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Guatemala is a paradise just waiting to be explored. More often than not, many are discouraged from visiting the small Central American country for its rough past and past corruption. Although it is safe to say that the country’s beautiful landscapes, precious and well-kept historical towns, friendly people, and affordable prices make Guatemala more than worth the visit.
Visiting the country of Guatemala will leave you feeling completely inspired and perhaps in awe at the stunning beauty and architecture depicted around the country.
Guatemala is home to some of the richest history in the Americas. Some of the earliest evidence of humans in Guatemala dates back to approximately 10,000 bc. The earliest of the Mayan civilizations in Guatemala began to appear roughly around 2000 bc.
The Mayan civilization created some fantastic and unbelievably crafted architecture. The Mayans also introduced a sophisticated calendar, a writing system, and significant scientific knowledge. It wasn’t long until small towns began to form into small civilizations and some of Guatemalan’s richest history was then born.
When Europeans first settled in Guatemala in the early 1500s, the Mayan culture was already beginning to disappear at a rapid rate. This is partly due to the Spaniard’s attempt to conquer the Americas, especially between 1523 and 1527.
The Mayans were defeated leaving the Spanish in charge in 1548. Sooner after indigenous-born Guatemalans experienced unbelievable amounts of ridicule and poor treatment. The last Mayan cities to be conquered by the Spanish were Zacpeten and Ko’woj the Mayan capital which was subsequently conquered in 1697.
Although Guatemala has a tough history, the country is one you can’t miss and there are so many reasons why.
Guatemala is a unique country and one off the beaten path. More often than not, the countries off the beaten path are the best ones. Having access or having the ability to plan and book all the excursions you want will be difficult because of this. It can also be tough trying to narrow down exactly what you want to do.
That’s why it’s always recommended to take an organized or even a group tour. This helps gives you an idea of not only the cost of things in the country but gives you an idea of what the best things to do and see are and provides you with a knowledgeable and more often than not, a local guide that will be there to help you get around and take you to some of the best places to see in the country.
So, much as we have done for the best France tours and best Australia tours, here we are going to be talking about one of the best Guatemala tours (and their operators), so you can be inspired – and then choose with confidence.
Let’s take a look at some of the best places to visit in the country and then later on we’ll take a look at the best tours in Guatemala.
Antigua, Guatemala
Famed as the country’s tourist town, Antigua is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world. With its stunning colonial architecture, the city is famed as a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the last untouched Spanish colonial towns in the world. The bright-colored buildings and cobblestone streets will give you the ultimate European feel or perhaps you may feel like you have been transported to Spain.
The city has a unique but intense history and as you explore the town, you will be completely immersed in historic sites and artifacts.
Start by taking a tour of the very popular Santa Catalina arch. Often known as the symbol of Antigua, the arch was constructed in the 17th century when the church and school were merged. This allowed the catholic nuns The arch was built to join the Santa Catalina arch One of Antigua Guatemala’s recognizable sights is the Santa Catalina Arch, which is situated on 5th Avenue North.
It was initially constructed in the 17th century to link the Santa Catalina convent and a school, allowing the sequestered nuns to move between them without leaving the building. In 1830 the clock was placed at the top of the arch and is now a symbol of the city and one of the top attractions.
If you’re feeling more adventurous, take a tour just outside the city and visit the active volcano of Acatenango or the several volcanos in the area. There are three total volcanos sometimes known as the three sisters Agua, Fuego, and Acatenango.
Considered one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country, these volcanos are home to some of the most picturesque peaks and unbelievable landscapes that you absolutely cannot miss. If you’re feeling brave enough you can even camp on the volcanos with an organized you or special guide.
Antigua is a city you cannot miss while traveling in Guatemala. the friendly people, the divine architecture, and, the beautiful streets that are just glistening with beautiful smiles and joy that light the city up.
Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
Located in the heart of Guatemala, lake Attilan is a natural gem just waiting to be explored. It is considered the deepest lake in Central America with a depth of 340 meters and is located inside a large volcanic crater.
Surrounded by steep mountains, beautiful forests and, exceptional wildlife this stunningly unique lake also holds much importance to the indigenous peoples including the Mayans. You will see some of Guatemala’s most unique traditions and cultural essence by getting the opportunity to immerse yourself in not only Guatemala’s natural beauty but its rich and flavorful culture as well.
It is said that the Mayan people heavily relied on the lake for various reasons including washing clothes and other textiles, transportation to other villages via boat, more often than not trading with various other villages. Throughout the years since the lake has been maintained, its cultural significance and travelers have come to love the lake and its surrounding area for its preserved culture and beauty.
These are just two of the many destinations to explore in the country of Guatemala. The country’s rich natural landscapes, warm friendly people, and beautiful architecture can leave you speechless and wanting to return.
With that being said, it can be tough to plan the perfect Guatemalan vacation and visit all of the treasures of the country. This is why it is crucial to book an organized multiday tour for your next trip to Guatemala. With an expert guide and most tours being all-inclusive, you can put your worries at ease knowing you will see some of the top sites of the country with a knowledgeable guide and you won’t have to plan much around your tour.
Here is a look at the best tours in Guatemala!
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Mayan Sun Southbound: Boat Rides & Ruins
G Adventures
Embark on an unforgettable journey through the country of Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico with this 16-day explorers journey. You will get a chance to discover the hidden gem of Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico and everything they have to offer.
You will get a chance to see the breathtaking town of Antigua as well as explore the surrounding lake and immerse yourself in the culture of the indigenous peoples of Guatemala and the surrounding two countries. Get a chance to see some of central Americans best sights and capture the magnificent beauty of the region.
Getting a chance to see three countries in one is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and one you simply won’t forget. You will start your journey in Playa Del Carmen Mexico and end in Antigua, Guatemala! With this detailed tour of the Mayans of Central America, you will get a chance to see ten different destinations in Central America through three countries.
Your tour includes lodging, an expert guide, meals, transportation, and much more! However, flights from your country of origin or flights back home and insurance are not included at this time. Let’s take a look at this exciting 16-day Central American explorer tour
Day One: Arrive at your accommodations and meet your guide.
Day Two: Explore the Mayan ruins of Tulum or Cozumel or just relax at the beach.
Day Three: Snorkelling with stingrays and sharks in Hol Chan Bay.
Day Four: Your choice of snorkeling once more or chilling out at the beach “Belizean style”
Day Five: Opt to chill out and go diving or snorkeling, it is a free day.
Day Six: Visit San Ignacio and support the woman’s pottery coop, and explore the area on horseback, foot, or canoe.
Day Seven: Opt to visit the Sacred Mayan Cave of Actun Tunichill Muknal or check out the Mayan ruins of Xunatunich.
Day Eight: Cross into Guatemala where you will get a chance to see the famous Mayan ruin of Tikal and visit Flores and lake Peten Itza.
Day Nine: Visit Livingston, or swim in the warm natural waterfall, and arrive in Rio dulce in the department of Izabal which was one of the most important waterways in colonial times.
Day Ten: Go for a swim in the waterfalls, see the howler monkeys, or go horseback riding
Day Eleven: Go for a walk on Antigua’s cobblestone streets with some free time.
Day Twelve: Enjoy a free day in Antigua where you can visit the museums or just relax in the park.
Day Thirteen: Travel to lake Atitlan and visit the Guatemalan highlands.
Day Fourteen: Go on a boat ride with a local family. Shop for some Mayan handicrafts or simply relax with the families.
Day Fifteen: Return to Antigua for a night out with the group to end the tour and say goodbye
Day Sixteen: Departure at any time from Antigua.
With a chance to visit 3 different countries and 10 destinations throughout 3 of 16 days. With this adventure tour, you will make some amazing memories and experience some of the best of the Mayan culture. This will truly be an experience that you will talk about forever.
This tour is considered unique as it gives you the freedom to choose what you’d like to do and tailor it more to your likes and interests rather than just doing everything with the whole group. This is a fantastic approach by g adventures and can make the trip even more memorable for travelers looking to experience the wonderful culture of Central America.
This tour is offered by g adventures a sister company to national geographic. With that being said, you already know g adventures are one of the top-rated tour companies in the world and offers tours in almost every country out there, with a team of experts, G tours strive to give travelers the most authentic experience possible by hiring some of the best educated, local guides and organizing some of the most immersive and culturally accurate tours in the world.
Travelers rate this tour 4.2 out of five stars and g adventures themselves are rated 4.6 out of five stars. Travelers highly recommend this tour and tour operator as this is by far one of the best tours in Guatemala.
Guatemala Highlight Tours
Marvelus Travel
Retreat to the beautiful jungles of Guatemala with the highlights of the Guatemala tour. You’ll get a chance to some of the beautiful nature as well as some of the most stunning Mayan ruins, and colonial towns like Antigua and enjoy some of the best of the Guatemalan culture.
You will start and end your journey in Guatemala city! This in-depth 7-day tour will show you some of the highlights and top attractions within the country of Guatemala. You’ll get a chance to see 8 different cities across Guatemala and your guide, transportation, and hotel are completely included in the tour.
However, meals, gratitude, flights, and insurance are not covered at this time. Here is a look at your day-to-day itinerary and what you would be doing on your Guatemalan adventure.
Day One: Meet your guide and start your tour by visiting Antigua.
Day Two: Antigua – Pacaya Volcano Active Trek.
Day Three: Antigua – Lanquin – Semuc Champey.
Day Four: Lanquin – Kanba( las Marias cave / Semuc Champey day tour)
Day Five: Lanquin – Flores
Day Six: Flores – Tikal Morning tour
Day Seven: Departure from Guatemala City
This seven-day highlights of the Guatemala tour will show you some of the key aspects of the country’s development and culture. You’ll get a chance to completely immerse yourself in the culture of Guatemala as well as learn a different perspective on the world.
This tour is operated by Marvelous Travel With modest and endearing beginnings, Marvelous Travel has grown into a highly successful tour operator with experience operating internationally and some of the best guides and tours available.
The overall rating for Marvelus Travel is 3.9 out of five stars and the tour itself is rated 4.5 out of five stars. It’s safe to say travelers recommend this tour and this is one you should consider when looking for the best tours in Guatemala.
Guatemala: The Table of The Mayans – 8 days
Receptivo Aborigen Tours
Guatemala is considered a multiethnic, multilingual, and multicultural nation with picture-perfect natural beauty, warm and friendly people, affordable prices, beautiful architecture, and history. Built on a fusion of indigenous (Mayan) and Spanish culture, Guatemala can be seen as a unique destination with preserved history and a world of things to explore.
You will start and end your journey in Guatemala city! Taking you to a total of 6 destinations in Guatemala over 8 days. You can book this tour at ease knowing things like an expert guide, meals, transportation, excursions, and hotel stays are completely included in the cost of the tour. Let us take a moment to look at what your day-to-day itinerary would be like upon taking this tour.
Day One: Arrive in Guatemala, and meet your guide.
Day Two: Visit Guatemala city and spend the morning with a trained chef.
Day Three: Petén – Tikal – Petén
Day Four: Petén – Guatemala – Iximché – Atitlán
Day Five: Lake Atitlán – San Juan La Laguna – Workshop Kitchen – Lake Atitlán
Day Six: Atitlán Lake – Chichicastenango – La Antigua
Day Seven: La Antigua – Cooking Workshop – La Antigua
Day Eight: : La Antigua – Guatemala Airport
You may be left in awe with this 8-day tour around the most beautiful places in Guatemala. You will get a chance to learn firsthand the cultures and customs of Guatemala and truly engage with the traditions. This tour is perfect for those looking for a bit of an adventure or perhaps something exotic. This tour is perfect for solo travelers, group travelers, families with older kids, couples, or holiday vacations!
The tour itself is operated by Receptivo Aborigen Tours. An Argentinian-based company working towards making immersive and adventurous travel accessible to all. The couple operates in several different countries and is a host to several one-of-a-kind tours at an affordable rate. The company strives to give travelers the most authentic experience they’ve had.
The operator has an overall rating of 4.1 out of five stars and the tour has an overall rating of five out of five stars. So in conclusion, this tour is highly recommended and that’s why it makes the list as one of the best tours in Guatemala.
Guatemala: See & Experience it ALL in 8 Days, 1st Class Custom Tours
CharlieTheTraveler
There isn’t a tour like this one out there. To be able to experience all the unique aspects of Guatemala is something truly remarkable. This first-class tour will give you the chance to be completely serenaded by the intense but beautiful culture of Guatemala. You will get a chance to experience some once-in-a-lifetime or perhaps off-the-beaten-path excursions.
You will start your journey in Flores and end in Guatemala city! You will get a chance to experience it all by spending 8 days visiting a total of 10 different cities in Guatemala. This jam-packed itinerary will give you a perfect glimpse into the culture of Guatemala and daily life within the country. Your meals, hotel stays, excursions, transportation, and an expert guide are included in your stay. Here is a look at your day-to-day itinerary for this tour.
Day One: Flores Island with a Personal Tour Guide
Day Two: Helicopter Ride Over Ancient Temples Found Deep in the Jungle
Day Three: Seeing One of Central America’s Greatest Archaeological Sites Followed by Relocating to the Colonial City of Antigua
Day Four: Hiking a Complex Volcano
Day Five: Hanging Out with Hippies, Hiking “The Mayan Face” & Experiencing Truly Traditional Life in Lakeside Villages
Day Six:: A Visit to the Country’s Biggest Indigenous Market
Day Seven: A Full-Day & Private Tour of Guatemala’s Showcase City
Day Eight: Departure in the morning.
With the chance to see it all, this 8-day adventure tour will leave you simply inspired and ready to return to Guatemala. With an equal balance of adventure, culture, and relaxation this tour can be perfect for those looking for some alone time as well as a perfect adventure to embark on.
Offered by Charliethetraveler, this operator is one of the highest-rated tour operators in the world for its pick of very unique once-in-a-lifetime experiences that you can’t find anywhere else. Not only that but Charliethetraveler is prone to having jam-packed adventure-type tours that will keep you amazed the whole time you are gone.
With an overall rating of five out of five stars, the company is one of the highest on the tourist radar. The tour itself is also rated five out of five and is one of the highest-rated tours for Guatemala. Travelers can safely say this tour is worth it and should be on youtube’s mind when you think of the best tours in Guatemala.
Guatemala Encompassed
World Expeditions
The most timeless wonders of Guatemala will take your breath away and made persuade you to move here. The everlasting beauty and friendly people will leave you with a smile on your heart. Getting the chance to experience the culture of Guatemala to the fullest will leave you completely inspired. The most spectacular attractions in Guatemala are showcased in this 11-day tour around the country.
You will start and end your journey in Guatemala city. With the chance to see 7 different cities in Guatemala over 11 days, you will get an in-detail tour of true Guatemala. Your tour includes everything from meals, hotel stays, transportation, an expert guide, and much more. Here is a look at what you would be doing within the 11 days and how you would experience Guatemala.
Day One: Arrive in Guatemala City
Day Two: Guatemala City panoramic tour and transfer to Chichicastenango via Iximche
Day Three: Market at Chichicastenango, journey to Quetzaltenango
Day Four: Lake Atitlan
Day Five: Travel to Antigua
Day Six: Antigua sightseeing
Day Seven: travel to Guatemala City
Day Eight: Fly from Guatemala City to Flores
Day Nine: Yaxha sightseeing
Day Ten: visit Tikal then fly back to Guatemala City
Day Eleven: departure at any time.
This 11-day Guatemalan journey will take you through some of the best destinations in the country. You’ll get a chance to witness traditional Guatemalan ways of life as well as partake in Guatemalan culture firsthand. You’ll also leave Guatemala feeling fulfilled as all of the best places to see within the country are included in this tour.
Your tour will be operated by World Expeditions. Hence the name, this operator is dedicated to giving travelers unique experiences all over the world. Offered in several different countries, world expeditions can be one of the top tour operators to fully take in each country you visit. World expeditions have an overall rating of 4.6 out of five stars and the tour itself has an overall rating of 4.6 out of five stars.
With that being said, most travelers say the guides are well-educated, professional, and knowledgeable as well as organized and the tour itself includes a lot of fun once-a-in-lifetime experiences. All in all, travelers recommend this tour and this is one of the best tours in Guatemala.
Glimpse of Guatemala 5D/4N
Bamba
Are you looking to get a chance to see the beautiful country of Guatemala do you don’t have a lot of time? Perhaps you just want to see the top sites or just spend a few days away, if that’s the cashew this is the perfect tour for you. On this 5-day tour across Guatemala, you’ll get the chance to see some of the top attractions like Atitlan lake, Tikal, Antigua, and Guatemala city!
You’ll get a chance to 8 different cities in Guatemala including Guatemala city. You can book this trip with ease knowing your transportation, meals, knowledgeable guide, and hotel accommodation are all completely included in the cost.
However, it is important to note that insurance, flights from your country of origin, or gratuities are not included at this time. Here is a one-of-a-kind look into what your day-to-day itinerary would look like.
Day One: Guatemala City Airport Pick-up – Antigua Accommodation Check-in
Day Two: Antigua & Pacaya Volcano day trip
Day Three: Lake Atitlan – San Juan La Laguna & Santiago de Atitlan – Guatemala City
Day Four: Flight to Flores – Tikal Tour – Flight to Guatemala City
Day Five: Departure at any time.
With this glimpse into Guatemala on a 5-day tour you will get a chance to see some of the highlights of the country within a short period. With that being said, as specified earlier, this is a fantastic option for those who have limited time but if you do have the time, feel free to check out much longer tours that will give you a more detailed approach to the country.
This tour is also a fantastic option for families, couples, solo travelers, group travelers, or holiday vacations.
The tour is operated by Bamba Tours, one of the largest multi-day tour operators in the world. Dedicated to making travel affordable to all and giving travelers an authentic look into each country. This tour operator has an overall rating of four out of five stars and so does the tour. Not only did travelers enjoy the tour but they highly recommend it so this is one to consider one of the best tours in Guatemala.
Where ever you go in Guatemala, you will be met with smiles from almost every face you meet. smiles and laughter that will make your heart smile. you know, the true spirit of the Guatemalan people is something that is so unique and inspiring, it is something truly special.
Spending time in Guatemala will be the best thing you’ve ever done despite people that may tell you Guatemala is unsafe. Guatemala is a paradise just waiting to be explored. visit Guatemala – Amazing and Unstoppable.
If none of these tours work for you in Guatemala, please do not worry. There is a wide variety of tour options in the country, and we are confident that there will be something that fits your needs and interests.
Take a look at all the group tours in Guatemala now, which you can sort by private or group, maximum sizing, budget, dates, and much (much more). The team at TourRadar is also always more than happy to answer any questions, provide further information or assist in any way in finding the perfect tour for you.
