildings all around you.
Accommodations
Casa Antigua (2 of 2 nights)
6
UM O J A J O UR N E Y
DAY EIGHT
Wednesday, April 26
Fly from Panama City to David, Costa Rica
Drive to Lapa Rios Lodge, Osa Peninsula
208 KM · Approx 3.5 hours
Costa Rica is known for its pristine natural beauty, wildlife, and amazing adventures. Providing direct
access to all these wonders and more, Lapa Rios Eco Lodge is situated in a 1000-acre private reserve
in the Osa Peninsula — one of the most beautiful and wild parts of this country, and home to 2.5% of
theworld’sbiodiversity.OsaistheonlyplaceinCostaRicawhereyou’llfindfourspeciesofmonkeys
— squirrel, spider, white-face capuccin and howler monkey — and Osa is one of Central America’s best
locations for birders. Nearby Corcovado National Park is home to many of the country’s endangered
animals, such as pumas, jaguars, scarlet macaws and the great harpy eagle.
Water lovers will also be taken aback with this part of the world. The property is home to three beautiful
beaches and stunning waterfalls, surf lessons, horseback riding on the beach, and kayaking.
Activities
Afternoon rainforest ridge walk. Hike down along the cool ridges of Lapa Rios’ most impressive primary
and secondary forest as your guide highlights the hidden treasures of the rainforest.
Accommodations
Lapa Rios Bungalows (1 night)
www.laparios.com/photo_gallery_bungalows/bungalows/
LAT IN AM E RICA 2017
7
DAY NINE
Thursday, April 27
Activities
Whitewater rafting (optional)
DAY TEN
Friday, April 28
Drive to Jaco Beach, Costa Rica
293 KM · Approx 4.5 hours
Jaco Beach is the closest beach to San Jose, and
one of the most visited coastal destinations in
Costa Rica. The beach is a 2.5 mile (4 km) strip that
offersworldrenownedsurfingandmore.
Activities
includesurfing,swimming,deepseafishing,ATV
tours, bicycle rentals, horseback excursions,
crocodile safari, national parks and reserves, boat
and kayak excursions, white-water rafting, canopy
tours, and popular night life.
Accommodations
Casa Del Mar (1 of 2 nights)
www.luxuryretreats.com/North-America/CentralAmerica/Costa-Rica/Jaco/Casa-Del-Mar-113561
8
UM O J A J O UR N E Y
DAY ELEVEN
Saturday, April 29
Day of Leisure with endless choices. Relax on
thebeach,trydeep-seafishing,whitewater
rafting, zip lining through the rainforest, or more
horse riding.
Accommodations
Casa Del Mar (2 of 2 nights)
DAY TWELVE
Sunday, April 30
Drive to San Jose, Costa Rica
87 KM · Approx 1.5 hours
Fly to Guatemala City, Guatemala
Guatemala has one of the most densely
packed lists of natural and man-made
attractions anywhere in Latin America, from the
archaeological marvels of the Maya to modern
cities, colonial towns, and tiny villages, many with
ancient traditions still in place since long before
the days of Columbus. The country also features
beautiful jungle reserves, breathtaking mountain
vistas, and endless hiking opportunities.
Guatemala Road trip begins!
Drive to Rio Dulce
286 KM · Approx. 5 hours
RioDulceisasnakingriverflankedbyamassive
gorge that leads out to the sea, and the culturally
distinct enclave of Livingston, an isolated
peninsula town accessible only by boat, and
populated mostly by African refugees. They’ve
carved out a unique little corner of the world
that’sdifferentfromanythingelseinGuatemala,
making it a memorable highlight along the way.
And their seafood is great too.
https://goo.gl/maps/rRzrxAxDCb92
LAT IN AM E RICA 2017
9
DAY THIRTEEN
Monday, May 1
Activities
River Cruise to Livingston and the Atlantic Ocean
DAY FOURTEEN
Tuesday, May 2
Drive to Las Lagunas, Guatemala
199 KM · Approx. 3 hours
Afternoon of leisure in the beautiful surroundings of
Las Lagunas.
Accommodations
Las Lagunas Hotel, Tikal (1 of 3 nights)
www.laslagunashotel.com/#!//el_hotel
10
UM O J A J O UR N E Y
DAY FIFTEEN
Wednesday, May 3
Activities
Visit the Mayan ruins of Tikal, one of the most extensive Mayan cities ever discovered in the world. Fully
intact ancient pyramids surround the central plaza, with dozens of massive structures hidden throughout
the forest. You could spend all day here, discovering one ancient monument after another, to the backdrop
oftoucansflyingoverheadandhowlermonkeysprovidinganever-presentmusicalbackdrop.Tikalhas
been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
www.mayanruins.info/guatemala/tikal-guatemala/
Accommodations
Las Lagunas Hotel, Tikal (2 of 3 nights)
DAY SIXTEEN
Thursday, May 4
Activities
Visit the ancient Mayan City of Yaxhá, built on the shores of Laguna Yaxhá, and the Maya ruins of Topoxté,
which occupy a group of small islands at the western end of the lake.
Accommodations
Las Lagunas Hotel, Tikal (3 of 3 nights)
LAT IN AM E RICA 2017
11
DAY SEVENTEEN
Friday, May 5
Drive to Todos Santos, Cuchumatan
479 KM · Approx. 11 hours
Way up in the highlands, the community of Todos
Santos is nestled in a deep valley that’s bordered by
forested slopes. Traditional clothing is very much in
use here and, unusually, it’s the male costume that
catches the eye. Men wear red-and-white-striped
trousers, straw hats with blue ribbons, jackets with
multicoloredstripes,andthickwovencollars.
Todos
SantossufferedterriblyduringGuatemala’scivil
war when, by some accounts, 2000 inhabitants
were murdered. It is still very poor, but they have
a strong sense of community, and they look after
one another. To supplement their subsistence from
agriculture, families travel in the early part of the
yeartoworkformeagerwagesoncoffee,sugar,and
cottonplantationsonthePacificSlope.
Accommodations
Casa Familiar (1 of 2 nights)
DAY EIGHTEEN
Saturday, May 6
Visit Maternal and Newborn Healthcare projects in
Todos Santos.
Accommodations
Casa Familiar (2 of 2 nights)
12
UM O J A J O UR N E Y
DAY NINETEEN
Sunday, May 7
Drive to Santa Catarina Palopo, Lake Atitlan
199 KM · Approx 5 hours
Accommodations
La Casa Colibrí (1 night)
www.airbnb.ca/rooms/8065813?s=nAwsYyEv
DAY TWENTY
Monday, May 8
Activities
In the morning visit the markets of Panajachel.
Then in the afternoon relax at the Lake.
Nineteenth-century traveler John L Stephens,
writing in Incidents of Travel in Central America,
calledLagodeAtitlán‘themostmagnificent
spectacle we ever saw,’ and he had been around a
bit. Today, even seasoned travellers marvel at the
spectacularscenery,withfishermeninrusticcrafts
andindigenouswomenintheirmulticoloredoutfits.
LAT IN AM E RICA 2017
13
DAY TWENTY-ONE
Tuesday, May 9
Drive to Antigua, Guatemala
123 KM · Approx. 2.5 hours
Visit programs
On the way to Antigua, we’ll stop at Aq’On Jay
(Health House), a clinic in Chimaltenango that
provides midwifery training. In the afternoon, we’ll
visit Umoja Gold Oil a social entrepreneurship
project that produces and exports macadamia oil.
About Umoja Gold Oil
Vision: “Healthy Skin: Healthy World”
Mission: To deliver the highest quality natural skin
care that contribute to healthy skin, and to do it
with environmental and social responsibility. Umoja
OilsharestheprofitstosupportGuatemala’s
broken healthcare system and improve the quality
for women and their children.
www.umojagold.com
Accommodations
La Reunion villa (1 of 4 nights)
www.lareunion.com.gt/default-en.html
DAY TWENTY-TWO
Wednesday, May 10
Visit a program
UNAPER Perinatal Institute - Guatemala has the
highest maternal and child mortality rate in Latin
America. International Needs has partnered with
a team of physicians who are on a mission to
create a medical unit that specializes in perinatal
medicine. The unit will reduce unnecessary deaths
and improve quality of life by serving all mothers
and babies, regardless of economic, social, or
racial status.
Accommodations
La Reunion villa (2 of 4 nights)
14
UM O J A J O UR N E Y
DAY TWENTY-THREE
Thursday, May 11
Activities
In the morning tour the old Antigua. Colonial
Antigua has been designated as a UNESCO World
Heritage site. Then in the afternoon relax .
Accommodations
La Reunion villa (3 of 4 nights)
DAY TWENTY-FOUR
Friday, May 12
Activities
Relax
DAY TWENTY-FIVE
Saturday, May 13
Accommodations
La Reunion villa (4 of 4 nights)
LAT IN AM E RICA 2017
Fly home
15