Book of Mormon Land Tour with Blake Allen

Tour Guide

BLAKE ALLEN

Blake Allen has been leading tours to Mexico, Guatemala and elsewhere for nearly 30 years. He has a passion for people, helping them to experience the beauties of amazing landscapes, cultures, and peoples while unfolding the truths of the Book of Mormon.

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January 25 – Guatemala City

Plan for your flight to arrive in Guatemala City in the afternoon or evening of January 25.

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) 

January 26 – 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 view and 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).  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) 

January 27 – 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 could be correlated with the downfall of the Nephite nation. In the evening we will take a return flight to Guatemala City. (Breakfast, Lunch). 

January 28 – Lake Atitlan

This morning we will check out of our hotel and explore the archaeological zone of Kaminaljuyu, the area considered by many to have been where Nephi settled in the 6th century BC (see 2 Nephi 5:5-10). 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 prior to continuing 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 village of Panajachel, and check into our hotel that is nestled on the shore of Lake Atitlan.  (Breakfast, Dinner) 

January 29 – 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. The afternoon will be free for shopping or relaxing or other available activities. A presentation on the historical literature of the Book of Mormon will be presented by your tour director in the evening. (Breakfast, Dinner) 

January 30 – Quetzaltenango

After a leisure morning, we will check out of our hotel and pick up a trail, proposed as Alma’s trail, as we make our way through the wilderness to a location proposed as the Valley of Alma. Our journey will take us to Quetzaltenango, the second largest city in Guatemala and the location of the new, second temple in Guatemala which we will see prior to checking into our hotel that overlooks the city square.  (Breakfast, Dinner) 

January 31 – Tapachula, 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 check into our hotel in the nearby city of Tapachula. (Breakfast, Dinner) 

February 1 – Tuxtla Gutierrez

Today we will 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 bus along the Pacific coast passing by the area proposed as  the “day and a half’s journey” as well as the area proposed as Ammonihah as we travel to 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).  (Breakfast, Dinner) 

February 2 – Arrive home with amazing memories!

Plan for your flight to leave Tuxtla Gutierrez on the morning of February 2.

Arrive home with amazing memories!  (No meals included)