Guatemala is such a beautiful coutry, and in our opinion, one of the most underrated destinations to travel to. The country is also much bigger than people realise, so 7 days is never going to be enough to see it all. We like to say that there’s 2 main areas you can visit – the North (Tikal and Flores), or the South (Antigua and Lake Atitlan). Of course there’s a lot more to see throughout the country, but these are kind of the hotspots you can’t miss!
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Can I see the whole of Guatemala in 7 days?
Sadly, the short answer is No. From North to South, the distance is huge, and if you want to get to know any of the areas properly, you need time. Our recommendation is to explore the Southern area of Antigua, and Lake Atitlan. In this trip, you get the perfect combination between history, volcanoes and beautiful lake views. But you’re not here for faff, so let’s get right into the itinerary!
Day 1: Fly to Guatamela City, and take a taxi to Antigua
Guatemala City is the capital of Guatemala, so it’s natural that most international flights will take your right here. Although some locals say the city is a little bit dangerous, many start to disagree. With things getting better every year, people recommend tourists to spend at least a day here. Because you only have 7 days, we recommend you to take a transfer from the airport directly to Antigua – which is exactly what we did. The journey takes just over an hour, depending on traffic, and should cost you between $20 and $40. Depending on wether you take a Taxi or a Minivan, not only the price but also the time of travel will vary.
Day 2: Explore Antigua and get your Acatenango tickets
Antigua is the most beautiful town in Guatemala – I even dare saying it’s one of the most beautiful in the world. There are so many things to see, such as the arch, the views from the Cierro de La Cruz, Museums and more – but I won’t spoilt it for now. If you want to know how to see Antigua, check out the Blog we wrote about it here. At some point during the day, you will come across Tour stands (there are loads of them). We really recommend you to book the Acatenango Tour for your third day.
Day 3: Do the Acatenango Hike
The tickets you bought the day before, will be of use on Day 3! You wil be picked up after breakfast, go to the starting point, and spend the day hiking up to the top of the Acatenango Volcano. This in a once in a lifetime experience which we really recommend anyone to do. It does require you to be in relatively good shape, but we wrote a blog about everything you need to know before doing the hike. You can read all about it (and even watch a video of our hike in this Blog. This is an overnight hike, so you will sleep at the top of the volcano, and come back the day after.
Day 4: Last Day in Antigua and book your Lake Atitlan Tickets
You will return from the hike and have a little more time to explore Antigua. But of course you will naturally be tired and perhaps need to take a nap – at least we did. Take the rest of the afternoon to stroll around the town, and get yourself transfer tickets to go to Lake Atitlan. You can normally just book these directly via your hotel, or in one of the many Tour Stands around the town.
Day 5: Go to Lake Atitlan
In the morning of Day 5, go to Lake Atitlan. You will be taken to the Port, and from there you will have to take a boat. Note that by the side of the river there are many private boats which you can hire if you’re in a rush. However, we recommend you not to take them, as they can be up to 10X more expensive than what you can pay for. That is because there is a public boat that runs every hour and is much more affordable. We stayed in San Pedro, which is the most lively River town, and we recommend you to do the same. Once you get there enjoy the afternoon to take a walk around, get some food and some rest as well.
Day 6: Enjoy Lake Atitlan
There are a number of things your can do in Lake Atitlan, so pick your favourite. Some people choose to rent a kayak and just stroll around the lake, other choose to do a Spanish class. Irrespective of what you choose, soak in all the views of this amazing location, because day 7 is just around the corner. This means, you will need to book a ride back to Guatemala city. There are a number of stands across the towns where you can choose from, all with similar pricing.
Day 7: Time to head back
Unfortunately, your time in Guatemala will be coming to an end. This is the worts part of any 7 day itinerary, it ends too quickly. You will have to take a transfer from Lake Atitlan, which takes you directly to Guatemala City. This of course depends on the time of your flight back home. Ours was at 6am of day 8, so we booked a hotel close to the airport, and stayed there for the night.
Is it worth visiting Guatemala for 7 days?
The answer is a 100% YES! Even though our time there was short, we would do it all over again. We had so much fun, experienced some of the most incredible views in the world and met some amazing people along the way. We will be returning for sure to see the North of the Country, so keep an eye out for this Blog (and our Youtube Channel). See you in our next adventure!