Family-Friendly Hiking Tour: Discover Lake Atitlan's North Shore and Mayan Lifeways

Explore the North Shore of Lake Atitlan on this 4-hour excursion. Perfect for families and suitable for all ages. Take in the stunning views and observe Mayan villagers and farmers going about their daily routines. Trek along historic trails in a secluded part of Lake Atitlan accessible only by foot.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Kayak Guatemala Los Elementos Adventure Center - Enjoy a pleasant hike along the north shore between Santa Cruz la Laguna and San Marcos la Laguna. Talk through the small remote Mayan villages El Jaibalito and Tzununa.
What's Included
  • Boat transfers
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only)
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks
Additional Information
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(12 Ratings)
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Julia_f
Jul 8, 2024
Beautiful lakeside hike with a friendly, knowledgeable guide! - My boyfriend and I had an amazing time on this adventure from start to finish! The tour operator sent us a taxi because our hotel was outside of the pickup zone, which went very smoothly. Then we took a beautiful and short boat ride to the start of the trail. Our guide Antonio Fernando was very knowledgeable, friendly, and spoke English well (helpful because our Spanish is sub-par). The trail was well-marked and had lake views almost the entire time. Went through several lakeside villages. Had lunch/smoothies at a waterside cafe when we finished, before boating back to the agency office. It was a 10/10 experience.
Review provided by Viator
Gerben_v
Dec 29, 2023
Wonderful hike - Antonio from Los Elementos waz a very good guide. Nice facts about Mayan culture. We loved the scenery and views that the hike offered.
Review provided by Viator
Jorge_a
Nov 29, 2023
This hike is amazing! - This hike is amazing! You get stunning views of the lake while walking through beautiful paths on the mountains between towns. We took more pictures during this hike than in the full week we stayed in Panajachel. We also had the most amazing tour guide Manuela, she was super nice and made sure we were having a great experience. In each town, you have the opportunity to buy water or snacks as needed, and there are also several options for lunch. Something to consider, this hike is long and hard. The paths on the mountain are steep, and there are a lot of stone steps you need to go up and down. So, make sure you wear the right shoes, have enough sunscreen, and bring enough water.
Review provided by Viator
Ann_d
Oct 21, 2021
Beautiful Tour - Humberto was a wonderful tour guide . Me and my bf had a nice time and were able to explore Lake Atitlan in a more profound way . I would recommend this tour for people who are looking for a nice hike and not too hard .
Review provided by Viator
Gloriae802
Jan 23, 2020
Great experience! - Our entire family of four had an amazing time on this hike! It was strenuous at times, but totally do-able. Alex was an awesome guide and I couldn’t possibly say enough good things about him. He was friendly, patient, personable, answered my kids’ questions, and engaged with all of us throughout the day. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Warwickbda
Dec 28, 2019
Lower Mayan trail hike - We were collected by Lee at our hotel and taken to a waiting boat to Santa Cruz. We had a great hike with Vincent - who knew so much about the local area, geology and the people and their history. We really learned so much. The trail provided stunning vistas and challenges. We loved it, but this is definitely not a walk in the park, there were some challenging parts, steep parts and narrow paths. We had a dog guide with us too, Tigressa, who spontaneously joined us and kept waiting for us in shady spaces, making sure we were still on track...we were missing our own dogs so it was nice to have her company. Would highly recommended this way to see some of lake Atitlan from a different perspective. Would do more activities with Los Elementos Adventures for sure.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Geniebud
Jan 6, 2019
Fantastic Travel and Learning Experience - Our family of four participated in several of the activities offered by Los Elementos; a tour of San Juan la Laguna, Lower Mayan Trail Hike, Family Fun Day. On all of them we experienced incredible beauty, warmth and education. My favorite was going to San Juan la Laguna with our guide, Alex. He introduced us to representatives of a painters coop, a weavers coop and a medicinal herb coop. All of them explained the structure of their coops and their respective arts. They were all very inspiring to meet and we were happy to support their work. Alex is a very special person--passionate about his Mayan heritage, energetic, and super friendly, warm, caring and helpful.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susannah_p
Mar 14, 2024
Great views but challenging - Manuela was an excellent guide! The views along this trail are stunning. Worth noting....though this hike is described as easy, it is NOT. We are avid hikers and we live just outside of New York City. We have some challenging hikes in our area, and if this hike was at home it would be described as challenging (it's more elevation than Mt Tammany for reference). We would do this hike again but it's worth understanding the elevation change of the trail before you go.
Review provided by Viator
Antje_g
Jan 22, 2022
Hike is nice, would not book it again though - The hike itself is easy and beautiful. However, the guide we had made us feel like he just wants to finish as fast as possible. I booked an english speaking guide but he did not understand me and did not say a single word until my friend started to ask questions in spanish. He was rushing through the hike and I had to actively stop in order to actually enjoy the view. He then wanted to cut it short, taking a boat from Tzununa to San Marcos instead of walking. I had booked a trip to San Marcos and when I said I would like to walk he asked if I want him to come along. After doing this hike with a guide, I personally would say it's definitely fine to do it without a guide. I liked the hike but the guided tour is overprized for only 2 hours and the guide experience we had.
Review provided by Viator
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December 2024
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