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Home Cultural Activities > Lake Atitlán

Horse Back Riding Tour

 

Horseback riding by the shore of San Pedro Volcano! Enjoy a beautiful view of the lake, through coffee plantations, local farms, corn and vegetable family plantations. Meet the Maya Tzutujil inhabitants and see their cultural approach to farming, with ancient techniques that remain today. If you want to expand the visit to some other areas, just let us know.

Lake Atitlan Boat Tour

 

Enjoy the beauty of Lake Atitlan and visit three Mayan villages: San Juan La Laguna, a model town with organized efforts for conservation, medicinal plants, cooperative production, textiles colored with natural plant-extracted colors and naive paintings. After that, visit San Pedro La Laguna, a colorful town with one of the best organic and non-organic, volcanic grown coffee. Then, depart to Santiago Atitlan, a village with many Mayan-Catholic expressions, like the Maximon Cofradia and the Catholic Church. Enjoy the beauty of their market and handicraft production.

Lake Atitlán

 

Lake Atitlan was formed in an immense volcanic explosion 85,000 years ago, it is the deepest lake in Central America. The caldera-forming eruption is known as Los Chocoyos, which ejected up to 300 km³ (72 cu mi) of tephra. The enormous eruption dispersed ash over an area of 6 million km²: it has been detected from Florida to Ecuador. The lake fills a large part of the caldera, reaching depths of up to 600 metres.

There are many activities to do around the lake, like hiking, diving, visiting the local markets, or kayaking. You can also visit the different villages in a special tour, and enjoy all the restaurants, coffee shops and handicraft markets.

Lake Atitlán is well-known as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. The area supports extensive coffee and avocado orchards and a variety of farm crops, most notably corn and onions. Other significant agricultural products including beans, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, chile verde, strawberries and pitahaya fruit. The lake itself has a rich animal life, providing a significant food source for the largely indigenous population.

Activities
This tour includes
  • Certified, private guide (bilingual)

  • Map of the route

  • Life jackets

  • A private boat for both ways

  • The opportunity to practice your Spanish during the whole trip

More Info

Departure form Panajachel: 9:00 a.m.

Return: 3:30 p.m.

Price: 70 US$ per person

Groups of minimal 2-6 persons

San Pedro Volcano Hiking Tour

 

The San Pedro volcano is located in San Pedro la Laguna, by the shore of Lake Atitlan. You will walk and hike between natural trails, trees and coffee plantations, close to the natural park Chinimajuyu. It is a beautiful natural reserve, and from the top of the volcano, you have an incredible view of the lake, the villages around it and even the line of the sea can be seen.

The ascent up to the volcano takes about 3 hours, the descent will be a little bit faster. We recommend comfortable clothes, a cap and hiking shoes. On the top of the volcano it might be windy and you should also wear sun protection. Please bring also sandwiches, fruits and enough water with you!

Depending on your physical condition the whole trip will last about 9 hours.

Cultural Tour to Mayan Ceremony Cave
and the Ascent of "Cerro de Oro”

 

The Mayan Culture pays attention to the nature, mother earth and the elements. Sacred Sites are visited according to the Mayan Calendar, to praise or thank Mayan deities for work, health, family and happiness. On this tour, with your Spanish Teacher, you can watch a true Mayan Ritual in connection with the nature.

Afterwards you will climb up a small mountain called “Cerro de Oro”. On the top you will be able to enjoy a breathtaking view of the Lake Atitlan.

This tour includes
  • Certified, private guide (bilingual)
  • A private boat For both ways
  • Entrance fee to the ceremony
  • Transport to Cerro de Oro both ways
  • The opportunity to practice your Spanish during the whole trip
More Info

Departure: 8:00 a.m.

Return: 2:30 p.m.

Price: 80 US$ per person

Groups of minimal 2-6 persons 

This tour includes
  • Bilingual tourist guide

  • Mountainbike

  • Helmet 

  • First aid kid in case of emergency  

More Info

Price: 80 US$ per person

Group of minimal 2-6 Persons

Biking Tour

 

Stroll along the shores of Lake Atitlan, enjoy mountain biking in the countryside and through villages where indigenous people are known for their costumes. Get to know the everyday life of indigenous people, see the different classes of birds around the lake through nature trails, and a lot more what you couldn’t find in any other kind of tour!

Walk Along the Lake Atitlan

 

Experience a lovely stroll between the two villages Santa Cruz La Laguna and San Marcos La Laguna. Depending on your physical condition this walk usually takes about 4 hours. Hike through the mountainous Landscape and enjoy the view of the lake. This walk is ideal for relaxing, a bit of physical exercise and for taking great pictures of the lake and its countryside. On your way you will discover small indigenous communities of the “Cackchiqueles”, a special group of the Mayan culture.

This tour includes
  • Certified, private guide (bilingual)

  • A private boat for both ways

  • The opportunity to practice your Spanish during the whole trip

More Info

Departure: 8:00 a.m.

Price: 50 US$ per person

Groups of minimal 2-6 persons 

This tour includes
  • Certified, private tourist guide (bilingual)

  • Boat transport both ways

  • Entrance fee for the cooperation 
More Info

Departure: 9:00 a.m.

Return: 2:00 p.m.

Price: 70 US$ per person

Groups of minimal 2-6 persons

Lake Atitlan Coffee Tour

 

Walk around coffee plantations, visiting the “beneficio de cafe”, the coffee processing plant and visit Playa Dorada. Your tour guide will be with you explaining the coffee growing process and details regarding the Maya Tzutujil cultural approach to farming. If you want to expand the visit to some other areas, just let us know.

Ascent the Mountain Called
"Rostro del Maya“

 

This mountain is called by the indigenous population "Rostro del Maya" because it looks a lot like the face of a reclining person, which looks into the sky. During this walk you will discover plant species with medical  effects, which are grown and cultivated by the Mayas. The indigenous population uses these plants for medical use in cases of illness in their family. The wide variety of bird species in many colors, as well as coffee and corn plantations dominate this landscape. The majestic view of the lake makes this hike an incredibly relaxing and memorable experience for body and mind.

The climb takes about 2 hours, the descent usually goes a little faster.

We highly recommend this tour only to people without any heart- or asthma problems.

This tour includes
  • Certified, private tourist guide (bilingual)

  • Boat transport both ways

  • Horse ride for 3 hours

More Info

Deparure: 8/9:00 a.m.

Return: 2:00 p.m.

Price: 80 US$ per person

Groups of minimal 2-6 persons

This tour includes
  • Boat for both ways

  • Certified, private tourist guide (bilingual)

  • Entrance fee
More Info

Departure: 7:00 a.m.

Return: 12:00 p.m.

Price: 80 US$ per person

Groups of minimal 2-6 persons

This tour includes
  • Boot for both ways
  • Certified, private tourist guide (bilingual)
  • Transportation to the entrance of the national park of the volcano (both ways)
  • Entrance fee for the national park
  • The opportunity to practice your Spanish during the whole trip
More Info

Departure form Panajachel: 6:45 a.m.

Price: 80 US$ per person

Groups of minimal 2-6 persons

Solola and the Small Town Concepcion

 

A long time before the Spanish showed up, this was a small Kaqchiquel town called “Txoloya”. Nowadays Solola’s importance comes from its location on trade routes between the pacific lowlands and the chilly highlands. All the traders meet here, that is one reason why Solola’s market is one of the most vivid in the highlands. On market days the plaza next to the cathedral becomes crowded and blazed with the colorful customs. Meat, vegetable, fruit, indigenous art and clothing can be found here. The most crowds day is Friday, all sellers and buyers come from the surrounding villages come to offer their products. On Sunday you can participle in a ceremoniously parade of the traditional “cofradias”.

Subsequently we will visit the small but very traditional town Conception, where you can experience the Mayan culture very close.

This tour includes
  • Certified, private tourist guide(bilingual)

  • Transport

  • The opportunity to practice your Spanish during the whole trip

More Info

Departure form Panajachel: 8:30 a.m.

Return: 2:30 p.m.

Price: 60 US$ per person

Groups of minimal 2-6 persons

Boat Tour
Cerro de Oro
Walk Atitlan Lake
Biking Tour
San Pedro Hiking
Rostro del maya
Horse back Riding Tour
Atitlan Coffee Tour
Solola
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