Guatemala one week trip report **Day 1** I got my…
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Guatemala one week trip report
**Day 1** I got my round-trip tickets with Avianca for $330 (1,587,000 COP). My outbound flight had a 7-hour layover in San José, Costa Rica (if you’re Colombian and want to leave the airport, you need a visa), but the return flight was direct. I arrived in Guatemala City at night. Immigration was a bit rough because they have strict orders to search the luggage of anyone coming from Colombia or Peru—you can guess why. The airport has good Wi-Fi, but the currency exchanges are a disaster. They offer terrible rates and want you to exchange at least $1,000. Luckily, I had already exchanged some Quetzales in Colombia to pay for an Uber.
I stayed at an Airbnb ($30) in Zona 10, considered one of the safest areas in the city (though I later learned the capital can be dangerous, so you still have to be careful). Having a KFC right across the street that night was a lifesaver; for 100Q you get 4 pieces of chicken and a soda. Not bad at all.
Constitution Square https://preview.redd.it/mesgt2fmkiph1.png?width=1304&format=png&auto=webp&s=ebd195f5272e36f8969129a3113bb4a46f10f5c7
**Day 2: Guatemala City & Antigua** In the morning, I headed downtown to see the Plaza de la Constitución. First, I grabbed breakfast at a spot our Uber driver highly recommended. Afterward, on 6th Street (by the old post office), I found a much better exchange rate. I walked through the busy commercial streets to the plaza and bought a Claro SIM card. I highly recommend Claro for Central America—it offers 5G and worked perfectly the whole trip.
To get to Antigua, agencies offer $20 shuttles. Honestly, it's a ripoff for a one-hour trip. Instead, I went to the Peri-Roosevelt mall on the Pan-American Highway and caught a "chicken bus" for just 20Q (under $4). If you aren't used to them, it might be a wild experience, but being from Colombia, it felt very natural to me—even the vendors hopping on to sell pills, empanadas, and candy. The ride was smooth, but it was too cloudy to see the Fuego Volcano when I arrived.
Antigua is a highly walkable, cobblestone city with lots of tourism and shops. I had lunch at "El Adobe", a traditional spot where mains cost around 100Q ($15) and drinks are 20Q. Good food, but small portions. I shopped around for shuttles to Panajachel and Tikal. Again, $20 shuttles everywhere, and Tikal packages were pricey. I finally found a great, honest deal with Mayan Tours for my Panajachel and Chichicastenango routes. At night, I checked out the "Plaza del Arco" market. I had some delicious coffee and chocolate there (highly recommend) and it’s a great spot to buy indigenous souvenirs.
The next morning, I hit the main sights. I tried getting the classic Santa Catalina Arch photo with the Acatenango Volcano, but the clouds wouldn't budge. I paid 20Q to enter the ruins of the Old Metropolitan Cathedral (pictured)—it’s not huge, but the ruined naves and small crypt are cool. I also visited the Capuchinas church but skipped the viewpoint due to the clouds. At noon, my shuttle picked me up for the 4-hour drive to Atitlán.
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Antigua Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago de Los Caballeros de Guatemala. https://preview.redd.it/jnwcdy98kiph1.jpg?width=1896&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8a1d6fdd3d56e6544a3ca1ab7c723107d39f8d25
**Day 3: Panajachel - Lake Atitlán** Atitlán is a massive lake surrounded by small towns named after the apostles. Panajachel is the main hub, but I wanted a quieter vibe, so I booked a cheap Airbnb in San Pedro de La Laguna with lake views for two nights. The weather failed me again, so I couldn't see the sunrise from the Rostro Maya viewpoint.
We took a *tuk-tuk* (10Q per person) early to San Juan de La Laguna. I had breakfast in the main square for 20Q. San Juan is very colorful but a bit too commercialized. I hiked up to the Kaqasiiwaan viewpoint—a steep 20-minute climb that requires decent fitness, but the view is breathtaking, and I finally got to see the San Pedro volcano. On the way down, I visited Santa Clara (very local, less touristy) and San Pablo (the "hippie" town, great for massages and rituals). I took a boat taxi (20Q) back to San Pedro, had a chill lunch, and ate traditional tacos and tortillas for dinner.
Kaqasiiwaan viewpoint https://preview.redd.it/88s60aesjiph1.png?width=1304&format=png&auto=webp&s=c0c6d3dc0951397c7398cba5ce248e3f88b3f3e9
**Day 4: Chichicastenango** Our shuttle picked us up at 8 AM. After 2 hours of winding roads, we arrived at Chichicastenango, the oldest traditional Mayan market in the world. It’s absolute madness. The streets are packed, and vendors can be extremely pushy. If you want something, do not be afraid to haggle—they inflate starting prices by up to 400%.
I had a super cheap breakfast in the market: 3 tortillas for 1Q and small tamales for 5Q with French bread and coffee. I walked the market loop 3 or 4 times, taking in the souvenirs and the bartering in Mayan languages. Watching Mayan rituals taking place inside a Catholic church was incredibly cool. Despite the overwhelming vendors, it’s an amazing place to immerse yourself in everyday Guatemalan Mayan culture. In the afternoon, I headed back to Atitlán to catch my next bus to Santa Elena for Tikal.
Chichicastenango https://preview.redd.it/z47uuis2kiph1.jpg?width=6016&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ced2bc020656092702cfbaf24cd4cf527305717
**Day 5: Tikal** I took an overnight Cristóbal Colón bus from Guatemala City to Santa Elena ($35 each way, 10 hours). It was a smooth ride. There are fancier buses, but I’m used to these from Colombia, and it beat paying $50+ for a flight, dealing with luggage fees, and airport drama.
At the Santa Elena market, I booked a round-trip ride to Tikal. Park entry is 150Q ($20) cash only, so I had to exchange money at the market in a rush and got the worst rate of the trip. Tikal is incredible and very strict about protecting wildlife (vehicles must drive slowly). Maps are sold for 20-30Q. I explored from 10 AM to 3 PM, and though the sun was brutal, I loved every second. Temple II (pictured) and the Jaguar Temple are the most crowded, but you can climb Pyramid V and others in relative peace.
I skipped hiring a guide because I usually forget all the trivia anyway, but the ruins sparked a huge fascination, and I ended up reading a lot about the Mayans afterward. I’d return in a heartbeat. Next time, Palenque and Uaxactún! I spent the late afternoon in Flores, watched the sunset, ate some tacos, and caught the night bus back to the city. Petén easily deserves two full days.
Tikal https://preview.redd.it/v1a6vpmkjiph1.png?width=1470&format=png&auto=webp&s=51f2ef8a97d015328bef966810647f5bf19d16a7
**Day 6: Guatemala City** Back in Zone 1, just a block from the Plaza de la Constitución, I hit the Central Market. It’s famous for souvenirs, traditional food, and everything Guatemala. It’s highly worth a visit, and prices were fairer and cheaper than in Antigua or Chichi. I bought all my gifts here (coffee, cacao, sweets). I had breakfast and lunch here and tried their famous sweet drinks for 8Q.
Mercado Central https://preview.redd.it/yho6lqbzjiph1.png?width=1304&format=png&auto=webp&s=e48320d42cac4c08077527a9d651488afc854fc5
**Conclusions** My trip was very fast-paced. I could have easily used an extra day in Antigua, one in Atitlán, and another to visit Semuc Champey. Quetzaltenango felt skippable, and the coast isn't really promoted. While many go for the Fuego Volcano, Tikal is what truly moved me and is my favorite memory of the trip. Chichicastenango is the most authentic, albeit overwhelming, experience. Thanks for reading!
|**Location / Type**|**Exchange Rate (per 1 USD)**|
|:-|:-|
|**Large Bills ($50/$100)**|7.60Q|
|**Small Bills ($1/$5/$10)**|7.52Q|
|**Antigua**|7.30Q|
|**Santa Elena Market**|7.08Q|
|**Tikal National Park**|6.50Q|
|**Guatemala City Airport**|6.20Q - 6.50Q|
#travel
source
**Day 1** I got my round-trip tickets with Avianca for $330 (1,587,000 COP). My outbound flight had a 7-hour layover in San José, Costa Rica (if you’re Colombian and want to leave the airport, you need a visa), but the return flight was direct. I arrived in Guatemala City at night. Immigration was a bit rough because they have strict orders to search the luggage of anyone coming from Colombia or Peru—you can guess why. The airport has good Wi-Fi, but the currency exchanges are a disaster. They offer terrible rates and want you to exchange at least $1,000. Luckily, I had already exchanged some Quetzales in Colombia to pay for an Uber.
I stayed at an Airbnb ($30) in Zona 10, considered one of the safest areas in the city (though I later learned the capital can be dangerous, so you still have to be careful). Having a KFC right across the street that night was a lifesaver; for 100Q you get 4 pieces of chicken and a soda. Not bad at all.
Constitution Square https://preview.redd.it/mesgt2fmkiph1.png?width=1304&format=png&auto=webp&s=ebd195f5272e36f8969129a3113bb4a46f10f5c7
**Day 2: Guatemala City & Antigua** In the morning, I headed downtown to see the Plaza de la Constitución. First, I grabbed breakfast at a spot our Uber driver highly recommended. Afterward, on 6th Street (by the old post office), I found a much better exchange rate. I walked through the busy commercial streets to the plaza and bought a Claro SIM card. I highly recommend Claro for Central America—it offers 5G and worked perfectly the whole trip.
To get to Antigua, agencies offer $20 shuttles. Honestly, it's a ripoff for a one-hour trip. Instead, I went to the Peri-Roosevelt mall on the Pan-American Highway and caught a "chicken bus" for just 20Q (under $4). If you aren't used to them, it might be a wild experience, but being from Colombia, it felt very natural to me—even the vendors hopping on to sell pills, empanadas, and candy. The ride was smooth, but it was too cloudy to see the Fuego Volcano when I arrived.
Antigua is a highly walkable, cobblestone city with lots of tourism and shops. I had lunch at "El Adobe", a traditional spot where mains cost around 100Q ($15) and drinks are 20Q. Good food, but small portions. I shopped around for shuttles to Panajachel and Tikal. Again, $20 shuttles everywhere, and Tikal packages were pricey. I finally found a great, honest deal with Mayan Tours for my Panajachel and Chichicastenango routes. At night, I checked out the "Plaza del Arco" market. I had some delicious coffee and chocolate there (highly recommend) and it’s a great spot to buy indigenous souvenirs.
The next morning, I hit the main sights. I tried getting the classic Santa Catalina Arch photo with the Acatenango Volcano, but the clouds wouldn't budge. I paid 20Q to enter the ruins of the Old Metropolitan Cathedral (pictured)—it’s not huge, but the ruined naves and small crypt are cool. I also visited the Capuchinas church but skipped the viewpoint due to the clouds. At noon, my shuttle picked me up for the 4-hour drive to Atitlán.
#
Antigua Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago de Los Caballeros de Guatemala. https://preview.redd.it/jnwcdy98kiph1.jpg?width=1896&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8a1d6fdd3d56e6544a3ca1ab7c723107d39f8d25
**Day 3: Panajachel - Lake Atitlán** Atitlán is a massive lake surrounded by small towns named after the apostles. Panajachel is the main hub, but I wanted a quieter vibe, so I booked a cheap Airbnb in San Pedro de La Laguna with lake views for two nights. The weather failed me again, so I couldn't see the sunrise from the Rostro Maya viewpoint.
We took a *tuk-tuk* (10Q per person) early to San Juan de La Laguna. I had breakfast in the main square for 20Q. San Juan is very colorful but a bit too commercialized. I hiked up to the Kaqasiiwaan viewpoint—a steep 20-minute climb that requires decent fitness, but the view is breathtaking, and I finally got to see the San Pedro volcano. On the way down, I visited Santa Clara (very local, less touristy) and San Pablo (the "hippie" town, great for massages and rituals). I took a boat taxi (20Q) back to San Pedro, had a chill lunch, and ate traditional tacos and tortillas for dinner.
Kaqasiiwaan viewpoint https://preview.redd.it/88s60aesjiph1.png?width=1304&format=png&auto=webp&s=c0c6d3dc0951397c7398cba5ce248e3f88b3f3e9
**Day 4: Chichicastenango** Our shuttle picked us up at 8 AM. After 2 hours of winding roads, we arrived at Chichicastenango, the oldest traditional Mayan market in the world. It’s absolute madness. The streets are packed, and vendors can be extremely pushy. If you want something, do not be afraid to haggle—they inflate starting prices by up to 400%.
I had a super cheap breakfast in the market: 3 tortillas for 1Q and small tamales for 5Q with French bread and coffee. I walked the market loop 3 or 4 times, taking in the souvenirs and the bartering in Mayan languages. Watching Mayan rituals taking place inside a Catholic church was incredibly cool. Despite the overwhelming vendors, it’s an amazing place to immerse yourself in everyday Guatemalan Mayan culture. In the afternoon, I headed back to Atitlán to catch my next bus to Santa Elena for Tikal.
Chichicastenango https://preview.redd.it/z47uuis2kiph1.jpg?width=6016&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ced2bc020656092702cfbaf24cd4cf527305717
**Day 5: Tikal** I took an overnight Cristóbal Colón bus from Guatemala City to Santa Elena ($35 each way, 10 hours). It was a smooth ride. There are fancier buses, but I’m used to these from Colombia, and it beat paying $50+ for a flight, dealing with luggage fees, and airport drama.
At the Santa Elena market, I booked a round-trip ride to Tikal. Park entry is 150Q ($20) cash only, so I had to exchange money at the market in a rush and got the worst rate of the trip. Tikal is incredible and very strict about protecting wildlife (vehicles must drive slowly). Maps are sold for 20-30Q. I explored from 10 AM to 3 PM, and though the sun was brutal, I loved every second. Temple II (pictured) and the Jaguar Temple are the most crowded, but you can climb Pyramid V and others in relative peace.
I skipped hiring a guide because I usually forget all the trivia anyway, but the ruins sparked a huge fascination, and I ended up reading a lot about the Mayans afterward. I’d return in a heartbeat. Next time, Palenque and Uaxactún! I spent the late afternoon in Flores, watched the sunset, ate some tacos, and caught the night bus back to the city. Petén easily deserves two full days.
Tikal https://preview.redd.it/v1a6vpmkjiph1.png?width=1470&format=png&auto=webp&s=51f2ef8a97d015328bef966810647f5bf19d16a7
**Day 6: Guatemala City** Back in Zone 1, just a block from the Plaza de la Constitución, I hit the Central Market. It’s famous for souvenirs, traditional food, and everything Guatemala. It’s highly worth a visit, and prices were fairer and cheaper than in Antigua or Chichi. I bought all my gifts here (coffee, cacao, sweets). I had breakfast and lunch here and tried their famous sweet drinks for 8Q.
Mercado Central https://preview.redd.it/yho6lqbzjiph1.png?width=1304&format=png&auto=webp&s=e48320d42cac4c08077527a9d651488afc854fc5
**Conclusions** My trip was very fast-paced. I could have easily used an extra day in Antigua, one in Atitlán, and another to visit Semuc Champey. Quetzaltenango felt skippable, and the coast isn't really promoted. While many go for the Fuego Volcano, Tikal is what truly moved me and is my favorite memory of the trip. Chichicastenango is the most authentic, albeit overwhelming, experience. Thanks for reading!
|**Location / Type**|**Exchange Rate (per 1 USD)**|
|:-|:-|
|**Large Bills ($50/$100)**|7.60Q|
|**Small Bills ($1/$5/$10)**|7.52Q|
|**Antigua**|7.30Q|
|**Santa Elena Market**|7.08Q|
|**Tikal National Park**|6.50Q|
|**Guatemala City Airport**|6.20Q - 6.50Q|
#travel
source
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| 4 | |
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