Known for its 47 volcanos and for having the best rum in the world, this country will surprise you with everything it has to offer. Everything is very reasonable and you can take a luxurious trip without spending much money, or spend very little money and still have an amazing experience. You don’t need to spend time in Guatemala City as it doesn’t really have anything to offer.

When To Visit

It is best to visit during the dry season during the months of November to March. October and early November are times to avoid as this is when hurricanes tend to appear.

Getting There

There are no direct flights from Canada to Guatemala so you will have to connect through Mexico City or the US. There are many direct flights to Guatemala City from the US: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and New York. You can find some great flight deals for both economy and business class flights – business class as low as $400 CAD round trip from Vancouver!

Before You Go

• The currency in Guatemala is Guatemalan Quetzal. At the time of writing this article, 1 USD = 7.8 Guatemalan Quetzal and 1 CAD = 6 Guatemalan Quetzal.
• Most places in Guatemala take credit card, and your bank will likely give you a better exchange rate than if you exchange cash. But its always good to have some cash if you want to purchase souvenirs and snacks on the street or tip.
• It is very cheap to get a local sim card. You purchase a plan for 7, 15 or 30 days and it costs between $3 to $16 USD depending on the plan.
• They use the same power outlets as North America so you don’t need to bring a converter.
• Popular local foods to try are Kak’ik, Hilachas, and Rellenitos.
  

ANTIGUA

If you are traveling to Guatemala for a short period of time, it is best to use Antigua as your base. It’s a beautiful Mayan UNESCO World Heritage town with unique baroque architecture and an hour and a half drive from Guatemala City. Three days is a good amount of time to spend here.

Getting Around

It takes a few hours to get to and from Antigua from the Guatemala City Airport or from Lago Atitlan. If you are traveling with a group, it’s best to take a private car through RoadRunner. From Antigua to or from the Guatemala City airport it costs Q350 for up to 3 people (Q115 for every additional person). A private car to and from Lago Atitlan costs Q750 for up to 3 people (Q115 for every additional person).

Antigua is very walkable and safe, but if you do need to get somewhere Uber is the easiest way to get around.         

Where To Stay

There are a lot of reasonable accommodation options in Antigua. Below are a few good options:

• Ojala Hotel – a great place for solo travelers, friends or couples as they offer private rooms and dorms. They have two great courtyards and breakfast is included. A private room costs around $90 US and a dorm room costs around $15 US.
• Hotel Museo Spa Casa Santo Domingo – if budget isn’t an issue this is a great place to stay as it is built around the vestiges of one of the largest Convent in America, the Convent of Santo Domingo. A room costs around $200 US per night.
• Los Pasos Boutique Hotel – located steps away from the Iglesia de San Francisco El Grande. A room costs around $150 US per night.
• Selina Hostel – a good option for solo travelers. Dorms start at $25 US. They also offer private rooms starting at $50 US.

What To Do

• Take a day trip or camp overnight and hike the Acatenango Volcano – see tips in the Acatenango Volcano section below.
• Buy souvenirs at the Artisan Market. They have great things for home décor as well as traditional Guatemalan objects. The market is located right in town.
• Taste some of the best rum! La Casa del Ron offers tastings of rums Guatemala’s best rums for a cost. You can find bottles here that they don’t sell outside of the country.
• Taste some coffee and chocolate. Many tours are offered to see a plantation if that’s something of interest but if you decide to go on your own, you can always get an Uber and get to Finca La Azotea, a family-owned farm that will give you a small tour for Q75. There are also many shops around town where you can purchase and try a local coffee or chocolate. La Vid Coffee and Café Estudio are good places to buy coffee.
• If you want to learn about the history of the town and the buildings, a walking tour would be a good idea.
• Photograph the Santa Catalina Arch. Located right in the middle of the town and it isn’t something you can miss with the Acatenango Volcano in the background. It’s best to go early when there will be less people.
• Walk up Cerro de la Cruz to watch sunset. The walk takes about 20 mins and it’s only open between 8am to 4pm.
• Get a massage for a cheap price. Especially if you go on a hike, take advantage of this.
• Visit Hobbitenango, a hobbit home at the top of one of the mountains surrounding Antigua. It is about 30 mins from the city center and there are many tours offered. You can also go on your own though via Uber, but make sure they wait for you to get your ticket so they can take you to the entrance as there is a steep road after the ticket booth. If you go on a weekday, it will cost Q50 to enter. On a Sunday, you can pay Q150 which includes the entry fee and a buffet brunch.
• If you aren’t planning to spend a few days at Lago Atitlan, you can take a full day trip there from Antigua which will cost ~$125 US and is a 12-hour tour.

Where To Eat & Drink

• Los Tres Tiempos – great for brunch and dinner, serving traditional Guatemalan foods. They also have a rooftop terrace with volcano views.
• Parque La Merced for street food – here you can buy a bag of fresh mango for Q10, a sandwich for Q15, rellenitos for Q5 and a corn drink for Q5. Street vendors stay until around 9:30pm every night, but later on weekends.
• Caoba Farms – farm to table restaurant located in the middle of a garden about a 20 min walk from city center. Open Wednesday through Sunday from 8am to 5pm and serves American type food. There is a butterfly farm next door and they also have yoga and a flea market on Sundays.
• Antigua Brewing Company – has a great rooftop with 360 views. A great spot for a drink and a snack.
• Ulew – a speakeasy bar inside of Antigua Brewing Company that serves great cocktails. You enter through the red phone booth. They don’t have a cocktail menu, you just tell them what you feel like drinking.
• Sabe Rico – for traditional Guatemalan food. Located in a cute garden in the south part of town.
• Porque No? – a small quirky café run by a husband and wife with reasonable prices.
• Tartines – offers traditional French dishes and has a terrace overlooking Church ruins. A good options if you need a break from Latin food.
• Café Estudio or La Vid – for coffee.
• El Local – a café that serves great breakfast foods.
• Panza Verde – for a more upscale and elegant meal. A main course will cost $30 USD.
• Charleston Bar – great place for cocktails. Open Wednesday to Sunday.

ACATENANGO VOLACANO

This is one of the most incredible hikes I have done and such a unique experience because you get to see lava explode when it gets dark. The best time to hike this volcano is from November to February when there is less chance of rain and a better chance of clear sky, however it will be much colder.

What Company To Book

There are many companies that offer excursions but the most professional and organized is Wicho & Charlie. They charge a bit more than other companies, but it’s worth it. You can also rent some gear from them if you don’t have space or decide to do the hike on a whim.

• Backpacks Q70
• Trekking poles Q40 (for 2) 
• -15°C Gloves Q20
• Thermals Q20
• Batteries 3xAAA Q10 (set of 3) 
• Socks Q15
• Pants Q30 to Q35

They provide a beanie, buff, scarf, headlamp, basic gloves, bottles and rain panchos free of charge. They are the most “high end” company as you sleep in huts, not tents. And another great thing they do is they feed all the dogs on the mountain!

It costs $120 US for a one-night hike. They also offer porters for Q200 one way (up to 25lbs). If you want to hike to El Fuego, it will cost you an extra Q200. This is the volcano that regularly has small eruptions where you can see the lava up close. I highly recommend this as it is totally worth it. You arrive at the summit at sunset so you can see the views but also can stay to see the lava once it gets dark. It is a difficult hike though, due to terrain and altitude.

General Itinerary

• Meet at the office: 7am
• Take bus to bottom of the volcano: 8am
• Arrive at base camp: 9am
• Leave to hike El Fuego: 9:30am
• Dinner back at base camp: 7pm (unless you hike to El Fuego)
• Depart to summit Acatenango for sunrise: 5am
• Depart base camp to return home: 8am
• Take bus to leave back to the city: 11am
• Arrive back in Antigua: 12pm

What To Pack

• Warm clothes (coat, socks, gloves, etc.) – it gets very cold when you reach higher elevation so many sure that you pack warm gear or that the company you book with provides warm gear
• Hiking poles – they will come in handy (and every company will charge you for them)
• Hiking shoes – you will need stability on the rocky and loose terrain
• Good headlamp – you will be hiking in the dark
• Windbreaker – a must as it is very windy at the top of the mountain
• Snacks – they provide you with food and some snacks but you will be exerting a lot of energy and it is best to pack some protein bars and nuts
• Hand & foot warmers – highly recommend these as it can be -15°C with wind chill at the summit
• Winter/Ski undergarments – for the night hikes and for sleeping
• Pillowcase – stuff  your clothes in the pillow case to make a pillow in the hut
• Sunscreen – for when it’s hot and sunny at the bottom of the volcano
• Wet wipes & toilet paper – as there is no running water but there is an outhouse by the huts
• Hiking backpack – to carry all your belongings
• Small backpack – to carry snacks and water to the summit
• Altitude sickness pills – if you get altitude sickness, you should make sure to pack these as the elevation of the volcano is 13,041 ft / 3,976 m
• 4L of water – the company will make you carry a minimum of 4L up the mountain and they provide water bottles
• Cash – to pay for the park entrance of Q50 and snacks or drinks on the mountain

LAGO ATITLAN

This beautiful lake, located 1500m above sea level, is surrounded by volcanic mountains and always a constant temperature of 25°C.  The water temperature also stays pretty consistent year-round at 21°C so you can swim no matter when you decide to go.

Getting Around

There are many shuttle options to get from the airport to the lake. You can find one when you land for $15 US or if you prefer to book with a company, Selina Hostel offers a shuttle from the Guatemala City Airport to Lago Atitlan for $27 USD per person (takes about 3.5 hours). If you are traveling in a group, you can also take a private car through RoadRunner which costs Q350 for up to 3 people (Q115 for every additional person).

If you are staying at a hotel that is boat access only, your hotel will pick you up at a dock and take you there. Once at the hotel, it will cost between $20-$30 USD per private boat ride to get anywhere. The other option is to take the public boat for Q25 per person. It comes every 15-20 minutes and you just have to stand at the end of the dock and wave them down.

Where To Stay

It is best to stay two nights if possible. One night is doable but will be a bit rushed. Below are a few accommodation options:

• Laguna Lodge – eco resort and nature reserve in Santa Cruz. It costs ~$200 US for one night.
• Casa Del Mundo – 19 room hotel close to Santa Cruz. It costs ~$60 US for one night.
• Selina Hostel in Panajachel – here you can rent a private or shared room. Great for solo or budget travelers. There are many communal areas including a fully stocked kitchen. It costs ~$100 US for a private room or ~$20 US for a shared room with up to 8 people.
• Rent a private house – there are many houses on the lakefront that you can rent if that’s better suited for your needs

What To Do

• Sunrise hike – there are a lot of great hiking trails around the lake. Explore a few and hike to some lookouts. The Indian Nose hike supposedly has the best sunrise view.
• Visit San Juan – here you can buy a lot of souvenirs. There is a lookout point, El Cerro de La Cruz, you can walk up to in 15 minutes (costs Q20 for admission).
• Kayak – most of the hotels will have kayaks. It is a great way to explore the shoreline of the lake and take a closer look at the houses and hotels.
• Relax in the sun, bathe in the lake, and enjoy the beautiful volcano views!