One Week in Guatemala
Summary:
Day 1: Arrive and travel to Antigua
Day 2: Explore Antigua
Day 3: Start Volcan Acetenango Hike
Day 4: Finish Acetenango Hike, return to Antigua or travel to Lake Atitlan
Day 5: Explore Lake Atitlan
Day 6: Explore Lake Atitlan
Day 7: Travel to Guatemala City, Fly home
Day 1: Arrive
Fly into Guatemala City and make your way to Antigua (~1.5 hours) via Uber, rental car, taxi, or shuttle (GuateGo and Roadrunner are reputable companies).
You can get cash out here or in town, and note that exchange rates are typically higher at the airport.
Enjoy your day or evening in Antigua by checking out one of the restaurant recommendations below. There are a lot of great restaurants with nice views of the city streets or rooftops with mountain views.
Friendly reminder that Antigua is at a little over 5,000' above sea level, similar to Denver, Colorado. Be sure to drink a lot of water!
Day 2: Explore Antigua
Start your day in Antigua at one of the great coffee shops in town (lots of recommendations below). After sipping a dirty chai and devouring a pastry, join a walking tour of the city to learn more about the culture. Some good options for walking tours are with GuruWalk (https://www.guruwalk.com/walks/38869-walking-tour-of-antigua-guatemala?source=e&locale=en-US) and Viator (https://www.viator.com/tours/Antigua/Antigua-Cultural-Walk/d4599-37551P1).
Reward yourself with a beverage at a brewery or cocktail bar, with options listed below. Stroll around the city and be sure to check out the Santa Cataline Arch. If you're looking for souvenirs for yourself or friends, check our the Artisan Market for lots of local goods.
If you're doing the Volcan Acetenango hike, be sure to pack your bag for the overnight hike, stop up on snacks, drink a ton of water, and relax tonight. If you have any questions about the hike, visit the office of your tour group to get prepared.
If you're opting out of the hike, relax in Antigua some more, visit Hobbitenango (below), do an ATV tour in Antigua, or visit Volcan Pacaya (below).
Day 3: Start Volcan Acetenango Hike
There is an endless list of tour companies that can take you on the Volcan Acetenango Hike, and while I did the tour with Wicho & Charlies, I've heard great things about Ox Expeditions and Magic Travel.
We met at the tour group's office, heard about the itinerary, stocked up on warm clothes, and filled our water bottles. Antigua is at about 5,000' above sea level, you start the hike at about 8,000', sleep at 12,000', and hike to 13,000' - needless to say, the temperature will drop substantially. Bring waterproof clothing, especially if going during rainy season (May to November). Also bring warm clothing - we're talking jackets, pants, socks, hats, gloves. You can rent all of this with the tour guide, along with any gear you need, if you don't want to fit it in your luggage.
Don't let that scare you, because the hike is absolutely worth it and unlike any other hike I've done. You gain about 4,000' of elevation the main hike, which can be very tough for non-avid hikers. It took our group of ~12 about 6-7 hours, though a faster group would take 4-5 hours. There are two optional add-ons to the hike - one over to Volcan Fuego that is about 4 hours round trip (which actively erupts every ~15-20 minutes), and a sunrise one to the summit of Volcan Acentenango that is about 2 hours (the mountain you hike and where your basecamp is). Our group only did the sunrise hike in the morning, we left at 4:30am to make it in time for the sunrise, and it was about 1,000' and honestly tougher than the day before (probably due to the exhaustion from the previous day).
The tour groups provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the first day, as well as breakfast the next day. I'd recommend bringing high protein snacks to ensure you have enough energy. You're also required to carry your own water, including enough water to cook with - which adds substantial weight to your pack. There are optional porters that can carry your bag on the hike, which I opted for - and it was a great decision. You still have to carry your bag on the descent the next day, but that was a piece of cake compared to the climb.
Day 4: Finish Acetenango, Travel to Lake Atitlan
The hike should end around 10am, and it should take 1-2 hours to get back to Antigua. Some tour groups offer transportation to Lake Atitlan from here, but most go back to Antigua.
If returning to Antigua, give yourself a few hours to shower, change, and grab a meal. Afterwards, catch a shuttle to Lake Atitlan, which should take around 4 hours (even though Google Maps says 2.5 hours).
Depending on where you stay in Lake Atitlan, you may need to take a water taxi to your accommodations from where the shuttle drops you off. The water taxis come often, and cost 25 quetzales, so be sure to have cash on you.
If you want to stay between San Juan and San Pedro, the below is a good option:
If you want to stay in a nice place on the lake, I recommend:
Day 5: Lake Atitlan
After the hike, you deserve a relaxing day at the lake! Walk around the beautiful streets of the lakeside towns, kayak on the lake, take the water taxis around to the different villages, have some coffee, and get a beverage at a scenic oceanfront restaurant.
Below are some recommended coffee shops and a spot in San Marcos to take a yoga class. The San Marcos neighborhood is well known for yoga training, so it's an affordable way to take a class and support the arts!
Day 6: Lake Atitlan
Some of the different neighborhoods of Lake Atitlan are described below, if you have the time and energy, it's worth visiting all of them! The water taxi comes often, and is the fastest way to get around.
Day 7: Arrive in Guatemala City, Fly Home
The drive from Lake Atitlan to Guatemala City should be around 4 hours, but it took our shuttle closer to 6 hours, so give yourself plenty of time to get there, especially if trying to catch a flight. I'd recommend a late afternoon shuttle from Lake Atitlan, spending the night in Guatemala City, and catching the early flight home.
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