Guatemala
Every person that knew we spent time in Guatemala had only one thing to say to us, "Was it dangerous?".. Luckily, the answer for us and the majority of other backpackers was NO! However, like many countries in this part of the world, there are parts of the country that still are thought of as dangerous and rightly so. BUT.. If you keep your wits about you, don't walk around alone at night (especially after a few beverages..) and don't do anything too stupid, then you will be able to get the most out of this very special country. Just please don't let this countries reputation stop you! You will find a place here that should be explored by everyone, the people are some of the friendliest people we have met in Latin America and we have to say that Guatemala was one of our favourite countries on this trip!
For us, this was the start of what we called the 'land of volcanoes'. From here until the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, for as far as you can see, you will be astonished by the incredible volcanoes dominating the landscape. Guatemala has so much to offer, from the Mayan ruins to dense jungles, hidden pools, cascading waterfalls, pimped out Chicken Buses, colonial picturesque towns to active volcanoes and volcanic crater lakes. Its not hard to see why so many people fall in love with this country, and if you love hiking then Guatemala is home to one of our favourite hikes in the whole of Latin America!
Planning a trip to Guatemala?
Our first stop in Guatemala was the tiny picturesque town of Flores, the charming cobble stoned town is set on an island in the centre of Lake Peten Itza. Explore the town with camera in hand, and snap away at the colourful streets, take a boat tour around the lake and stop off at Jorge's restaurant to join in on the infamous rope swing well known amongst backpackers, and then sit back and relax with a bottle of Gallo and watch the sunset!
Now the main reason we and basically everyone here chooses to visit Flores is that this town is the jump off point for the massively impressive Mayan ruins of Tikal. Hidden deep within the jungle, these fascinating ruins are not only stunning visually but the stories told by the guide bring you right back to the Mayan era and for me this does rival Chichen Itza of Mexico!
The next stop along the famous gringo trail for many is Lanquin, to visit the crystal waters of Semuc Champey, a true hidden gem in the dense jungle of central Guatemala. I had been told about Semuc Champey many times before but that did not prepare me for just how beautiful this place really is! Explore the surrounding jungle, hike to spectacular viewpoints and swim in the cascading pools and caves, this really is a must do if you visit this incredible country! Oh and be prepared you may see quite a lot of bugs, insects and even reptiles! Don't worry though, most of these will keep to themselves in the jungle but you may find that a few can make their way into your hostel.. Like the lizard in my pillow! (Yeah that didn't go down to well!).
After drying ourselves off and leaving the jungle, we passed through the capital, Guatemala City, to reach the picture perfect city of Antigua. This is the place that will be on everybody's list, you WILL fall in love with this city and like many others before you, you will find it very hard to prise yourself away from its undeniable charm. Explore the cobbled streets and admire its quaint beauty, around each corner of the paint peeled colour-washed walls, you will fall in love over and over again. Take the perfect picture underneath El Arco de Santa Catalina and gaze in awe at the overpowering volcanoes that loom over the city. We loved Antigua so much that we decided to call it home for a little while, and attended a well needed Spanish school. Antigua is also one of the cheapest and best places to learn Spanish in Latin America, so make sure you leave enough time to learn the lingo!
Further along the backpacker trail is Lake Atitlan, and again, this WILL be on your itinerary and rightly so! A volcanic crater lake lined with small towns and indigenous villages that are surrounded by the most perfectly shaped volcanoes, it really is impossible not to be in awe of this beautiful place. Make sure to explore each village with little to no care in the world, as each village/town is completely different! Depending on what you like you will find what you're looking for. Relax and kick back with the chilled out vibes of San Marcos, party with the gringos in San Pedro or hike in the near vertical town of Santa Cruz and many more.. One of our main highlights of Lake Atitlan was in fact the Indians Nose Sunrise trek! Although the hike begins in Santa Clara, you can get a lift from most nearby towns. After a very early wake up, and a VERY bumpy tuk tuk ride (At one point I had to get out and push..), we began the hike and as we arrived to the summit, we were so lucky to witness the most surreal sunrise, spanning over the the whole of Lake Atitlan and the surrounding volcanoes!
Our journey then took us back to Antigua (yeah we really couldn't stay away!) but the main reason was to climb Volcan Acatenango! This has been on our bucket list for a while now and it did not disappoint! By all means this two day trek isn't easy (think carrying around 15kg rucksack uphill for 4 hours with sand-like volcanic ash beneath your feet..) it is by far one of the best things that I have ever done! Not only do you climb the active volcano, but you also camp at the top. Now the real showstopper is that while you're camping, you can witness the neighboring Volcan Fuego constantly erupt! During daylight the eruptions look very much like a big cloud of ash, but then you are treated to a spectacular sunset over the surrounding volcanoes and as soon as the night falls and the sky fills with a blanket of stars, each eruption then delivers a huge splash of lava that illuminates the sky around you! This will stay with me forever as one of the most surreal experiences that I have ever witnessed, and it didn't finish there.. As you can imagine, we didn't get much sleep, every tremble and rumble that we heard we immediately raced out of our tent to see the lava but the real surprise was the most extraordinary sunrise that I will ever see!
If you are still wanting more of Guatemala, these are some other places that you may be interested in visiting that we did not get to visit:
- Chichicastenango Market
- Livingston and the Rio Dulce
- El Remate
- Hun Nal Ye
- Finca Ixabel
- Quetzaltenango (more commonly known as Xela)
Getting around
There are two main modes of transport in Guatemala, the first being the famous Chicken Buses. These old American school buses have been transformed to within an inch of their lives, looking like they've just rolled out of an episode of Pimp My Ride. They are the main source of transport for the locals and can be an experience in themselves, stuffed like a glove, they are by far the cheapest option! Otherwise, the most common type of transport used by backpackers here are shuttle vans, which can be booked through local travel agents and hostels/hotels. The one downside here, is that there are no overnight buses in the country, so unfortunately some days may be spent in the van eating some stale Oreo's or whatever comfort food you have packed for the long journey.
Our Route..
Useful Info
- Capital City: Guatemala City
- Time Difference: GMT minus seven hours.
- Languages Spoken: Spanish is the official language here, however there are numerous indigenous Mayan languages that are spoken throughout the country. As well as this, Garifuna is widely spoken around the Caribbean coast.
- Local Cuisine: Rice, beans & meat will be your most common meal here but you must try the tamales (made with maiz/corn, meat, cheese & sometimes more ingredients all wrapped and cooked in a banana leaf) & the crispy pupusa's (Corn tortillas stuffed with either re-fried beans, meat or cheese!).
- Local Beers & Drink: The most common beers you will find here are Gallo & Brahva! You must also try the Licuados!
- Visa: Generally not required for stays up to 90 days, this is under the CA-4 agreement with neighbouring countries; El Salvador, Honduras & Nicaragua. Meaning that most visitors have a 90 days visa-free stay within the four countries.
- Entrance & Exit fee: None.
- Proof of Onward Travel: Not necessary.
- Currency & Exchange rate (Aug 2018): Guatemalan Quetzal (Q) £1 = $9.65 Q / $1 = $7.50 Q
- Useful prices to note;
- 1 night in a hostel (Dorm bed) = $50 - $97 Q / £5 - £10 / $6.50 - $12.90
(Private room) = $106 - $386 Q / £11 - £40 / $14 - $51.50
- 1 local beer = $10 - 15 Q / £1 - £1.50 / $1.30 - $2
- A typical meal for one = $35 - $40 Q / £3.60 - £4.20 / $4.60 - $5.30
- Average cost of a 8-10 hour bus journey = $90 - $150 / £9 - £15.50 / $12 - $20
- Average cost of a 2-3 hour Chicken Bus journey = $10 - $30 Q / £1 - £3 / $1.30 - $4
Guatemalan Quetzal (Q) / British Pound (£) / US Dollar (USD)
Our must visit place..
If you haven't already guessed! This has to be ANTIGUA, one of our favourite cities not only from this trip, but in the whole world! This city has so much charm and character it really is hard to leave, and if that is not enough it is also home to one of our favourite hikes in the world, Volcan Acatenango!
