Guatemala
Four cities I explored, three routes that actually work, and the practical page. I wish someone had handed me that the first time.
Updated September 2026
What nobody tells you before you land
Guatemala packs more into a small country than almost anywhere: colonial Antigua under three volcanoes, the Maya highlands around Lake Atitlán, turquoise pools in the jungle at Semuc Champey, and the great pyramids of Tikal in the north. The distances are short on the map and long on the road, so the trick is to give the highlands and the north their own blocks of days.
Antigua is where everyone starts — it's an hour from the airport and the most beautiful base in the country. From there the highlands are close; Tikal is a short flight north, and worth it.
Fact sheet
Everything practical, on one page
Itineraries
Three routes that actually work
Seven days is Antigua, the lake and the pyramids. Fourteen adds the jungle pools and the slow highlands.
Antigua and its volcanoes, the Maya villages of Lake Atitlán, then a flight north for the pyramids of Tikal — the essential week.
The extra days go to Semuc Champey — the turquoise limestone pools deep in the jungle, and the hardest-earned stop in the country.
The one I'd build with two weeks: the highlands slowly, a night climbing Acatenango for the erupting Fuego across the valley, the jungle pools, and Tikal at dawn.
City guides
Four cities, walked one street at a time
Antigua
Cobbled colonial streets under three volcanoes — the most beautiful base in Central America.
2–3 days · Coming soonLake Atitlán
A volcanic lake ringed by Maya villages — San Juan, San Pedro and Santiago by boat.
2–3 days · Coming soonSemuc Champey
Turquoise limestone pools over a river, deep in the jungle — the hardest to reach, the best to swim.
2 days · Coming soonTikal / Flores
The great Mayan city rising over the rainforest, based from the island town of Flores.
2–3 days · Coming soonAsked every week
Questions I get about Guatemala
How many days do I need?+
Seven for Antigua, Lake Atitlán and Tikal. Ten adds Semuc Champey; fourteen lets you climb a volcano and take the highlands slowly.
How do I get to Tikal?+
Fly from Guatemala City to Flores (about an hour) and base there or in the park — much better than the long overnight bus. Go at dawn for the wildlife and the light.
Is it safe?+
The tourist route — Antigua, Atitlán, Tikal — is well-travelled and safe with normal caution. Use tourist shuttles between towns rather than local buses at night, and don't hike volcanoes without a guide.
Which volcano should I climb?+
Acatenango, for the overnight camp watching neighbouring Fuego erupt through the night — the most unforgettable thing you can do in Guatemala, but a hard climb. Pacaya is the easy half-day alternative.
The podcast
I walked this before I wrote it
Every guide starts as an episode. Listen to the Guatemala introduction — the context, the history and the honest bits — then come back for the routes.