A Dream 40 Years in the Making: Carlos’s Journey to Tikal
At the farewell dinner of our Guide Traingin on Akumal’s shores, mariachis played while guides swapped stories from the week. That’s when Carlos Vivar, “Caliche” to his colleagues, learned something that would change the next week of Carlos’s life.
Carlos Granados, a guide from Mexico, mentioned his plans to visit Belize after the training ended. Then, almost casually, he added something else: he’d always wanted to see Tikal. He’d been in Guatemala over 40 years ago as a young explorer, and the dream of visiting the ancient Maya city had stayed with him ever since. Lately, he’d begun to think it might remain just that: a dream.
Carlos didn’t hesitate. At that very dinner, he’d coordinated everything. The Belizean and Guatemalan guides were heading home the next day anyway. Carlos could ride with them. Better yet, Carlos connected him with Celvin Aladana, a Guatemalan colleague who could guide him through Tikal properly.
What happened next showed something remarkable about the Viaventure guide community.
The Journey Begins
The ride from Mexico through Belize to Guatemala’s Petén region became Carlos’s first lesson. He’d never been to Belize before. His fellow guides narrated the route, pointing out landmarks and sharing stories. In San Benito, they helped him find a hotel. The next morning, Selvin drove 20 kilometers from Santa Ana to pick him up.
The 60-kilometer drive to Tikal National Park became another guided experience. Selvin narrated their route past Lake Petén Itzá, pointing out the crocodile hill. They stopped in Aldea Caoba so Carlos could see a scale model of Tikal at its height, preparing him for what he was about to witness.
Inside Tikal
Once inside the archaeological site, Selvin became what Carlos would later describe as treating him “like a diplomat.” He knew every staff member, every colleague guide. He identified the flora along the trails and pointed out wildlife that had grown so accustomed to visitors they seemed almost tame.
They climbed every temple. At the top of each pyramid, Carlos stood at the edge and looked out over the jungle canopy stretching to the horizon. He thought about the Maya astronomers who’d built these structures as ladders to the sky, using them to track celestial movements that dictated their calendars and beliefs.
After 40 years of imagining this moment, Carlos was finally here.
The tour lasted most of the day. When they headed back toward Flores that evening, Carlos couldn’t stop thanking Selvin. But Selvin had simply done what Viaventure guides do, create meaningful experiences, answer questions thoughtfully, add context that transforms sightseeing into understanding.
The Ripple Effect
The generosity didn’t stop there. Billy Hood gave Carlos a tour of Flores before helping him reach the bus terminal to Belize. In San Ignacio, Elio took him to see Cahal Pech archaeological site. Each guide extending the same care and expertise they bring to every traveler.
Carlos wrote to us afterward, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the Viaventure community. But his letter revealed something deeper: our guides don’t just perform excellence for clients. They live it. The same attention, generosity, and passion they bring to guest experiences, they brought to one of their own.
Caliche heard a dream mentioned at dinner and made it happen. Selvin spent his day off guiding a colleague through one of the region’s most important sites. Billy and Elio each added their own touches to the journey. Because for them, creating trips of a lifetime isn’t just a professional skill. It’s who they are.
Forty years is a long time to carry a dream. Thanks to the Viaventure guide community, Carlos finally lived it.