Luxury Holidays Lake Atitlan | Cultural Villages, Markets & More

A huge body of deep blue water that stretches into the distance and takes at least half an hour to cross by motorised boat, the lake has an amazing setting, ringed by imposing volcanoes. This is a fabulous place for hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, or just relaxing in one of the elegant hotels around the lake's shoreline, and it also has a strong spiritual feel too.

Saskia and Will are here to help give you the inside track.

Why we think you’ll love it

Peaceful Lake Atitlan is ringed with volcanoes and colourful villages, making it the perfect place to learn a little about authentic Guatemala culture

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Our guide to holidays in Lake Atitlan

If you are interested in Guatemala's colourful indigenous population, taking a boat trip to visit the villages that hug the lakeshore, such as Santiago, Santa Catarina and San Antonio, is highly recommended.

Maya customs and beliefs are strongly adhered to in these tiny remote communities, whose residents proudly wear traditional dress that distinguishes each town from the next.

We recommend taking a helicopter from Antigua, which avoids a long drive and means incredible views of the Mayan site of Iximche, and the volcanoes surrounding the lake.

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Original Highlight

There is no more spectacular way to travel to Lake Atitlan than by helicopter from Antigua: you'll pass over the city and the volcanoes of Agua and Acatenango before getting a bird's eye view of the lake itself.

Will, Original Traveller

A note on price

Like much of Central America, Guatemala represents good value in comparison to its South American counterparts. Antigua Guatemala is full of reasonably priced boutique hotels (costing around £100 a night), but in Atitlan and Tikal, we’d recommend you go all out and stay in the best hotels, which means that a 10-day trip to Guatemala could cost from £2,000 per person including flights. Learn more about our pricing