If you dont feel comfortable sending personal or valuable items to Lake Atitlan to meet you at the end of the hike, your next best option is to carry them with you! There is a wooden handrail for parts of the hike and there are a couple of sections where a rope has been attached to help you up. However, we were told by our guide, on the Chicabal de Laguna hike, that, in fact, its mostly international volunteers that work for Quetzaltrekkers. Thank you for this! Matt. Your email address will not be published. A Town-Hopping Guide To Lake Atitlan - Indie Traveller Though Im glad I packed my camera, I didnt use it as much as I thought I would because of the jungle cover and the time spent walking. A phone torch will suffice if you would prefer to save on weight and space. Thank you Joseph for this useful information! Hiking Xela to Lake Atitlan: Independently vs. NOTE: Several companies give back to the communities along the route, meaning that you will also be helping support the communities and local businesses by booking this hike with a guided tour. So, from the starting point in Xela, there are fewer tourists compared with other places like Lake Atitlan, Antigua and Guatemala City. We headed uphill for most of the early part of the day. It wasnt the most comfortable sleep in the world, but it was fine for the last night. I stayed in Kasa Kiwi hostel which was nice and quiet. From what weve heard, the community at Village Comun Oj (where you may spend the first night depending on your itinerary more on this later), spoke highly of Monte Verde Tours. Otherwise, for a general summary of everything youd need for a trip, visit ourUltimate Packing Checklist. Join us on our most popular trek: the three day hike from Xela to Lago de Atitln! Please note that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. The major mochilero hub. Of course, roughing it on chicken buses might not be for you or if you are travelling with lots of luggage, you can organise a shuttle with Guatego [Sponsored]. Firstly, youd mix them together in an empty bucket and wash yourself. There are opportunities to buy water at the first homestay. 2 hours). At the homestay in Santa Clara La Laguna, there is a traditional Mesoamerican sauna, known as a temazcal, positioned in their backyard! I cannot say how much I enjoyed this hike if Im truly keeping to my word of keeping it short, so if you want an honest recounting of my own time on the trail check out this article I wrote on it. Thats because the route is made up of many different and random trails connecting natural tracks with villages. As far as I know, it is the only pm bus. The trek was organized by Quetzaltrekkers, the only all volunteer-run trekking company in Guatemala. If youre not convinced, let us explain below. Hope it will be useful for someone. Bus to Xela - Lake Atitlan Message Board - Tripadvisor Once the group is ready, you will hop in a minivan to the start point of Xecam. At around 4pm, we arrived at the small and charming Village Comun Oj. Meeting the awesome host families and learning about their culture. That would take away from the excitement of the whole venture. There is a small shop here where we bought some warm electrolyte drinks and snacks. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Unlike other hikes, there is not one specific trail to follow from Xela to Lake Atitlan. Although Monte Verde Tours provide a sleeping bag and sleeping mat, we highly recommend these bits of camping equipment. This takes two hours of more easy trekking. Catch the bus in Panajachel where Calle Santander intersects with the main road heading up to Solola. Thank you! It was an early start and it seemed to be up and down for hours. The route requires two changes; first in Solola, and then in Los Encuentros. We followed the thin path back down. Youll spend a night with a local family, in one of their spare rooms, where youll sleep on the floor. Plus a waterproof cover would be helpful. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Dont shove it at the very bottom of your rucksack, otherwise, you wont be bothered to re-pack your bag each time you want to take some snaps! Report. If you are hiking during the wet season, make sure that everything fits inside your bag rather than clipping anything on the outside. Bear in mind that different tour operators have slightly different arrangements with slightly different routes. Also known as the Quetzaltenango to Lake Atitlan hike (Quetzaltenango and Xela are the same place and are used interchangeably), this brilliant three day trek is a lesser known hiking expedition in Guatemala. Your server might also be unable to connect to Instagram at this time.Error: API requests are being delayed for this account. For a more comprehensive hiking gear list, check out our66 Travel Accessories That You Must Travel With. 1,500m). Each has its own unique character and individuality, from the laid-back hippie vibes of San Marcos to the backpacker scene in San Pedro (where the hike ends). You have three options to get from Lake Atitlan to Xela; a direct bus, a public chicken bus, or a private shuttle. Also, if youre coming from near the lake and see the small official parada de buses by the Texaco on Calle Principal, it will pass there but the seats will likely be full. 3-day trek from Xela to Lake Atitlan. Making our way through Santa Clara la Laguna. The Xela to Lake Atitlan hike is a phenomenal multi-day trek through the Western Highlands of Guatemala. What to Expect Hiking from Xela to Lake Atitlan, Route Map of the Xela to Lake Atitlan Hike, What to pack for the Xela to Lake Atitlan Hike, Hints and Tips for the Xela to Lake Atitlan Hike, My honest review of the Xela to Lake Atitlan Hike, Bamford and Stanage Edge Walk: A Complete Guide, Lanquin Itinerary (2 Days) including Beautiful Semuc Champey, Lake Atitlan Itinerary (6 Days): Full Day-by-day Breakdown, How to save money for travel: A comprehensive guide. Xela is the second-largest city in Guatemala and is located around 4 hours west of the capital, Guatemala City. The views are some youll have trouble matching anywhere, the scenery is unmatched, and the amazing hospitality youll experience from the village people will really leave an impression on you. Change). On the way to their office, we picked up one other traveller (chirpy American Ben) to join us on the group tour. 1,127 reviews 742 helpful votes Getting a chicken bus from Panajachel to Xela. There is a wooden bridge across the river, before one final push to the end of Day 1. Its made up of a colonial-style center expanding into a far-spanning urban sprawl, all amidst a series of stunning mountains and volcanoes. After another family dinner, we retreated to bed early because of the early start for sunrise the next morning. Your email address will not be published. Before you set off, you will be briefed, bags checked and food supplies shared amongst you. Your guide will pay the entrance fee (Q30/person) for your group as you exit, and then you have another 45 minutes or so of road walking to arrive in San Pedro. Though I didnt feel unsafe at any point throughout the three days, having someone to lead when avoiding any dogs, passing through private land, or navigating a more treacherous section of the hike is helpful. In fact, this multi-day hike is much safer than many day hikes around Xela (e.g. From Chirij Ximay its a long way down via thin, winding jungle pathways. Then across undulating terrain for the next few hours. Theres only one air mattress between both homestays though, so I guess Josh is still working on that. Hi, we're Dan and Beck, collectively known as the Speed Hiking Couple. Without the homestay arrangements of the tour, I honestly couldnt tell you where it would be possible to sleep. There are two main tour operators used for the Xela to Lake Atitlan hike. There are two bus companies, Transportes Alamos and Linea Dorada, that offer direct service to Xela. Meanwhile, our guide very kindly made us tea and cooked dinner. 3-Days of Trekking from Xela to Lake Atitlan - Viator Check out some of our hiking guides from El Salvador and Nicaragua. There are 4 ways to get from Quetzaltenango/Xela to Solol by bus, taxi, car or shuttle . When we experienced this, the staff were super friendly and helpful, relocating us to a room on the second floor, which was much quieter, and still had phenomenal views from the shared balcony area. Hiking socks to avoid blisters are also a useful addition. Its steep and dusty, making grip quite difficult. Contrary to what I thought I had understood, 3 days ago about there being a direct bus all the way to San Pedro was in fact much different. Trying to avoid chicken bus OATS/JC Transit Service is a non-profit effort to operate Jefferson County's first public transportation system - a deviated fixed-route system that seeks to provide greater transit options for people with disabilities while serving the entire population of Jefferson County. Without having a proper map or help from technology, it would be very difficult to navigate this route. To & from Lake Atitlan Monte Verde Tours For Sunday, one says 5:30 and the other says 6:00. They also offer free transport of additional bags to Lake Atitlan. In terms of facilities, this homestay didnt have a shower, but it did have another temescal which we washed in. Enjoy the rest of your travels in Guatemala. GTQ150.00 Book Now Shuttle: Xela to Lake Atitlan (San Pedro) Book a seat on our collectivo shuttle service and travel in comfort! Beck and I enjoyed the experience, and, admittedly, it was also a good opportunity to wash, without there being a shower at this second homestay! Instead of taking the most direct route back to San Pedro La Laguna, we split off and headed through some farmland. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Apr 16, 2023, 10:57 a.m. Save Overall itinerary - 2 days in Guatemala City, 2 days in atitlan and 2 weeks in Spanish school in Xela Guys I could not see any recent threads so if somebody can advise me how much time it would take to go from lake atitlan to Xela and the bus company I should use, that would be appreciated. Youll spend a couple hours here, watching the changing colours of sunrise as Lake Atitlan reveals itself to you in glorious fashion. Thanks for your support. If you're coming from Lake Atitlan or Antigua, you can travel either by tourist shuttle or by public 'chicken' bus. Visit Guatemala's largest lake, Lake Atitlan. Getting . The packing suggestions I have given above are everything that you could need for the hike. There is a small amount of hiking on the roadside. Starting from Xecam (approx. Youll also catch a good sight of Mars! After eating our breakfast, taking plenty of photos, and enjoying the sunrise we headed back down at around 7:30 am. My body wasnt used to hiking regularly, nor waking up at silly oclock in the morning! There may be an issue with the Instagram access token that you are using. The most popular companies, Quetzaltrekkers and Monte Verde, charge 950Q and 750Q respectively. Almost immediately, youll have sweeping views of mountain ranges and prominent volcanoes near Xela such as Volcan Santa Maria. However, these will only fill you up at specific meal times. During the evening, youll see other tour groups in the small outdoor courtyard-like setup, chatting and hanging out. For the night youll stay in a village which is only accessible on foot. New posts will not be retrieved.There may be an issue with the Instagram access token that you are using. The population is predominantly indigenous Maya or mixed-race people, meaning that traditional Guatemalan life comes to the fore. The closest you will find to a route for the Xela to Lake Atitlan hike is the map I created below. If the Xela to Lake Atitlan hike doesnt sound like your cup of tea, you can simply catch the Chicken bus or organise a private shuttle to get from Xela to Lake Atitlan. Different tour companies take slightly different routes. Its never a bad decision to pack a lightweight raincoat just in case. Sadly, there wasnt anywhere else on the hike to swim. Spend two nights in the comfortable homes of Guatemalan locals. You can book shuttles through hostels, agencies, or online. Some great hiking snacks include nuts, fruit (non-squishable), and granola bars. We are hiking enthusiasts, so you'll find plenty of awesome hiking content. However, as you trek through the jungle, private property, and farmland, its difficult to pitch up a tent knowing for certain that it would be safe and acceptable. Bus to Xela - Lake Atitlan Forum - Tripadvisor To get to Xela from Antigua you can either take a shuttle from $20 or take chicken buses, changing in Chimaltenango. From 5:30pm, after some preparation, groups of two or three could have a 15-minute slot to experience the sauna. We left the homestay in Santa Clara at 4:30am with all of our belongings as we werent coming back. Swimming trunks (or a swimsuit) for the temescal are another optional change of clothes. Overall itinerary - 2 days in Guatemala City, 2 days in atitlan and 2 weeks in Spanish school in Xela Guys I could not see any recent threads so if somebody can advise me how much time it would take to go from lake atitlan to Xela and the bus. It also didnt have a flushing toilet, it was a bucket flush. Trek from Xela to Lake Atitlan - Quetzaltenango | Project Expedition Along the trail, youll explore remote villages, enjoy sweeping vistas of mountain ranges and finish it all with a breathtaking sunrise during the India Nose hike in Lake Atitlan. During this section of trail, youll pass increasingly lush forest, explore a lovely river, negotiate the one-at-a-time river crossing and wander by coffee plantations. Great article! A cap and/or sunglasses are also good for sun protection. The Xela to Lake Atitlan hike is definitely one of the lesser-known hikes in Guatemala. But, there was a flush toilet and cold shower at our disposal, so that was more than we had expected!