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Activity Quetzaltenango, Guatemala

Hike Lake Chicabal + Explore Mayan Village - Two-Day Adventure

2 days Free cancellation
Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Hike Lake Chicabal + Explore Mayan Village - Two-Day Adventure

About this activity

This immersive experience is perfect for those looking to connect with nature and culture in the heart of the Guatemalan Highlands.

DAY ONE: Explore life in a Mayan village - engage with local culture during a guided tour, visit a Mayan home, and learn from a weaving demonstration. After happy hour and a three-course dinner, enjoy all the comforts of home in our top-rated Eco-Guest House.

DAY TWO: After breakfast, discover the mysteries of Lake Chicabál, formed within the inactive Chicabal Volcano. Descend 600 steps into the caldera, explore the lake's perimeter, learn about the 20 Mayan 'naguals'. Surrounded by cloud forests, this crater lake is considered sacred by the Mam-Mayan people, making it a site of cultural and spiritual significance. It is the most popular visitor destination in the Quetzaltenango area.

78% of your activity fee supports the programs and clinics of Local Hope/Xela AID that empower local families and communities to be healthy, educated and self-reliant

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At a glance

Duration
2 days
Confirmation
Confirmed within 48 hours
Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group
Up to 12 people
People per booking
1–12
Guide
English, Spanish
Operated by
Local Hope Trips and Activity Packages

Ages: Children (1–5 years) · Youth (6–18 years) · Adults (19–95 years)

What is included

Included

  • Included: Happy hour
  • Included: One night accomodations at Eco-Guest House
  • Included: Admission fees: Admission fee to Lake Chicabal
  • Included: Lunch
  • Included: Dinner
  • Included: Bottled water
  • Included: Breakfast
  • Included: Snacks

Not included

  • Not included: Optional transport to/from Quetzaltenango - one hour away
  • Not included: gratuitities

Itinerary

Day 1 · Explore a Mayan Village and Visit a Mayan Home

  1. San Martin Sacatepequez

    8 hours

    • ARRIVAL - 2:00 PM: Check in to our Eco-Guest House.
    • VILLAGE TOUR - 2:30: Explore the local village on a guided walk along streets lined with fields of fresh corn and potatoes. Go behind the scenes to learn about the daily life of the Mam-Maya people.
    • VISIT A MAYAN HOME - 3:30: visit a local home for an up-close and personal view of family life
    • R&R, HAPPY HOUR - Return to our Eco-Guest House and relax in your room or our Hearth Room.
    • DINNER - 6:00 PM, enjoy a scrumptious, three-course dinner prepared with fresh, local ingredients by our expert chef.
    • HANG OUT - In the evening, enjoy games with your group or our staff, if you like. Snacks and beverages available.
    • ALL THE COMFORTS OF HOME - Take a steaming hot shower in your spacious ensuite bathroom, and enjoy all the amenities of our rooms including fluffy towels, hair dryer, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, free WIFI, convenient electrical plug-ins and USB chargers, desk, space heaters.

5:00 PM -- Happy Hour; 6:00 PM - dinner

Overnight at the top-rated Eco-Guest House. Enjoy a hot shower and all the comforts of home, including free WiFi.

Day 2 · Hike Sacred Lake Chicabal

  1. Chicabal Lake

    7 hours Admission included

    A journey through the enchanting landscapes of Lake Chicabál awaits.

    • 8:00am: BREAKFAST and meet your expert guide for the day.
    • 9:00am: RIDE - A transport vehicle will whisk you up scenic trails to the dry lakebed below Chicabal Lake crater.
    • 9:30am: HIKE - Reach the rim of the caldera and learn the volcano crater lake's history before descending - an exhilarating hike 600 steps down.
    • NAGUAL TOUR - Hike the scenic perimeter and learn about the 20 Mayan "naguals" - the "energies and lessons of days.”
    • NATURE - Experience the beauty of the surrounding forest. Be prepared to see butterflies, birds, and perhaps the phenomena of "clouds gathering water" that local people count on to bring the rains to nourish their crops.
    • HIKE OUT, LUNCH - Hike back up to the rim's edge for a box lunch before returning to our complex for cultural activities.
    • 1:30pm – REFRESHMENTS, WEAVING DEMONSTRATION: return to Welcome Center for a snack and traditional Mayan backstrap weaving demonstration

After your hike back up to the rim of the crater, enjoy a box lunch while being enthralled by the scenery.

Meeting point and pickup

You can be picked up from your accommodation or go straight to the meeting point.

Meeting point

  • The tour starts at 2pm at the Eco-Guest House in San Martin Chiquito - about an hour from Quetzaltenango, in the Western Highlands. This is also where you'll be spending the night and eating meals.

End point

  • The tour starts at 2pm at the Eco-Guest House in San Martin Chiquito - about an hour from Quetzaltenango, in the Western Highlands. This is also where you'll be spending the night and eating meals.

Pickup points

From Quetzaltenango (about an hour from the village), you can choose the option of having us pickup/drop off from Central Park for an extra fee. Pickup at 1pm. We will return you to Quetzaltenango the next afternoon. Please choose the "With Pickup in Quetzaltenango" option at checkout. The van holds up to 5 passengers. Please contact us with any questions.

Cancellation

Free cancellation

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

If you cancel You get back
At least one day before 100%
Less than a day before 0%
  • The operator may cancel if the weather does not allow it; you then get another date or your money back.

Good to know

  • Service animals allowed

  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Options

  • Hike Lake Chicabál and Visit a Mayan Village - Overnight

    Overnight at Eco-Guest House: Enjoy all the comforts of home in our top-rated Eco-Guest House: ensuite bathroom, free WiFi, space heaters, fluffy towels

    Dinner, Breakfast, Box Lunch: Day 1: After happy hour, enjoy a Guatemalan dinner prepared by our chef. Day 2: Traditional Guatemalan breakfast, box lunch

  • With Pick up in Quetzaltenango

    Overnight at Eco-Guest House: Enjoy all the comforts of home in our top-rated Eco-Guest House: ensuite bathroom, free WiFi, space heaters, fluffy towels

    Dinner, Breakfast, Box Lunch: Day 1: After happy hour, enjoy a Guatemalan dinner prepared by our chef. Day 2: Traditional Guatemalan breakfast, box lunch

    Pickup included

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Hike Lake Chicabal + Explore Mayan Village - Two-Day Adventure

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