How to Spend 5 Days on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala

In this blog post we’ll share how you can spend 5 days on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, including visiting some of the best towns dotted around its shores, going on a volcano hike and even taking a day trip to one of the most colourful markets in Central America.

As always, you’ll be able to customise this itinerary to suit your interests and adjust things as necessary based on where you’re staying. We’ll also list some additional activities as well as some tips on how to condense 5 days worth of action into a 4 or 3 day stay.

If you’d like to see what we got up to around Lake Atitlan, then make sure to watch our dedicated Lake Atitlan video on our YouTube channel. For more Guatemala videos, you can also check out our Guatemala series.

About Lake Atitlan (Lago de Atitlán)

Lake Atitlan (Lago de Atitlán) is located in the highlands of Guatemala at 1,562 m / 5,125 ft above sea level. The lake is surrounded by three huge volcanoes: San Pedro, Toliman, and Atitlan.

Thousands of years ago, Lake Atitlan was actually a super volcano called Los Chocoyos. 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 people come from all over the world to see.

Each of the towns surrounding the lake have something unique to offer, from volcano hikes to cultural or spiritual experiences. For this reason, make sure to visit as many as you can during your stay.

How to Spend 5 Days on Lake Atitlan

The below itinerary is completely customisable depending on your interests and where you’re staying on Lake Atitlan. If you’re based in San Pedro La Laguna then you may want to start by exploring that town first instead of on Day 2 like in our itinerary. For reference we stayed in San Marcos, so naturally our itinerary starts in that town.

If you’re considering hiking up San Pedro Volcano, you’ll also want to keep an eye on the forecast to pick the best possible morning for the clearest views. In addition, if you’d like to take a day trip to Chichicastenango Market, then you need to do this either on a Thursday or Sunday.

Day 1. Spend a Day in San Marcos La Laguna

Morning

If you decided to base yourself in San Marcos La Laguna like we did, then we recommend starting your 5-day Lake Atitlan itinerary right there. This town is also known as the ‘hippie or yoga town’ thanks to the abundance of yoga and wellness retreats you’ll find there.

We suggest visiting Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve first thing in the morning before it gets too busy. The entry fee is Q20 per person. Keep your ticket if you want to re-enter later in the day.

Once inside the reserve, hike up to Cerro Tzankujil for some lovely views of San Marcos and the surrounding area. There are also viewing platforms overlooking Volcan San Pedro along the short hike. To cool off, go for a swim in the lake here. This nature reserve is possibly the best place for a refreshing dip around the lake due to its cleaner water. Unfortunately, many areas of Lake Atitlan are quite polluted.

Later in the day, walk up and down the main street leading up from the dock in San Marcos. It is lined with vendors selling their handicrafts, as well as plenty of cafes and restaurants. We loved walking up and down this street and browsing through the eclectic mix of items.

Afternoon

Once you get hungry, go for some pupusas at Restaurante Konojel. We came here multiple times during our stay because this restaurant served some of the best traditional Guatemalan pupusas. A big portion of the profits also go towards the local community’s initiatives.

At Lava Love Cacao you can join a cacao ceremony every Friday from 10AM for Q200 per person. On Mondays they also offer a cacao and fire ceremony from 1 PM. Even if you’re not interested in these activities, it’s worth popping in for a cacao drink regardless.

If you’re into yoga then definitely sign up for a yoga class. There are plenty of places to join a yoga class if you’re interested. You can even book a yoga retreat at the popular Eagle’s Nest, which has some unbeatable views of the three volcanos of Lake Atitlan.

Day 2. Visit San Pedro La Laguna and San Juan La Laguna

Morning: San Pedro La Laguna

On your second day, hop on a boat and take a trip to San Pedro La Laguna. The town is located at the foot of Volcan San Pedro, on the southwestern shore of Lake Atitlan. Over the years San Pedro has become a major tourist hotspot and nowadays it’s referred to as the backpacker hub of Lake Atitlan. So there’s a great chance that you picked this town as your base.

If not, after your boat trip head to Tzunun’ Ya’ Museum. It provides insight into the history of San Pedro, reveals how Lake Atitlan was formed and showcases the culture and traditions of the local Maya people. We enjoyed the short film about life in the town back in the 1940’s. The entrance fee is Q35 per person. Be aware that it’s closed on Saturday and Sunday.

After that we recommend just wandering the streets around the centre. They are filled with vendors selling everything from handicrafts to fresh produce. There’s a chance that you’ll also spot some street art.

Don’t miss walking through San Pedro’s main square. It was nice to enjoy a few minutes of peace away from all the hustle and bustle of the town. This leafy plaza is also where the lovely white Iglesia Catolica de San Pedro La Laguna stands.

Afternoon: San Juan La Laguna

San Juan is located only a short tuk-tuk ride to the west of San Pedro, so you can easily combine visiting both on the same day. Although it’s tiny, San Juan is definitely one of the most colourful towns on the shores of Lake Atitlan.

Once you’ve arrived, walk through the main plaza (Parque San Juan de la Laguna). Whilst it’s not as leafy as in San Pedro, the backdrop of the Indian Nose mountain and the small stone Catholic church (Iglesia Catolica San Juan La Laguna) make this square beautiful.

From there stroll down La Calle de los Sombreros (Avenida 5ta). It is one of the most colourful streets in San Juan. You’ll see stunning murals adorning the walls, the pavement, and even on the banners hanging above you. We recommend taking your time walking through here because everything is a work of art, even the flowerpots and the benches.

After walking along Calle de los Sombreros we followed the main road to the Mirador Kaqasiiwaan entrance. The entry fee is Q30 per person. From there we climbed a set of painted stairs all the way up to the viewpoint. Once at the top we could enjoy panoramic views of Lake Atitlan, San Juan and San Pedro, as well as a little bit of San Pedro Volcano because the top half was hidden in the clouds. Plus, the colourful viewing deck was just as impressive as the views.

At the end of the day walk through Calle de las Artes. This colourful street leads up to the main square of San Juan from the boat dock. There are many stalls here selling everything from beautiful handicrafts to typical souvenirs. The walls here are also painted and many of them have beautiful murals on too.

Day 3. Hike Volcan San Pedro

If you’d like to do something a little more challenging during your stay around Lake Atitlan, then consider hiking Volcan San Pedro, one of the 37 volcanoes dotted across the country.

San Pedro Volcano is one of the three huge volcanoes that surround Lake Atitlan. It is separated from Volcan Toliman and Volcan Atitlan by Santiago Bay, a narrow 8-km-long inlet. With a height of 3,020 m / 9,908 ft, this stratovolcano is actually the smallest of the three.

The hike itself is an 8 km / 5 miles out-and-back trail with an elevation gain of 1,200 m / 3,937 ft. For this reason it’s considered a challenging hike and we only advise you to attempt it if you have previous hiking experience.

From the summit, the volcano provides panoramic views of Toliman and Atitlan volcanoes as well as most of the towns scattered along the shores of Lake Atitlan. That is if you make it up there before the clouds settle in, so definitely leave early.

Note. This particular volcano is probably one of the riskier ones we’ve attempted due to the safety issues associated with it. We made sure to do thorough research before we left and made the judgement call that it would be okay to summit by ourselves. We wrote a detailed guide where you’ll find information on how we came to that decision as well as the usual information on trail length, level of difficulty, when the best time to do it is and what to wear and bring with you for your adventure.

Day 3. (Alternative Option) Visit Santiago Atitlan

If you’re not interested in hiking volcanoes on your trip to Lake Atitlan, or are just concerned about the safety aspect, then consider taking a day trip to Santiago Atitlan instead. It is actually the biggest town on Lake Atitlan, and unlike Pana, it’s definitely a more traditional one. Santiago Atitlan also has a dark history as it’s where the massacre of December 2, 1990 took place.

After arriving in Santiago Atitlan you can check out the main square, called Parque Central de Santiago Atitlan. This is also where the Saint James the Apostle Church (Iglesia de Santiago Apostol) stands.

Cemeteries in Guatemala are some of the most colourful ones in the world. So, if you haven’t visited one yet, consider visiting the local cemetery in Santiago Atitlan. You can also get a tuk-tuk to Parque de la Paz, a small park commemorating those who were killed in the massacre.

If you’re visiting Lake Atitlan during the breeding and nesting season of the Quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala, then you should definitely go on a guided tour at Mirador Rey Tepepul. The best time to see them is between late February and March and at the end of June.

Day 4. Visit Panajachel, Santa Catarina Palopo, and Santa Cruz La Laguna

Morning: Explore Panajachel

Start your morning with a boat ride to Panajachel, or ‘Pana’, one of the biggest towns on Lake Atitlan. Once you arrive, stop by Crossroads Cafe, located between Calle de los Arboles and Calle Principal, to have a cup of homemade coffee.

Then flag down a tuk-tuk and get a ride to Atitlan Nature Reserve. This quiet nature reserve is one of the best things to do in Pana. It has a few hiking trails leading to a massive waterfall over multiple hanging bridges. You can even visit a butterfly garden or go ziplining there. We really enjoyed being away from the hustle and bustle of the city for a few hours. The entry fee is Q80 per person.

You can walk back to Pana from there and stroll down Calle Santander. This is where we saw the most stalls selling a huge variety of things, from clothes to colourful textiles and art pieces to your typical souvenirs.

Afternoon: Visit Santa Catarina Palopo

From Pana, we took a tuk-tuk to Santa Catarina Palopo. This small village is located only a short drive to the south of Pana and is one of the most colourful along Lake Atitlan. So you really can’t skip a short visit during your 5 days on Lake Atitlan.

On your way, ask the driver to make a quick stop at Mirador De Santa Catarina. Whilst it’s not the best view of the lake, it’s definitely worth a quick pit-stop.

There isn’t an awful lot to do in Santa Catarina, but you can check out Santa Catarina Palopo Church, located in the main plaza surrounded by colourful buildings. You can also visit Pintando Santa Catarina Palopo Museum to learn more about the community project that made the town so colorful.

In addition, as you walk up and down the street leading to the boat docks you’ll see women doing traditional backstrap weaving and selling some beautiful handmade textiles.

Afternoon / Evening: Stop at Santa Cruz La Laguna

Santa Cruz La Laguna is located on the north shore of Lake Atitlan, to the west of Panajachel and east of San Marcos. It’s probably one of the most tranquil and authentic places to visit during your 5 days on Lake Atitlan.

Our main reason for visiting Santa Cruz was to eat some delicious vegetarian Pepian at Cafe Sabor Cruceño. It’s a restaurant run by CECAP, an organisation that provides opportunities for the people of Santa Cruz.

Since the town centre is located at the top of the hill, you also get to enjoy views of the three magnificent volcanos before heading back to your base.

Day 5. Day Trip to Chichicastenango Market

If your stay lands either on a Thursday or a Sunday, then we recommend planning a day trip to Chichicastenango Market.

Chichicastenango (or Chichi, as most locals refer to it) is located about 40km to the north of Panajachel on Lake Atitlan. The town sits at 1,965 m (6,447 ft) above sea level and is home to the K’iche’ indigenous people.

Every Thursday and Sunday this small town 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. It reminded us of Otavalo market in Ecuador, which is also one of the largest indigenous markets in Latin America.

We wrote a blog post where we share everything you need to know about how to get to Chichicastenango from Lake Atitlan, including a step-by-step guide on how to get there on the chicken buses. We also included many useful tips for visiting the market such as when the best time to visit is, how long you should stay for and what else there is to do around the town whilst you’re there.

How to Spend 4 or 3 Days on Lake Atitlan

If you can’t spend 5 days on Lake Atitlan, you can always condense the above itinerary as follows:

• Condense the activities. If you want to do all of the above in just 4 days, one way of doing that would be to squeeze in a visit to San Marcos on the day you visit San Pedro and San Juan. Another alternative would be to look around San Pedro and San Juan after you’ve hiked up San Pedro Volcano. However, we appreciate that you may be a bit too tired after a demanding volcano hike.
• Skip some activities. If you’re not much of a hiker, you can totally skip hiking Volcan San Pedro. That would already cut down the itinerary to 4 days. For 3 days, you would need to maybe skip visiting some of the smaller villages such as Santa Cruz. In addition, if you’re not there on a Thursday or Sunday, you probably won’t visit Chichicastenango Market either.

Where to Stay on Lake Atitlan

There’s more than one town you can stay in during your visit to Lake Atitlan. They are quite spread out and it can be hard to know which one is most suited to your budget and needs.

• Panajachel, aka ‘Pana’: One of the biggest towns on the lake with plenty of amenities.
• San Pedro La Laguna: The ‘backpacker hub’ of Lake Atitlan with many affordable options.
• San Marcos La Laguna: The ‘yogi town’ for those who want a more relaxing stay.
• San Juan La Laguna: A small traditional weaving town.
• Santa Catarina Palopo / Santa Cruz La Laguna: Tiny towns for a quiet getaway.

We wrote a blog post detailing all the potential places you could stay, as well as listing all the pros and cons of each such as price, transport options and amenities.

Final Thoughts on How to Spend 5 Days on Lake Atitlan

We hope that this post has given you a good idea of how to spend 5 days on Lake Atitlan. We definitely tried to visit as many towns as possible during our time there. However, there were a few smaller ones that we didn’t stop at such as Jaibalito, San Antonio Palopo and Tzununa. The only big town we didn’t visit was Santiago Atitlan because the main thing we would’ve loved to do there was to go on a birdwatching tour to see Quetzal’s, which wasn’t possible at the time of our visit.

Have you ever been to Lake Atitlan before? If so, how many days did you spend there and what did you get up during your visit? If not, how many days would you allocate to visiting Lake Atitlan? Let us know in the comments below.