Tikal
We saw several different ruins throughout Mexico and Belize but Tikal in Guatemala was by far our favorite. The grounds are huge and the ruins are simply impressive. We spent hours walking through, taking in the sights and even got to see some howler monkeys and toucans! If you’re going to make a stop at any of the ruins…make it Tikal.
Semuc Champey
Semuc Champey is similar to Grutas Tolantongo (the thermal pools in Mexico) in that they are beautiful, natural turquoise pools that you can swim in but these ones…aren’t thermal. We stayed in the nearby town of Lanquin and did a day tour in to Semuc Champey which consisted of a cave tour, waterfalls, tubing, hiking and swimming. If you are traveling with a toddler, opt out of the cave tour or take turns with your partner. We went in for a couple of minutes and immediately knew this was not something for Lucas. Other than that, we had a fun, adventurous day with the best views!!
Antigua
Antigua is incredible. As soon as we pulled into the city, we felt such a good vibe. The city is lined with old colorful buildings, cobblestone streets and amazing views of volcanoes. There’s so much to do not only in the city but in the surrounding areas as well. We ended up staying in Antigua for over two weeks partly due to the city and partly due to our campground. We stayed at Vagamundo Camping which was perfect for Lucas since they had a pool, trampoline, cars to play on and an event almost every night. It did get a little loud on the weekends because it is also a local hot spot but we didn’t mind. Besides touring the city, we stayed a night outside of Antigua in a tree house at the Earth Lodge. It was a little adventurous to get to in our van but they do have shuttles you can take from Antigua. We had an amazing time taking in the views from the moment we woke up to the moment we fell asleep! Regardless of where you go in Guatemala, make it a point to stop in Antigua.
Acatenango Volcano Hike
One of the most amazing/challenging things we did during our trip was hike the Acatenango Volcano to see the active volcano, Fuego, in action. Acatenango and Fuego are two volcanoes next to each other. Since Acatenango is an inactive volcano, you hike up to a base camp where you spend the night watching Fuego erupt (for us, it erupted almost every 15-20 mins) . If weather permits, you can do an additional hike the next morning to get even closer to Fuego. Those that did it said it was extremely challenging but 100% worth it. We went with the tour group, Wicho and Charlie’s, who were incredible. They provide you with the majority of your hiking gear, transportation to and from the base of the volcano, food and “accommodations” (group tents or private tents). This is an overnight hike and it does get extremely cold up on the mountain so pack accordingly. Your large group naturally splits into three smaller groups: the advanced hikers, the “I’m in somewhat decent shape” hikers and the slower hikers. Each of the smaller groups has multiple English speaking guides which was nice so you can hike at your own pace. We were in the middle group and it took us about 5 hours to get to base camp. It is a strenuous hike and you are responsible for carrying all your gear plus eight liters of water so hiring a porter (someone who will carry your bag up for you) is an option. The porters are responsibly priced and go at your pace so you are always with your stuff. We couldn’t recommend this hike enough. We’ve seen Fuego erupt multiple times from our campsite in Antigua but actually sitting in front of a fire on Acatenango, with hot cocoa watching the lava explode out of the top of the volcano was something we will never forget!
Lake Atitlan
Lake Atitlan is a lake inside a massive volcanic crater. There are different Mayan villages all along the lake that you can reach both by land and water. We stayed at Panajachel and took a lancha across to San Marcus (known as the zen/tranquil village of the lake) and also to San Pedro (known as the party village of the lake). We camped but there are tons of hotels and hostels to choose from depending on where you want your home base to be. Traveling Tip: if you are traveling to a different part of the lake and want to hang out after dark…you need to find a place to stay for the night. We learned the hard way that the public lanchas stop at 5 (the cost for a public lancha is a couple of dollars) and if you miss the last public lancha you have to charter a private one. The last private lancha stops at 7 (and is waaaay more expensive). So learn from our mistake and manage your time wisely…or just get a room for the night.