yes!! 3 weeks before leaving to Guatemala and I’m really excited!!
So while I’m counting days, I’m reading Mayan legends, browsing through travel blogs (I have been studying what the chaps at Eat Drink Culture did for example), trying to find hiking boots (well I have to admit, I desperately want the boots that Cheryl Strayed wears in the film Wild, but that’s for another topic), watching documentaries, in particular I watched the excellent When the Mountains tremble and Granito by Pamela Yates, and I’m getting my photo gear in order…
I’m also trying to work on a trip planning that works for just a week, following a weekend in Guate City, for a long overdue catch up with friends. Guatemala looks like a small country but I am having a hard time fitting it all in one week so please feel free to comment and advise if you think I’m making any major mistake there!
* Sunday:
06:30 Flight to Flores
Arrive in Flores and transport to Tikal
Sunset tour in Tikal
Overnight in Tikal
* Monday:
Sunrise tour in Tikal
Shuttle back to Flores
18:30 Flight back to Guatemala city
Overnight in Antigua
* Tuesday:
Walking and discovering Antigua
Overnight in Antigua
* Wednesday:
Pacaya volcanoe hike
In the afternoon transport to Antigua
Overnight in Antigua
* Thursday
shuttle from Antigua to Chichicastenango Market
Overnight in Pana or maybe Antigua, not sure yet?!
* Friday
Boat tour around Lake Atitlan
Back to Guatemala City and to London on the Saturday morning!
Is it too much to cram in 1 week?
I was dying to go trekking to but just could not resolve myself to miss Tikal…
any good guides recomendation? hotels? food I shouldn’t miss? precautions to take?
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Looks like you have a great itinerary planned – and I’m envious of your overnight stay in Tikal! Sunrise was amazing so I can imagine sunset will be also. Sounds like you already have the tour booked, but if not, I highly recommend Sergio Crasborne Tours and Luis specifically as a guide – extremely professional, and it was a real highlight of our whole vacation.
Let us know if you have any other questions or need recommendations. Have a wonderful time!
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Thanks so much for the advice!! No I haven’t formally booked it yet. The planes tickets can be booked last minute I gather, and I wasn’t too convinced about the guides I talked to so far, so I have been fishing for advice. I’ll be googling your guide then, did they take you around Tikal only or?
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Crasborne is based in Flores, and we arranged the tour via email just before, and then the night we arrived walked over to his shop and paid for the tour, which picked us up at our hotel in Flores at 3AM the next morning, drove to Tikal (there were others in our van, and we connected with a second van also), and at Tikal Luis, our guide was with us continuously explaining everything. We were returned to our hotel at around noon. It was well worth it!
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http://crasborntravel.com/
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One other thought on your itinerary. You may want to consider staying in Pana after Chichi instead of Antigua, if you are planning on exploring the lake the next day – it will save you the long drive from Antigua back to Pana (about 2.5 hours).
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