How to get from Antigua to Lake Atitlán
If you are currently in Central America, you’ll know that Lake Atitlán remains one of the biggest bucket-list items for travelers heading through the continent.
With amazing volcanic scenery and ancient Mayan cultures tucked away in lakeside villages, you’ll also want to make a stop here once you arrive in Guatemala.
How to get from Antigua to Lake Atitlán
In this guide we’ll explore some of the most popular ways of getting from Antigua to Lake Atitlán. We’ll also take a look at where to stay as well as some other tips based on our time spent here.
Lake Atitlán Quick Summary:
- 📍 Where is it: Southern Guatemala
- 🗺 Difficulty Getting There: Easy
- ⏱ Time needed: 2-5 days
- ☀️ Best Time to Visit: March-April
Where is Lake Atitlán?
Lake Atitlán is a giant lake found within the south of Guatemala. The weather here can best be described as moderate and seasonal. Given it’s surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, midday temperatures can be nice and warm, whilst they can drop rapidly and become cool in the evening.
It’s also worth knowing that Lake Atitlán has both a dry and a wet season. The dry season begins in November and lasts until April, with 0.1-2 inches falling throughout each month.
The wet season follows on from May until October, with anywhere from 5.5-10 inches of rainfall in each of these months.
Is Lake Atitlán worth visiting from Antigua?
Yes! Visiting Lake Atitlán is often one of the hallmark moments of a trip around Guatemala.
It’s very easy to get here from Antigua, and even those with a short time can head on a memorable day tour to see the best highlights.
This includes taking a boat ride to Mayan villages such as San Marcos and San Pedro, as well as hiking up the Atitlán Volcano.
Even with so many interesting things to see and do, a visit to Lake Atitlán is also a great opportunity to simply relax and take in all of the beautiful sceneries. Here you can chill by the lakeside, or even head to a yoga retreat which can be found around the different town shores.
You can also visit local markets to get a real taste of Guatemalan culture, which includes Chichicastenango – the largest market in all of Central America. Lake Atitlán is also a great spot to stay in for a while if looking to learn Spanish with a local homestay.
How far is Lake Atitlán from Antigua?
Lake Atitlán is located roughly 87 km west of Antigua, with both destinations being located within the volcano-laden regions of Southern Guatemala.
Below in this article we have listed various ways of getting here, and for all it will take on average 3-5 hours to make the trip. This means you can easily wake up early and get here at a decent time in the morning, which is great whether you are heading on a day trip from Antigua.
Given that they’re both so close together, you might be tempted to pack them into a quick-hit itinerary when traveling around Guatemala.
We instead think it’s better to take your time, planning a minimum of 4 days in Lake Atitlán as well as 4/5 in Antigua to really make the most of both destinations.
Where to stay in Lake Atitlán?
We can find numerous villages all around the island, each known for its own particular vibe. Panajachel is the gateway town, which is best for those with a short time as well as those who plan to take numerous day trips from Lake Atitlán into the surrounding region.
San Pedro is best for backpackers, whilst San Marco has a much more bohemian and spiritual scene.
Those who want to keep things cheap can stay at the Casa Llemo, which is situated just a block from the lake in San Pedro La Laguna. Here you’ll be staying in a comfortable dorm bed, and also have breakfast included daily in the room rate.
If you have a slightly higher budget, then we recommend staying at the Casa Josefa Hotel. Here you’ll be located within the Mayan town of Santiago Atitlán, which is close to the largest volcano on the island. You’ll also be staying in a cozy private room just a couple of blocks from the lake.
For those who are looking to have both a luxurious and more memorable stay in Lake Atitlán, we highly recommend staying in Baraka Atitlán. Here you’ll have an entire luxury apartment to yourself or your group, in a peaceful lakeside setting just outside of San Marcos.
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How to get from Antigua to Lake Atitlán
Having visited Lake Atitlán before whilst traveling through Guatemala, we’ve found 3 main ways of making the trip (at this time of writing).
Shuttle Bus from Antigua to Lake Atitlán
The shuttle bus remains one of the most popular ways of making this trip. You can easily flag down a shuttle within Antigua, which will take around 3-4 hours to arrive in Panajachel.
Most shuttles have comfortable seats and air-conditioning, and is a nice experience since you will be driving between mountains along the way. You can expect to pay around $20 for a private one-way ride to Lake Atitlán.
Once in Panajachel, you can then take a boat if staying in one of the other towns around Lake Atitlán. If going for this option, we recommend either pre-booking a day before or heading off really early since they can be quite popular.
Chicken Bus from Antigua to Lake Atitlán
The infamous chicken buses are a hallmark travel photo for all explorers heading to Guatemala. However riding one itself is both useful and a really memorable experience.
Taking the chicken bus from Antigua to Lake Atitlán will overall take around 4-5 hours, and costs roughly $3-5. You will first need to head to the town of Chimaltenango from Antigua, and then swap buses to continue onwards to Lake Atitlán.
It’s important to remember how to stay safe when riding a chicken bus, since tourists can often be targeted by pickpocketers. This means padlocking your bags (see this ultra-sturdy padlock that we like to use) and leaving valuables inside and not in plain view, as well as dressing down too whilst using public transport.
Lake Atitlán Boat Trip Full-Day Tour
Another great option (especially for those who are shorter on time) is to head on a day tour of Lake Atitlán.
With this organized tour of Lake Atitlán from Antigua you’ll explore various ancient villages around Lake Atitlán, and also get a workshop on both their native textiles and coffee-growing practices.
Here you’ll have all transportation included in the tour, as well as the activities mentioned above and within the tour summary. You’ll also have a local bilingual guide which is great for really understanding and getting to know the local Mayans who you will meet during the tour.
Getting from Antigua to Lake Atitlán
And that’s all for this guide on how to get from Antigua to Lake Atitlán.
Known for its panoramic vistas and mysterious Mayan towns, Lake Atitlán rightfully continues to be a big hit amongst travelers in Guatemala.
As we’ve seen you have several options of getting here, and what you decide to do really depends on you and your own wants from a trip here.
In this guide we’ve explored how to get from Antigua to Lake Atitlán, as well as where to stay and what to do.
Be sure to read our 7 Day Guatemala Itinerary to learn more about how to best use your time when traveling through this iconic Central American nation.
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