Guatemala is one of the most rewarding countries to backpack in Central America, and arguably the most underrated. You’ve got ancient Mayan ruins, active volcanoes, a UNESCO world heritage city, and one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, all packed into a relatively small country. Whether you have two weeks or two months, there’s a well-established Guatemala backpacking route that most travellers follow, and for good reason.
This is everything you need to know about the Guatemala tourist trail: where to go, how long to spend, how to get between stops, and what to actually do when you get there. I travelled this route myself, so most of this is based on firsthand experience, (with a few gaps I’ve filled in from travellers I met along the way and mistakes I wouldn’t advise repeating!).
Quick facts about this Guatemala travel route
- Most backpackers spend 2 to 4 weeks in Guatemala
- The dry season (November to April) is the best time to visit for hiking and clear skies
- Guatemala City is the main entry point but is not a destination in itself
- The tourist trail runs roughly south to north (or vice versa)
- Shuttle buses connect most major stops; chicken buses are cheaper but slower and more challenging
- The quetzal is the local currency; take cash in small denominations
Who this guide is for: First-time backpackers planning a Guatemala itinerary, or anyone who wants to understand the main travel route before booking anything.
The Guatemala Tourist Trail: Overview
Although it’s never been an official thing, the Guatemala tourist trail is the well-trodden route of cities and destinations that are relatively safe and welcoming to travellers. Like most countries in Central America, there’s quite a significant gap in safety between the places on this route and cities further off the beaten path. That doesn’t mean you can’t go off-trail in Guatemala (with a local guide, I’d actually encourage it), but if you’re a first-time visitor, the tourist trail is where you want to be.
The majority of backpackers I met in Guatemala were travelling roughly this route:
Antigua (including Acatenango) > Lake Atitlán > Quetzaltenango > Semuc Champey > Flores & Tikal
Most people then either fly home/onwards from Guatemala City or crossed into Belize. A smaller number, like me, headed south through El Salvador and Honduras towards Nicaragua. After Guatemala, we took a full-day bus across three borders to reach León, which was quite the journey!
A Note on Guatemala City
Guatemala City isn’t really the first stop on the Guatemala tourist trail, it’s more of a necessary transit point. At the time of writing, Guatemala City is not the safest place, and there just isn’t much there that it’s worth risking for, and most experienced travellers will tell you the same. Unfortunately, it’s home to the country’s only major international airport (Flores has an airport too, but it mainly serves southern Mexico), so you’ll almost certainly pass through it.
The good news is the airport itself is perfectly safe. It’s the city outside that you need to be cautious about.
You basically have two options when you arrive:
If you land late, your best bet is to book a hotel close to the airport and wait until daylight before travelling onwards. Look for somewhere with easy onward travel options so you’re not scrambling in the morning.
If you land during the day, you can go straight from Guatemala City Airport to Antigua, which is where most backpackers start their Guatemala itinerary. It’s around an hour and a half by shuttle and costs roughly $15 to $20. Some people also head straight to Lake Atitlán or Quetzaltenango depending on their route.
The Best Guatemala Travel Route
Stop 1: Antigua Guatemala
For most people, Antigua is where their Guatemala backpacking route really begins, and it’s a great place to start. It’s one of the safest cities in Guatemala, it’s easy to reach from the airport, and there’s genuinely loads to do here, whether you have two days or a week.
Antigua is a UNESCO world heritage site, recognised not just for its beautiful colonial churches and monuments, but also for its city planning. It’s one of the earliest examples of a grid layout in Latin America, and once you know that, you’ll notice it immediately as you walk the cobblestone streets. The whole city is surrounded by volcanoes, which makes for some seriously beautiful scenery at every turn.
Things that are worth your time in Antigua:
The Santa Catalina Arch is the iconic shot most people have seen before they arrive. It’s prettier in real life. The Cerro de la Cruz mirador is an easy walk above the city and gives you a panoramic view of Antigua with the volcanoes as a backdrop. It’s particularly good early morning before the crowds arrive.
Antigua is also the base for several of Guatemala’s best volcano hikes. The most famous is Acatenango, but Volcan de Agua and Pacaya Volcano (also known as Volcan Pacaya) are both worth considering if you want something a bit different or have extra days to fill.
How long to spend in Antigua
Most backpackers spend three to five days here, including the Acatenango hike. You could see the city itself in two full days, but the day trips and hikes make it worth staying longer.
Getting to Antigua
Shuttle from Guatemala City Airport takes about 90 minutes and costs around $15 to $20. Chicken buses are much cheaper but the route from the city is not recommended for safety reasons.
Stop 2: Acatenango Volcano
Acatenango is technically accessed from Antigua, but it deserves its own mention on the Guatemala travel route because it’s genuinely one of the best things you can do in the entire country, and most backpackers who come through Guatemala do it.
This is a two-day trek: you hike to base camp on day one, spend the night there, and summit the volcano early the next morning. It’s an overnight hike, which means a 3:45am wake-up to reach the summit before sunrise. The whole thing is guided, which is strongly recommended (some people do go alone, but that’s really only for very experienced hikers).
What makes Acatenango so special is that you can see Fuego, the active volcano right next to it, erupting. At night, you can watch the lava glow down the side of the volcano, which happens up to every 10-20 minutes. You can get unlucky and end up seeing very few eruptions, but most people who reach base camp will get a decent view of at least a few! We probably saw it erupt up to 20 times.
Acatenango is a steep climb and a genuine physical challenge. The volcanic ash on the summit section is like wading through deep snow, and you’ll be veerryyy glad you brought walking poles.
If you want a shorter or easier alternative, both Pacaya Volcano and Volcan de Agua are accessible from Antigua and offer a good day hike without the overnight commitment.
🌋 Recommended reading: What to Take on the Acatenango Volcano Hike
Stop 3: Lake Atitlán
Lake Atitlán is, in my opinion, the highlight of the Guatemala tourist trail. It’s an ancient crater lake surrounded by three volcanoes and a string of small towns and small villages, each with its own distinct personality. Even if you only have a few days in Guatemala, I would find a way to include Lake Atitlán.
The main hub for travellers is Panajachel, which has a bit of a reputation for not having much to do, but I completely disagree with that. There’s plenty to see in Panajachel, it’s very easy to navigate, and it’s the most straightforward base for taking boats to the other towns around the lake.
From Panajachel, you can take short boat trips to almost every other destination on the lake. Public boats (called lanchas) are very cheap and run regularly during the day, although they typically stop around 7pm. The most popular towns to visit are:
San Pedro La Laguna is the party town, popular with backpackers for its buzzing nightlife and laid-back vibe. It’s also become a popular spot for digital nomads and long-term travellers.
San Marcos La Laguna has a very different atmosphere: it’s known as the hippie town, with yoga retreats, meditation centres, and hot springs. If you want quiet and beautiful scenery, this is your place.
San Juan La Laguna is smaller and more local-feeling, known for its coffee plantations, weaving cooperatives, and murals. It’s a great place to spend a half day or a full day.
Santa Cruz La Laguna is one of the quieter stops and is great for hiking the trails above the lake.
We stayed in both San Pedro La Laguna and San Juan La Laguna and genuinely loved both for very different reasons. If I had to pick a favourite place on the lake, it would be San Juan, but I’d recommend San Pedro too if you’re more of a party person.
Getting from Antigua to Lake Atitlán is possible by shuttle bus (easy, comfortable, around two hours) or by chicken bus (cheaper, slower, more of an adventure). I’ve taken the chicken bus route myself and lived to tell the tale, but it’s not for the faint-hearted.
Stop 4: Quetzaltenango (Xela)
Quetzaltenango, almost universally known as Xela (pronounced “shay-lah”), is one of the most underrated stops on the Guatemala backpacking route. It’s in the Guatemalan highlands, it’s the country’s second-largest city, and it’s considered one of the safer cities in Guatemala for travellers.
Ellie and I narrowly missed Quetzaltenango on our trip because we ran out of time after spending too long going back and forth from Antigua. It’s one of my biggest Guatemala regrets! A lot of backpackers we met at Lake Atitlán had either come from or were heading to Xela, and it comes up consistently as a popular destination that rewards those who make the effort to get there.
It’s a great stopping point if you’re heading north, and it also gives you access to some of the best hikes in the Guatemalan highlands, including Santa María Volcano.
How long to spend in Quetzaltenango: Most travellers spend two to three days here.
Stop 5: Semuc Champey
If you haven’t heard of Semuc Champey before planning your Guatemala trip, let me be the one to tell you: it needs to be on your list. It’s one of the most naturally beautiful places in the entire country, and a genuine must-see if you have enough time.
Semuc Champey is a natural monument in the north of Guatemala made up of a series of stepped, turquoise pools. They look almost impossibly perfect, like something from a screensaver, and you genuinely need to see them in person to appreciate how stunning they are. The pools sit on top of a natural limestone bridge beneath which a river flows. It’s a completely unique destination that doesn’t look like anywhere else in Central America.
The nearest town is San Agustín Lanquín, which is where most people stay when visiting Semuc Champey. It’s less than a day’s travel from Quetzaltenango and sits on the route to Flores, making it a logical stop if you’re heading to the north of the country. El Mirador is another nearby town where some travellers base themselves, though you’ll need to travel a little further to reach the pools from there.
The journey to Semuc Champey is bumpy and takes a while, but it’s absolutely worth it. Go early morning if you can, before the tour groups arrive.
How long to spend here: One to two nights in Lanquín is enough for most people to see Semuc Champey and the nearby caves.
Stop 6: Flores and Santa Elena
Flores looks exactly as magical in real life as it does in photos. It’s a tiny island on Lake Petén Itzá, connected to the mainland town of Santa Elena by a causeway, and it’s the most popular base for visiting Tikal. The island itself is small and very walkable, with pastel-coloured buildings lining the water’s edge.
Some travellers prefer to stay in Santa Elena rather than on the island and visit Flores as a day trip, which is perfectly fine. Both are considered safe enough for tourists as long as you’re taking the usual precautions.
Getting to Flores: From Semuc Champey, most people take a tourist shuttle or a local bus. The journey takes around four to six hours. There is a small airport in Flores which operates flights within Guatemala and from parts of Mexico if you’re short on time.
Stop 7: Tikal National Park
Tikal is the jewel of the northern Guatemala travel route, and one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the entire Americas. It’s an ancient Mayan city within a national park that’s absolutely full of wildlife. It’s the only place in Guatemala where you’ll spot howler monkeys, and the sound of them in the early morning is something you won’t forget quickly. You might also see toucans, coatis, and if you’re very lucky, a jaguar.
Most people visit Tikal as a full day trip from Flores, which takes around an hour each way. You can also stay inside the national park itself, which allows you to be there at sunrise and sunset when the wildlife is most active and the light is incredible. If you have the time and the budget, an overnight trip inside the park is absolutely worth it.
Tikal can also technically be visited on a day trip from Guatemala City by plane, or from cities in Belize, though this is much less common among backpackers on the main Guatemala tourist trail.
Other Places Worth Considering
Most of the backpackers I met in Guatemala stuck to the main route above, and there’s honestly plenty to fill two to four weeks with just those stops. But if you’re spending longer in the country, there are a few other places that belong on your radar.
Río Dulce is a river town in the east of Guatemala, often done as a day trip from Lake Izabal. The boat journey along Río Dulce is famous for its jungle scenery and beautiful natural beauty, and there are some excellent hikes in that part of the country. It’s off the main backpacker trail but very rewarding if you have extra days.
Monterrico is the main beach destination on Guatemala’s Pacific coast. It’s not the most stunning beach you’ll see in Central America, but if you need a break from highland hiking, it does the job.
Chichicastenango is a small town famous for its enormous traditional market, which runs on Thursdays and Sundays. It’s a popular day trip from Antigua or Lake Atitlán.
Guatemala Backpacking Route: Suggested Itineraries
Two weeks in Guatemala
Antigua (3 nights, including Acatenango) > Lake Atitlán (4 nights across two towns) > Semuc Champey (2 nights) > Flores/Tikal (3 nights)
Three to four weeks in Guatemala
Add Quetzaltenango (2 nights), extra time in Lake Atitlán, a night inside Tikal, and potentially Río Dulce or Chichicastenango.
Practical Tips for the Guatemala Tourist Trail
Safety: Guatemala has varying safety levels by area. Destinations on the tourist trail are generally fine during daylight hours when you’re taking standard precautions. Avoid walking alone at night anywhere, even in Antigua. In cities further off the main route, always use a local guide.
Getting around: Shuttle buses are the most comfortable and reliable way to travel between major stops on the Guatemala travel route. Chicken buses are much cheaper and genuinely a great experience, but they take longer and require more navigational confidence. For getting around within Lake Atitlán, the public lanchas (boats) are the easiest way to move between towns.
Best time to visit: The dry season runs from November to April and is the best time for hiking active volcanoes, seeing Tikal, and generally getting around without the roads turning to mud. The rainy season (May to October) brings lower prices and fewer tourists, but some routes and trails can be affected.
Money: Guatemala uses the quetzal. ATMs are widely available in tourist areas, but take cash with you when heading to smaller towns and for activities like chicken buses or entry fees for national parks. Dollars are not widely accepted outside of major tourist businesses.
🇬🇹 Recommended Reading: A Guide to the Cost of Living in Guatemala
FAQs
Is Guatemala safe for backpackers?
Guatemala is a great destination for backpackers as long as you stick to the tourist trail and take standard precautions. Cities and destinations along the main route are generally safe during the day. Avoid Guatemala City except as a transit point, don’t walk alone at night anywhere in the country, and always ask locals or hostel staff for the latest safety advice for wherever you’re heading next.
What is the best time to visit Guatemala?
The best time to visit Guatemala is during the dry season, from November to April. This is the best time for hiking (including the Acatenango hike), exploring Tikal, and generally getting between stops without weather-related delays. That said, Guatemala is worth visiting year-round. The wet season brings greener landscapes and lower prices, and the rain typically comes in heavy afternoon bursts rather than all day.
Do I need a guide in Guatemala?
For most of the main tourist trail, no. But for activities like the Acatenango Volcano overnight hike, a guided tour is strongly recommended (and effectively the only practical option for most people). If you’re planning to go off the beaten path in Guatemala, a local guide is a really good idea, both for safety and for getting the most out of the experience.
How long should I spend in Guatemala?
Two weeks is the minimum to cover the main highlights: Antigua, Acatenango, Lake Atitlán, Semuc Champey, and Tikal. Three to four weeks gives you time to include Quetzaltenango, explore multiple towns around Lake Atitlán, and spend more than a day at each stop without rushing.
What is the cheapest way to get around Guatemala?
Chicken buses are by far the cheapest way to travel in Guatemala. They’re the public buses used by locals, made from repurposed US school buses, and they charge a fraction of what tourist shuttles cost. The tradeoff is that they’re slower, more complicated to navigate, and considerably less comfortable. For most backpackers, the cheapest way to do the full route is a mix of chicken buses for shorter hops and shuttle buses for the longer or more complex journeys.
What is Semuc Champey and is it worth it?
Semuc Champey is a natural limestone bridge in northern Guatemala, with a series of stepped turquoise pools on top. It’s genuinely one of the most beautiful natural places in Central America and is absolutely worth the journey, even though getting there takes a while on very bumpy roads. If you’re already heading to Flores and Tikal, it sits neatly on the route.
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