Top Western Highlands Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises

An awesome way to go exploring around Lake Atitlan, this sunset ATV adventure tour takes you up into the mountains around the caldera lake—formed after a volcanic eruption over 1.8-million years ago—before heading down to the shore for a swim. You’ll also explore local villages and colorful towns, learn about the fascinating culture of the region, watch paragliders soar through the skies, and find the best spot for sunset.

The Mayan Face mountain also known as indian's nose has a sublime view of Lake Atitlán and the guardians of the lake that are the volcanoes: San Pedro, Atitlán, Tolimán and Pakisis. It is also possible to see the volcanoes; Fuego, Acatenango, Agua that are located near Antigua Guatemala. You cannot miss this great adventure that is very popular and preferred by visitors around Lake Atitlán. You and your companion will receive the best assistance since you will have a professional and private guide who knows the routes very well and has years of experience guiding visitors with kindness, respect and quality of service.

Under an hour from Quetzaltenango, the Fuentes Georginas Hot Springs are an evergreen destination: four vivid thermal pools infused with warm volcanic waters and surrounded by cloud forest. They are tricky to reach by public transport, while the winding mountain road can make self-driving challenging. This affordable half-day tour, with pickup and drop-off direct from many Quetzaltenango hotels, will save both time and stress.

Take a journey through the traditions of Mayan spirituality as you experience a 2-hour traditional fire-cleansing ceremony with a guide in the Sacred Caves of Lake Atitlan. Step inside these mystical caves, used by local Mayans for many centuries, to observe the performance of this holy and powerful ritual by a local shaman. Listen as your guide explains the history and traditions behind the ritual and provides insight into the Mayan calendar system. Before you leave, you’ll have time to admire the gorgeous views of the lake down below.

Watch the sunrise light up Lake Atitlan and the Volcanic Ring of Fire from one of the highest points at Lake Atitlan: Indian Nose. After pickup from your Panajachel lodging and a 90-minute drive through the highlands, take an easy 30-minute hike to the summit of Indian Nose, followed by a trip to Sacred Hunters Cave. This tour includes round-trip transportation from your hotel as well as all entrance fees and a professional guide.

Each town and village surrounding Guatemala’s Lake Atitlan boasts its own unique culture and traditions, but many travelers miss out on experiencing the lakeside region’s diverse heritage. Get an insider’s introduction to three towns—San Juan La Laguna, San Pedro, and Santiago Atitlan—during this small-group cultural tour by boat. Full-day experiences focus on Mayan ancestral practices, including chocolate-making, fabric dying, and the production of natural medicines.

Take a sunrise hike up the Indian Nose, one of the most-visited mountains near Lake Atitlan, on this 7-hour day trip. This 9,300-foot (2,863-meter) mountain, also known as 'The Mayan Face,' offers a challenging climb as well as superb views of Lake Atitlan and the villages of San Juan and San Pedro la Laguna. Best of all, you get to take in this sublime sight at sunrise, just as the first rays of the morning light touch the landscape with rosy shades of orange and pink. This Indian Nose hike also includes entrance fees, a guide, bottled water and round-trip hotel transport.

This tour will be an immersion in the communal farms of the indigenous Mayan Tz'utujiles where we will learn about local ecological coffee techniques and the entire process step by step from planting, grain and cup. We will also walk through the streets of the colorful town of San Juan and among the coffee plots so we will get to know the history of coffee and its connection with indigenous communities.

Once famously described as "too much of a good thing," Lake Atitlan's stunning beauty and broad diversity of towns can make it difficult for visitors to decide how best to see its attractions. This tour lets you see it all while connecting with the landscape and the local people in ways that few visitors get to do. After taking a boat from Panajachel to the small Mayan village of Tzununa, hop on a bike for a ride through the countryside, stopping to visit weaving cooperatives, coffee plantations, art galleries, and some of the best viewpoints on the Lake.

Sit alongside local women and learn the art of Maya beading with this hands-on workshop in Santa Cruz la Laguna. Not only is this socially responsible tour a great way to learn about the Maya cultures found on Lake Atitlan, but it also directly benefits local communities. Upgrade to include lunch at Lake Atitlan’s top restaurant—also run by a social enterprise—or a community-led tour of the village.

Step back in time to the ancient world of the Maya during this 6-hour exploration of the Iximche ruins near Lake Atitlan. Explore this 1,000-year-old city’s wealth of ball courts, pyramid-temples, royal palaces and the on-site museum. You’ll also learn about the history of this iconic archaeological site up through the Spanish colonial era, and discover details about the Mayan calendar, astrological studies and the attitudes of the present day Mayan people towards their ancestors. Your trip includes entrance fees, a guide and a choice between shared and private round-trip hotel transport.

Indian Nose is located in the northwestern corner of Lake Atitlan, one of Guatemala's top destinations The mountain divides the towns of San Juan La Laguna and Santa Clara La Laguna. it is one of the most epic sunrise viewpoints in Guatemala. The beauty of India's nose walk for those who aren't into it for a long haul is that the walk takes less than 30 minutes It's a short, inexpensive adventure with epic views and a great way to start your day of adventuring in the area.

Whether you’re an admirer of avian or if you just love a walk through lush forests, this walking tour around the trails of Lake Atitlan is a great option for low-impact travel. You’ll either meet your guide in Santiago or receive pickup from Panajachel via boat and begin a hike up the Rey Tepepul Trail. This forested trail features river and wildlife views, as well as opportunities to see locals tending to their farms.

Explore the small town village life and gorgeous scenery of Lake Atitlan during this 5-hour hiking excursion from Santa Cruz la Laguna to San Marcos. During the course of your trip you’ll observe local villagers tending to coffee and corn crops in area farm fields and pass through small Mayan hamlets like San Marcos, Tzununná and Jaibalito. Best of all your hike offers a chance to enjoy the gorgeous scenery of Lake Atitlan and its nearby volcanoes. This Lake Atitlan hiking adventure also covers one-way transfer to the start point, hotel pickup, guide and entrance fees.

Led by local women, this cultural tour of Santa Cruz la Laguna offers a fascinating insight into Maya life on Lake Atitlan and how the ancient traditions can still be seen in modern Guatemala. Arriving in Santa Cruz by boat, you'll meet the women at the dock and walk up to the town, where you'll visit a home for a cooking class, learn about local handicrafts, and relax with a steam bath in a traditional adobe temazcal.

We will travel in the world of the indigenous Tz'utujile Mayans, we will walk through the streets of the towns of San Juan, San Pedro and Santiago Atitlán where we will learn about their culture, art and lifestyle. We will also carry out short workshops on local products in the following places of interest such as the Mayan bee world, the artisanal chocolate factory, and the women weavers' textile store. We will visit the local Catholic churches of each town, its squares or street markets to learn about its history. Don't miss this authentic experience.

Equal parts natural wonder and cultural landmark, Lake Chicabal is a top attraction for Quetzaltenango (Xela) area visitors. Hiking with a guide is not only the safest way to visit the crater lake—also a Mam Mayan ceremonial site—but also makes for the easiest transportation logistics straight from your Xela hotel.

If you are visiting Lake Atitlán, this is one of the best tours to learn more about its towns and interact with the local culture. This tour is special since we will take you to know little frequented towns and with great beauty! The first 3 towns: Santa Cruz, Jaibalito & Tzununa are full of nature and you can be in contact with it, learn about the local culture and breathe fresh air. Then, we will go to San Juan La Laguna. During our visit to San Juan, we will do the chocolate tour, learn about the natural dyeing of textiles, and Mayan honey. Lunch is included. Don't worry about anything, take your camera and enjoy it to the fullest!

Immerse yourself in the ancient rituals and colorful culture of the Mayans during this 7-hour trip to Chichicastenango and its famous market. Discover the wealth of handicrafts, produce, herbal medicines and more for sale at this traditional indigenous market. Then spend time exploring the town’s museums, cemetery, colorful murals and Mayan heritage, including a chance to observe a Fire Cleansing Ceremony performed by a local shaman. Your trip also covers round-trip hotel transport from Panjachel.

Visit three Mayan villages around Lake Atitlan—Santiago Atitlan, San Juan la Laguna, and Panajachel—on this guided all-day tour from San Pedro La Laguna. Witness the lifestyle of the Mayan people, learn their techniques for making and dyeing textiles, and experience the local way of life as you wander the bustling markets.

Birdwatching in San Juan La Laguna is a really cool activity if you want to explore more of nature. We have the equipment that will make you have an amazing experience watching the colorful birds that there are around.

Enjoy and discover the colorful market day of Chichicastenango! This is an unique experience that you will see how is the local people live and doing their activities in the market days. The real Mayan culture is still live. Also since their typical dress till the Mayan language that they speak.

Adventure lovers, this exciting tour will grant you a glimpse at Guatemala’s many towns along Lake Atitlan. You’ll start with a private boat ride from Panajachel to Jaibalito where you’ll then hike to Tzununa. Hop aboard a bicycle and cruise through four more villages, including San Juan and San Pablo. In San Pedro, you’ll hop in a kayak and paddle through Lake Atitlan before returning to Panajachel.