The best of Guatemala - ten days itinerary

Are you looking for a destination that combines culture, history, breathtaking nature, adventure, pleasant weather, delicious food, friendly locals, and is budget-friendly?

Look no further: Guatemala!

Guatemala had been on our bucket list for quite a while. Although it’s relatively close to our home in Brazil, it somehow felt like an unreachable destination…

Until then, we didn’t know anyone who had been there. In fact, even now, Guatemala isn’t a common choice for Brazilian travelers, and it’s rare to see any news or tourism promotion about it in Brazil.

Adding to this, Guatemala has (quite unfairly, based on our experience) a reputation for being a violent and dangerous place. So, everyone was shocked when we told them we’d be spending a few days there with our two young children (ages 6 and 7 at the time). We simply tuned out the doubts, packed our bags, and went. Our trip lasted 17 days in total — 10 days in Guatemala and a week in Belize.

It was incredible and exceeded all our expectations.

Guatemala is simply stunning! From historic towns dating back to the Spanish colonial era to breathtaking landscapes, impressive Mayan ruins, and crystal-clear rivers and waterfalls. You can even surf on the Pacific coast (or so the experts say—we’re not surfers ourselves). The locals are incredibly friendly and welcoming, the tourist infrastructure was reliable, prices were reasonable, and the weather was fantastic.

So, here’s our ten-day Guatemala itinerary!

We decided not to rent a car, relying instead on transfers (some booked directly through hotels, others via getyourguide.com) and took a domestic flight for part of our journey. Here’s an overview of our ten days exploring Guatemala and Belize — it was amazing!



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Ten-day Guatemala itinerary overview

Our itinerary through Guatemala and Belize It was awesome!

1️⃣ Arrival in Antigua

2️⃣ Antigua

3️⃣ Hike to Pacaya Volcano

4️⃣ Travel to Lake Atitlan, afternoon in the village of Panajachel

5️⃣ Lake Atitlan: tour of the lakeside villages—San Marcos La Laguna, San Pedro La Laguna, Santiago Atitlan, and Jabalito

XNUMX️⃣ Lake Atitlan: Atitlan Nature Reserve and stand-up paddleboarding

7️⃣ Lake Atitlan: visiting Panajachel and our favorite villages; optional Indian Nose trek

8️⃣ Departure to Guatemala City and flight to Flores

9️⃣ Tikal

🔟going to Belize

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Day 1 – How to get to Guatemala

We arrived at Guatemala City Airport, the main entry point for the country.

Since there are no direct flights from São Paulo (where we live) to Guatemala City, we flew with Avianca, with a quick layover in Bogota.

Based on my research, if you are in South America, you can also reach Guatemala with Copa Airlines via Panama, or through the United States, with Miami being the best connection point (just remember to check if you’ll need a U.S. visa).

We decided to skip Guatemala's capital on our way in, though we did spend a night and morning there before our return flight.

Upon arrival at the airport, we headed straight to Antigua, about 40 km away. Our transfer was ready for us at the airport, and it took about an hour to reach Antigua.

While renting a car is an option, we chose not to and didn’t feel we missed out. The places we visited had good tourist services at reasonable prices. Plus, from what we saw, the traffic on the narrow roads and streets is rather chaotic, with all kinds of drivers, motorbikes, bicycles, pedestrians (a lot of pedestrians!), and even dogs, cats, chickens, and goats. Driving here is definitely doable but requires plenty of attention and patience.

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Days 2 and 3 – Antigua

Antigua, a charming town in southern Guatemala surrounded by volcanoes, was our first stop on our ten-day itinerary through the country.

Where to stay in Antigua

We stayed at Hotel Casa del Parque, a small, charming hotel right in the heart of town. The room we stayed in was perfect for four people and had a truly spectacular view. From a side window, we could see Volcán de Agua, while the front window looked out on Volcán de Fuego and Acatenango. It was, without exaggeration, a stunning sight.

Other options I had considered were Porta Hotel Antigua and Hotel Museo Spa Casa Santo Domingo, which is set in an old convent and has fantastic reviews.

 

What to do in Antigua, Guatemala

We only stayed for 2 days and 3 nights, but we easily could have stayed another day or two. Antigua has so much to offer that you could spend four days without getting bored. here without getting bored. The town is beautiful, with cobbled streets, colonial-era houses, and numerous churches in various stages of preservation. It also boasts excellent restaurants, bars, and cafes, and the ruins of old churches make for beautiful photos. Additionally, there’s a trek to trekking to Volcán Acatenango, which we didn’t attempt, as we thought the climb would be too challenging for the kids at that time.

We spent one day simply enjoying the town, and on the other, we took a Pacaya volcano tour, which was actively erupting at that time.

If you have a few extra days and enjoy adventure, I’d recommend hiking Acatenango Volcano. It can be done in a single day, though it’s said to be very strenuous, or as a two-day hike with camping near the summit. This would give you incredible views of Fuego Volcano erupting — an experience that must be especially breathtaking at night.

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Days 4 to 7 – Lake Atitlan

From Antigua, we set off early in a van for Lake Atitlan , a trip that took about two and a half hours.

Lake Atitlan is surrounded by three volcanoes—Atitlán, San Pedro, and Tolimán (none of which are active)—and I can say, without hesitation, that it’s one of the most stunningly beautiful lakes I’ve ever seen.

The lake is ringed by several small towns; we chose to stay in Panajachel , which seems to have the best tourist infrastructure in the area. Plus, it offers incredible sunset views over the lake.

Our days here were filled with boat rides and stand-up paddleboarding, exploring the Atitlan Nature Reserve, with its network of trails, butterfly sanctuary, and zip lines through the forest, and visiting the villages around the lake. We enjoyed the sunsets, relaxed in various cafes and restaurants, and savored a true vacation in every sense.

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Where to stay on Lake Atitlán

We stayed at Hotel Porta del Lago, perfectly located right by the lake. I believe all rooms have lake views, each with a small but cozy balcony where you can sit and take in the scenery. While the hotel could use a decor refresh, the view and location make up for it completely. The beds were comfortable, breakfast was decent, and the pool was excellent. It’s an easy walk from the hotel to the main street of the village.

Another appealing option, though in a more secluded area (apparently only accessible by boat), is Hotel La Casa del Mundo in Jaibalito. We spent a few hours there, enjoying a beer with stunning views. Hotel Toliman in San Lucas Tolimán also looks like a fantastic choice if you prefer staying in that region.

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Day 8 – Return to Guatemala City and flight to Flores

After lunch in Panajachel, we headed straight to Guatemala City Airport (about a two-and-a-half-hour drive) to catch our evening flight to Flores, the closest airport to what was perhaps my most anticipated destination of the trip: the Mayan ruins of Tikal.

Once we arrived in Flores, a transfer was waiting for us at the airport to take us to our hotel, the Hotel Jaguar Inn Tikal, located right at the entrance to Tikal National Park — perfect for an early start exploring the incredible ruins.

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Where to stay in Tikal and Flores

When we traveled, there were three hotels right at the park entrance. We stayed at Jaguar Inn Tikal , but there’s also the Hotel Tikal Inn (which has a nice-looking pool), the Jungle Lodge Tikal Hostel (also with a pool), and the Jungle Lodge Tikal (located next to the hostel—they seem to be connected).

I chose the Hotel Jaguar Inn Tikal because it was the only one with availability on our travel dates. Going against all my travel planning best practices, this hotel was actually the first thing I booked, even before purchasing airline tickets, and we built the rest of the itinerary around the dates we secured for this stay.

Alternatively, there are accommodations in the town of Flores, about an hour and twenty minutes from the park. . I highly recommend staying at one of the hotels near the park entrance, as they’re reasonably priced and have everything you need. Plus, several tour agencies offer full-day trips to Tikal departing from Flores.

The biggest advantage of staying near the park is that we could (and definitely did) walk there — it’s just about 100 meters away. This proximity transformed my Tikal experience. We were able to avoid the crowds, explore the park at our own pace, and take it all in without rushing. Plus, I had the chance to witness an unforgettable starry sky at night.

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Day 9 – Tikal Park

You can easily visit the park in a single day, as we did. If you have time, in two days you can walk through the park more calmly and enjoy some hikes in the area.

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Day 10 – Departure

We woke up early and the transfer took us to the next destination of the trip: Belize!

The drive from Tikal to the Belize border takes about an hour and a half . Once we arrived, we went through immigration, then walked a few meters to officially enter Belize. On the other side, a Belizean driver was already waiting for us in his Belizean car, ready to continue our journey to San Ignacio — our first stop in the country. in this post I share all the details on how to get from Guatemala to Belize by land.

Now, check out my post on Belize — I promise you’ll fall in love with this small but amazing country, packed with exciting places to visit and unforgettable experiences!

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