Lake Atitlan Shared Tour: Discover Mayan Culture in Panajachel and One Secret Town
4.6
58 Ratings
Guatemala City
Embark on a shared tour of Lake Atitlan and explore the hidden Mayan culture in Panajachel and a secret town. Discover the art of textile dyeing, chocolate making, and the vibrant cosmovision of the Maya people.
Duration: 12 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Guatemala City - We pick up passengers from most hotels in Guatemala City or Antigua Guatemala.

The ride to Lake Atitlan is full of pretty little towns along the road, you’ll see how the scenarios change from the city to agriculture, and stunning views until you get to the lake. So just sit back and enjoy the drive.

It is important to mention that this is a curvy road. We would recommend you get motion sickness medicine in case you need it.

  • Panajachel - The first town we will visit is Panajachel, the most popular and most visited town of all. This is the starting point to reach some other towns since the only form of transportation is a boat trip. This wonderful place is a mix of the ancient Mayan culture, and the tourists who fell in love with this town many years ago, and now call it home.

We will visit Santander Street. It is the main street of the town, with many textiles and other souvenir shops. It is also the street where more restaurants and hotels are located. Then, we will go to the church of the town, where we will appreciate its architecture and see a different side of this town and its people. Finally, we will go to the dock, we will enjoy the beautiful views of the lake and its volcanoes.

Finally, a boat will be waiting for us to start the journey to San Juan La Laguna, one of the most picturesque towns on the lake and where you will see a lot of the Mayan culture. Let’s go!

  • San Juan la Laguna - After a boat trip of approximately half an hour, we will be arriving at the dock of San Juan La Laguna, a colorful town, full of spectacular culture and much to know. Here, we will participate in 3 cultural workshops: One of the natural dyeing of textiles, one of the medicinal herbs used by the indigenous people, and a chocolate workshop. You will learn first-hand from the indigenous people about these products, their importance, and if you like, you can buy products made by themselves.

Before saying goodbye to this wonderful town, we will walk through its beautiful and colorful streets. You will be able to take incredible photos and we will prepare for our trip back to Panajachel.

  • Panajachel - Once we return to Panajachel, we will go to a charming restaurant for lunch.
  • Guatemala City - At the end of our wonderful tour, we will take you safely back to your hotel in the city. You can take advantage of this time to relax or take a nap if you wish.
What's Included
  • Round-trip boat ride to a Mayan village
  • Complimentary bottled water
  • Guidance by a certified guide from The Guatemalan Tourism Board Commission
  • Exclusive private transportation for the group
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Lunch
Additional Information

picture azure waters against the backdrop of mountains and erupting volcanoes, blanketed by a field of vibrant wildflowers. That’s precisely the panorama that awaits as we explore the hidden township by the lake through a serene boat cruise and an informative tour, encapsulating the essence of Mayan civilization.

We’ll journey to the community of San Juan, immersing ourselves in the lively Mayan tradition, unveiling the art of their organic textile dyeing, chocolate production methods, and their universal philosophy. We also set foot in the region’s renowned city, Panajachel.

Be aware that if unfavorable weather conditions prevail, prohibiting us from traversing the lake toward San Juan, we’ll alternatively tour either Santa Catarina or San Antonio Palopo - tucked away in the calm, windless region. These vivid, culturally rich communities promise to captivate and leave you grinning from ear to ear. Ensuring your safety and the wellbeing of our personnel remains our utmost priority.

  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Please note that the boat transfer can be a bit bumpy due to the movement of the lake waves. It is very likely that the boat will jump up and down, but don’t worry, our pilots are highly professional and have years of experience. In addition, you will have life jackets at your disposal. Your safety is a priority for us.
Location
Guatemala City
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(58 Ratings)
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1 star
Milagroscarolina2024
Jun 2, 2024
Kevin is the best - I just want to say that the rumba experience would not have been the same without Kevin's attention. Thank you for your attention, highly recommended for Latinos
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Camper12141866459
Apr 1, 2024
Safe and pleasant! - I was guided by two gentlemen: a careful and discreet driver who drove carefully. A passionate guide and generous with information about Guatemala. I also had the privilege of meeting people from the country. It is a very safe tour with professional employees. I recommend it without hesitation!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
158ambreenm
Mar 3, 2024
Lake Atitlan Panajaxhal and Saun Juan boat ride - We went to Lake Atitlan. It was a 12 hr tour with hotel pick up and drop off. Our guide was Ruben and Miguel was driver. Both were very professional and knowledgeable with a lot of patience. We loved the back stories of all the towns and the goat ride. Restaurants that were suggested were great for breakfast and lunch. I would give 5 stars to this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marilyn_m
Feb 25, 2024
Beautiful experience and... - Beautiful experience and boat tríp. …………..………………………………………….. would definitely recommend to my friend. Very good guide
Review provided by Viator
Sirkrc
Feb 20, 2024
Amazing time exploring Lake Atitlan - Well-organized trip. The tour guide picked up from my hotel in Guatemala City and dropped me off after the completion of the tour. During the tour, Rubin did a get job explaining the various stopping points and answered all of my question. This full-day tour was worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Culture63232138786
Jan 11, 2024
Spectacular experience at Lake Atitlán - We are super grateful to all the Guat2do staff, we planned our tour months in advance and Carlos was very attentive to us at all times. Super punctual when picking us up, communication was very fluid. The guide, Don Eduardo, was incredible, he knows a lot about the history of Guatemala and answered all our questions. Both he and the driver, Don Carlos, were very attentive to us and helped us at all times. We really enjoyed it and hope to travel with them again soon.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Curtis_k
Nov 12, 2023
Amazing tour , book it now - Starting off our tour guide MR RUBÉN ALBERTO ALONZO, SANCHEZ is amazing, very knowledgeable of the culture, city , country everything!!!! , amazing person , answer all questions, the best tour guide I ever been on , amazing tour, I came in solo , I recommend all travelers to attend this , solo , group doesn’t matter, good times!!!! Accurate pickup timing
Review provided by Viator
Dovp2018
Feb 23, 2024
Nice touristy day with a great guide - It was a lovely day with a great guide, as expected from the description. It was also very, very touristy. San Juan La Laguna was nice and colorful with the main market street, and we got to test and try a few light activities. We then went back to Panajachel for lunch in a regular place and walked in the street with few tourist both. Sadly, I was hoping for some off-road/surprise experience. Guat2Do Travel - Please consider how to add "Spice" to this trip, something local. Notes: - It takes two hours from Antigua and three hours from Guatemala City to get to the lake. - You will go on a fast, jumpy boat for about 20 minutes to cross the lake.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daniela
Feb 11, 2024
Good, but the organization failed - The route in general was good, but there was a lack of order in the group. There were tour members who became separated, delaying others in carrying out planned activities. Likewise, the guide separated from the group a couple of times and we did not understand if we should wait for her or enter the places, since she did not give us any instructions. Besides, I feel that the guide did not take much time to explain certain interesting things about the places. Regarding what was planned, we took another activity instead of the medicinal herbs, so I think they should update their description on TripAdvisor. In general the activities were very interesting, and the landscapes were very enjoyable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katisha_m
May 28, 2024
Horrible.. my husband was injured - Our tour guide was good. The boat ride portion of the tour was horrible. I could not have imagined that humans would be subjected to this. My husband cracked his tailbone from the slamming up and down on the boat. The Drivers drove recklessly and laughed. My husband screamed at them to slow down. This portion of the tour should be eliminated. We were not even advised on where to find life jackets in the event of an emergency. My husband was never even told what to do regarding his injury.
Review provided by Viator
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June 2024
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