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A small boat crosses Lake Atitlán as the sun sets behind the silhouettes of volcanoes

Sample journey · 10–12 days

Guatemala's highlands and the temples of Tikal

Antigua, Lake Atitlán, Chichicastenango, Flores & Tikal

Photo: Juan Jose Estrada / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

Guatemala is small, but in ten days you can pass through several worlds. In Antigua, cobbled streets lead past ruined convents while volcanoes rise above the rooftops. Around Lake Atitlán every village has its own weaving patterns, and on market day in Chichicastenango the church steps disappear under flowers and incense smoke. Finally comes the Petén jungle, where the temples of Tikal rise above the canopy.

This sample route is for those who want not only to see but to understand, with guides who know the Maya world well. It works beautifully with friends or in a small group, and stays in welcoming guesthouses and small hotels help keep the journey good value.

The route

The journey

  1. Guatemala City
  2. Antigua
  3. Lake Atitlán
  4. Chichicastenango
  5. Antigua
  6. Flores
  7. Tikal
  1. Calle del Arco in Antigua, with the Santa Catalina arch in evening light and passers-by seen from behind

    01Days 1–3 · Antigua

    A city between three volcanoes

    From Guatemala City airport to Antigua is about an hour, traffic permitting. The first days are on foot: ruined convents, bougainvillea courtyards, a small chocolate workshop and a coffee farm in the hills beyond town. In the evening the Santa Catalina arch takes on warm colours, and Agua volcano, clouds permitting, fills the end of the street.

  2. Fishermen in small boats on the still water of Lake Atitlán near San Juan La Laguna, with clouds reflected

    02Days 4–6 · Lake Atitlán

    Villages reached by boat

    About three hours on mountain roads to Atitlán. Here you get around by boat: to San Juan La Laguna and its weaving cooperatives working with natural dyes, or to Santiago Atitlán, home of the revered folk saint Maximón. Mornings on the lake are calmest, so kayaking or a shoreline walk is best planned early, as the wind often rises after midday.

  3. Flower sellers with bouquets on stone steps outside a white church in Chichicastenango

    03Days 7–8 · Chichicastenango

    Market day in the highlands

    On Thursdays and Sundays Chichicastenango becomes one of the largest highland markets, so the travel days are arranged around them. Among the stalls of textiles, masks and vegetables, rituals blending Maya and Catholic traditions take place on the steps of the church of Santo Tomás; a guide makes it easier to understand what you're seeing and to be respectful. In the afternoon, back to Antigua for a last quiet night in the highlands.

  4. The island town of Flores on Lake Petén Itzá at dusk, seen from the wooded shore

    04Day 9 · Flores

    An island town on the lake

    An early flight from Guatemala City to Flores takes about an hour, and the cool of the highlands turns suddenly into the humid warmth of Petén. Flores is a tiny town on an island in Lake Petén Itzá, and its colourful lanes can be walked in an hour. In the evening, take a boat out to watch the sun set across the lake.

  5. The Temple of the Great Jaguar at Tikal in the last light of day, rising above the jungle

    05Days 10–12 · Tikal

    Temples above the canopy

    Staying right by the park lets you enter Tikal early in the morning, when the jungle is still loud with howler monkeys and toucans. With an archaeologist guide: the Great Plaza, the Temple of the Great Jaguar and the view from the top of Temple IV, where other temple tops break through the green. With time to spare, quiet Yaxhá by its lagoon is well worth a visit. On the last day, a flight back to Guatemala City and home.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    Antigua's streets

    Colonial courtyards, ruined convents and coffee farms in the hills.

  2. 02

    The Atitlán villages

    By boat between shoreline villages, each with its own weaving tradition.

  3. 03

    Chichicastenango market

    Textiles, flowers and age-old rituals on the church steps.

  4. 04

    Tikal at first light

    Maya temples and the sounds of the jungle while it's still cool and quiet.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • More active

    A multi-day walk through highland villages to Atitlán, or an overnight climb of Acatenango with views of Fuego: a tough hike to almost 4,000 m, for those in good physical shape.

  • In a small group

    The same route with a small group and an experienced guide, an easy way to travel solo or with friends.

  • On to Belize

    From Tikal overland across the border into Belize's Cayo District, then a few days by the Caribbean reef.

  • More slowly

    An extra night at Atitlán and a day with no plan at all: a terrace, a book and the lake light shifting with the clouds.

Practical considerations

  • The dry season, roughly November to April, is usually the most comfortable; in the rainy season showers tend to come in the afternoon.
  • Highland mornings and evenings are cool, while Petén is hot and humid, so pack for both climates.
  • Mountain roads take longer than distances suggest, so a private driver and some time in hand work best.
  • Chichicastenango's market days are Thursday and Sunday, and the route is arranged around them.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

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