Top picks for an Easter break with a difference

Leading specialist tour operator Journey Latin America has announced its top five picks for an Easter break with a difference. Take in the colourful sights of Easter parades in Guatemala, explore cocoa plantations in Honduras and view Latin America’s very own ‘Easter bunnies’ in Peru.

For further information about any of the packages listed below, visit the Journey Latin America website at: journeylatinamerica.co.uk

Easter parades in Antigua, Guatemala
Recently named as ‘top city’ in Wanderlust’s 2009 travel awards, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Antigua, Guatemala is Journey Latin America’s first pick for spending Easter in Latin America. During Easter week (or ‘Semana Santa’), Antigua hosts a vibrant and colourful religious celebration including costumed processions through the town’s streets and grand re-enactments of the crucifixion. From Ash Wednesday to Easter Friday, the sun-kissed city, with its impressive array of churches and monasteries, becomes cloaked in carpets of flowers as ornate floats stacked with religious symbols are paraded down the streets by hundreds of well-wishers in purple robes.

An 8-night tailor-made holiday staying 4 nights in Antigua over Easter, 3 nights at Lake Panajachel and 1 night in the market town of Chichicastenango starts from £629 per person. Price includes private transport throughout and good quality hotels. The price is based on two sharing and does not include international flights.

Chocoholic’s heaven in Honduras
Cacao is grown all over Latin America and Journey Latin America offers a number of itineraries for chocoholics to experience the treat in its purest form. Stay in one of Honduras’s top establishments located near cacao plantations. Trace the chocolate from the source to the shop by taking a tour of a cacao plantation; experiencing the chocolate bean being harvested and processed using the same methods the ancient Mayans used for thousands of years.

A 10-night holiday in Honduras staying 2 nights in San Pedro Sula, 2 nights in Copán, 3 nights in Pico Bonito and 3 nights in Roatán starts from £1,075 per person. Price includes transport throughout, domestic flights, good quality hotels (based on two sharing), some meals and some excursions. International flights are extra.

Spot your own Easter bunny in Peru
The vizcacha is a species of rabbit found in Chile, Bolivia and Peru. With brown fur, bushy tail and long, furry ears, spotting your own Easter bunny in Peru offers a quirky alternative to traditional Easter celebrations. For those looking to explore more than Machu Picchu and want to catch a good look at these wild bunnies why not extend your holiday to the Colca Canyon. The Colca Canyon is unique in that it displays some of the most complex and intricate agricultural terracing in any of the Andean countries. Spot condors soaring on the early morning thermals, then visit traditional villages in the afternoon.

A 10-night holiday to Peru staying 1 night in Lima, 3 nights in Cusco, 1 night in Aguas Calientes (village below Machu Picchu), 1nt in the Sacred Valley, 2 nights in Arequipa and 2 nights in the Colca Canyon starts from £1,491 per person. Price includes mid-range accommodation, domestic flights, all transfers, most excursions and some meals. The price is based on two sharing and does not include International flights.

Spend Easter on Easter Island
Where better to spend Easter than on an island that was discovered on Easter Sunday? Named by European traveller Jacob Roggeveen in the 1700s, the Polynesian Easter Island (or Rapa Nui) lies nearly 4000km off the coast of Chile and is fast becoming one of Latin America’s ‘must see’ destinations. The mysterious moai head statues, friendly locals and subtropical climate make Easter Island the perfect getaway for those looking to combine culture and relaxation.

A four-night package starts from £397 per person and includes mid-range accommodation, excursions and breakfast daily. The price is based on two sharing and does not include flights.

Educate the family this Easter with Darwin-themed breaks
Those looking for a fun and educational family break this Easter could try following in Darwin’s footsteps on the bicentinerary year of his birth, with a new science and nature themed break designed especially for families with children aged six and over. Basing yourself in the colonial city of Quito, families will be given the opportunity to explore the nearby market town of Otavalo and the Cotopaxi volcano. Later, fly to the Galápagos Islands where activities include kayaking and snorkelling. Wind up your holiday with a visit to The Charles Darwin Research Centre, to discover more about the British scientist and see Giant Tortoises.

A 10-night holiday staying 3 nights in Quito, 1 night in Guayaquil, 2 nights on Santa Cruz and taking a 4-night cruise in the Galápagos starts from £8,352. The price is based on a family of four sharing two rooms. Price includes good quality hotels, transport throughout, some excursions, domestic flights in Ecuador and most meals. International flights are extra. Suitable for children aged six and over.

For more information, log on to Journeylatinamerica.co.uk.