Volcanoes, Lakes, and Hot Springs

Get the best of both worlds — explore nature and culture on this in-depth Guatemala trip for two. Hike to volcanoes, relax by the serene Lake Atitlan, and bathe in hot springs! 

Nature and Cultural Exploration of Guatemala | Anywhere

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Andrea Luna Fernandez

Melanie Ahluwalia

Patrice Boutin

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Flores and Santa Elena

Guatemala City is often a traveler’s first glimpse of Guatemala. As your plane descends over the capital, you witness the largest city in Central America unfold—a sprawling, colorful metropolis that spreads into a valley ringed by forested mountains and volcanoes. It’s a big and powerful place that is home to around four million people.

GT - TAG (Transportes Aéreos Guatemaltecos)

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Tikal

The twin towns of Flores and Santa Elena, which are often collectively referred to simply as “Flores,” are set within the heart of Petén. Flores is actually a small island in Lake Petén Itzá that’s connected to Santa Elena, on the mainland, by a causeway. With its pastel houses and genteel atmosphere, Flores is very pleasant.

GT - Explore 

Special Tour Services-GNT

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Isla de Flores Hotel

Isla de Flores Hotel is a boutique hotel on the small island of Flores. While you stay here you will have lovely views of Lake Petén Itzá in a quiet, calm village.

Junior Suite 

Tikal, with its towering Mayan ruins and vast primary forests, is one of Guatemala’s most awe-inspiring sites. The ruins are undoubtedly the country’s best—huge temples and limestone pyramids dominate the landscape. The structures are a part of the Tikal National Park, a huge protected area that helps conserve some of Guatemala’s most pristine outdoor areas. Visiting Tikal is an absolute must while in Guatemala.

Hotel Jungle Lodge Tikal

A stay at this hotel grants you proximity to the Tikal National Park, which draws visitors from all over the world. The national park is home to world-famous Mayan ruins and rainforest that protects several endangered species.
The schedule for electricity in this hotel is the following:
5:30 - 08:00
13:00 - 15:00
17:00 - 22:30
It may be the possibility that there is no HOT WATER between this hours.

Hotel Recommendation #1

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Tikal One Day - EX

This first approach to the Ancient Maya culture will visit Complex Q, Temple of the Great Jaguar, Temple of the Masks, Temple IV, Lost World and the site museum. Stroll jungle trails and climb pyramids and temples. The monkeys, tropical birds and admire the Amazon-like flora will be there for you to explore.

**Itinerary:**  
  
**07:30 AM** Departure from Santa Elena, Flores hotels  heading to  the Mundo Maya Airport to pick up passengers coming from Guatemala City to go to the Tikal National Park and visit the archaeological site.   (Approximately 1 hour travel time).  
  
Once you arrive at the Visitor Center, the guide will explain the model at the entrance before beginning the tour. Visit the Complex Q and R, Temples I, II, III, and IV, Central Plaza, the Acropolis North Central, and the Lost World.  
  
**3:30 PM** Lunch at the park. Return to the airport for a flight back to Flores or your hotel in Santa Elena, Flores.  
  
**Does not include:** Museum entrance and beverages.  


Tikal National Park is the most amazing tour where you will be taken back thousands of years to the seat of the Maya Culture.

Tikal One Day

Transportation from Flores area and Mundo Maya Airport. Entrance Fee to National Park. Bilingual English-Spanish professional guide, and a rustic lunch without beverage

Sunscreen, camera, comfortable shoes, and money for handicrafts, tipping the guide, driver, and money for expenses, including tips and meals not specified.

GT - TIKALHA / Explore 

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Lanquin

GT - Coban Travels

Suite

Set within a lush valley in Guatemala’s Central Highlands, the small town of Lanquín is becoming well known for two attractions—the Lanquín caves and the Semuc Champey limestone pools.

Hotel Recommendation #2

Semuc Champey Collective Tour or Private

Visitors are free to swim in the pools, as well as in the river and the waterfall. These waters stand out as a natural attraction, even in the midst of Guatemala’s striking tropical forest. In the Mayan language, Semuc Champey translates to “sacred waters.”    
  
By all accounts, it is a difficult trek to Semuc Champey. This natural wonder is located at the end of a long road, covered with rocks and boulders. On this tour, a car and an experienced driver will get you safely to your destination.    
  
In addition to the Semuc Champey, this tour will also take you to the nearby Lanquin Caves. Water flows through the caves, so you’ll spend most of the tour wading in knee-deep and chest-deep water. Make sure you to bring good sandals or water shoes. Visitors to the caves carry candles on the tour – this environment gets too wet for flashlights. 

Semuc Champey is a natural, 1,247-foot (300 m) limestone bridge. It overlooks the Cahabón River. Pools of clear, blue-green water form a stepped waterway on top of the bridge.

Semuc Champey Collective Tour

Transportation, entrance to Semuc Champey and Lanquin Caves, and a multilingual guide. Trips that depart from Cobán have meals included, trips that depart from Laquin do not.

Comfortable clothes, sweater, bathing suit, water shoes or hiking sandals, hiking shoes, bug spray, sunscreen, bottled water, and a flashlight.

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Panajachel

Colonial x

Panajachel is Lake Atitlán’s most popular traveler town. Set along the northern shores of the lake, the setting is here is gorgeous—think blue water, forested mountains, and volcanoes. The town’s culture mixes North American, European and Central American influences.

Hotel Recommendation #3

Hiking San Pedro Volcano

Collective Tour  
Morning at 06:00Am take the boat  from Panajachel to the Village San Pedro La Laguna, and you will be taken to the Visitor Center  of the Volcano where the  hike begins. At the beginning the trail runs through coffee plantations, cornfields, and other agricultural operations that eventually make way for lush green forests. The trail can be wet and muddy in places, not to mention quite steep.    
When you get to the first Mirador you can rest and eat your snack and then keep hiking up the rest of the trail.  
  


The San Pedro Volcano was declared a national park in 2006. The volcano is covered with tropical forests and takes about 4–5 hours to reach the summit along a well-maintained trail.

Transportation by boat between Panajachel and San Pedro La Laguna, Box Breakfast with one bottle of Water and a Sandwich, Local Guide, Entrance fee to the National Park.

Hiking boots, long pants, wind or rain jacket, sunscreen, sunglasses, camera, binoculars, money for tips and at least 2 liters of water.

GT - Guatemala Alternativa 

Chichicastenango Tour HD - GA

Chichicastenango is famous for two things: its church and market. During this tour you'll explore both.  
  
Begin the tour early in the morning with a visit to the Santo Tomás Church. The church was originally built in the 16th century and often has indigenous Mayans praying, waving incense holders, and reciting incantations on its steps. Its quite the site.  
  
Afterwards you can enjoy the town's famous open-air market. This market is a great place to see colorful local culture and search for handicrafts. The market has high-quality pottery, weavings, masks, and more. Use your bargaining skills to score good deals on various items.   
  
Although not technically included in this tour, you can choose to take a walk up a hill called Pascual Abaj and get great views of the surrounding area. Mayan ceremonies are sometimes performed here, and if you're lucky you'll get to see some rituals in action.   
  
  


Spend a half day exploring the church and market of Chichicastenango. This tour will give you a good look at the rich culture of this town.

Chichicastenango Half-Day Tour

Sunscreen, camera, comfortable shoes, and money for meals, handicrafts, tips, and personal expenses.

Chichicastenango

Chichicastenango (Chichi, for short) is a rare mixture of authentic culture and unconcealed tourism. Set within the Western Highlands, Chichi is a small and traditional town that has grown into one of Guatemala’s most tourism-friendly places, largely because of its fascinating outdoor marketplace. While carousing the market, you’ll see Maya weavers right alongside photo-snapping tourists. It makes for an interesting site.

Hot springs and Indigenous Villages - GA

 The tour starts with a visit to the glass factory COPAVIC, where you will see glass being blown. It's a careful and intricate process.  
  
The tour then continues to Zunil to visit an ingenuous cemetery, the weaving cooperative of San Ana, the colonial church, and the Mayan saint “Maximon.”   
  
Next, you'll have time to relax at the hot spring of Fuentes Georginas. This hot spring is volcanically heated and surrounded by a beautiful cloud forest. It's an easy place to melt into relaxation.   
  
The tour ends in Almolonga, one of the most productive agricultural towns in Guatemala. 

This tour includes a visit to indigenous villages and a soak in hot springs. As such, it's a nice mixture of cultural exploration and leisure activities.

Hot Springs and Indigenous Villages

Private transportation, guide, and entrance fees.

Swimsuit, comfortable clothes and shoes, sunglasses, and money for food, drinks, and personal expenses.

Quetzaltenango

Guatemala’s second largest city, Quetzaltenango (pop. 300,000), is a world apart from Guatemala City. It’s a cosmopolitan place set at an altitude of 8,000 feet (2,400 m) and is the main population center for Guatemala’s K’iche’ Mayans. Despite being a fairly big city, its residents are friendly and approachable. Quetzaltenango’s original K’iche’ name of "Xelajú" is still widely used in an abbreviated form, *Xela*, today.

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Monterrico, Santa Rosa 

Single or double

Monterrico is a tranquil town along Guatemala’s Pacific coast. This formerly sleeping fishing village is becoming increasingly popular with travelers, many of whom come here to see nesting sea turtles.

Hotel Recommendation #4

Mangrove Forest & Tule Boat Tour - PT

Riding through Monterrico's mangroves is both peaceful and exciting. The setting here - with water and vegetation - is utterly tranquil. It's also extremely biologically diverse. You have a good chance of seeing migratory birds from January to March, and will enjoy aquatic flowers from July to November. You'll enjoy panoramic views of the volcano year-round.   
  
Tule grasses grow alongside the mangroves. This grass is durable and is often used to make baskets and other handicrafts. Your guide will teach you about the grasses and explain how they are used by locals.  
  
  
  
  


Monterrico's mangroves are a great place to see birds and other animals. This tour explores the mangrove forests and tule grasses that grow alongside the banks of the mangroves.

Mangrove Forest & Tule Boat Tour

Sunscreen, camera, comfortable shoes, hat, and money for entrance fee, meals, personal expenses, handicrafts, and tipping the guide-driver.

1-888-456-3212

1-844-840-8780

44-800-088-5758

1-844-840-8780

1-888-456-3212

44-800-088-5758

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Natural Wonders

Culinary & Cultural Encounters

Adventure Sports

Hidden Local Gems

Photo Opportunities

Mind & Body Rejuvenation

Easy Sightseeing

City-Life Energy

Rugged Exploration

Rest & Relaxation

Romantic Moments

Mind-blowing Vistas

Off-The-Beaten-Path Exploration

My dream trip in Guatemala
Peru
Costa Rica
Vietnam
Ecuador
Thailand
Belize
Indonesia
Guatemala
Panama
Laos
Cambodia
Honduras

That I’ll spend with Group type
My Spouse/Partner
My Family
Myself
My Friends

Is filled with Trip type
Natural Wonders
Culinary & Cultural Encounters
Adventure Sports
Hidden Local Gems
Photo Opportunities
Mind & Body Rejuvenation
Easy Sightseeing
City-Life Energy
Rugged Exploration
Rest & Relaxation
Romantic Moments
Mind-blowing Vistas
Off-The-Beaten-Path Exploration