Guatemala is an absolute must-visit destination in Central America. This diverse country boasts incredible scenery, unique wildlife, fiery volcanos and friendly locals. I visited Guatemala as part of a solo trip back in 2021. The country had long been on my list to visit, but I wasn’t expecting to love it this much. Guatemala is filled with incredible things to do, including some unique and bucket list-worthy activities. In this post, I’ve shared the top 5 most unforgettable things to do in Guatemala.
My solo trip to Guatemala was a very last-minute decision. In fact, I only booked my flight a few days before. I had done very little research on the country, so I had no plans whatsoever. It had also only recently started to welcome tourists back since the pandemic so I was apprehensive about how many backpackers would be there.
It turns out that visiting Guatemala was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I spent a whole month here, and each day brought something completely new and different. With its thriving rainforests, notorious volcanoes, historic towns, spiritual lakes, and black sand coastal beaches, there really is SO much to do in Guatemala.
With so much to see and do, I’ve written the top five things to do in Guatemala to include in your Guatemala itinerary.
Hike the country’s many volcanoes (including Acatenango)
Guatemala is famous for its fearsome volcanoes. Sitting on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the country is a volcanic hotspot with around 37 volcanoes. When visiting Guatemala, we were told that 8 of them were currently active.
With so many volcanoes, there are plenty of hikes to choose from that give you the chance to get up close and personal with these giant forces of nature. I’ve written about six of the volcanoes you can climb in Guatemala here.
The country’s main volcanic attraction is hiking Acatenango. Once you reach the base camp, you’ll set up camp for the night and have the chance to watch the ferocious Fuego erupt. This is one of the most popular activities in Guatemala and is one of my top travel experiences.
Another popular hiking option is Pacaya Volcano. The active volcano erupted as recently as 2021 and is one of the most active volcanoes in Central America. It’s only an hour away from Antigua and a 3.5-mile round-trip hike, making it a popular activity.
Visit Semuc Champey
Semuc Champey is becoming one of the most popular attractions in Guatemala. I had heard stories about its beauty, but when I arrived and saw it with my own eyes, I couldn’t quite believe it.
Situated in a lush jungle, Semuc Champey is a 300m long natural limestone bridge. The bridge has six beautiful turquoise pools in which you can swim and relax. The area has plenty to offer, with river tubing and cave exploration activities.
I highly recommend the El Mirador hike. It’s quite steep but takes you up into the tree canopy, allowing you to see Semuc Champey’s beauty from above, giving you a different perspective.
You’ll want to stay in the local town of Lanquín when visiting Semuc Champey.
Spend time in Lake Atitlán
No trip to Guatemala would be complete without a visit to the mystical Lake Atitlán, one of the best places to visit in Guatemala. Surrounded by volcanoes, jungles, and tiny villages, it is truly one of the most beautiful lakes I’ve ever seen.
At a depth of around 340m, the lake is the deepest in Central America and is an important part of Guatemalan history. It is believed that the lake formed approximately 84,000 years ago and is still a sacred spot for the Mayan people.
Small towns and villages circle the lake, and the main method of getting around is by boat.
When planning your trip to Lake Atitlán, there are several towns to choose from including the popular backpacking hub of San Pedro or the bustling and lively town of Panajachel. If you want to wind down and enjoy the lake’s spiritual side, a trip to San Marcos could be the answer. The quiet town is famous for yoga and meditation – it’s much more chilled than its neighbours.
In all honesty, you could spend weeks at Lake Atitlán and not get bored. It’s the perfect spot to base yourself if you want to slow down for a bit. For those passing through, I’d suggest spending at least five days here split between two towns. It’s hard to describe the beauty the area has to offer, but it’s not considered one of the most beautiful lakes in the world for no reason.
Visit Mayan Ruins
Most tourists head to Mexico to see Mayan ruins, but the neighbouring country of Guatemala offers some of the best opportunities in the world to see old Mayan towns, pyramids and temples.
It’s believed the earliest Maya civilisations began to emerge in Guatemala as early as 2000 BC. The country has been heavily influenced by the Mayan culture and archaeologists are still discovering ruins today. In fact, in 2022 a lost ancient civilisation was discovered beneath a rainforest in the north of the country.
One of the main attractions is the ruins of Tikal – it’s one of the largest archaeological sites in the area and it’s believed to have been one of the most powerful Mayan civilisations. The area is surrounded by dense jungle so it’s also a great spot to see wildlife.
Visiting here will require you to stay in the area of Petén in the north of the country. You can either get a van here or fly from Guatemala City. I’d recommend basing yourself in the town of Flores which has its own airport and direct flights from the capital. If you want to get closer to nature, there are also options within the jungle closer to the ruins.
You can visit Tikal during the day and spend time exploring the ruins. The other option is to visit for sunrise which is what I chose to do. It was an incredible experience and one of my favourites in all my time travelling. It requires a very early wake-up call (think 2 am), a long drive to the ruins and a hike to the top of an old temple – all before sunrise.
We were unlucky as it was very cloudy so we didn’t see the actual sunrise, but the experience was amazing nonetheless. I’m not a spiritual person but I can’t deny there was something significant about sitting on top of a Mayan temple, looking out over the tree canopy as the sun rose and the jungle woke up and came to life. There were three of us in my group and we saw two other people, so it really was very special. After the sun rises, you still have the chance to explore the ruins with your guide and learn about its history. Once daylight comes, the site can get quite busy which is also why I’d recommend doing the sunrise tour.
The other popular ruins in the area are Yaxha. This site is much more undiscovered than Tikal, but there is still plenty of history and our guide was full of knowledge on the area. It’s a bit of a drive from Flores (around 90 minutes) and you can either get a taxi or book a tour. I booked a tour as I wanted a guide once we got to the ruins. We arrived at around 3 pm so we could have a walk around before watching the sunset. The site was empty – we literally didn’t see another soul. There are still ruins covered in dirt and half dug out, so it really is a great way to see the ruins if you want a more authentic and unspoiled experience.
Visiting the Mayan ruins will require you to go to the north of the country, but it’s well worth your time and effort.
Visit the beach town of El Paredon (and hopefully see baby turtles)
This was my last spot not only on my trip to Guatemala but my nine-month backpacking trip.
Guatemala isn’t really known for its beaches but I was desperate to spend some time by the ocean. I asked fellow backpackers where to go but most would shrug. After asking around and doing some research online, I came across the sleepy town of El Paredon. On the west coast and by the Pacific Ocean, this tiny town is growing in popularity with its great surfing, black sand beaches and the chance to see baby turtles make their way to the ocean.
It’s only a two-hour drive from Antigua so it seemed like the perfect spot.
El Paredon certainly didn’t disappoint. I fell asleep to the crashing of waves and woke up to some of the best ocean sunrises I’ve seen in my life. The area also boasts some fantastic sunsets.
One of the unique things about this area is its stretches of black sand beaches. The black sand gets it dramatic look from volcanic rock which has broken down. Despite its colour, it’s still perfect to relax on or take a stroll down the shore (just watch those feet as it gets VERY hot in the sun).
Another huge draw to the area is the chance to see baby turtles being released into the ocean. Turtles are an endangered species but in Guatemala, turtle eggs are a local delicacy and are often poached. With their numbers dwindling, a local project has set up a scheme to save the local turtles and also give you the chance to see hatchlings head to the ocean. There’s rightly no interaction allowed with the hatchlings, but it’s a magical experience nonetheless.
The turtles hatch between September and December so you’ll need to visit during this period to see them.
I’ve written a whole guide on how to see the turtles here.
Although still relatively unknown, El Paredon manages to draw in the backpackers. I visited in November 2021. At the time there were two main hostels and a few hotels to choose from. Food options were a little limited and the main choices were the hotels or hostels.
