Guatemala Group Tour

Day 1 — Guatemala City

You will be met at the airport and transferred to your nearby accommodation in Guatemala City. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Accommodation is at Hotel Barcelo with the option to upgrade to the Westin Camino Real.

Day 2 — Guatemala City to Chichicastenango

After an early breakfast, you will be collected from your hotel at around 7am for the approximate 3 hour drive from Guatemala City to Chichicastenango.

An otherwise sleepy town high in the Guatemala Highlands, Chichicastenango comes alive every Thursday & Sunday with one of the largest and most colourful traditional markets anywhere in Latin America.

As well as its function as a market, the town is also an important religious centre with the historic church of Santo Tomas being front and centre of attention.

Having enjoyed a tour of the market with your guide, the rest of the day is free for you to explore this compact town on your own and perhaps pick up one of the many traditional craft items on sale.

Overnight in Chichicastenango at Hotel Maya Inn.

Day 3 — Chichicastenango to Lake Atitlan via Solola

Another day, another colourful local market, this time at nearby Solola, an approximate 2 hour drive away.

An authentic, indigenous market with a history going back hundreds of years, men and women from the surrounding Maya villages have long descended on Solola to sell their wares, many of them still wearing intricate, traditional costumes that vary from village to village.

You will then proceed to your hotel by Lake Atitlan, widely considered as one of the most beautiful and picturesque lakes in the world. The rest of the day is free for you to relax at your hotel or potter about in the lakefront town of Panajachel with its shops, bars and restaurants.

Accommodation is at Porta Hotel del Lago with the option to upgrade to the Hotel Atitlan.

Day 4 — Lake Atitlan to Antigua via Santiago Atitlan

After a relaxed breakfast, you will be collected from the hotel at around 9am and transferred to the lake to board the motor launch that will transport you across Lake Atitlan.

Enjoying panoramic views of the lake, and the brooding volcanoes that overlook it, you will be transported to Santiago Atitlan, one of twelve, traditional towns and villages that dot the shoreline.

With its bustling Maya community, and traditional weaving businesses, there will be a guided tour of this fascinating town followed by a break for lunch.

From Santiago, you will then be collected by your transport vehicle for the 3 hour plus onward drive to your next destination, historic Antigua.

Guatemala’s one-time capital, and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, Antigua is one of the most attractive, colonial era towns in Latin America.

Arriving in the late afternoon, the remains of the day is free for you to relax at your hotel or perhaps head out for a wander.

Accommodation is at Meson Maria with the option to upgrade to the Hotel Casa Santo Domingo.

Day 5 — Antigua to Guatemala City

Dating back to 1543, Antigua was largely destroyed by a huge earthquake in 1773 after which the capital was moved to modern day Guatemala City.

Largely rebuilt as it had been before the earthquake, or simply left as picturesque ruins, Antigua has avoided almost any modern encroachment on its historic, colonial legacy, creating what is frequently referred to as a museum town.

This morning, you will enjoy a guided tour of this beautiful town taking in visits to the central plaza, the municipal government building, colonial churches and monasteries, traditional textile makers and a jade factory.

In the afternoon, you will transfer back to nearby Guatemala City, an approximate 45 minute drive away, and check in to your hotel for the next two nights.

Accommodation is at Hotel Barcelo with the option to upgrade to the Westin Camino Real.

Day 6 — Guatemala City - optional excursions

Today is free for you to book an optional excursion or simply relax at your hotel.

Many visitors to the country simply pass through the capital but there is plenty to see, with the highlights, including the main square and cathedral included on this half day city tour commencing after breakfast.

Alternatively, if you’re fit and up for a bit of adventure, there is also the option of a hike up nearby Mt Pacaya, one of the many volcanoes for which Guatemala is famous.

Accommodation is at Hotel Barcelo with the option to upgrade to the Westin Camino Real.

Day 7 — Home or Tikal & Flores extension

The tour comes to an end.

A transfer to the nearby airport is included in the price so you can either return home or perhaps extend your stay in Guatemala with a flight north to Peten to visit the great Mayan ruins of Tikal & Yaxha and to enjoy the laid-back charms of Isla de Flores.