We were told that the homestay would be very basic. Lake Atitlan, also known as Lago de Atitlan, is one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. On top of that, everything is green and lush, the dust is gone, there are far fewer tourists around and the multi-coloured cloudy sunsets and evening lightning shows have to be seen to be believed. Cost: 110 HNL each for the bus ticket to La Ceiba, 70 HNL (35 HNL each) for the taxi from the highway to the ferry dock, $25 US each for the one-way ferry ticket to Utila, Time to La Ceiba: Approximately four hours. ", "My boyfriend and I were required to gate check our carry-on luggage which required us to go through customs in Paris to get to our bag and re-enter security for our connecting international flight. Guided Tour, Hike Xela to Lake Atitlan with Monte Verde Tours, Day 3: Santa Clara La Laguna to San Pedro, Five Hiking Essentials For the Xela to Lake Atitlan Trek, Five Camping Essentials For the Xela to Lake Atitlan Trek, 66 Travel Accessories That You Must Travel With, Sea to Summit Anti-Insect Mummy Style CoolMax Adaptor Sleeping Bag Liner, Sea to Summit Aeros Premium inflatable Pillow, The Pink Caves Close Due to Deaths: Heres What Happened, The Complete Guide to Hikes Along the NC500. Kayaks can be rented in a variety of places in San Pedro, as well as San Marcos and Santa Cruz. PRIVATE SHUTTLE ANTIGUA - LAKE ATITLAN or Vice-versa. Also, a submerged Mayan city was discovered in 1996 in the southeast corner of the lake by Roberto Samayoa. But it is important to take precautions. Youll initially trek by farmland, and then ascend to the first mirador. How To Get From Antigua to Panajachel, Lake Atitlan Best Way This is especially true when it comes to travel to Lake Atitlan. 3) Shared shuttle, which departs Guatemala City daily at 11:00 am and at 2:00 pm. It is the place to go to shop for local handicrafts, see Instagram-worthy umbrella street, a fantastic mirador, many cafes and great street art. Speaking of shopping, Ive heard rumours that tourists, from time to time, like to buy things. We have made it our mission to seek out the most spectacular hiking and epic long-distance treks the world has to offer. per adult (price varies by group size) Shared Shuttle - between Antigua and El Paredon. Mayan culture is very prevalent at Lake Atitlan, and you will feel it everywhere, from the bright traditional clothing the women wear, to the colorful weaving and handicrafts sold in the streets, to the sound of languages like Kaqchikel being spoken more than Spanish. Youll also want to pack a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and 2L of water for the first day. There are many different ways to get from Antigua to Lake Atitlan, but for the best value-for-money option, a shared shuttle transport is the best option. Youll then have one hell of a descent (approx. Private shuttle services will pick you up from your accommodation. For most of these you will probably need a guide, or at least a knowledgeable British friend willing to show you the way in exchange for slowing him down and bombarding him with stupid questions. Theres only one air mattress between both homestays though, so I guess Josh is still working on that. Hi, we're Dan and Beck, collectively known as the Speed Hiking Couple. So, in other words, no need to be concerned about one of them suddenly blowing its top. The last departure to Prague leaves Atlanta at 11:40 pm. ", "Front gate person was very rude, inpatient and did not help us to print our new boarding passes that they gave in Barcelona. So, from the starting point in Xela, there are fewer tourists compared with other places like Lake Atitlan, Antigua and Guatemala City. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. ", "I was treated like I am not supposed to ask for food and they had one choice of meal for me while they had 2 for the rest. Sure, there are places with (slightly) more dramatic scenery (i.e. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The Very Best Lake Atitln Itinerary (Guatemala) Most hotels in Lake Atitlan should only be a 510 minute walk from where you finish the hike. For instance, our guide, Feliz, knew to avoid an exposed area of the Indian Nose hike, where its common for robberies to take place at dusk. La Casa del Mundo:While I did not stay here, I came to their restaurant for breakfast and loved it! Also, on the first night, youll be staying in a remote village, where there arent any accommodation options, other than a homestay. Star Alliance, oneworld, and SkyTeam are the airline alliances operating flights between Atlanta and Prague, with Star Alliance being the most commonly used for this route. Save 22% or moreCompare multiple travel sites with one search. (LogOut/ So wherever your starting or final destination you want to take the bus between Antigua and Panajachel. When you arrive in Pana walk or take a Tuk-tuk to the doc and get the water taxi over to San Pedro. Also known as the Quetzaltenango to Lake Atitlan hike (Quetzaltenango and Xela are the same place and are used interchangeably), this brilliant three day trek is a lesser known hiking expedition in Guatemala. If you're coming from Antigua, it will take you about 2.5 hours to reach the lake. day4-5: Tikal and Flores, overnight bus to GC. Every village has its own market, but for my money (of which you wont need much). None bigger, of course, than the Easter celebrations that draw huge crowds to the lake each year. James had saved a few potential options on his phone and we headed to the one with the best reviews (Hotel Europe 2). In Tzununa, there is the unusual option of learning about permaculture and natural building at Atitlan Organics. Make sure to confirm the price before leaving, especially village to village. Check out our guide to the Best Yoga Retreats on Lake Atitlan for all the details. 789 likes, 31 comments - Citlalli Alvarez Martinez (@kaliestrella) on Instagram: "Just enough time to get a small taste of this beautiful country. Hotel Utz Jay is a great value choice. In some villages, though, the older men still wear traditional garb. Local women tend to still wear their traditional intricately patterned skirts, blouses and belts with patterns and colours specific to the village they come from. Clean, great ride, smooth landing. A long narrow bay, with the village of Santiago is located at the end of it, separates Atitln volcano and Toliman volcano from San Pedro volcano. I stayed in Panajachel on my trip and I thought it was a good base for exploring the lake. Classes on a variety of topics can be found in pretty much any village, although certainly San Marcos is the unquestioned capital of all things spiritual (be they tantric, holistic or simply hallucinogenic). I am going to be traveling in Central America this fall and this information is very helpful. Transportation Services. Highly recommended. A more reliable option would be to sign up for a scenic 4-hr hike ridge hike on the crater rim above Santa Cruz la Laguna. 2,200m). The base price to anywhere within a village is generally 5Q per person. They are unquestionably friendly, always willing to return a smile or greeting and happy to help. Note that Lake Atitln doesn't have its own airportyou'll first need to travel to Guatemala City, which will require you to take a private transfer or group shuttle. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. We decided to overnight in Puerto Barrios as it was accessible in one day from Panajachel with late bus connections from Guatemala City, and is relatively close to San Pedro Sula, Honduras in order to connect onwards to La Ceiba in time for the 4:40pm ferry to Utila. From there, you can take the PANA Chicken Bus for around 20-25Q, leaving every hour from 9am-5pm. Mayan Trail from San Marcos to Santa Cruz (or vice versa). Hopefully this complete guide to Lake Atitln will provide all the information you need to plan your visit to the best destination in Central America. At 6am, Josh (or another representative from Monte Verde Tours) will pick you up from your accommodation in Xela. Boats stop running after five. I always carry on and this could have been easily avoided by not bringing gifts. More so than other airlines, or is it just me getting older? San Marcos has some nice restaurants and decent lounges, but be prepared to turn into a pumpkin by 9:30 at the latest (be careful, though, because even as a lonely pumpkin on the dark road by yourself it is still very easy to end up with dog shit on your shoe). To get to the wonderful villages of Lake Atitlan from Antigua, you have several options. Youre treated like youre sitting in first class! Not only are they affordable, but they also are comfortable and pick you up at your accommodation in Antigua and drop you off in Lake Atitlan. San Marcos is known as the hippie town of the lake. Total travel time is around 5 hours, and cost is $25 per person. It ends up being faster than taking the winding mountain roads to the other towns. Lake Atitlan, Guatemala is a must-visit destination when in Central America. From the very first day, Beck and I had a fantastic experience hiking from Xela to Lake Atitlan with Monte Verde Tours. I came here for breakfast, and the food was delicious and the views were amazing! We had to take a shuttle bus to another Litegua Terminal outside the city centre and transfer, which took a bit of time, and then there was construction which had us at pretty much a standstill for an hour. When we experienced this, the staff were super friendly and helpful, relocating us to a room on the second floor, which was much quieter, and still had phenomenal views from the shared balcony area. The last one in the other direction leaves later for some reason, usually around 8 pm. If you're coming directly from the airport or Guatemala City, expect it to take much longer (up to 5 hours.) Heck yea! Citlalli Alvarez Martinez on Instagram: "Just enough time to get a It is definitely the next big thing on Lake Atitlan. Shared Shuttle from Guatemala City to Atitlan Lake. Santa Cruz might just have the best views youll find anywhere on the lake (which is definitely saying something). If you've found our guides helpful and would like to show your appreciation, you can buy us a coffee via our Ko-Fi page. Waiting at Maya Tzutujil Travel Center Tour Operador in San Pedro is a van with your belongings. It is definitely off the main tourist trail and is a great place to get somewhat off the grid and experience a more traditional and tourist free Guatemala as well as go on some hikes in the surrounding area. A faster direct one that cuts across the middle of the lake and the one that goes along the edge past the villages of Santa Cruz, Jaibalito, Tzununa, San Marcos and San Juan before stopping in San Pedro. Often, the guide would greet and talk to the locals, which, very likely, built trust and acceptance in the fact that tourists were walking in their quiet communities or on their farms and plantations. If youre on a budget but still want to stay somewhere nice, this is a great option. With the sleeping mat and sleeping bag, we were surprisingly warm! Thanks! And looking at Google Maps we were actually in Zone 8 and not Zone 1 (where we assumed the bus would drop everyone). There are yoga classes and trainings around the lake. From there, catch the overnight bus to Flores. By the time we had arrived here around 9:30am, the Mirador was already heaving with people. But, there are many beautiful lakeside walks to do around Lake Atitlan that are much safer. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); How to get from Lake Atitlan to Utila: AGuide, Ethiopia: The Churches of Tigray, Axum & Lalibela, South Africa: Sani Pass & The Drakensberg, South Africa: Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa: Eat, Play, Drink in Stellenbosch, Uganda: White Water Rafting on The Nile River, Uganda: Gorilla Tracking Bwindi Impenetrable NP, Nicaragua: Learning to Surf in Jiquilillo, How to get from Utila, Honduras to Leon, Nicaragua: A Guide, How to get from Lake Atitlan to Utila: A Guide, You have to see it to Belize it: Caye Caulker & San Ignacio, Australia; Karijini, Samson Point, Eighty Mile Beach, WA, Australia: Margaret River, Rottnest Island, Cervantes WA, East Africa: Highlights, Itinerary & Costs, Western Australia Road Trip: 3.5 Week Itinerary, Cozy Christmas Gifts for the Traveler in your Life, Honduras: Diving in Utila - Catie the Explorer, How to get from Utila, Honduras to Leon, Nicaragua: A Guide - Catie the Explorer. There are many places in Xela where you can catch a Chicken bus to Lake Atitlan. Here are just a few of our favourite choices for places to eat in Lake Atitlan and what each specializes in: Now, for some advice on how to spend your time. Thats because Monte Verde Tours, and their guides, have been very generous with donating food and gifts to the community. How to get to San Pedro From Guatemala City. San Juan is all about the art. James found a taco vendor just outside the bus stop so we also managed to get some lunch. Tour companies have built relationships with families from these communities to set up the homestay system for the Xela to Lake Atitlan hike. We unfortunately dont have that data for this specific route. Youll also catch a good sight of Mars! That needs to be reconsidered. What Is The Distance From Guatemala Airport gamintraveler.com - Ruben Arribas 23h terrific 3-day hike from Xela to Lake Atitlan. You can either opt to hire a guide, or simply travel in a group and avoid carrying any valuables. For more information, weve written a specific Indian nose sunrise hike guide to help you enjoy the experience safely. Saves you money and saves the environment! Cost: $3 AU (52 HNL). After roughing it out for a couple of nights, its time to live it up and stay at a nice hotel in Lake Atitlan, overlooking the stunning area. Children learn Spanish in school but many older people didnt have any formal training. You can get tuk tuks and the fare is around $2-3 USD depending on your final destination. As the boat started to move, the crew began to hand out plastic bags for anyone who may experience sea sickness. RealWorld Paraglidinghas a good reputation and highly skilled pilots. Unfortunately, it is still being excavated and is not open to the public. San Pedro is probably the most interesting one right on the lake and is best on the weekend. San Juan makes the best alfombras on the lake and because their procession is in the evening it is possible to watch (or help) them making the alfombras all afternoon. How long you're in the van depends whether you're picked up first or last, as it could take half an hour or more for the driver to pick up all the passengers. How To Get From Guatemala Airport To Lake Atitlan Best Way - You can go by bus, taxi and private transfer. Other useful articles you may want to check out: San Pedro la Laguna: A Guide to Lake Atitlans Most Popular Village, Santa Cruz la Laguna: A Guide to Lake Atitlans Village With the Best Views, San Lucas Toliman: Guide to Lake Atitlans Secret Village, Santiago Atitlan: Guide to an Authentic Mayan Town, Slow Travel Settling in for the Long Haul. For other fantastic Guatemala hikes, check out Volcan Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, Acetanango and Pacaya. The easiest way to get around Lake Atitlan is bylancha(public boat.). Xela to Lake Atitlan 3 Day Hike: The Complete Guide - Travel Made Me Do It We bought a car and drove home! Click the star to save this map to your Google Maps then find it under Saved/Maps (mobile) or Your Places/Maps (desktop). So once you have made it to the lake we can help answer the question hey, youre here, now what?. Q10 = $1.28 (US) / $1.74 (CAD) / 1.21 (Prices as of February 2023) Direct Bus from Antigua to Panajachel 3 hours Q30/36 per person This trip is very popular with families. Of course, the wait is well worth it. Expect it to take around 2 hours to walk from San Marcos to the village of Jaibalito (where you can stop for a drink or a cheap, tasty German meal at Posada Jaibalito, better known as Hans Place), then another half to one hour up and over to Santa Cruz. On top of an $1100 flight? To get from the capital of Guatemala City to Lake Atitln, you'll have to travel 77 miles (126 km), and the best way to make the journey is by car. Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from Atlanta to Prague? Unlike Mexico, where they speak 100 miles per hour and the slang is practically a language unto itself, most Guatemalans around the lake are just proficient enough for us to understand. You have several options, but the easiest and most used is the shuttle/bus combo. Chicken Bus (Direct) Multiple Chicken Buses Direct Shuttle All prices in Guatemalan Quetzales. But never fawning or overbearing. San Marcos is known as the spiritual village. Crew seemed pretty friendly. ", "SAS is excellent in terms of comfort and professionalism and care from the crew. Following the eruption of Los Chocoyos volcano a mere 84,000 years ago, the crater left behind filled with water and Lake Atitlan was born. It has most of the cheaper accommodation and the best nightlife. However, we were told by our guide, on the Chicabal de Laguna hike, that, in fact, its mostly international volunteers that work for Quetzaltrekkers. The flight attendants are all very helpful and kind. The bus from San Pedro to La Ceiba was pretty comfortable, and fast (relative to the 8 hour bus ride wed had the day before!). A Brazilian native living in the U.S., shes lived in 4 countries and visited 35+ others. After lunch, youll walk another 6km to Village Comun Oj, where youll spend your first night. We have opted for a more relaxed learning rate in the past by getting a private teacher or a teacher from Lake Atitlan Spanish School to give 1-hour classes a couple times a week. To get around Lake Atitlan between Panajachel and San Pedro. Originating from the pre-Hispanic Indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica, Beck and I were super excited to give it a go. Jaibalito: A Guide to Lake Atitlans Quietest Village. Firstly, youd mix them together in an empty bucket and wash yourself. ", "They had a deported person sitting next to me. Download the map offline ahead of time so you can get there easily. Again, $120?!!!!! Flight was overbooked. Volcn San Pedro, on the other hand, looms over the village of San Pedro at the western end of Lake Atitln. As mentioned above, its faster to go to Panajachel (even if thats not where youre staying) and then take a boat to your final destination. There are options to go to either Panajachel or San Pedro La Laguna in Lake Atitlan. Also, all airlines offer two baggages for an international trip except Lufthansa. 11 ways to get from Antigua to Lake Atitlan By Isabella Biava October 21, 2022 Planning to visit Lake Atitlan? Funnily enough, though, the trail is essentially exclusively a touristic trail, that Guatemalans wouldnt actually bother doing! Here is our complete Guide to Hiking Acatanengo Volcano with what to pack, what to expect, how hard it is and other useful tips for this once in a lifetime experience. This option will cost about 25Q ($5 US) from Antigua to Panajachel and may require changing buses along the way. How about this: day 1: Monja Blanca bus from GC to Coban and minibus to Lanquin, Lanquin caves (bat caves) at dusk. The sunrise over Lake Atitlan at Indian Nose is a highlight of the Xela to Lake Atitlan hike. It was only a 9.5 hour flight but I expected better from SAS. Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan by BUS? - Guatemala Forum There are many places in Xela where you can catch a Chicken bus to Lake Atitlan. It was 8:30pm by the time we arrived, tired and without a place to stay. Further on, youll hike by a grasslands plateau, passing through cornfields. I will implore prospective travelers to give the airline a shot (try). We have often used chicken buses and they are occasionally uncomfortable (always try to get on early and get a seat on the inside of the row as they put 3 people per row and the 3rd person only really gets one butt cheek on the seat), hectic and slightly dangerous but they are always entertaining and give you a true taste of Guatemalan life. From minor religious days to sprawling annual village ferias (fairs) that can last several weeks, Guatemalans love their festivals. Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. The beauty, the slower pace of life, the practically interminable service in restaurants they all tie in with what most visitors love most about the place. San Pedro has the most schools to choose from and they are all quite economical. How To Get from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan [2023] - Every Steph We couldnt have been happier to step off the boat and onto the island of Utila, ready to spend the next few days diving, soaking up the sun, and relaxing after our journey. There will be more posts coming If you have any specific questions as your trip gets closer dont hesitate to reach out. So, its advisable to actually fill up on snacks and water at the slightly larger shop in the Village of Chirij Ximay. There are numerous hiking options around the lake, although not all of them can be done on your own without a guide, or at least someone that has done them before. KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites to help you find cheap airfare and book the flight that suits you best. And the best thing about Lake Atitlan is you can also find a spot to do some yoga by yourself with truly inspiring views. How many days do you need at Lake Atitlan? Travel from Antigua to Lake Atitlan - Antigua Forum - Tripadvisor Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for all of our latest hiking adventures! At around 4pm, we arrived at the small and charming Village Comun Oj. The public boats (lanchas) typically stop running after five. ", "Flight to Frankfurt from Denver could have been on time so we would've made this flight to Prague. How To Travel Lake Atitlan: Panajachel To San Pedro & MORE We knew it would take at least five hours (according to Google) but it actually took eight. I am following your blog and enjoy reading your posts. USD 42. And trust me, youll know if there is a algae bloom (and they only happen once per decade or so). Every post has been written by us based on our personal experience (no sponsored posts), and every adventure is our own, even the boring ones. How to Get from Antigua to Panajachel, Lake Atitlan Ultimate Guide to the Acatenango Volcano Hike. Im glad to report that we had sleeping mats and sleeping bags waiting for us in each village! Along with enjoying the fabulous scenery all the way around the lake, this 6-hour tour includes stops in traditional Santiago Atitln, gorgeous San Juan la Laguna and local coffee plantations and textile shops. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Atlanta to Prague. Although we dont usually enjoy road walking, the views from the roadside were gorgeous. Check out Atitlan Women Weavers Cooperativa in San Pedro, Tienda Candelaria in San Antonio Palopo or Cojolya Weaving Centre and Museum in Santiago Atitlan. $60.00. Are you planning other hikes in Central America? By early-mid 2022, Josh hopes to equip each homestay en route with inflatable air mattresses, sleeping bags and water filters, so you wont have to carry as much from Xela. We do all our fruit and veggie shopping at these markets but even if you arent buying anything they are a fascinating look at local life.