Boutique colonial hotelAntigua, three blocks from the Parque Central
Casa del Lirio
A restored 17th-century home with a fountain courtyard, a small pool and rooftop views of Volcán de Agua.
From $145 per person · night
10 days, 9 nights Antigua · Western Highlands · Lake Atitlán · Petén Private, from 2 travellers
The essential Guatemala in ten unhurried days: colonial Antigua, the volcano-ringed shores of Lake Atitlán and the great Maya city of Tikal, rising from the Petén rainforest.
About this tour
If this is your first time in Guatemala, this is the trip we'd plan for our own friends. It moves at a pace that leaves room to breathe: three nights in Antigua to settle into highland life, three on the shores of Lake Atitlán, and three in the Petén for Tikal and the lesser-visited ruins around it. Every transfer is private, every guide is hand-picked, and your specialist is a message away from the moment you land.
We route you through Chichicastenango on market day on the way to the lake, then take the short domestic flight from Guatemala City to Flores so you trade a long road for an extra afternoon in the jungle. Along the way there is time for coffee farms, backstrap weaving, lancha rides between villages and a quiet evening on the island town of Flores — the balance of culture, landscape and archaeology that makes Guatemala so hard to leave.
Highlights
- Walk Antigua's cobbled streets and ruined convents with a historian guide
- Chichicastenango's market on a Thursday or Sunday
- Private boat days between Atitlán's Maya villages
- Tikal at first light, plus a sunset over Yaxhá's lagoons
Best for: First-time visitorsBest for: Couples and friendsBest for: Culture and history lovers
Day by day
Sample schedule. Every day can be moved, lengthened or swapped.
- Day 1
Arrive in Guatemala, on to Antigua
Your driver meets you at La Aurora airport for the 45–60 minute drive up to Antigua. Settle into your colonial hotel, then wander to the Parque Central as the light turns gold on Volcán de Agua.
Overnight: Antigua
- Day 2
Antigua's history, on foot
A morning walk with a local historian through the Santa Catalina Arch, La Merced and the earthquake-toppled cloisters of Las Capuchinas. The afternoon is yours for galleries, jade workshops and rooftop cafés.
Overnight: AntiguaMeals: B
- Day 3
Coffee in the hills
Drive into the foothills to a family coffee farm, where you follow the bean from cherry to cup and stay for a home-cooked lunch. Back in Antigua by mid-afternoon, with an optional evening hike on Pacaya for those who want it.
Overnight: AntiguaMeals: B, L
- Day 4
Chichicastenango market, then the lake
We time this day for a Thursday or Sunday, when Chichicastenango's market fills the town and copal smoke drifts up the steps of Santo Tomás church. Continue on to Lake Atitlán, about 1.5 hours further, arriving in time for sunset over the volcanoes.
Overnight: Lake AtitlánMeals: B
- Day 5
Villages of the lake by private boat
A private lancha and guide take you to Santiago Atitlán and its shrine of Maximón, then on to San Juan La Laguna for natural-dye weaving co-operatives and local art.
Overnight: Lake AtitlánMeals: B, L
- Day 6
A slow day on the water
Kayak the calm morning water before the afternoon Xocomil wind picks up, hike between Santa Cruz and Jaibalito, or simply stay put with a book and the view.
Overnight: Lake AtitlánMeals: B
- Day 7
Fly north to the Petén
A private transfer takes you to Guatemala City (around 3 hours) for the one-hour flight to Flores. Spend the evening on the island's lantern-lit lanes and lakeside terraces.
Overnight: FloresMeals: B
- Day 8
Tikal
An early start for Tikal, about an hour from Flores, with an archaeologist guide. Climb Temple IV for the view over the canopy, listen for howler monkeys around the Gran Plaza, and have the quieter complexes almost to yourselves.
Overnight: FloresMeals: B, L
- Day 9
Yaxhá at sunset
A relaxed morning, then a drive of around 1.5 hours to Yaxhá, set between two lagoons. Climb Temple 216 for sunset as the forest goes quiet and the birds come home.
Overnight: FloresMeals: B
- Day 10
Fly home
Morning flight back to Guatemala City to connect with your international departure.
Meals: B
Meals key: B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner.
What's included
- 9 nights in hand-picked boutique hotels and lodges
- Daily breakfast, plus 3 lunches
- All private airport and overland transfers
- Domestic flights Guatemala City–Flores return
- Private English-speaking guides for all guided activities
- Private lancha day on Lake Atitlán
- Entrance fees to Tikal, Yaxhá and all included sites
- A dedicated local specialist on call throughout your trip
Not included
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed
- Optional activities such as the Pacaya hike
- Tips for guides and drivers
Route map
Antigua → Chichicastenango → Lake Atitlán → Flores & Petén → Tikal
Where you could stay
Boutique colonial hotel
Boutique colonial hotelAntigua, near the ruins of La Recolección
Convento de la Ceiba
Suites set within the walls of a former convent, with candlelit cloisters, a spa and one of Antigua's finest restaurants.
From $290 per person · night
Boutique colonial hotelAntigua, on a quiet street near La Merced
Posada Siete Fuentes
A warm, family-run posada with flower-filled patios and some of the best breakfasts in Antigua.
From $85 per person · night
Lakeside lodgeLake Atitlán, between Santa Cruz and Jaibalito, reached by boat
Casa Xocomil
Stone casitas tumbling down a garden hillside to a private dock, with every room facing the volcanoes.
From $175 per person · night
Pricing
Per person, from$3,650Based on two sharing
For two, approx.$7,300International flights excluded
Budget levelPremiumUpgrade or adjust any hotel
Prices vary with season, hotel choice and group size. Holy Week (Semana Santa) and Christmas carry supplements. Your specialist will send a clear, itemised quote in your currency.
Every tour is private and fully adjustable around your dates and pace.
See all tours
6 days, 5 nights Antigua · Lake Atitlán
Antigua & Lake Atitlán Escape
Daily breakfast · 4 guided activities · All private transfers
- Rooftop sunsets over Volcán de Agua
- A hands-on Guatemalan cooking class in Antigua
- Private boat day to Santiago and San Juan La Laguna
- Sunrise hike to the Indian Nose above the lake
From$1,290per person
≈ $2,580 for two · international flights excluded
8 days, 7 nights Antigua · Western Highlands · Lake Atitlán
Highlands & Markets
Daily breakfast · 6 guided activities · All private transfers
- Overnight in Chichicastenango to see the market wake up
- Backstrap weaving with a women's co-operative in San Juan
- The hot springs of Fuentes Georginas in the cloud forest
- San Andrés Xecul's technicolour church
From$1,790per person
≈ $3,580 for two · international flights excluded
Tell us a little about your trip. Your specialist will reply within one working day with ideas, not a sales pitch.