The Best Adventure Tours To Take In Guatemala

Guatemala is a land of volcanoes, great coastlines and amazing lakes. Here are the best tours to get to know the Central American nation better.

Semuc Champey

A firm favorite on the tourist trail, this incredible spot is well worth a visit. It’s a long drive on bad roads into the middle of Guatemala, but you won’t regret it. Book a one-day tour from one of the hostels in Lanquin and head off in a truck to swim in the natural pools, hike to the viewpoint for the perfect photo, and then descend into the caves.

El Mirador trek

Get above the clouds in the Cuchumatanes, Guatemala

Cuchumatanes trek

Starting from the Mayan mountain city of Nebaj, you will walk through the iconic Cuchumatanes mountain range to reach the town of Todos Santos. The scenery is spectacular, and you will spend time in traditional Mayan villages. You can go with a local guide from Nebaj or on a group tour with the Quetzaltenango-based NGO QuetzalTrekkers, who use guided trips to raise money for disadvantaged children.

Caving at Caxlampon

The town of Rio Dulce attracts its fair share of tourists, most of whom stay a day or two before heading off to Livingston. However if you drive around half an hour inland, you’ll reach the incredible caving complex at Caxlampon. Here you can clamber through the dark caverns and leap off waterfalls into dark pools on a guided trip. If you’re claustrophobic or scared of the dark it might be wise to stay away; once you’re inside there is no going back.

Climbing Acatanenango

Antigua Guatemala is the perfect base for an ascent of the Acatenango volcano, just a half an hour drive away. Make sure you take decent cold weather gear for the overnight camping, as temperatures can drop to around freezing, and then wake up early for amazing sunrise views over the active Fuego volcano and a number of others that stretch away to the north.

Mountain biking at El Zur

On the side of a volcano outside Antigua Guatemala lies this purpose-built mountain bike park with more than 25 kilometers of trails. A 4×4 ferries you and your bike to the top of the trail, and you can drop in at your own pace. Book a tour with Old Town Outfitters in Antigua, the only company to have access.

ATV tour in the Panchoy Valley

This five-hour ATV tour takes you to seven different villages in the Panchoy Valley around Antigua Guatemala. It’s a great way to see how life changes just a short distance outside the tourist town, and ATVs are great fun to drive.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.