You will board your 'lancha', or boat, and travel across the lake to Santiago de Atitlán where you will disembark. There may be stops to pick up other passengers en route before you arrive at this colourful, lively lakeside village.
During the walking tour you will visit the church at Santiago de Atitlán, a fascinating building famed for its mix of traditional Mayan influence and rich Catholic history.
You will stop at the local produce and craft market and also have the opportunity to meet Maximon — a Mayan deity with a face carved from wood who lives with a local family in the community and moves every year. He drinks alcohol, smokes cigarettes and you may see the local Shaman performing rituals with members of the village who have problems to solve.
Your guide will also talk about the history and suffering this community endured during the massacres in the 1980s.
This is a shared tour with a maximum of eight people and your guide will be English-speaking. Lunch is included at a local restaurant, and you will return to your hotel when you are ready to leave.
Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our Guatemala specialists
These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.
Chichicastenango Market
Explore the colourful fruit, vegetable, craft and textile stalls at this famous market. This excursion allows you to explore Chichicastenango Market at your own pace with the advantage of your own driver to take you there and back to your hotel at the end of the day.
Excursion to San Juan Comalapa
Explore the historic town of San Juan Comalapa and its bustling market, where local traders sell everything from fruit and flowers to beautiful tapestries and paintings. Your guide will take you to see the other highlights throughout the town including museums, local art galleries and excellent bakeries to sample the much-loved roscas.
San Pedro Volcano Hike
Embark on a challenging hike through patchwork fields and beautiful cloudforest to the top of San Pedro volcano. Enjoy a delicious lunch near the summit whilst gazing out across Lake Atitlán and the towering peaks of the surrounding mountains.
Santiago Bay Kayak & Hike
Begin your exploration of Lake Atitlán by taking the kayaks to paddle through Santiago Bay where you pass by the local Tzutujil Maya people working in the fields, washing clothes and fishing from their unique wooden boats.
You can enjoy this activity as part of the suggested tours below, or we can weave it into a trip shaped entirely around you.
