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Chichicastenango and Iximché Day Trip from Antigua
4.3
36 Ratings
Tecpan
Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Guatemala with a day trip from Antigua to Chichicastenango and Panajachel. Explore the bustling open-air market, visit historic churches, and enjoy breathtaking views of Lake Atitlán.
Duration:
11 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Iximche - After pickup from your Antigua hotel, venture northwest approximately an hour to the dusty town of Tecpán. Here, explore the Mayan ruins of Iximché, once the Kaqchiquel Maya capital and a Guatemala must-see attraction. Upon entering the ruins, you’ll see four ceremonial plazas, which are surrounded by tall temple structures and two ball courts. Tour the site with your knowledgeable guide and discover the ancient history of Guatemala.
- Mercado de Chichicastenango - After exploring the Ruins of Iximché, continue your day trip to Chichicastenango. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time as you walk through the town’s narrow cobblestone streets and past its red-tiled roofs. In the main town plaza, visit the famous Chichicastenango open-air market, filled with locally made products like ceramic pots, wood carvings and handmade goods, as well as fruits and vegetables. Browse the local wares and pick up a souvenir or two to take home!
- Santo Tomas Church - While you’re in the plaza, visit the Iglesia de Santo Tomas (Church of Santo Tomas), located on the east side of the plaza. Dating back to 1540, the church is often home to Mayan rituals.
You are free to eat lunch (at your own expense) after exploring the market. Once finished, enjoy convenient transportation back to your hotel.
What's Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Professional guide
- Entrance fee
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Experience Guatemala’s mixture of Mayan influences and living culture on this full-day tour of Iximché and Chichicastenango. Learn about Mayan history from your knowledgeable guide as you explore the archeological site of Iximché. In Chichiscastenango, discover its main attraction, the local open-air market, where you can browse wood products, ceramics and more. You’ll also see the Iglesia de Santo Tomas (Church of Santo Tomas) and the Calvary Church, located in the main plaza.
Location
Iximche
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.3
(36 Ratings)
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Elizabeth_h
Feb 19, 2024
Great way to spend a day - Great day trip! The guide was nice and knowledgeable. Food for lunch was great! We asked to be dropped off in Panajachel instead of returning to Antigua and the company accommodated us! Would highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Jessica_g
Feb 19, 2024
Great way to experience Chichicastenango/Panajachel in a day - Luis was an incredible guide! His communication was great. He was very informative and made sure we got the most of our day. This tour delivered on everything it promised.
Review provided by Viator
11110loco
Jan 21, 2024
Typical - Impressive traditional market, typical Indian crafts, colorful fabrics, a fabulous experience, prices necessarily attractive as tourists.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Austin_m
Jan 15, 2024
Great time! - Our guide was fantastic! He was perfectly on time and very friendly and outgoing. We had a great time exploring the market/church/cemetery in chichicastenango and learned a lot about the local culture and history.
Review provided by Viator
Emma_l
Sep 19, 2023
Colorful market - I was the only one on this trip and both the driverLuis and guide Geraldo were happy to alter the itenary to meet my needs.
As I had been to Panajachel the day before they were obliging in not returning for a 2nd time and extended my time at the market. The market is loud and colorful - I loved it!
They recommended a different lunch destination which was fantastic and even stopped at the viewing point for photos.
I’d highly recommend going with this company.
Review provided by Viator
Christina_r
Aug 23, 2023
Great Experience - The Chichicastenango market was so colorful and exciting. It was the perfect amount of time to explore and shop. My guide, Gustavo, was very knowledgable and friendly.
Review provided by Viator
Kirstenferguson12
Jul 23, 2024
Iximche was the highlight of this trip - Very good tour just not sure if Chichicastenango is worth the 3 hour drive. Iximche was fantastic however. Our guide was very good and knowledgable
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paola_l
Jun 23, 2024
Enjoyed Ixmiche - The best part was to visit the Ixmiche ruins. Chichicastenango and the market are not worhted the time you spent on the bus. Would be great to have a trip that goes to the ruins and perhaps the lake.
Review provided by Viator
Jungle
Aug 17, 2023
Terrible experience - This tour was not great as we were in a personal car that was overloaded and we had to sit in the luggage area with no clearance, no views, and could not hear anything. Overall a terrible experience with this company. They did not show up at our hotel, we had to chase them down and then they showed up very late, jammed us in a small space, we had neck injuries from hitting the roof with our head repeatedly. The guide was not really a guide at all and offered very little information and was impossible to hear him in the car. Overall was just a bad experience since the majority of the tour is spend in a car driving.. I would suggest picking a different tour company for this activity and be sure the guides are certified, trained, knowledgeable, and ask about what kind of vehicle you will be riding in.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shay_l
Aug 14, 2023
Absolutely horrible tour - This was by far the worst tour that I have ever done. I feel like we only had a driver that threw out a few random "facts" here and there opposed to an actual guide. We quickly drove by sites and up the street. Most time was spent in the car and not as described in the allotted time. There was nothing fun about this tour and I actually ended up falling asleep in the car due to boredom. I wouldn't recommend this tour to anyone. It was a complete waste of time and money. I left feeling highly disappointed and bamboozled.
Review provided by Viator
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