ANTIGUA, GUATEMALA
Antigua is a town unlike many of the others you will encounter on your Central American travels. It is located in Southern Guatemala and known for its colonial, European feel - as well as its volcanic backdrop. There are four volcanoes in a 25-mile radius (three of them are active and able to be hiked). If you can, plan your visit to coincide with Antigua’s famous Semana Santa celebration over Easter!
Attractions:
Climb Volcán Acatenango: Hiking Guatemala’s third tallest volcano is not easy but it is worth every step! The hike is done over two days, requires a guide, and can be booked in town for around 300Q ($38 USD). The cost includes a guide, two meals (dinner on day one and breakfast on day two), and equipment (tent, sleeping bag, and mat). The guide will carry all food and supplies but you will need to carry your tent, sleeping bag, mat, and anything else you choose to bring. Be sure to pack snacks and plenty of layers because it’s cold camping in the high altitude. Reaching the top takes 6-8 hours and hiking back down takes 4-5 hours. Be prepared; it is steep!
Day 1: You will be picked up at your hostel at 10:00am and driven to the base of the volcano. The ascent begins at 12:00pm and will take 5-6 hours to reach base camp. Base camp is still 90 minutes from the summit. Here, you will set up your tent and spend the night. While you are soaking in the sunset and amazing view, your guide will cook dinner for the group. If you’re lucky, after you eat, you will marvel at lava spewing from Volcán de Agua in the distance!
Day 2: You will wake up at 4:00am to finish your climb before sunrise! After hiking for 90 minutes, you will find yourself on top of Volcán Acatenango! Watching the sunrise from this altitude is a once-in-a-lifetime experience! As the sun comes up, you will see three other volcanoes in the distance; it is truly remarkable! After admiring the view, you will hike back down an hour to base camp, pack up, and continue your descent. From base camp, the hike down takes between 3-4 hours depending on your pace.
Arco de Santa Catalina: There are not too many sights more beautiful than Volcán de Agua framed in this archway. Be sure to walk by and get a photo during your stay! Gorgeous!
Explore Central Market: Antigua’s busiest market is full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and souvenirs! To give you an idea of the pricing here, I bought 8 avocados for $1 USD! It is located here and is open from 6:00am-7:00pm. Be sure to also check out Nim Po't Centro de Textiles Tradicionales if you have time.
Iglesia de La Merced: This beautiful Baroque church is open every day from 9:00am-6:00pm. A tour costs 15Q ($2 USD).
Visit Central Park: Grab some street food, take a load off, and immerse yourself in Antigua’s positive vibes!
Other hikes include: Volcán Pacaya, Volcán de Agua, Volcán de Fuego, and Cerro de la Cruz.
Other attractions include: Iglesia y Convento de las Capuchinas, Tanque La Unión, Museo de Arte Colonial, and El Carmen.
Accommodation:
Tropicana Hostel: Complete with a rooftop area and pool, this hostel is very social and is located in the center of town. You can also book tours from the front desk for any of the surrounding activities. From the chicken bus terminal, the walk here is less than 15 minutes.
Transportation:
Antigua’s main chicken bus station is located here and where all of the below chicken buses depart from. If you choose to travel via shuttle bus, those will pick you up from your hostel.
Panajachel (Lake Atitlán’s travel hub) is 3 hours by bus from Antigua and costs 36Q ($4.50 USD). This bus leaves at 7:00am and you can purchase tickets from “Panaderia Colombia y Pacaya Expeditions”. Upon arriving in Panajachel, take a ferry to any of the surrounding towns (San Pedro La Laguna, Santiago Atitlán, San Marcos La Laguna, etc.).
El Tunco, El Salvador (near San Salvador) is 5.5 hours by shuttle bus from Antigua and costs $28 USD. This shuttle picks up at your hostel at 7:00am and arrives in El Tunco at approximately 12:30pm.
There are not any fees associated with departing Guatemala or entering El Salvador.
Lanquín is 9 hours by shuttle bus from Antigua and costs $35 USD via Gekko Trails Explorer. This shuttle picks up at your hostel at 8:00am and arrives in Lanquín at approximately 5:00pm.
Lanquín is also reachable via chicken bus if you’d like to save money (but not time). This route takes 12-14 hours (indirect; via Guatemala City and Cobán) and costs 110Q ($14 USD). I do not recommend this route because it requires transferring buses in Guatemala City and the mountainous road to Cobán is not ideal for chicken bus travel. The first bus from Antigua to Guatemala City is 1.5 hours and costs 10Q; buses leave every 15 minutes from 5:00am-9:00pm. The second bus from Guatemala City to Cobán is 6-8 hours and costs 60Q. The third bus from Cobán to Lanquín is 3 hours and costs 40Q.
Flores is 11 hours by shuttle bus from Antigua and costs $50 USD via Gekko Trails Explorer. This shuttle picks up at your hostel at 8:00am and arrives in Flores at approximately 7:00pm.
Flores is also reachable via chicken bus if you’d like to save money. This route takes 11-12 hours (indirect; via Guatemala City) and costs 140Q ($18 USD). The first bus from Antigua to Guatemala City is 1.5 hours and costs 10Q; buses leave every 15 minutes from 5:00am-9:00pm. The second bus from Guatemala City to Flores is 9-10 hours and costs 130Q. The most popular way to travel this route is via night bus which I strongly advise against. In fact, I suggest steering clear of Guatemala City altogether if you can avoid it; especially at night.
To save time (but not money), you can take a 2.5 hour shuttle bus to La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City for $12 USD. From here, you can fly directly to Flores; the flight is 1 hour and costs $100-$150 USD.
San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico is 12 hours by shuttle bus from Antigua and costs $48 USD via Gekko Trails Explorer. This shuttle picks up at your hostel at 5:30am and arrives in San Cristóbal de las Casas at approximately 5:30pm.
Although you may be asked for 10Q when crossing the border at La Mesilla, there is no departure fee for Guatemala. There is, however, a $25 USD (500 Mexican Pesos) entrance fee for Mexico if your stay is more than one week.
León, Nicaragua is 15-16 hours by shuttle bus from Antigua and costs $60 USD via Gekko Trails Explorer. This shuttle picks up at your hostel at 8:30am and arrives in León at approximately 11:30pm.
As stated above, there is no Guatemalan departure fee. However, the Nicaraguan entrance fee is $12 USD (400 Nicaraguan Córdobas).
The closest airport to Antigua is La Aurora International Airport (GUA) outside of Guatemala City. This airport is 25 miles from Antigua and most accessible via shuttle bus. The ride is 2 hours and costs $18 USD. While there are chicken bus options, I don’t think it is worth the money savings. Just stick with the shuttle.
Thank you to the fellow travelers who snapped photos of me on top of Acatenango!