Before I myself went on this amazing trek, I looked online for more information, and found many blogs with super extensive guides to the trek. This is the opposite. It’s an un-extensive guide with nothing more than what I feel you actually need to know. If you want more detail, check out my own personal experience on the trail in this three part story.

What is the Xela to Atitlan hike?:

This hike will take you from hikers’ haven Quetzaltenango (also known as Xela) to the village of San Pedro on the magnificent Lake Atitlan. 

It’s a somewhat difficult three day hike through the Mountains of Western Guatemala, taking you past remote villages, rolling fields, and breathtaking views over around 42km. 

Why do it:

The views are some you’ll have trouble matching anywhere, the scenery is unmatched, and the amazing hospitality you’ll experience from the village people will really leave an impression on you.

Is it for me?:

This is a relatively challenging hike. They’re a fair amount of consistently steep sections, and you’ll be carrying a large backpack and trekking for three days so it can get tiring. That being said, you won’t be pushing a fast pace so you’ll have plenty of time to rest your legs. And it goes without saying that when you finish the trek you’ll feel immensely rewarded.

Why go with a tour:

Two simple reasons: Safety, and practicality. 

Safety: The hike is through rural Guatemala and there’s a risk of robbery. The trail is also a mix of a few paths making it very hard to find your way without a guide.

Practicality: On a tour you’ll be hosted by a family for your nights, you’ll be provided with food, and of course be able to meet amazing people. You can also have your things (which you don’t need for the hike) transported to San Pedro to meet you there.

Choosing your tour company: 

There are two main companies to choose from: Quetzaltrekkers, and Monte Verde Tours (who I went with).

	Monte Verde	Quetzaltrekkers
Cost	$100	$121
Sleeping bags/mats	Waiting for you at village	You have to carry them
Starting on	Any day as long as they’re two or more hikers (contact them to figure out days)	Saturdays and Tuesdays
Luggage transport	Yes	Yes (100 Quetzal)
misc:		Quetzaltrekkers is a non profit organisation supporting local children

Getting to Xela:

To get to Xela from Antigua you can either take a shuttle from $20 or take chicken buses, changing in Chimaltenango. 

From Guatemala City they’re coach buses from $13 with Transportes Alamo.

From Lake Atitlan take a boat to Panajachel where you can get a chicken bus for 20 Q ($2.50) or a shuttle from $20 (many companies)

What to bring with you:

• Clothes 
• Jumper/fleece as it gets really cold at some points. Try use things you can take on and off easily and which you can layer over each other as the temperature be really shifty in the mountains
• Hat for warmth
• Hat/cap for protection from the sun
• (From April-November) A rain jacket
• Shoes. You don’t need top notch hiking boots but make sure it’s something you won’t mind walking far in and that’ll protect your feet.
• A water bottle of at least a litre for the first day (from there you can buy/refill)
• Swim trunks for the temescal (Mayan Sauna)
• Towel
• Toiletries 
• Sun screen
• Bug spray
• A little bit of cash for the village stores
• Camera/phone 

• A buzzing attitude! 
• The next few can be borrowed from the tour companies:
• A flashlight or headlamp for the final morning (your phone is fine too).
• A good backpack that can hold all of the above, plus the food you’ll be given to carry. (40-50 Litre should be enough.)
• (optional) trekking poles. I personally didn’t use poles and was perfectly fine.

What to expect from the hike: (accurate for Monte Verde Tours. Quetzaltrekkers is slightly different in route, although you can probably expect similar)

The first day is by far the toughest, with 20km over ten hours, a lot of it quite steep. You’ll be going through the highest mountains of the trail and getting the best views. Today has a huge range of scenery: Mountains, Fields, Forest, Rivers, Villages. For the night you’ll stay in a village which is only accessible on foot. And yes, there is a temescal here.

The second day would be a relative stroll in the park if you weren’t still tired from the first day. 10km through with only a couple steep sections and very little of the narrow twisted paths from the first day. You’ll get to the town (Santa Clara la Laguna) in the early afternoon giving you time to rest, explore the town, and have a good time with the host family (this is probably what you’ll do, because the family are absolutely awesome!)

On the third morning you’ll get up at 4AM and head up the Indian Nose (also known as Rostro Maya) for sunrise (it’s an easy 30 minute hike up). This in itself is reason to embark on the trek, it’s simply marvellous. You’ll spend a couple hours here, watching the changing colours of sunrise as Lake Atitlan reveals itself to you in glorious fashion. After breakfast you’ll start heading down to San Pedro. This takes two hours of more easy trekking. And Wallah! You’re in San Pedro.

Hike Highlights:

• The mountain views on the first morning
• Experiencing a Temescal (Mayan Sauna) in the villages.
• Meeting the awesome host families and learning about their culture.
• Sunrise over Lake Atitlan

Food and drink:

Food will be provided by your tour company, though you’ll have to carry some of it. Both tour companies can help provide you with special food if you have any dietary restrictions. For me; Monte Verde did an excellent job helping me out with kosher food. They even provided me with my own pot, camping gas stove, and basic cooking equipment.

Arrival at Lake Atitlan:

The hike will go through San Juan on the way back before finishing off in San Pedro. Any luggage you gave to be transported should be waiting for you at your tour groups offices on the main street. From here, you can take boats to any of the lakeside villages. 

Other:

• If you’re going in peak season you may want to book your accommodation at the lake in advance as it can get quite full.
• Xela is a massively underrated city, with unique almost romanesque architecture and countless great hikes in the area. If you have time, spend a few days there before taking on the trail.
• There are no toilets on the trail itself so you may want to bring some toilet paper/tissue just in case you need it. 

My opinion on the hike:

I cannot say how much I enjoyed this hike if I’m truly keeping to my word of keeping it short, so if you want an honest recounting of my own time on the trail check out this article I wrote on it. 

All in all though, I can hand on heart tell you that if you chose to do the trek, it’s something you won’t regret, and definitely not regret.

Read more: A Quick Guide to Hiking From Xela to Lake Atitlan