Guatemala Travel Guide: Antigua, Acatenango & Lake Atitlán
GUATEMALA TRAVEL ITINERARY BY DAY — THE QUICK VERSION
DAY 1: Fly into La Aurora International Airport and take a transfer ride to Antigua. We recommend staying at EL Convento Boutique Hotel or Hotel Camino Real.
DAY 2: Overnight hike to Acatenango and Volcan de Fuego with Soy Toys Antigua.
DAY 3: Hike down from Acatenango basecamp (~2 hours) and return to Antigua for a one night stay.
DAY 4: Take a transfer car from Antigua to San Marcos La Laguna (Lake Atitlán). Stay at Amate.
DAY 5: Enjoy sunrise from your cabin and then take a lancha across the lake to the neighboring town of San Juan La Laguna.
DAY 6: Take a lancha across the lake to town of San Pedro La Laguna.
DAY 7: Begin your journey back home by traveling from San Marcos La Laguna (Lake Atitlán) back to Antigua. Spend the evening exploring Antigua.
DAY 8: Transfer back to La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City and fly home!
EL Convento Boutique Hotel
THE LONG VERSION
DAY 1:
La Aurora International Airport (Guatemala City)
La Aurora (GUA) is the primary international airport and the closest option for your trip if you are planning to visit Antigua.
At the time of our trip (April 2026), the U.S. Department of State advised increased caution in parts of Guatemala, including areas of Guatemala City. For this reason, we arranged airport transportation ahead of time and traveled directly to Antigua after landing. Throughout our time in Antigua and Lake Atitlán, we felt safe and had a great experience. That said, I’d still recommend checking the latest travel advisories if you plan to modify your itinerary to include other areas in Guatemala.
Private Transfer to Antigua
To get to Antigua, we booked a private transfer through a company called Destinos Turisticos 502 (on Trip Advisor). We will link the information here for easy access but please be aware of the following:
The transfer ONLY accepts cash so you will need to have enough Guatemalan Quetzales to cover the payment of your ride
The traffic both leaving and entering Guatemala City can add quite a bit of time to your travel day so plan accordingly.
It seems to be more culturally acceptable for hired drivers to make stops for errands in Guatemala — fuel, drop offs, restrooms, etc.
Where to Stay
During our trip we stayed at the following hotels and really enjoyed our experiences at both:
Located in the heart of Antigua, this property was a great place to stay in walking distance to shopping, food, and sights like the Santa Catalina Arch (just a 7 minute walk from the hotel). Another added bonus is that the hotel itself is gorgeous — think beautiful vining plants, and comfort that meets historical charm.
Just a bit further from the arch (~12 minute walk) sits the Hotel Camino Real. If you are looking for a bit more of a luxurious feel, this is where we would recommend staying.
DAY 2:
Acatenango Overnight Hike - Soy Tours
We booked our tour with Soy Tours Antigua and here is what you can expect with the purchase of your tour:
Shuttle pick up from your hotel in Antigua
Lunch and dinner on day 1, as well as breakfast on day 2
Acatenango park entrance
Jackets, pants, hats, gloves, and scarves for the hike (if you don’t bring your own)
Cabins with sleeping pads and sleeping bags
Guided hike to and from Acatenango basecamp
OPTIONAL: a guided hike to summit Acatenango at 4:00 am on day 2
Celebratory drink when you return to the Soy Tours office
Return shuttle ride back to your hotel in Antigua
Fuego Volcano from Acatenango Basecamp
Fuego
After reaching Acatenango basecamp, the Soy Tours guides will offer to take you on an extended hike up Volcán de Fuego (for an additional cost). This portion of the hike took our group a total of approximately 6 hours — with about 5 hours spent hiking, 30 minutes spent at the top waiting for conditions to clear, and 30 minutes at the top watching eruptions.
What to Pack to Hike Acatenango and Fuego
We will include a link to the items we wore on Acatenango and Fuego here for your reference on the types of layers you may find useful. However, we want to add that most tour companies will offer gear that you can rent, so we highly suggest reaching out to your company to inquire about what items are available.
Disclaimer: The linked products above may include affiliate links. If you click on these links and make a purchase, Kyle and I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our blog! <3
DAY 3:
Descend Acatenango
Iglesia de La Merced
Around 7 AM you will begin your descent down Acatenango. With breaks, it took our group roughly 2 hours to descend.
Return to Antigua
Soy Tours will provide your transportation via shuttle directly back to your hotel in Antigua. Obviously after your hike, you will have quite the appetite! We stopped at Vice Pizzeria — a rooftop pizzeria located near the Arco de Santa Catalina — and the caramelized onion and goat cheese pizza was fantastic.
Things to do in Antigua, Guatemala
PHOTOGRAPHY & SIGHTS
Antigua is such a great destination for photography if you appreciate vibrant colors and beautiful architecture. But even if you don’t love photography, these are still places that make Antigua what it is, and it our opinion, worth checking out!
Iglesia de La Merced
Arco de Santa Catalina
Parroquia San Jose, Catedral de La Antigua
Ruinas de La Antigua Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago de Los Caballeros de Guatemala
ACTIVITIES
Hike Acatenango and Fuego (likely why you’re visiting)
Jewelry shopping: There are so many shops selling silver and jade pieces. Our favorite was Plateria Pablo’s Silver Shop and Factory. The pieces here were beautiful and I was so surprised to find out that they will trim off any excess metal to make sure the jewelry fits just the way you want.
Visit local cafes: They seem to be on every corner and Guatemala is known for having some of the best coffee in the world due its nutrient-rich volcanic soil. We didn’t have time to make it here, but Cafegrapfia has a photobooth inside their cafe if you are looking to bring home a cute memory from your trip!
Parque Central Antigua Guatemala: The central park is a bustling hub and full of local vendors if you are looking for souvenirs to bring home.
DAY 4:
Antigua to Lake Atitlán Via Private Transfer
We booked a private transfer from Antigua to Lake Atitlán through Marthas Relaxicab — a company that was recommended to us through our Airbnb. It took us approximately 3 hours to reach the lake from Antigua and cost $750 Guatemalan Quetzales ($98 US dollars).
Eterna Romantic Lakeview Escape at AMATE Atitlán
Arrive in San Marcos La Laguna (Lake Atitlán)
DROP OFF:
Many of the streets in San Marcos are extremely narrow and steep, so transportation mostly consists of small, 3-wheeled, open-air Taxi’s called TukTuks. However, since we arrived via car, our driver was directed to an area of town where we were allowed to be dropped off.
TAKE A TUKTUK (TAXI)
After drop off, we contacted a TukTuk driver via Whatsapp — this was also a contact provided to us upon booking our Airbnb. If you do not have a contact number for a driver, the town’s center is only a short walk away from the drop off point and here you will find there are many TukTuk drivers waiting to offer rides to your final destination in San Marcos.
Stay at Eterna Romantic Lakeview Escape at Amate
WALK / HIKE IN TO THE AIRBNB
It is about a 15-20 minute walk along narrow San Marcos sidewalks, stairways, and then eventually a dirt hiking trail before you will reach the AMATE Airbnb. This will be the same route you will have to take every time you want to leave your Airbnb to explore Lake Aititlan, so it’s definitely something to consider before booking your stay. BUT, in our opinion the stay at AMATE was absolutely worth it for the views alone. You can find more information about our stay here.
DAY 5:
Sunrise at Amate
If you’re staying at Amate, then waking up to watch the sunrise is a must!
Take a Lancha Across the Lake
The main form of transportation to get around the lake is via public water taxis, known as lanchas. To access these boats you will need to make your way down to the town’s dock. Here you will usually find an employee waiting to ask where you are going. You will then be directed to the appropriate lancha to board OR told to wait for your lancha to arrive.
Payment: Cash is the only form of payment accepted and in our experience, you will pay after crossing the lake and reaching the dock at your desired destination. The cost is typically 20 to 30 Quetzales depending on the distance you are traveling.
Timing and Lancha Schedules: There does not appear to be a fixed timetable for arrival and depature times. Rather, the lancha operators wait until the lancha is full and then the boat will depart. As a result, you may find that you board the boat and wait about 15 minutes before leaving. In general, the public lanchas run from about 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
Explore San Juna La Laguna
If you’re looking for a town full of art galleries, local artisans, and vibrant streets along Lake Atitlán, then San Juan La Laguna is the place. You can stroll down La Calle de las Sombrillas (the umbrella street) and La Calle de los Sombreros (the hat street) if you are simply looking to admire the vibrant culture, or you can visit places like Casa Flor Ixcaco or Licor Marrón Chocolate Factory to learn a little more.
Casa Flor Ixcaco: Is a women-led, Mayan weaver’s cooperative that originated in San Juan La Laguna. The cooperative currently consists of 34 women who work together using traditional methods to create woven textiles. If you visit their shop in San Juan, you can watch a free presentation on the process of creating the yarn, dying the cotton, and weaving the textiles. It is also a shop FULL of their beautiful work and if you purchase an item from them, it features a photo of the woman who made your product!
Licor Marrón Chocolate Factory: is a Maya-owned artisanal chocolate shop. Here you can participate in a free presentation that teaches guests about the properties of cacao and the process of turning cacao into chocolate.
Return to San Marcos La Laguna
Because we never wanted to miss the last lancha, we tried to return to San Marcos with plenty of time to spare! We spent our evening getting a massage at Kula Maya.
DAY 6:
San Pedro La Laguna
Unfortunately, I did get sick towards the end of our trip so we don't have much to share about our time in San Pedro. Here are a few activities we wish we had done:
Jewelry Making: Galeria Q’iij, whatsapp number: +502 50971551
DAY 7:
Lake Atitlán to Antigua
If you prefer an easier travel morning, consider returning to Antigua on Day 7. We opted for this because our flight was insanely early and the drive to the airport is much shorter from Antigua.
DAY 8:
Antigua to Guatemala City
Return to La Aurora International Airport (GUA)
