Tours and Activities in Guatemala

Zip Lines

As with much of Central America, Guatemala has seen an explosion of canopy tours in recent years, and today there is a number of zip lines spread out across the country. Canopy tours are an exhilarating, adrenalin-filled way to experience the Guatemalan outdoors. Tour participants are fitted with harnesses attached to cables, and sent flying along zip lines that extend between platforms. In some cases, the zip lines extend across canyons and hover 500 feet (150 m) above the ground. The tours are very safe, and are run by professional guides.

Boat Tours

Boating tours take travelers to Guatemala's best aquatic ecosystems, including the Río Dulce and the mangroves around Monterrico. As such, these tours are a great way to see birds, plants, monkeys, and other animals. Boating tours are often combined with other activities, including visits to towns and cultural attractions.

Hiking

Guatemala is a fantastic place to hike. The country's diverse terrain features mountains, volcanoes, and forests. You can enjoy relaxed strolls near the shores of Lake Atitlán or full-day treks to the top of the Agua Volcano. Professional guides lead the hiking tours, and safety is always prioritized. Hiking tours are a great way to get outdoors and experience Guatemala's beautiful landscape.

Rafting

Guatemala has several white-water rivers that have excellent rafting. These rivers have rapids that range from Class II to Class V, and many of the rivers pass jungles, hot springs, caves, and even Maya ruins. The best rafting rivers are the Río Cahabón, Río Candelaria, and Rio Chiquibul. These tours are thrilling and available for both experienced and inexperienced rafters. They offer travelers a wonderful way to see places in Guatemala that are otherwise inaccessible.

Biking

Biking is fairly popular in Guatemala and there are a number of places to get your wheels spinning. Mountain biking can be enjoyed in the hills above Lago Atitlán and Antigua — both places offer incredible views of the surrounding landscape, which often includes mountains and volcanoes. Local outfitters provide travelers with gear and guides and take them to the best trails in the region. Biking tours are a fun way to explore the Guatemalan countryside.

Coffee Tour

Guatemala is internationally known for its superb coffee. Guatemala’s coffee plantations are found largely in the Western Highlands, although there are coffee farms in other parts of the country as well. Touring a coffee plantation is a great way to learn more about the special brew that puts pep in your step. During one of these tours, you’ll explore the coffee plantation and observe the growing, harvesting, and roasting process. Some coffee farms are set on private reserves and combine other activities with these tours, including bird watching and hiking.

Cave Exploration

Guatemala has a few really good caves, and exploring them can be a truly unique experience. Many caves are made of limestone and were carved out by rivers — a few still even have water flowing through them. During these tours, you’ll discover Guatemala’s best caves. Equipped with a flashlight and a competent professional guide, you’ll wander through dark caverns and investigate large chambers. Some caves can also be explored along underground rivers on an inner tube or raft.

Archeology

Guatemala is peppered with Mayan ruins and archeological sites. Tours of these sites exposes travelers to the ancient Mayan culture that flourished in Guatemala prior to the arrival of the Spanish. On a visit to one of these sites, you’ll learn about Mayan traditions, beliefs, lifestyles, and power structures. The tours are fun and provide travelers with an up-close look at some of Central America’s most impressive archeological finds.

Turtle Nesting

Sea turtle tours can get you close to these endangered animals, and even get you involved in their conservation. You can help shepherd baby turtles to the water, or simply observe the females coming ashore to nest.

Suspension Bridges

Don’t let the height intimidate you. Suspension bridges in Guatemala are a safe and adventurous way to do some world-class bird watching. In the canopy, you’ll get to appreciate just how vast and rich with life Guatemala’s jungles truly are.

Mangrove Tours

Take a guided tour of the mangrove plants in their unique estuary habitats. Let a naturalist guide navigate the complex waterway as you see a wide variety of animals including caimans, monkeys, and several species of birds.

Sport Fishing

The waters off the Pacific coast port of Iztapa host Guatemala’s best sport fishing. In fact, Guatemala is known as the “Sailfish Capital of the World”, and there are all sorts of records to support this assertion. The sport fishing here can be fun and fulfilling — it’s not uncommon to come home with 25 fish each day. Sport fishing tours are led by a competent captain and guide, and are available for everyone from the most novice of anglers to the saltiest of seaman.

City

Cities in Guatemala remain unchanged from the colonial era in many ways – there are still colorful Maya marketplaces that stand in stark contrast to the baroque architecture left behind by the Spanish. Go to Antigua, Quetzaltenango, and Huehuetenango to see picturesque examples of this comingling. All of these cities have incredible historic districts, stately cathedrals, and museums. Guatemala City – Guatemala’s largest city – has its fair share of colonial cathedrals, as well as attractions that are representative of Guatemala’s modern culture.

Shopping

Shopping in Guatemala is a very different experience than at home. Visit some of Guatemala’s open-air marketplaces for your chance to buy crafts and textiles made by locals. Stalls also overflow with blooms – many flowers, including orchids, grow well in Guatemala’s climate. Most marketplaces also have a section dedicated to produce, and Guatemalans visit markets to buy farm-fresh food. Touring these shopping centers is a good way to experience local culture as well as find gifts to take home.

Ruins

Guatemala has many Maya ruins you can tour with local guides. In every region of Guatemala you can visit a Maya site that used to be hub of commerce or political power. Some of these sites, like Tikal and Copán, have undergone restoration. Guided tours make it easy to get to these sites, which are often located deep in the jungle. The Maya left behind larger-than-life works of art – on a visit to these ruins you’ll see some incredible carved reliefs and statues depicting fierce Maya rulers.

Textiles

Colorful textiles stitch together the history of Guatemala. Go to the marketplace at Chichicastenango to see some of the country’s best handmade textiles, dyed using colors harvested from local plants. There are traditional villages where the local populations wear homemade clothing. In some of these places, men and women still indicate their marital status through their style of dress.

Architecture

Guatemala has many centuries of striking architecture. Guatemala has some of the greatest examples of Maya architecture in the world, including the ruins of Tikal, one of the most powerful Maya cities for many years. Much of Maya architecture is believed to have been constructed in relation to the movements of celestial bodies. The historic cathedrals and monasteries are built in the baroque style of the Spanish colonizers. Almost all of the country’s modern architecture is located in the bustling downtown of Guatemala’s capital, Guatemala City.

Living Maya

Although many Maya ruins are quite ancient, the Maya culture has survived to the present day. This culture has a strong representation in the western highlands. There are several villages surrounding Lake Atitlán where you can see modern Maya practicing their religion and hear the Mayan language spoken. The largest groups of modern Maya are the K’iche’, the Kaqchikel, and the Mam.

Guided Tours

On a guided tour you'll have a local expert by your side as you explore Guatemala's nature and culture. Maya culture permeates Guatemalan archaeology and weaving, and a guide will be able to explain the symbolism behind these ancient arts. Set sail on one of Guatemala's many lakes, and set your sights on some of the misty coffee plantations and ancient ruins.

Species Exhibits

Culinary

Traditional Guatemalan food is hearty fare, made with ingredients designed to support days filled with farming. Street food has become a trend in many cosmopolitan cities worldwide, but it has long been a commuter’s staple in the bustling streets of Guatemala City and Quetzaltenago, where people line up for hot, fresh tamales and pupusas. Gastronomy in Guatemala draws inspiration from these meaty, potato-filled dishes. The Andes and the rainforest provide a wide swath of interesting ingredients for local chefs to make dishes that emphasize the abundance of the Guatemalan landscape.

Bird Watching

Guatemala has more than 700 different species of birds living within its borders. In the last few decades, the country has become increasingly well known for its fantastic birding. Among the many species that live or pass through Guatemala, the resplendent quetzal remains one of the most emblematic — the national currency is, after all, named for it. Bird watching tours take travelers to Guatemala’s best birding sites, which are usually in national parks or reserves. Naturalist guides accompany the tours and help travelers to spot a range of colorful, feathered creatures.

Marine Wildlife

Guatemala’s Pacific and Caribbean coasts host a wide range of marine mammals.

Museum

Museums in Guatemala house some of the most interesting artifacts found in Maya ruins. At Guatemala’s Museum of Archeology and Ethnology you can learn about Guatemala’s ancient history through the art left behind by pre-Columbian cultures. In the colonial city of Antigua you can visit the Musuem of Colonial Art, which documents the artistic influence of Spanish colonization. You can get an idea of the modern art scene in Guatemala City – make sure to visit the Museum of Modern Art while you’re there.

Historic

Historic areas in Guatemala often have a worn look, and they have survived many years of earthquakes and political upheaval. But in some ways this adds to their beauty. Wandering the streets of Antigua you will see the remains of monasteries and convents that the Spanish built, as well as restored cathedrals. Go see Guatemala’s first capital, Ciudad Vieja, just a few miles from Antigua. It was built in 1527, although almost nothing from the original town remains. Lake Atitlán and the traditional villages that surround it will give you a feel for Guatemala’s Maya history – many of the people who live here are the descendants of the ancient Maya.

Rappel

Imagine rappelling down a waterfall in Guatemala — water rushes past as you hold onto a rope and slowly walk yourself down a rock wall. Rappelling is an exhilarating experience, and one that you’re not likely to forget. These tours take travelers to beautiful outdoor areas to go rappelling. You’ll be given all necessary equipment and taught the proper way to rappel. Professional guides accompany you throughout the entire trip and provide a fun and safe tour environment.

Kayaking

Whether it's over small waves in the Pacific Ocean or on the tranquil surface of Lake Atitlán, kayaking in Guatemala is utterly enjoyable. These tours bring you to gorgeous outdoor areas, and let you explore the water via kayak. The tours are safe and suitable for both experienced and inexperienced kayakers. There are both single and double kayaks available.

Horseback Riding

Guatemala has some seriously beautiful scenery, and horseback tours are a great way to experience it. These tours allow you to cover lots of ground in one day — you might ride between Mayan villages along the shores of Lake Atitlán or trot to a forested waterfall in the Central Highlands. These tours use well-trained horses and are led by professional guides. Safety is prioritized and all tour participants will feel comfortable before heading out.

Night Tour

Nighttime is the best time to see sea turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs on the beaches of Monterrico. You can also participate in programs that help get rehabilitated sea turtles back into the ocean. On land, you can find canopy tours of the jungle that take place in the night, allowing you to go on zip-line rides while you look for nocturnal animals.

Nature Walk

Go on a guided nature walk to learn about the geologic forces at work inside Guatemala’s volcanoes, or the ecology of the surrounding rainforests. The cloud forest here has rare species of flora and fauna, and thrives in the same high-altitude humidity as coffee plants. But Guatemala’s landscape is more than just interesting plants – the jungle here hides the ruins of Maya cities, and the very beginnings of Guatemalan civilization.