2-Week Guatemala Itinerary – How to Plan a Trip to Guatemala

From active and dormant volcanoes, to ancient Maya ruins, colourful colonial towns and indigenous markets, Guatemala has a huge variety of things to offer its visitors. It’s a place that’s been on our bucket list ever since we realised just how many unique places there are to visit in this Central American country. I mean, how often can you watch an active volcano erupt from the top of another volcano? So, if you’re currently planning a trip, or are just considering a visit, we’ve put together a 2-week Guatemala itinerary for you.

We were lucky enough to be able to spend 2 full months in Guatemala, during which time we managed to visit most of the places visitors normally go, as well as a few lesser known locations. We climbed many volcanoes, did plenty of day trips, visited a couple of Maya Ruins and took many different modes of transport including chicken buses, tuk-tuks and packed minivans. So, we’re sure that the below itinerary will give you a great idea of the best places to visit in Guatemala and how to fit them all in.

We also documented all of our adventures on YouTube where you can now watch the entire Guatemala series for some visual inspiration.

How to Start Planning Your 2-Week Guatemala Itinerary

Whilst Guatemala isn’t one of the biggest countries in Latin America, it’s still filled with many places to visit. Some of these places also require you to spend an entire day travelling to reach them. So, if you’re short on time, it can be tricky to cram everything in.

Below we’ve highlighted a few points you should consider as you’re planning your trip:

Step 1: Entry and Exit Points in Guatemala

The way we suggest starting to plan your 2-week Guatemala itinerary is to choose your entry and exit points from the country. Are you only visiting Guatemala and flying in and out of the capital, Guatemala City? Or are you on a backpacking trip across Central America? This means you might be crossing the land borders from either Mexico or Belize.

Step 2: Your Personal Interests

It’s also important to think about your interests. Perhaps one of the reasons for your visit is to hike Acatenango Volcano to see Volcan Fuego erupting. Or maybe you’re interested in visiting historical sites, in which case you may want to spend longer in places like Antigua and visit the Maya Ruins in the north of Guatemala. Of course, a more relaxing holiday could also be your main aim. Then you may just want to book something more luxurious on the shores of Lake Atitlan, or travel to the coastal areas of the country. Lastly, you may be arriving to Guatemala to learn Spanish, in which case you might want to dedicate your whole second week to just one place.

Once you know exactly what you want to get out of your visit, you can start diving into the details of each location. It’s worth noting that our itinerary has a bit of everything, which means that you can follow it as much or little as you wish.

Step 3. Method of Transport

Luckily, Guatemala is nowhere near as huge as somewhere like Mexico for example. This means that you can reach many of the popular destinations in just a few hours. That being said, if you’re planning on visiting the northern parts of the country, such as Semuc Champey and Flores, then you’ll need to allocate a few days of your itinerary to travel days.

This is because there are only a few domestic flight routes available from the capital. One of them is to Flores, the closest city to the Tikal Ruins, which is a good option if you’re in a rush.

Renting a car could also be an option, but bear in mind that the road conditions can be poor and driving late at night isn’t considered safe.

Otherwise, you’ll need to pick between using tourist shuttles or the iconic chicken buses to travel around. The latter are more affordable if you’re on a major budget, but they are also not super reliable and can take much longer to reach their destination. Tourist shuttles are easy and convenient, even if they’re not going to be the most comfortable thing you’ve ever traveled on. As you would expect, taking the shuttles comes with a higher price tag than the chicken buses.

2-Week Guatemala Itinerary: A Complete Guide

Note that this 2-week Guatemala itinerary is fully customisable. You can add or skip a destination depending on your interests. We’re big hikers, so we were automatically drawn to places where we could hike as many volcanoes as possible. However, if you enjoy other types of locations, such as beaches, you can definitely swap those into your own itinerary too.

We have many detailed guides for each location listed below, so if you’re after more information about a certain place you can use the links provided to find out more.

Day 1: Travel from Guatemala City to Antigua

If you’re flying into Guatemala from abroad, then you’ll most likely land at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City. When we were planning out our itinerary we decided to skip Guatemala City altogether. We made this decision mainly on the basis that there wasn’t an awful lot to do in the city, and that it’s also not considered the safest place to visit. So, if you only have 2 weeks in Guatemala, we suggest heading to either Antigua, Lake Atitlan or Xela (Quetzaltenengo) from either the airport or the main bus terminal.

Antigua is located closest to Guatemala City and you can easily book a shared shuttle from the airport. The shuttle only takes about 2 hours to reach Antigua. From the airport, you can also get to Lake Atitlan in around 5 hours and 30 minutes.

Since we were staying in the country for a couple of months, we started our trip in Xela (Quetzaltenango), the second largest city in Guatemala. Xela is not the most touristy of places, and many visitors normally only go there if they’re interested in hiking volcanoes. Unfortunately, it would be hard to fit a visit to Xela into a 2-week itinerary. If you’re interested though, we’ve also put together a 3–week Guatemala itinerary, which includes details on the things to do in Xela as well as some of the best volcano hikes around the city.

Day 2-5: Antigua (The Most Colourful City in Guatemala)

Spend your first full day wandering the streets of one of the most beautiful cities in Guatemala: Antigua. The city was actually the capital of Guatemala from the 1500’s to the 1700’s and it has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. Due to its close proximity to active volcanoes, Antigua is more prone to natural disasters, which is the reason why they had to move the location of the capital to the modern-day site of Guatemala City.

Antigua is pretty walkable, so you can cover quite a lot of ground in just one day. Below are some must-see points of interest:

• Santa Catalina Arch,
• La Merced Convent and Church,
• Artesian markets: Mercado de Artesanias El Carmen, Nim Po’t, Mercado Central,
• Parque Central (main plaza),
• Cerra de la Cruz viewpoint.

Antigua is also home to many impressive church and convent ruins. These are the result of many devastating earthquakes, which led to the city being abandoned for a while and the buildings being left to decay. Below are our favorite church ruins to visit in Antigua:

• Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen (the most beautiful façade).
• Santa Clara Convent (the most beautiful convent ruin),
• La Recoleccion (the most authentic church and convent ruin),
• San Francisco the Great Sanctuary (great views of Volcan de Agua),
• San Jose Cathedral (small but conveniently located near the main square).

How long to spend in Antigua Guatemala. It depends on your interests but we recommend spending a minimum of 3 days in the city. Ideally you’d want to spend around 4 to 5 days there though because there’s a lot to do in Antigua, especially if you’d like to complete the 2-day Acatenango hike.

Day 3: Hike Pacaya Volcano (One of the 3 Active Volcanoes in Guatemala)

Pacaya Volcano is a great acclimatisation hike to add to your 2 week Guatemala itinerary, even more so if you’ve signed up for the overnight Acatenango hike. The volcano is one of the 37 official volcanoes in Guatemala, and is also one of only 3 active ones. Since Pacaya is one of the most accessible volcanoes to hike it is also one of the most popular day trips from Antigua.

It’s more convenient to book an organised tour since you can’t climb to the viewpoint without a guide. Plus, it would take a long time to get to the trailhead with public transport. Most tours offer either a 6 AM / 8 AM start or a 2 PM start. The afternoon departure would give you the chance to witness a lovely sunset if the weather conditions are right. Since it’s only a half-day trip, you can either spend your free morning or afternoon seeing more of Antigua.

We wrote a detailed guide on everything you need to know about hiking Volcan Pacaya including the trail length, difficulty level, the best tour companies to do it with and a route description.

Day 4-5: Overnight Hike to Acatenango to See Fuego Erupting

One of the main reasons people visit Guatemala is to complete the overnight trek to Volcan Acatenango. From the side of this volcano you’ll be able to see Acatenango’s twin, Volcan de Fuego (Volcano of Fire). Fuego is one of the 3 active volcanoes in Guatemala and erupts every 15 to 20 minutes. These eruptions are fascinating (and sometimes a bit scary) to watch, both in the day and at night. So, hiking Acatenango in Guatemala is like visiting Machu Picchu in Peru; a must see place for anyone up for a challenging but rewarding hike.

The group trek starts around mid-morning in La Soledad, after you’ve spent some time packing and having a debrief in Antigua. By mid-afternoon you’ll reach basecamp, from where you can either relax and watch Fuego erupt or go on an additional hike to the ridge of Fuego to experience the eruptions even closer.

The next morning you can summit Acatenango and watch the sunrise from the crater before heading back down to the trailhead. You’ll be back in Antigua by lunchtime, which means that you can either leave the city that afternoon, or spend a relaxing evening at one of the many rooftop bars.

If you’re planning on signing up for this overnight trek, make sure to read our blog posts about it first. They cover lots of important information to help you prepare for this hike, including a day by day itinerary and an essential packing list.

Day 6 – 8: Lake Atitlan (The Most Beautiful Lake in Guatemala)

Lake Atitlan is probably the second most visited place in the country and should absolutely be on your 2 week Guatemala itinerary.

Lake Atitlan used to be a super volcano called Los Chocoyos thousands of years ago. After its last eruption the volcano’s chamber collapsed and formed a caldera. The rivers then filled the caldera with water and turned it into the stunning lake that you can visit today. As a backdrop, there are also three huge volcanoes that surround the lake: San Pedro, Toliman, and Atitlan.

There are many smaller and larger towns dotted around the shores of the lake. Each of them have something unique to offer, from volcano hikes to cultural or spiritual experiences. Depending on where you’re staying on Lake Atitlan you can start by seeing the highlights of that town.

How to get to Lake Atitlan from Antigua. You can book a tourist shuttle in Antigua that takes you to Lake Atitlan directly. The journey normally takes between 3 to 4 hours. If you’re up for an adventure, you could also get there on the chicken buses. Although it may take a bit longer to reach your final destination, as you’d need to change buses multiple times. We put together a detailed guide on how to get to and get around Lake Atitlan, so make sure to give that a read before you go.

How long do you need in Lake Atitlan. If you only have 2 weeks in Guatemala, then we recommend allocating 3 full days to Lake Atitlan. There’s plenty to do, so you won’t have trouble filling your days with activities. Below you can find a 5-day Lake Atitlan guide, where we go into more detail on how to condense 5 days of activities into 3 or 4, including what you could consider skipping.

Day 7: San Pedro La Laguna and San Juan La Laguna on Lake Atitlan

If you’re not staying in San Pedro, you can hop on a boat and cross the lake towards what people refer to as the ‘backpacking town’ of Lake Atitlan. It’s located on the southwestern shore of the lake, at the foot of Volcan San Pedro.

You can spend a few hours just wandering around the streets of San Pedro. Make sure to check out the street art, visit Tzunun’ Ya’ Museum, go shopping at the local market and relax at Parque Puerta Hermosa. You can even hike up Volcan San Pedro if you arrive first thing in the morning.

Then take a tuk-tuk over to San Juan La Laguna, also known as the weaving town of Lake Atitlan. San Juan is definitely one of the most colourful towns to visit around the lake. Here you can stroll along Calle de las Artes and La Calle de los Sombreros, which are filled with murals, and climb up to Mirador Kaqasiiwaan for some panoramic views.

Day 8: San Marcos La Laguna on Lake Atitlan

No matter where you’re staying on Lake Atitlan, we suggest taking a water-taxi to San Marcos during your visit. This town is located on the western shores of the lake and is known as the ‘hippie town’ of Lake Atitlan.

Here you’ll find plenty of yoga and wellness retreats. You can also take part in cacao ceremonies and other herbal therapies on offer. Even if you’re not interested in that, you should spend a few hours in Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve, which is undoubtedly the pest place to swim around Lake Atitlan. You can also climb up the hill in the reserve for some lovely views of San Marcos and the surrounding area. In addition, there are plenty of artesian markets selling beautiful handicrafts, as well as cafes and restaurants where you can try traditional Guatemalan dishes.

Day 9: Chichicastenango Market (The Most Colourful Market in Guatemala)

Every Thursday and Sunday the small town of Chichicastenango hosts one of the most colourful open-air markets in Central America. Thousands of people come to Chichi to either sell or buy various products, from colourful textiles and traditional clothing to ornate pottery and other goods. The market takes place over a large area of Plaza y Mercado Santo Tomás. Every street around the central area of town becomes part of this open-air market.

Apart from browsing through the colourful products, you can also check out the two main churches in town: the Church of Santo Tomas and Capilla del Calvario. We also recommend visiting Chichi’s colourful cemetery, where you can enjoy some beautiful views back to the town.

Chichicastenango is located only about 40km to the north of Panajachel, one of the largest towns on Lake Atitlan. So, if you’re visit lands on either a Thursday or Sunday, we highly recommend adding this half-day trip onto your 2-week Guatemala itinerary. You can either get there independently on the iconic chicken buses, or by joining a tour.

In our blog post, we wrote a step-by-step guide on how to get there by public transport and also shared some other useful information you should know before a visit.

Day 10: Travel to Lanquin / Semuc Champey

Unfortunately, not every beautiful place in Guatemala can be reached in a few hours. If you’d like to visit Semuc Champey, one of Guatemala’s best natural wonders, then you’ll need to dedicate a full day to travel in order to get there. Rest assured that sitting in that crammed minivan full of other travellers for 9 to 10 hours will be totally worth it.

First of all, it’s an absolutely stunning place. Secondly, stopping there for a couple of nights is a great way to break up the incredibly long journey between Lake Atitlan and Flores. Lastly, even though it’s not a hidden gem anymore, Semuc still gets way less tourists than Antigua or Lake Atitlan do.

To get to Semuc you should book a tourist shuttle to Lanquin, which is the closest town to the natural pools. Most tour agencies or hotels around Lake Atitlan will offer this shuttle service. You normally get picked up from your hotel, or a designated pick up location. The journey takes about 10 hours, or possibly more. We recommend booking your shuttle soon after arriving in Lake Atitlan if you’re visiting Guatemala in the high season.

Day 11: Semuc Champey (One of Guatemala’s Best Natural Wonders)

Semuc Champey consists of a series of turquoise pools nestled in the middle of the jungle. There are plenty of activities to do here to keep you busy for a day.

Start off with a short but steep hike up to the El Mirador viewpoint. From there, you can enjoy the iconic overhead view of the turquoise pools. Once you’ve navigated you way back down, you’ll be more than ready to jump into the inviting water. Take your pick of either the Upper Pools or the Lower Pools, or spend some time at both.

If you’re craving something more adventurous, you can go on a guided cave tour through the Cuevas de K’anba. Here you’ll be given a candle, which will be your only source of light as you traverse the cave. Your group will have to swim, scramble, climb and squeeze your way through the cave whilst trying to keep your candle alight. If that’s a tad too adventurous for you, consider going tubing or rafting on the Cahabon River instead.

If you’re staying in Lanquin, you can join a Cacao Tour at Julhalaw, or walk to the bat cave in the evening to see hundreds of bats flying out once it gets dark.

Day 12: Travel to Flores

If you’d like to visit Tikal, one of the most impressive Maya ruins in Guatemala, then you’ll have to spend another day sitting in a minivan. The Tikal Ruins are located close to Flores, a small city in northern Guatemala on the southern shores of Lake Peten Itza.

It takes about 8 hours to reach Flores from Lanquin on a tourist shuttle. You can book the transport with your hotel in Lanquin. They’ll usually take you to the dedicated pick-up location in town, where you’ll join your fellow passengers.

Overall, it’s going to be a very similar experience to the ride from Lake Atitlan to Semuc Champey. The bus will drop you off on Isla de Flores, just across the connecting bridge. Isla de Flores is basically the historic centre of Flores, connected to the rest of the city by a bridge. If you’re only spending 2 weeks in Guatemala, we highly recommend booking your accommodation on the island because most tours depart from there. Not to mention that everything touristy that you might want to do during your stay in Flores is around Isla de Flores.

Day 13: Visit Tikal Ruins (The largest Maya Ruin in Guatemala)

Tikal is one of the largest Maya archaeological sites in all of Mesoamerica and is also home to the tallest Maya temple ever built. It’s been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

To visit the site we recommend booking a tour in Flores. Agencies usually offer 4 different time slots: sunrise, early bird, daytime, and sunset tours. The most popular one is the sunrise tour, where you’ll get the chance to access the site before opening time and watch the sunrise from the top of Temple IV. We actually joined the sunset tour, which allowed us to enjoy the sunset from Mundo Perdido pyramid.

Top Tip. Since you can visit Tikal in just half a day, you can spend the rest of it seeing the highlights of Isla de Flores. If you have a day to spare, we recommend booking an extra night in Flores and taking a tour to Yaxha, the third largest Maya ruin in Guatemala.

If you don’t want to do a full guided tour, then for the daytime slots you do have the option of just booking a ‘transport only’ option. What this means is that you’ll be travelling to and from the site with a tour group, but once you’re there you can just wander around Tikal on your own. Note that you’ll need to be with a guide if you’re on either the sunrise or sunset tours.

Don’t forget to read our guide, which details everything you need to know before visiting Tikal. We included information about entry fees, the best times to visit, whether to go on your own or with a tour, what to bring with you and the best structures to see within the site.

Day 14: Leave Guatemala: Travel to Belize or Mexico (or home)

Just like that, your 2 weeks in Guatemala have come to an end. You have a few options for leaving the country, which will depend on where you’re heading next. If you’re travelling back home, then you may need to fly from Flores to Guatemala City. From there, you can catch a connecting flight to a few international destinations such as Mexico, the USA or Europe.

If you’re on a backpacking trip across Latin America, you can book a shuttle to either Belize or the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico. We headed to Belize after spending 2 months in Guatemala. Crossing the land border between Guatemala and Belize was a very easy process.

Final Thoughts on Spending 2 Weeks in Guatemala

Whilst we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to spend 2 full months in Guatemala, spending 2 weeks in the country is enough to see most of the highlights. We loved our time and our experiences in each place we visited. So much so, that Guatemala has become our favourite Central American country (so far).

Have you ever been to Guatemala before? If so, how long did you spend in the country and what places did you manage to visit during that time? If not, we hope this 2 week itinerary has given you a good starting point for planning your visit to Guatemala.