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Lake Atitlan
Lake Atitlan is one of the most enchanting places of natural beauty in the Americas. It lies in an enormous caldera, dominated by three volcanoes and surrounded by numerous Mayan villages. Atitlan has long been a spiritual place for the locals, meaning ‘the place where the rainbow gets its colours’ in the Mayan language.
Renown for particularly impressive sunsets and sunrises, the lake’s altitude of 1600m offers a fine climate and perfect light conditions that change the atmosphere through the day. Measuring 10 miles across and reaching 350m in depth this is Central America’s deepest lake.
A minimum of two nights and ideally three to four at the lake is the recommended time to spend here. Chichicastenango and Sololá markets can be visited as a day trip. THINGS TO SEE AND DO
Below are some examples of what you can do, though we can tailor any itinerary to suit your interests.
Boat trip on Lake Atitlan. Half day. Travel across the lake by boat and visit the traditional village of Santiago Atitlan with its curious shrine to Maximon; and Santa Catarina where the locals still wear beautifully intricate embroidered clothing. This can be combined with a visit to Sololá market to make it a full day trip. Hiking. There are various footpaths that link the colourful and traditional villages dotted around the edge of the lake. A guided walk along these trails offers a great insight into the local way of life. Volcano hike. A guided hike up one of the volcanoes gives you a bird’s eye view of this stunning landscape, especially for those who want a more active day out.
Water sports. For those who seek a little extra adrenaline rush waterskiing can be arranged. Kayaks are also available.
Horse riding. Can be arranged in the town of San Pedro Toliman and Santiago Atitlan and riding these trails on horseback gives yet more rewarding views of the lake. Mayan markets. Visit the famous Mayan artisan market of Chichicastenango (full day), every Thursday and Sunday. Sololá Market is close to Atitlan and runs every Tuesday and Friday (half day).
Recommended lodges in this area:
Lake Atitlan
This is undoubtedly the best option around Lake Atitlan. With its pastel coloured walls and colonial décor it fits in beautifully with its surroundings. The hotel as a whole is littered with Mayan carvings and some colourful textiles
Lake Atitlan
Situated just outside of the town of Panajachel, this 60 room hotel has an excellent location on the edge of the lake. The hotel has some of the best gardens in the area, so much so that they charge a small amount for people not staying in the hotel
Lake Atitlan
On the far side of the lake, accessible by boat is the small town of Santiago. Opposite the town, a short 2 minute boat ride away is the tranquil hotel Bambu. It has large grounds and the rooms are spread throughout at the centre of which is the swimming pool
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