5-Day Guatemala Multisport Tour Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Guatemala City and Transfer to Antigua

Welcome to Guatemala! Upon arriving at Guatemala City International Airport, you’ll transfer to the colonial city of Antigua. After settling into your accommodation, enjoy free time to explore the city at your leisure.

Once the capital of Guatemala, Antigua is filled with a colorful Old Town surrounding its central plaza, Central Park. The city is also surrounded by several volcanoes. The contrast between these imposing mountains and the colorful architecture of the city makes it one of the prettiest settlements in the country.

Enjoy the rest of your day walking around the cobbled streets, treating yourself to local snacks at cafes and food vendors. Tomorrow you’ll explore the city with a guided tour, so for now, simply stroll by a few of the main attractions, like the 16th-century Antigua Guatemala Cathedral and the remains of the 18th century Convento Santa Clara.
Overnight Location: Hotel San Jorge, Antigua
Distance: None
Meals: None

Day 2 Downhill MTB the Acatenango Volcano

This morning a thrilling MTB adventure awaits as you set out for the slopes of the Acatenango Volcano! This ride is designed for downhill enthusiasts who will no doubt revel in getting 1,895m/ 6,200 ft of descent!

This ride begins with a shuttle from Antigua to the trailhead at 2,600m/8,300 ft on the alpine slopes of the Volcán Acatenango. After a brief climb you’ll begin a single-track descent that follows agricultural trails along a dramatic ridge with large views of the surrounding volcanoes. The trail then drops 760 meters (2,500 ft), purely downhill! The soft volcanic soil is fast and flowy with little rocks, however there are some steep technical sections and creek crossings.

At the base you’ll climb a 4×4 road through agricultural fields passing by the San Andres ruins, an earthquake-wrecked church from the 16th-century. The climb follows a moderate grade until the final 200 meters of steep push.

Don’t worry; the next descent is worth the effort! After passing through a lush forest, you are rewarded with expansive views of 3 volcanoes and the Antigua Valley as you descend an ancient trail cut deeply into a ridge with large drops to either side. This final descent of 760m/2,500 ft takes about 45 minutes to complete and is loaded with fun rocks, drops, switchbacks, and halfpipe like aqueduct trail to finish the ride.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Antigua
Distance: 4 hours, 23kms, 971 m of ascent, 1895m of descent
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 Hike the Pacaya Volcano

Views of Guatemala City often include the city’s dramatic backdrop of the 2,552m (8,370 ft) mountain, Volcán Pacaya. It may not be Guatemala’s highest peak, but its slopes are home to some of the most impressive volcanic landscapes in Central America! Set in its own national park, Pacaya is a fascinating volcano with its continuous plume of smoke drifting from the summit, plus a massive, dried lava field at the base of its caldera and today, its yours to discover!

The drive to the trailhead is approximately 1.5 hours in private transport from Antigua to the park office. As you move up the myriad of trails on the mountain, Guatemala’s impressive vistas open up before your eyes. As you reach the base of the caldera, your guide will direct the group through the rugged dried lava fields, recently reformed by a massive eruption in 2010.

Later, stop for a freshly prepared picnic to enjoy along with views of nearby volcanoes Agua, Fuego and Acatenango. There will be plenty of opportunity to explore geothermal hot-spots on the cooled lava formations – which are always available to help roast marshmallows! The hike down brings you across the remaining dried lava fields before beginning your descent through Pacaya’s lush and lesser known forests and farmland.

You’ll return to Antigua by private transport to arrive in town around 4-5 PM with plenty of time to enjoy an evening at your leisure to explore the city streets and a delicious local dinner!
Overnight Location: Hotel in Antigua
Distance: 8km, 400m of ascent
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch

Day 4 Kayaking and Lakeside Hiking at Lake Atitlan

Today is a special opportunity to experience the splendor of Lake Atitlan. Both the kayaking and hiking activities are moderate in difficulty and carried out on a relaxed schedule so that you have plenty of time to enjoy the marvelous views and tranquil vibe of Lake Atitlan!

Depart Antigua at 6 am this morning, stopping on the way for a quick breakfast. After approximately 2 hours driving up through the highlands, you’ll drop over the bowl of the lake’s ridge into the town of Panajachel. From here, you’ll jump into a boat taxi at the lakeshore where you’ll enjoy breath-taking views of the lake from water level during a 15-minute cruise to the outskirts of the village of Jaibalito.

From here, the kayak adventure begins as the paddle takes you westward along the north shore of Atitlan for 1.5-2 hours, passing by tiny villages perched on the sides of the sheer ridges that rise up from the azure waters of the lake. Depending on weather – and speed of the group – there are opportunities to stop for a dip and/or cliff-jump.

Close to the village of Tzununá, you’ll trade your kayaks for our daypacks and hiking shoes. Climbing out of town on the lake trail which connects village to village, you’ll be treated to spectacular vistas of volcanoes San Pedro, Tolimán and Atitlán. You’ll then follow the shoreline for approximately 1.5 hours, eventually returning back to Jaibalito. A

fter a hearty and well-earned lunch at hotel Casa Del Mundo, you’ll head back to Panajachel in a boat taxi. There, a private transfer awaits to take you back to Antigua for the evening.
are met by our private transport, arriving back to Antigua in the evening
Overnight Location: Hotel in Antigua
Distance: 1.5-2 hours (kayak), 1.5-2 hours (hike)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Day 5 Transfer to Guatemala City and Depart

Enjoy your final breakfast in Antigua this morning before checking out and departing via shuttle to Guatemala City Airport.
Overnight Location: None
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast