El Mundo Mayan

Your bus leaves San Cristobal at 6.45am for a 170km drive through the highlands to the Guatemalan border where you’ll arrive around 9am. If you're re-entering Mexico later on in the trip, ask for a (free) Multiple Entry form, then get your 'exit' stamp and hand in the Mexican tourist pass that you received in arrival in Mexico. Together with the other travellers you'll make your way to the Guatemalan border checkpoint, 4km further on. The taxi ride costs around US $5, split among whoever you’re sharing the taxi with. The time difference in Guatemala is 1 hour (earlier).

Once you've crossed the border you'll travel on by shuttle bus to Panajachel another 5 hours drive. The roads and the buses are less comfortable than in Mexico but it’s a beautiful drive and your final destination of Lake Atitlan is worth it.
 

Lake Atitlan is reputedly one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. It's famous its natural beauty thanks to the many the volcanoes around the lake, the fertile fields and the traditional villages rich in Mayan culture. A tour around Lake Atitlan stimulates all your senses; the scent of flowers and fresh water, the sounds in the local village market, the view of a solitary boat gliding across the lake. It's beautiful wherever you are on the lake.

The posada with bungalows is just a few minutes walk from the jetty and close to Panajachel main street where you'll find shops, restaurants and souvenir stalls. Once you've checked in, head to the lake to watch the amazing sunset over Lake Atitlan with the beautiful volcanoes as a perfect backdrop.
 

Today you'll be able to spend 6 hours with your own local trail guide exploring the mountains surrounding Lake Atitlan. Your guide will be Spanish speaking, so plenty of hands gestures if your Spanish isn't up to scratch. It's also fair to say in advance that the guides are trail guides, and not Lake Atitlan tour guides, so their primary job is to show you the way rather than spend a lot of time talking you though the walk. The scenery around Lake Atitlan is so amazing though, that a running comentary isn't really required. Depending on what you prefer you'll either go hiking through the hills and fields, take a boat out across the lake to the peaceful villages on the other side, go horse- back riding, mountain biking or visit the market at Solola (Tuesdays & Fridays, no souvenirs but more a traditional market for locals). You will need to pay locally for the extra activities if you to do other things than our standard Lake Atitlan tour.

When the sun begins to set at around 4 pm, the sky above the lake will light up in an array of different colours. Make sure you have a front row seat by 5 pm to enjoy the amazing view across the lake.

Try to plan your trip so that this day falls on a Thursday or a Sunday. Then you can leave Lake Atitlan early in the morning to visit the colourful market at Chichicastenango. It's a local and tourist market and the ideal place to buy souvenirs. 'Chichi' has just 1000 inhabitants but on market days over 20,000 Mayans from the surrounding area flock to the village to sell their ware. The church in the village is similar to the one in Chamula and the flower market on the steps is a particularly cheerful scene. In the morning the market is busiest with locals.

If you're not travelling on a market day we can arrange for you to go directly from Lake Atitlan to Antigua

Around 1pm you'll board the shuttle bus for a 3-hour trip to Antigua (Guatemala), the historic capital city and culture centre of the country where you'll be spending two nights in a posada on the edge of the historic centre. Antigua is a popular with students on a Spanish language or salsa course so there are always plenty of cultural activities and dance events going on. Because many people in Antigua are travelling alone the atmosphere is very open and relaxed and you'll find it's easy to meet fellow travellers.

Plan at least half a day to wander through the cobbled streets of Antigua. Churches, monasteries and museums stand among small, brightly coloured houses and you can take a rest on one of the pretty plazas in the shade of the jacaranda trees. If you want to go cycling, horse-back riding or hiking to some of the highland villages, or climb one of the volcanoes Pacaya, Agua and Fuego, we suggest staying an extra day.

Climbing the volcanoes should not be taken lightly and you'll definitely need sturdy hiking shoes.  At the top of the volcano you'll be walking through a crater landscape where you can see the red hot lava through the cracks beneath your feet. You can even toast marshmallows in a flowing river of lava (see picture below)! If you want to give it a try, you can book a trip at your posada.