The Essential of Guatemala
Your journey can be tailored to your wishes.
Ten days through the living heart of the Maya world. Highland markets where the trade is still conducted in K’iche’, a lake held in a volcanic caldera, a colonial capital rebuilt at the foot of three volcanoes, and, at the end, temples rising out of the Peten rainforest at Tikal and Yaxha.
Specifications
Duration: 10 days / 9 nights
Style: private journey, Maya culture, volcanoes and rainforest
Best season: November to April, the dry season
From €2,400 per person*
Itinerary
From the highlands to the Peten rainforest. Tap the title that interests you and we will take you straight there.
Details
Day 1 — Arrival and transfer to Antigua
You are met on arrival at La Aurora International Airport and transferred privately to Antigua, around an hour away at the foot of three volcanoes. Time to rest after the flight before the highlands.
Night in Antigua.
Day 2 — Chichicastenango market and Lake Atitlan
Departure from Antigua for Chichicastenango, whose market fills the streets on Thursdays and Sundays only. Beyond the stalls, you visit the church of Santo Tomas, built on a Maya platform, the cemetery with its brightly painted tombs, and the hilltop shrine of Pascual Abaj, where Maya ceremonies are still held. In the afternoon, the road climbs on to Lake Atitlan, held in a caldera between three volcanoes.
Guided by our local French-speaking guide, private transfer. Night in Panajachel, breakfast included.
Day 3 — The Maya villages of Lake Atitlan
A private boat takes you across the lake to San Juan La Laguna, a village known for its weaving and natural-dye cooperatives, its painters and its unhurried pace. You continue to Santa Cruz for a lakeside afternoon with swimming and an hour of kayaking, then return by boat.
Guided by our local French-speaking guide. Night in Panajachel, breakfast included.
Day 4 — Atitlan nature reserve and Antigua
Morning in the Atitlan nature reserve, with forest trails and a butterfly house, before the road back to Antigua. The rest of the afternoon is free to walk the cobbled streets of the old colonial capital, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Guided by our local French-speaking guide, private transfer. Night in Antigua, breakfast included.
Day 5 — Pacaya volcano and the villages around Antigua
An early start for the ascent of Pacaya, one of the most accessible active volcanoes in Guatemala. The walk is easy to moderate and opens onto the volcanic landscape and the neighbouring cones. In the afternoon, the villages of San Juan El Obispo and Ciudad Vieja show a quieter, more local side of the valley.
Reasonable fitness recommended. Horses can be hired locally for the ascent. Entrance fees included. Guided by our local French-speaking guide. Night in Antigua, breakfast included.
Day 6 — Coffee, Antigua and on to the Peten
A morning on a local coffee estate involved in community development, following the bean from the slope to the cup. In the afternoon, the monuments of Antigua, including the San Francisco and La Merced churches. Transfer to Guatemala City in the late afternoon for your domestic flight to Flores, then transfer to your hotel on arrival.
Domestic flight included. Guided by our local French-speaking guide. Night near Flores, breakfast included.
Day 7 — Tikal
A full day at Tikal, one of the most imposing Maya cities in Mesoamerica and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Temples, pyramids and ceremonial plazas rise straight out of the rainforest, and the wildlife is close: howler monkeys, toucans, coatis. Lunch on site. In the afternoon, a walk through Flores, a small coloured town on an island in Lake Peten Itza.
Site entrance and lunch included, museum excluded. Guided by our local French-speaking guide, private transfer. Night near Flores, breakfast included.
Day 8 — Yaxha and the lake at dusk
East to Yaxha, a Maya city set between two lakes and visited by a fraction of the numbers that reach Tikal. The acropolis looks out over the water, and the late afternoon light is the reason to come. Back at Flores, a private moment on Lake Peten Itza closes the day.
Site entrance included. Guided by our local French-speaking guide, private transfer. Night near Flores, breakfast included.
Day 9 — Flores and return to the capital
A free morning in the Peten, then your domestic flight back to Guatemala City and a private transfer to your hotel. The afternoon is free for the last purchases or simply to rest before the flight home.
Domestic flight included, private transfer. Night in Guatemala City, breakfast included.
Day 10 — Departure
Private transfer to La Aurora International Airport for your flight home.
End of our services.
Pricing
A private journey with your own driver, local French-speaking guides on every excursion, both domestic flights included, and dedicated AZORA care from the first enquiry to your return.
THE ESSENTIAL OF GUATEMALA
10 DAYS / 9 NIGHTS · PRIVATE JOURNEY
INCLUDED
✓ Accommodation for 9 nights
✓ Breakfasts, and the meals listed in the programme
✓ Private transfers, air-conditioned vehicle with driver
✓ Both domestic flights, Guatemala City to Flores and back
✓ Local French-speaking guides for the excursions listed
✓ Site entrance fees and the activities listed in the programme
✓ Hotel and tourism taxes
✓ Follow-up and assistance throughout the journey
NOT INCLUDED
✗ International flights: check our airline comparator to find the best options
✗ Meals and drinks not listed
✗ Tips and personal expenses
✗ Anything not listed under included
*Indicative starting price per person, in standard category, double occupancy, land services only, excluding international flights. The final price varies with the season, the ages of the travellers and the number of travellers, and may move to a premium category.
Good to know
- The Chichicastenango market is held on Thursdays and Sundays only, so the itinerary is built around those days. We adjust the running order to your departure date.
- Spanish is the official language, spoken alongside more than twenty Maya languages.
- Antigua, Guatemala City and the lake sit at altitude, and highland evenings are cool all year. Bring a warm layer even in the dry season.
- The Pacaya ascent asks for reasonable fitness. Horses can be hired on site, and the day can be replaced by a gentler alternative.
- Yaxha is reached on unpaved roads that can be slow after heavy rain.
- Entry requirements change. Always check the official sources for your nationality before you travel.
When to go to Guatemala
The dry season runs from November to April and is the most comfortable window: clear mornings over the lake, firm tracks in the Peten and reliable light on the volcanoes. The rainy season, from May to October, brings short heavy afternoon showers, greener landscapes and fewer visitors, with mornings usually clear. Holy Week in Antigua, in March or April, is one of the most striking religious events in Latin America and needs to be booked far in advance.
Customise my trip
Ten days is the shortest sensible route through the highlands and the Peten. Lengthen the time on the lake, add Semuc Champey or the Acatenango ascent, swap Pacaya for a gentler day, extend into Belize or Mexico, or travel at a slower pace. Tell us what you have in mind and we build the journey around it.
The Essential of Guatemala FAQ
How long is this Guatemala tour and where does it go?
It is a 10-day, 9-night private journey that begins in Antigua, then continues to Chichicastenango, Lake Atitlan, the Pacaya volcano, Flores, Tikal and Yaxha.
How much does the trip cost?
From €2,400 per person, based on double occupancy and land services only. The final price varies with the season, the ages of the travellers and the size of the group. International flights are not included.
Are domestic flights included?
Yes. Both flights between Guatemala City and Flores are included, as domestic flights always are on AZORA journeys. International flights are not.
Is the journey private?
Yes. You travel with your own driver and local French-speaking guides throughout.
When is the best time to travel to Guatemala?
November to April, the dry season. The rainy season, May to October, brings short afternoon showers, greener landscapes and fewer visitors.
Why is the market day fixed?
The Chichicastenango market is held on Thursdays and Sundays only. The itinerary is built so that you are there on a market day, which shapes the running order of the first days.
What is the difference between Tikal and Yaxha?
Tikal is the largest and best known Maya city in Guatemala, listed by UNESCO. Yaxha is smaller, set between two lakes and far quieter, which makes the two visits complementary rather than repetitive.
Can this itinerary be extended to Belize?
Yes. Our fourteen-day journey continues overland from the Peten to the Belize barrier reef, and the two can be combined from either starting point.
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