Guatemala, a Central American country south of Mexico, is home to many volcanoes, rainforests and ancient Mayan sites. It’s one of those rare finds, with a good mix of travel options to satisfy adventurers, culture seekers, beach worshippers, and travelers looking for a little relaxation.
The capital, Guatemala City, features the National Palace of Culture and the National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. Antigua, which is west of the capital, contains preserved Spanish colonial buildings and ruins, beautiful quaint rooftop restaurants, bars and secluded enclaves that offer unique bakeries and coffee shops as well as beautiful spas in and outside of the city. Small towns in the highlands and on the shores of beautiful Lake Atitlan offer a chance for unique cultural experiences. Family getaways to places like Hobbitenago are a treat. Tropical jungles, active volcanoes, mountain lakes, cloud forests, coral reefs, and beaches will entice nature lovers. If you venture down to the coasts, you’ll encounter beaches ideal for relaxing and finding solitude in a hammock.
Guatemala is full of many natural and archaeological beauties. From the beaches to the ancient ruins to the volcanos as well as giving yourself the opportunity to immerse yourself in the Mayan culture, Guatemala has much to offer any person who not just travels here on holiday but lives here for an extended amount of time. Guatemala is such a beautiful and diverse country that you could spend months exploring and still barely scratch the surface of what it has to offer. We’ve gathered up some of our top places to see in Guatemala when visiting:
TIKAL NATIONAL PARK:
Some of the most beautiful sites such as Tikal, one of the most important Mayan archaeological sites in Guatemala has such a naturalistic and cultural value that it is hard to imagine trying to see it all in one day. We’d give it at least three if possible. However, if you are on limited time, Tikal is definitely an adventure one must seek to have while visiting this country. The central plaza is surrounded by entirely intact ancient pyramids, with other massive structures hidden among the forest. The name Tikal was adopted after the “rediscovery” of the city in the mid-nineteenth century. Its inhabitants called it Yax Mutul, as attested by the inscriptions. There are about 3,000 structures, including temples, palaces, residences, altars, terraces, squares, fields for ball games, spread on an area of about 16 square kilometers. Most of these buildings are connected to cisterns through aqueducts. The main ceremonial areas have more than 200 monuments.
The national park of Tikal was classified as patrimony Unesco in 1979, one of the few in the world registered for both its naturalistic and cultural value.
EL MIRADOR:
El Mirador (The Lookout) is the name given to the site by chicleros (gum harvesters) before its ‘discovery’ by archaeologists in 1962. Some of the pyramids are so high that they provide a breathtaking view of the jungle underneath. The site is nestled in the furthest reaches of the Petén Jungle. The site is so deep in the jungle that the only ways to get there are by helicopter or trekking through the forest.
This site is archaeologically important because the research conducted here is moving back the clock of the social organization of the Maya. The buildings here, in fact, were erected several centuries earlier than those of Tikal. El Mirador contains one of the largest clusters of buildings of any single Maya site, among them the biggest pyramid ever built in the Maya world.
NATURAL MONUMENT SEMUC CHAMPEY:
Semuc Champey is a natural monument in the department of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, near the Q’eqchi’ Maya town of Lanquín. It consists of a natural 300 m limestone bridge, under which passes the Cahabón River. Atop the bridge is a series of stepped, turquoise pools, a popular swimming attraction. It is simply a beautiful, majestic landscape that will offer tranquility and at the same time spark the urge to explore. The best and most popular way to see Semuc Champey in all its glory, is from the “El Mirador” viewpoint. Though it is a roughly 45-minute hot, uphill jungle hike from the parking area, the views into the valley are unparalleled. Although it can be difficult to get to, Semuc is becoming more and more popular with travelers.
VOLCANO ACATENANGO, SAND PEDRO and VOLCANO FUEGO
Antigua, Guatemala is surrounded by seven volcanos, some which are currently active. The top 3 volcanos and which considered some of your best hikes in Guatemala and that are visited most by travelers are: volcano San Pedro, de Fuego and Acentenango.
Climbing Antigua’s remarkable Volcano Acatenango, which towers above the landscape at 13,041 ft / 3,976 m, is at the top of the bucket list for most adventure travelers in Guatemala. Aside from providing panoramic views of the entire region, Acatenango gives hikers a birds-eye-view of nearby (and very active!) Volcan Fuego which has been erupting on a near constant basis since colonial times. Overnight Hike is the best way to experience the volcano as it allows hikers to take in awe-inspiring nighttime views of flowing lava, as well as experience sunrise the following morning from Acatenango’s summit. Although demanding for even the most seasoned hiker, look no further than our Acatenango Volcano Overnight Hike to experience the best that Guatemala has to offer to adrenaline-junkies and adventure-seekers. This is one overnight hike you’ll never forget!
VOLCANO FUEGO
One of Central America’s most active volcanoes, is one of three large stratovolcanoes overlooking Guatemala’s former capital, Antigua. An adventurous Fuego Volcano Day Trip hike gives you the opportunity walk through farmland, then venture into cloud-forest, and finally traverse the high alpine slopes of the Acatenango Volcano. This high-elevation technical trail takes you above the clouds and snakes through fantastic landscapes as you cross ravines and scramble rock faces. The apex brings you to the knife-edge slopes of Volcan Fuego. Fuego Volcano’s activity varies constantly. Since the last major eruption on June 3rd, 2018, it has returned to it’s “normal” activity levels over the last 5 years. This means several small eruptions a day; in the day you see the ash and at night you can see the red lava. It is definitely a sight to see and should not be missed.
VOLCANO SAN PEDRO
This volcano is on the shores of Lake Atitlan in the Solola department of southern Guatemala. At its base is the village of San Pedro La Laguna. San Pedro Volcano hands down the best view of Lake Atitlan. You can see his volcano brothers around the Lake and further. The hike is a challenging 4,500 ft of elevation gain (1,400 meters aprox.) and takes about 5 hours Round trip – depending on your level. The top sits about 10,000 ft above sea level (3,000 meters). From the top you can see neighboring volcanoes Toliman and Atitlan to the south. On a clear day you can see Acatenango and Fuego (south east behind the other two mentioned above). To the west you can spot Cerro Quemado. The hike can be done year round. The best time of the year is mid November to March because rainy season begins late April and last through roughly the middle of October.
