The Perfect Two Week Itinerary for Guatemala

Guatemala is a mix of everything I love – natural beauty, rich history, and vibrant culture. We recently spent two weeks here and below you can read our detailed itinerary. You’ll find out how long you should spend in each destination and read about the best hotels, restaurants, and things to do in each place.

I’ll be completely honest with you, our two weeks in Guatemala was just a convenient add-on to our backpacking trip through Central America as it’s connected to our must-see countries (Mexico and Belize). So, we thought why not explore it when we’re so close? Anyway, it turned out to be one of the best travel decisions we made as Guatemala surprised us both with its stunning scenery, friendly locals, and delicious food.

Our first stop on this two-week Guatemala itinerary literally took our breath away. We were exhausted and a little fed up having traveled overland from El Salvador into Guatemala. But, when we first drove into Antigua and saw the volcanoes and Spanish-colonial buildings, we forgot all about our tiredness and were really excited for what Guatemala could offer.

It turns out Guatemala has loads to offer – during our two weeks here, we hiked up a volcano and stayed in a wooden hotel on the side of a crocodile-infested river. We also explored the famed Tikal Mayan ruins and relaxed in a small town on the shores of Lake Atitlan. Two of the most popular Guatemala tourist destinations for good reason!

This itinerary follows our exact backpacking route through Guatemala and if you follow this travel plan, I’m sure that you too, will fall in love with this stunning country like we have!

So, what are you waiting for? Read on to find out why Guatemala is one of our favorite countries in Central America!

How did we get to Guatemala?

If you’re flying into La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City it’s super easy to get an Uber straight from the airport to Antigua. When you’re exiting the airport there are also stalls where you can organize transport once you arrive, however, Uber is easy and effective. 

Getting into Guatemala by road:

We came into Guatemala via the land border with El Salvador. We used the border near the Ruta de los Flores in El Salvador – the name of this border is Las Chinimas / Valle Nuevo. Once coming through immigration in Guatemala we hopped on a bus to Guatemala City, we then hopped in a taxi from the bus station in Guatemala City directly to Antigua. All in this journey took us almost a full day of travel (around 8 hours).

Another popular way to come into Guatemala is via the land border with Belize – which is called Melchor de Mencos. This is the only land border crossing between the two countries and it’s situated close to San Ignacio in Belize. Mundo Maya Travels operates a shuttle bus between San Ignacio and Flores twice a day – the trip takes around 2 hours. You can choose to hop off the shuttle at El Remate (if you want to stay there instead of Flores as we did). Tickets for this service start from $23 USD per person.

If you come to Guatemala this way, you will need to shuffle around the below itinerary (you will kind of do it in reverse). You will start in El Remate (or Flores), then head to Rio Dulce, then get the boat to Livingston. You’ll end it in Lake Atitlan and Antigua.

You can also come in via the land border with Mexico (this border is called Frontera Corozal) and like the above, if you choose this option you will start your itinerary in El Remate (or Flores) as those are the closest tourist spots to the border with Mexico.

How we spent two weeks in Guatemala

We started our two weeks in Guatemala with three days in Antigua (four nights), this turned out to be one of the most memorable parts of the trip as from here, we climbed a volcano and visited the famous Chichicastenango Markets.

Next, we spent a relaxing three nights on Lake Atitlan. From there, we headed for the Rio Dulce (an off-the-beaten-track spot, that we loved) – but be prepared for a long day of travel to get there. It took us around 8 hours.

After spending two nights in Rio Dulce, we got a boat to Livingston, where we spent a further two nights. Finally, we headed for El Remate (where the mighty Tikal is located). We spent our final three nights here. To get home, we opted to get an internal flight from Flores Airport to Guatemala City Airport, where we caught our international flight back home.

The PERFECT Two Weeks in Guatemala

This two-week Guatemala itinerary is ideal for first-time visitors because it ticks off the country’s must-see destinations (places like Antigua, Lake Atitlan, and Tikal). But, it also allows you to go off the beaten path and see a different (less-touristy) side to Guatemala with stops in Rio Dulce and Livingston.

Antigua (4 nights)

Day 1: Explore Antigua

Antigua is like something from a movie. It’s a small city less than an hour outside Guatemala City with breathtaking views of volcanoes in almost every direction. The town itself is Spanish-colonial style with cobble-stoned streets. It’s also known as being the home of the most beautiful McDonald’s in the world – now, I don’t recommend eating here as there are so many awesome restaurants in Antigua. But, it’s still worth a walk past to snap some photos!

Antigua is one of the main reasons tourists visit Guatemala – and it’s definitely one of the prettiest cities we’ve ever visited!

The main square in Antigua (called The Plaza Central Park) is a hive of activity. You’ll see lots of street food vendors here and local women wearing traditional Mayan clothing. One of the other famous sights in Antigua is the Arca de Santa Catalina – I’m sure you recognize this arch from your Instagram feed.

We stayed in Antigua for four days but could have stayed for much longer. We definitely recommend hiking the Cerro de la Cruz to get the best view of the city. The trail itself will take most people 20 minutes to hike, but it’s quite steep with lots of steps. To get to the start of the trail from the center of the city will take a further 20 minutes.

Best tour we did in Antigua:

This evening we recommend doing something really memorable to kickstart your two weeks in Guatemala. A sunset ATV tour is the coolest way to see Antigua. It’s 4-5 hours long and takes you in an ATV up to El Cerro de la Cruz – I mentioned it earlier but this is one of the best sunset spots in the city. You’ll then head onto a local village and then to Hobbitenango a fairytale-like village that’s akin to Hobbiton (from the Lord of the Rings) This tour costs from $65 USD per person!

Where to stay in Antigua:

We stayed at Francisco’s Rest House Hotel – a small hotel on Avenida Sur Casa that has a nice common patio area. Our room was comfortable and clean and we had a shared bathroom. We paid just $20 USD per night – which gave us more money to do tours and eat at nice restaurants during our time in Antigua!

If that doesn’t do it for you, here’s a list of the best accommodations in Antigua (be sure to book in advance!)

Day 2: Chichicastenango Markets

Color, color, everywhere. ‘Chichi’ as it’s affectionately known by locals is for me what I imagined Guatemala to be before I even set foot in the country. Smells of fresh flowers, meats, and fresh fruit waft through the air. It’s jam-packed with locals carrying textiles on their heads and tourists touting cameras. It’s exciting and stressful at the same time, as anyone who’s been to a market in Central America will attest to.

You can find yourself a great bargain too, we enjoyed bartering with the friendly locals who own the stalls. For most of them, this is a major source of their income, so be nice. We’re told they drive up from the neighboring villages the night before and sleep in their stalls, before getting up at dawn to prepare.

There are many guided tours from Antigua to Chichicastenango daily! But be warned these are full-day tours so you will need to put aside at least 8 hours today if you want to visit these colorful markets!

This tour is well-rated and takes between 6-8 hours and it will pick you up direct from your hotel in Antigua. The tour includes a local guide who will take you around the market where you will get to try various Guatemalan snacks (included in the price). This tour costs from $155 USD per person.

So, if you’re on a budget a good way to get to the market is on the shuttle operated by Turansa which takes around an hour. Tickets cost around $20 USD per person.

Day 3: Hike a volcano!

Another one of the most popular things to do in Antigua is to climb the mighty Acatenango Volcano – which is just an hour from the city! It’s a dormant volcano but from its summit, you can see the active Fuego volcano erupting in the distance! Would you believe, Fuego erupts about every 30 minutes or so?!

The hike is difficult so a good level of fitness is needed. It’s also why we recommend doing this on your third day so that you have time to acclimatize.

Anyway, this tour allows you to spend the night on Acatenango volcano and it’s really well rated. It’s also a bargain at just $100 USD a head. And that price includes your meals and hiking equipment!

Day 4: Goodbye to Antigua & travel to Lake Atitlan

Today, you’ll start your journey to Lake Atitlan (which will take around 3 hours). But, before you go – before to grab a bite to eat and coffee here in Antigua. We really liked both Artista de Cafe and Fat Cat Coffee House.

After breakfast, we suggest making a beeline for the Conventa de la Capuchins. This massive convent was a thriving community of nuns from 1736 until 1773 when a huge earthquake destroyed it. Today, it’s open to the public – and we loved spending the morning here wandering the peaceful gardens and checking out the nuns’ rooms. There’s also a fabulous view of the city from the roof.

We organized a mini bus to take us to Lake Atitlan which was organized by our hotel. It collected us from right outside our hotel and took around 3 hours. The last part of the drive, down into the lake is very steep and winding. So, be warned if you get car sick.

Lake Atitlan (3 nights)

Lake Atitlan is around a 2.5 – 3 hour drive from Antigua. As I said, we got a minibus here (direct to San Pedro) which was organized through our hotel in Antigua. This stunning lake is one of the most famous places to visit in Guatemala and it sits at an altitude of 1,562 meters. This is the reason it feels cooler here than elsewhere in Guatemala.

This cobalt-blue volcanic lake is the deepest lake in Central America – it’s 300 meters deep! It’s also huge, at 8 km long and 18 km wide.

As you may know, there are several towns dotted along Lake Atitlan. The most popular towns to stay in are Panajachel, San Marcos, San Pedro, San Juan, and Santa Cruz. We based ourselves in San Pedro and loved it – it’s the perfect mix of a tourist town and a hippy town!

Day 5: Explore San Pedro

We really enjoyed our time in San Pedro, the food was magnificent – in particular, The 5th Dimension and Idea Connection.

San Pedro is also a fantastic place to learn Spanish, a lot of other backpackers we met were doing homestays to brush up on their Spanish.

One of the best things to do in San Pedro is to hike the Indian Nose trail, this trail is pretty short – it’s approximately 1.4 km each way. But, it’s worth noting that the last 400 meters are very steep (over 200 meters in altitude gain!) However, this steep part is quite short and the view from the top is definitely worth it. If you can, try to do this hike at sunrise – but it’s best to do it with a local guide (your hotel can arrange this) as it will be difficult to find the starting point and your way along the trail in the dark if you’ve never hiked it before.

Los Thermales is another spot we loved during our time in San Pedro – these solar-heated pools offer incredible views of Lake Atitlan. We spent around 2 hours here.

Where to stay in San Pedro (our recommended town to stay at):

We stayed at Sababa Resort, one of the most luxurious resorts in Lake Atitlan and we couldn’t rate it more! It cost us around $120 USD per night (which was a splurge for us) but, totally worth it!

Day 6: San Marcos La Laguna

You can get a small boat (called a lancha) between most of the towns on Lake Atitlan. These operate around every 30 minutes or so. Today, we recommend getting a lancha from San Pedro to San Marcos.

San Marcos is probably one of the most ‘hippy’ towns on Lake Atitlan and it attracts a very New Age crowd. One of the best things to do here in San Marcos is to explore the Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve. This small nature reserve is found along the shores of the lake and it’s regarded as the best place to swim in Lake Atital. As the water here is clear (unlike other parts of the lake). There’s also a 10-meter dive platform to jump from if you’re feeling brave.

Day 7: Panajachel

Panajachel or ‘Pana’ for short is the biggest town on Lake Atitlan and so has quite a buzzy atmosphere. It’s a great spot to go shopping with lots of stores and market stalls dotted along the main street, Calle Santander. There’s lots to do here from exploring the Atitlan Nature Reserve to doing a Mayan Cooking Class.

But, we actually decided to take it easy on our one day in Panajachel. We walked along the lakefront promenade – which has phenomenal views and ate out for lunch and dinner. There’s a fantastic Uruguayan restaurant on Calle Santander called Guajimbos. And we also had incredible coffee at Hidden Coffee on Calle Monte Rey.

Where to stay in Panajachel:

We chose to spend the night in Panajachel as it made sense for our onward journey to El Remate the next morning. We stayed at Hospedaje El Viajero – a small, quaint hotel just off the main street. The rooms and common areas are traditionally decorated and it’s a nice, quiet place to stay. We payed around $30 USD for the night here.

Rio Dulce (2 nights)

To get from Panajachel in Lake Atitlan to Rio Dulce you will need to be prepared for a long day of travel. It took us around 8 hours altogether! We booked a transfer from Panajachel to Guatemala City (which took approximately 2 hours) and from there we got a bus to Rio Dulce.

The bus from Guatemala City to Rio Dulce takes around 3 hours and 45 minutes. But it only operates a couple of times a day, so you may need to spend the night in Guatemala City depending on how you do for time getting from Panajachel to Guatemala City.

At the port in Rio Dulce Rio Dulce town, the owner of our hotel collected us on his speedboat to take us out to his hotel which was built along the side of the Rio Dulce.

Day 8 & 9: Get away from it all in the Rio Dulce

Rio Dulce is a little slice of paradise is tucked away in the Izabel district of Guatemala. I loved it here as it combines stunning natural beauty with rich culture. Here you’ll find dense rainforests filled with exotic wildlife and you can even go kayaking on the river, surrounded by all that lush greenery.

We stayed on the Rio Dulce, like right on the river, the only way in and out was by speedboat. The river itself is apparently infested with Crocodiles and the owner told us numerous stories of him waking up to a Crocodile sunbathing on the deck. The owner Gary is a true blue Australian and has brought a very distinctive Australian vibe to the hostel, he’s even named it Hotel Kangaroo. You can’t get much more Australian than that.

He and his Mexican wife run a great show here and they are full of ideas of what to do and what not to do in Guatemala. It’s a do-not-miss, that’s for sure.

From Hotel Kangaroo we did a great tour to Finca el Paraiso and the Rio Dulce waterfalls which was so much fun. We booked it through Gary, the owner. Finca el Paraiso was especially memorable as here you can relax in volcanically heated waters while taking in the wild jungle-like scenery!

Book your stay at Hotel Kangaroo here!

Livingston Island (2 nights)

We got a boat from Fronteras (Rio Dulce town) to Livingston, this (at times) bumpy crossing will take around an hour. It’s on a small boat, called a lancha. We did get wet along the way, but they provided us with rain covers for ourselves and our backpacks.

Day 10 & 11: Chill out on Livingston

It may not appear so on first impressions but Livingston is part of Guatemala. This island couldn’t look more different from the distinctly Mayan culture of the rest of the country. This is due to it Garifuna heritage. Stepping of the boat is like stepping onto Jamaican soil.

The locals are of African descent and speak Creole. Seafood is served in abundance here. And it’s the perfect place to enjoy traditional Garifuna dishes like tapado, a delicious seafood stew.

One of our favorite things we did on Livingston was spend a half-day at the Siete Altares waterfalls, a series of lush, cascading pools that are the perfect spot for a refreshing swim. The best way to get to the ‘Seven Altars’ is by taking a tuk-tuk to the pedestrian bridge and from there walking along the coast for 45 minutes. But, be mindful to check tide times otherwise, you will get wet.

Where to stay on Livingston Island:

There aren’t many accommodation options on Livingston Island, so be sure to book in advance! We stayed at the lovely Hotel La Casa Rosada – a tropical-looking hotel with a straw roof. It’s so cute. There’s a lovely garden and the staff were really helpful.

El Remate (3 nights)

We got the boat back from Livingston to Rio Dulce town and from there we got a Fuente del Norte bus to Santa Elena and from there a collectivo (public minibus) to El Remate. It was a long day of traveling – all in, it took around 5 hours.

We decided to use El Remate as our base to explore Tikal instead of the more popular (and busier) town of Flores. And we don’t regret our decision one bit, we were able to chill out by gorgeous Lake Peten Itza one day and the next day we got up early for our tour to Tikal. El Remate is also only 40 minutes from Tikal whereas Flores is around 1.5 hours away.

Day 12: Relax at Lake Peten Itza

We spent our first day in El Remate relaxing by Lake Peten Itza, it’s a gorgeous lake that’s surrounded by tropical rainforest and mountains. It’s also a lovely spot for a swim. There’s a fun rope swing here, called Jorge’s Rope Swing which has a small restaurant and a couple of hammocks for you to sit and relax on.

Where to stay in El Remate:

In El Remate, we stayed at one of the most unique and memorable hotels we’ve ever had the pleasure of staying at.

Posada del Cerro is designed like a treehouse, overlooking Lake Peten Itza. It looked like it had been constructed by Mother Nature herself. We stayed in a suite, which was essentially a massive balcony with a bed and the best view of the lake. There was no door to the suite, and the bed was simply covered by a massive mosquito net to keep the bugs away.

It was a 15-minute walk to the village, so we ate at the hotel’s restaurant every night. When I say restaurant –  it was essentially a local lady who came in and cooked you a meal from whatever local produce came in that day. It was to die for every time.

Book your stay at Posada del Cerro here!

Day 13: Tikal

Our trip to Central America involved viewing A LOT of Mayan ruins. There are tons of them. But none as spectacular and awe-inspiring as Tikal.

The ruins here date back to the 1st Century when it was a city that housed up to 100,000 people. There are almost 3,000 structures within Tikal but the best ones to visit are the Lost World (Mundo Perdido) Pyramid, the Temple of the Grand Jaguar, and Temple IV, which stands tall at a whopping 70 meters.

If you’re a movie buff, you may recognize it as the filming location for the Star Wars episode titled ‘A New Hope”!

And you can climb to the top of most of the pyramids here, unlike in many other Mayan sites. Tikal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and remains one of the most-visited attractions in Central America. Thus, if you’re keen to avoid the crowds you could book a sunrise tour of the ruins. However, this means an early wake-up call, you will be collected from your hotel around 3 am to be at the entrance gate to Tikal between 4 and 4:30 am (depending on the time of year). But, it will all be worth it to watch the sunrise over the temples. This sunrise tour costs from $98 USD per person.

Our recommended tour of Tikal:

As you can guess, there are heaps of guided tours of Tikal to choose from. And I definitely do recommend doing a guided tour instead of doing it alone as there’s so much ground to cover and so many structures to see. So, if you do it without a knowledgeable guide beside you most of it will likely go over your head. We are really glad we did this Tikal Ruins Day Tour – which starts from Flores but will pick you up in El Remate. We learned so much about the Mayan culture from our local guide.

It’s 7 hours long in total, and that includes a 4-hour guided tour of Tikal. We absolutely loved it and it seems most other tourists did too as it has a 4.5-star rating. It costs just $31 USD per person, which is a steal of a deal!

Day 14: Make your way home

We spent our morning walking along Lake Peten Itza one last time, we grabbed a coffee from La Puerta Cafe in El Remate before heading back to our hotel to pack our stuff.

We opted to get a flight with Avianca Airlines from Flores Airport (around an hour’s drive from our accommodation in El Remate) to Guatemala City Airport. This cost us around $125 USD each, and it meant we didn’t have to travel back to Guatemala City by road – as that would have taken a whopping 9 hours.

Other alternatives to get home from El Remate would be to cross over the land border to Mexico and continue your Central America vacation. This border crossing is called Frontera Corozal and it gets you to the Palenque region of Mexico.

Another good option is to cross the land border with Belize, which is called the Melchor de Mencos border crossing. This gets you easily to the lovely town of San Ignacio in Belize. Both options will involve around 8 hours of travel.

Is two weeks enough for Guatemala?

Although, two weeks is enough time to see Guatemala’s highlights (places like Tikal, Lake Atitlan, and Antigua) – you may need longer if you want to squeeze in more off-the-beaten-path locations like Semuc Champey. We loved following this two-week Guatemala itinerary and honestly can’t fault it, although when we return to Guatemala we are planning to spend a month here so we can take it slower and really immerse ourselves in the fascinating culture here.

What to pack for your two weeks in Guatemala

• A decent pair of walking shoes (for walking the trails around Lake Atitlan and around Tikal). I wore my Teva Hurricane Sandals most of the time, they are so comfortable and have sturdy soles.
• An eSIM, if you’re coming to Central America for longer than two weeks then getting an eSIM may come in handy. As that way you won’t need to change your number or remove the physical SIM from your phone. They are so handy and cheap, too.
• Travel pants, we love the brand Kuhl and always wear their travel pants when travelling. Check out the best women’s travel pants here and the best men’s travel pants here;
• A good book to read or playlist to listen to on those long bus journeys.
• Patience (for the bus journeys that may take longer than you were told).

Thanks for Reading!

We loved our two weeks in Guatemala and are just itching to return. As you can see, Guatemala is such a diverse country that giving it enough time is essential – that’s why two weeks is the minimum amount of time we recommend spending in Guatemala. And what were the highlights of our time here? I have to say Antigua, Tikal, and Rio Dulce were our firm favorites!

I’ve also written lots more blog posts on my travels through Central America including 10 reasons to visit El Salvador and the ultimate El Salvador itinerary.

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Last Updated on February 5, 2025 by snaphappytravel