Long, steep hike but well worth the effort. I did this solo on a Sunday starting at 7am and hit the summit at 9:30. The view is amazing! I perched on some boulders and took in the sights while eating some snacks. I did see 2 policía at the 2300m mark (at the tire swing) and the gentleman at the entrance said the trail is very safe. I ran into many people coming down that had camped overnight to catch the sunrise and then coming down I ran into a few groups heading up. The trail is shaded most of the way but the bottom half starts getting hot in the late morning so an early start is a good idea. It's a tough hike! Steep the whole way.

Simply amazing! Stunning view if u lucky to get no clouds like us! It’s worth price and effort surely! We, average 40yo, not so well trained, smokers…it took us 4 hours up and 3 down with breaks! So be prepared…at least 1,5l water p/p! Pro tip: from wed to sun, last launch is at 5 pm, 1 hour more! Conclusions: after 2 days resting, I still can't walk well…but feel blessed that I didn’t quit!

Beautiful experience. My partner and I climbed volcan san pedro this morning. It took us just over 3 hours to climb up and 2 hours to climb down (including rest breaks). I recommend going early as the clouds started to come in around 10am. We paid 100q each at the entry point and the lady said there were no bandits. There were lots of people along the route, including police and we felt very safe. Some parts were slippery - especially near the top. Take snacks and plenty of water.

Beautifully maintained track. Very friendly and honest staff at the entry gate. Police sitting at 2200 were really nice as well. No sign of Banditos. Cloudy when I reached the top. Caught a tuk tuk from the dock in San Pedro - the driver tried charging me Q200 but ended up agreeing to Q30 (still triple the price of an uber moto). I started at 6:50am, arrived at the peak at 8:30, and got back to the trailhead by 10:15.

It cost 100Q per person to enter. I started at 6am. It took about 3 hours to climb to the summit and a little less than 2 hours to go down. I didn't see any Ladrones at the time, but I hear they're very common. (Aug 2017)

Hike done on 01/02/2020. Started at 5AM, we spoke with a local guide who was waiting for the sunrise at half of the ascent (at the columpio) who told us that 10 tourists were robbed on 12/30/2019 at the summit. Nothing happened to us (at 7AM at the top with a good pace) but the story has been confirmed later and it is still considered dangerous to climb solo or even with guide. The view is good from the swing (1H+ hikking) but better at the top. Hopefully it will be safer soon to enjoy this amazing point of view.

Very easy to do. If you get to the volcano before 6am the ticket office is closed and you get in for free. The volcano is safe. Policemen are on 2300, as well as on 3000 meters. There is no need for a Guid.

The best experience we had in Guatemala. Anita is so nice and welcoming. She took us to the local market to buy the ingredients, introduced her community to us with her lovely and interesting stories. This is not even the reason why I would recommend but the food was delicious. I would recommend it to anyone who seeks an authentic experience from Guatemala! That’s the best you can get!

Run, do not walk, to Anita’s Mayan Kitchen Cooking Class. This class is hands down one of my favorite activities I have ever done while on vacation. Anita offers a full immersion in to the Mayan culture at Lake Atitlan from start to finish. You show up for class, choose your preferred menu for the day, go to the local markets to pick all the ingredients you need, prepare the ingredients as a group, and cook everything fresh! This entire process was so incredibly informative and the food is amazing… please try her abuela’s Guacamole :-) On top of everything, Anita is one of those special people you meet in life that you’ll never forget. She was an open book, willing to share all details about her life and she has the kindest heart. I can’t recommend this class enough!

This cooking class was a highlight of our trip and worth every penny! Anita is so warm, kind, and keen to share details of Mayan culture, history, and cuisine. Anita allowed the group to choose our menu, and we visited a local market to pick up fresh ingredients. Anita’s care and dedication towards creating opportunity amongst her community is admirable, and this experience truly felt like sustainable tourism. We made a delicious meal while overlooking the beautiful lake Atitlan. We tried local fruits and recipes. I highly recommend this cooking class for anyone looking to learn more about both local and Guatemalan culture. Thank you to Anita and team!

Best cooking class I've ever had - 1000% recommend! Felt like a true local experience as Anita took us to the market to buy fresh ingredients and ultimately into her kitchen to prepare a delicious meal. We learned about Mayan and Guatemalan cultures, participated in every step of the cooking process, made friends from all over the world, enjoyed beautiful views of volcanos, and were inspired by Anita's journey and relentless commitment to supporting her community in San Pedro. Anita is a rock star and you will love your time with her!

Absolutely the highlight of my trip to Guatemala! This was the best cooking class I’ve ever taken. Anita and her team are warm, professional, and incredibly patient - they guided us from shopping for fresh ingredients at the local market all the way to preparing a full Guatemalan feast: snacks, an appetizer, main dish, and two desserts! The experience goes far beyond cooking. You’ll learn about traditional Guatemalan flavors, meet great people, and enjoy your meal with breathtaking views. Anita also gives back to her community, which made the experience feel even more meaningful. If you do one thing while you’re in Guatemala, make it Anita’s Cooking Class - you won’t regret it!

We had a wonderful experience with Anita. Our group of 9 picked a menu of appetizers, main dish and desserts and then Anita took us along to the market to buy our groceries. Together we cooked a magnificent meal under her guidance in her beautiful kitchen overlooking the lake. Anita has so much knowledge to share about Mayan cuisine and culture in general. Afterwards we visited the women’s weaving collective for a short introduction to Mayan weaving. Overall one of the best experiences we had on our visit of lake Atitlan

Anita’s class is a must do when visiting Lake Atitlan!! She takes you to a Mayan market to purchase the ingredients and learn about the Mayan culture. The cooking class was amazing, we learned so much and ate amazing food. Can’t wait to recreate these recipes at home!

Beautiful views from the top! The hike was not too bad, about 20 minutes of flat walking from Santa Clara then 20 minutes of stairs up to the top. Highly recommend visiting!

The hike while short (30-40min) is way harder than it seems. The first 10 minutes are easy as the trail is almost flat, but then you have to climb your way through the top of the mountain. At the top you’ll have a very nice view of the lake.. but I do recommend to check the weather before, cause if it’s cloudy you’ll get to see nothing, and it’s not worth the effort to be honest.

Nice guided hike cost 150Q includes shuttle from San Juan, guided hike up the Indian Nose, coffee or artisanal chocolate plus pan dulce, and shuttle back. Left at 4, returned at 8am.

Amazing view, the hike is relatively short - just over 30 minutes on the way up, gaining about 250m elevation. The first third of the walk is fairly flat, the remainder is all uphill. We did this hike at sunrise, which meant a very early start (2.45am wakeup) and starting the trail at 4.30am. It was definitely worth hiking uphill in the dark. We were one of the first to arrive at the top just after 5am. Some people had camped at the summit overnight. By 5.30am it got a bit busier. Despite it being a cloudy day, the sunrise was great. Watching Lake Atitlan turn from dark to light is something special. We got given some hot chocolate and bread for free. Beautiful way to start your day.

Super easy trail up from Santa Clara about 45 mins... then a bit of a trickier walk down to San Juan about 1.5 hour... but definitely do-able. A must do when you visit Atitlan.

A must hike if you are around lake Atitlan! The sunrise over the lake - worth all the effort. There are a ton of local agencies you can book your tour - usually around 100Q per person. Highly recommend!

Medium difficultly hike to the top but worth it! If you're doing the sunrise hike it's pitch black obviously so remember a flashlight. It was very steep at points, with narrow pathways, and with the rain it was also incredibly slippy on the way down. But the view at the top is great, they provided coffee/hot chocolate at the top too. You need to book a guide/tour, which is well worth it (although our tour guide didn't take any breaks on the way up so be prepared just in case)

Is this place still open?

I highly recommend doing a tour with Matt! He is incredibly knowledgeable about the past and present geology of Guatemala and makes the information accessible for anyone. I left the tour with a greater appreciation for the landscape of Lake Atitlan that I never would have gotten elsewhere. Communication with Matt was seamless and I felt very safe the entire time. It was also nice to see that he has good relationships with the local people whose land we passed through on the hike. Overall amazing experience from start to finish.

If you are looking for a highly educational, beautiful and entertaining guided geological tour you could not do better than Geo Travel Guatemala. The owner Matt (with a distinct young Indiana Jones vibe about him - both adventurer AND academic) was just outstanding. His love of all things geological , his deep appreciation for the “immensity of geological time” and his infectious enthusiasm made this my favorite part of our trip to Guatemala. Could not recommend this trip more highly!

Our family had an awesome time on our hike of Pacaya with Matt and his dog Spike! It’s so wonderful when someone is genuinely passionate about what they do, and you can tell Matt loves geology and Guatemala. We learned a ton and got spectacular views of the surrounding areas, including seeing Fuego erupt in the distance. Highly recommend for a personalized, unique experience.

Such a cool experience! Most tour companies only offer the sunset hike but Matt takes you up during the day so you don’t have to worry about crowds and gives a fun/informative geology class about Lake Aititlan and the volcanic caldera. Definitely recommend!

We had a wonderful tour with Matt, hiking up the Rastro de Maya and learning all about the incredible geological history and present of Lake Atitlan. We highly recommend for any visitors interested in learning about local life, with a curiosity about the immensity of geological time.

What a great experience! Hiking with Matt is not the usual “go up, see the view, come down” On top of the hike, you get a geological lesson on how the the volcanos were born, how they live and how the local area and lake Atitlan was formed. He is truly passionate about geology and. He transfers all his passion to you. He also gave us lots of info and insights on local people and their culture. You cannot miss this if you come around lake Atitlan!

WHAT an experience. To say that Matt is knowledgeable and passionate about geology is an understatement! Not only did we learn about the life of volcanoes but also got lots of insight on the local communities life and culture. This tour is a must if you're visiting Atitlan Lake. I have a lake front view from our hotel and now a greater appreciation of the mountains ahead. Thank you Matt and Spike for a memorable experience.

I highly recommend doing a tour with Matt! He is incredibly knowledgeable about the past and present geology of Guatemala and makes the information accessible for anyone. I left the tour with a greater appreciation for the landscape of Lake Atitlan that I never would have gotten elsewhere. Communication with Matt was seamless and I felt very safe the entire time. It was also nice to see that he has good relationships with the local people whose land we passed through on the hike. Overall amazing experience from start to finish.

If you are looking for a highly educational, beautiful and entertaining guided geological tour you could not do better than Geo Travel Guatemala. The owner Matt (with a distinct young Indiana Jones vibe about him - both adventurer AND academic) was just outstanding. His love of all things geological , his deep appreciation for the “immensity of geological time” and his infectious enthusiasm made this my favorite part of our trip to Guatemala. Could not recommend this trip more highly!

Our family had an awesome time on our hike of Pacaya with Matt and his dog Spike! It’s so wonderful when someone is genuinely passionate about what they do, and you can tell Matt loves geology and Guatemala. We learned a ton and got spectacular views of the surrounding areas, including seeing Fuego erupt in the distance. Highly recommend for a personalized, unique experience.

Such a cool experience! Most tour companies only offer the sunset hike but Matt takes you up during the day so you don’t have to worry about crowds and gives a fun/informative geology class about Lake Aititlan and the volcanic caldera. Definitely recommend!

We had a wonderful tour with Matt, hiking up the Rastro de Maya and learning all about the incredible geological history and present of Lake Atitlan. We highly recommend for any visitors interested in learning about local life, with a curiosity about the immensity of geological time.

What a great experience! Hiking with Matt is not the usual “go up, see the view, come down” On top of the hike, you get a geological lesson on how the the volcanos were born, how they live and how the local area and lake Atitlan was formed. He is truly passionate about geology and. He transfers all his passion to you. He also gave us lots of info and insights on local people and their culture. You cannot miss this if you come around lake Atitlan!

WHAT an experience. To say that Matt is knowledgeable and passionate about geology is an understatement! Not only did we learn about the life of volcanoes but also got lots of insight on the local communities life and culture. This tour is a must if you're visiting Atitlan Lake. I have a lake front view from our hotel and now a greater appreciation of the mountains ahead. Thank you Matt and Spike for a memorable experience.

Being at Orbita for about 2 1/2 weeks was absolutely incredible! Besides from the insane views from class, the teachers are amazing and so fun! They make class interesting and desire to get to know you are and share about who they are. I have been blessed to get to know the wonderful staff at Orbita and am grateful for my time at Orbita! I highly recommend Orbita for anyone!!

I'm convinced Orbita is the best Spanish school in Lake Atitlán! I spent two weeks here this summer and had an incredible time learning from my teacher Flori and becoming a part of the San Pedro community. The view from the school is so beautiful, and I appreciated the mid-morning breaks with traditional food and coffee/tea, as well as the opportunity to get to know other students at the school and plan activities with them. Despite being an advanced Spanish student who had already studied the language for over 10 years and was confident in my speaking abilities, I still learned so much from my lessons and was able to correct many of my non-native speaker mistakes and clear up confusions I had about the language. I really appreciated that my teacher adapted our class style to fit my needs and goals, which were to focus less on explicit grammar (though we did have really helpful review of advanced grammatical tenses) and more on extended verbal communication practice. The 4 hours of class always went by quickly and Flori and I laughed so much together! She also generously extended an invitation to her family's celebration lunch when one of her nieces was crowned Queen of Sports, and I had the chance to eat a traditional meal with them and play at the beach with her son. Rene, Milca, Daniela, and Betsy (the owner of the school and his family members) were also all so loving, welcoming, helpful, and impressive. I really enjoyed every conversation I had with them, and they made me feel at home in San Pedro. I was also lucky to experience the yearly Feria in San Pedro, an 8-day fair that happens at the end of June and is filled with exciting cultural events, music, food, and other carnival-style activities! I will be telling all of my friends about Orbita and recommending that they come stay here to improve their Spanish and find home in a new place that is ready to welcome them with open arms.

I spent a month learning Spanish at Orbita and living in a local home stay with Santos and Elena. If you do a home stay (which you definitely should for the best experience) I’d highly recommend staying with Santos and Elena, they were so lovely and were incredibly patient with me as I slowly learnt Spanish. Elena’s cooking is absolutely divine and Santos is the coolest and took us for rides on his tuk tuk and watched local soccer games. The teachers at the school are all wonderful and I made some incredible connections with Diego and Daniella. The school provided lots of fun activities and always asked the students what they would like to do each week. We had a fun beach day playing volleyball with the students and teachers and other days we would learn to dance or cook. I would strongly recommend staying for at least 2 weeks but a month is even better. You will not get bored! There is so much to explore and see around the lake. Many of the students who only committed to one week either extended or regretted not staying longer. The best part of this whole experience is the feeling of having a place in Guatemala that feels like home. All because of my wonderful time at Orbita. I cannot thank you all enough.

I spent one month studying at Orbita Spanish School and it was the best decision I've ever made! I didn't anticipate to learn as much Spanish as I did, and I'm already planning on my next trip back. The owners and all of the teachers are top notch and truly welcome you in like family. I loved how involved the school is in sharing traditional Guatemalan culture though all of the cooking classes, dancing lessons, and traditional snacks prepared daily. 10/10 experience!!!

I spent one week at Orbita Spanish School as a complete beginner, and it was an outstanding experience from start to finish. My classes were with Rene (the owner) and five teachers in training, all of whom were patient, encouraging, and genuinely fun to learn with. We had a light lunch together each day, which created a welcoming community feel and made the experience even more memorable. I stayed in the private room (Option 5), which was perfect — clean, spacious, and equipped with a full kitchen, strong Wi-Fi, and a great view. It was quiet at night, and having access to the whole school when classes ended was a huge bonus. The curriculum was clear and structured, and I learned more in one week here than months of self-study. I left with much more confidence in grammar and conversation, and a real connection to the teachers and other students. I’m already planning to return for a longer stay and would recommend Orbita to any level of learner.

Originally I planned to do one week of spanisch classes at Orbita, but I ended up extending for 3 more weeks. The School and the teachers are amazing, therefore the location at the lake is an absolute dream aswell. In those 4 weeks I learned way more than I could ever expected especially as an complete beginner. It didn't take long for me to have my first Real conversations which was very useful during my ongoing travels. I was able to talk to some locals and ask for help when I got lost. I can highly recommend this school to everyone who want to learn spanish while having their best time. Thank you to everyone, especially to Daniella, who made my time their such increadible and unique!

No oppressive feelings of a stuffy school in your memories. A classroom was an open terrace with a roof to look over the expansion of Lake Atitlan at an elevation of 1500 meters surrounded by lush green mountains. You incessantly sense a fresh breeze on your skin to awaken you. But this doesn’t mean the class was easy. Initially after four-hours of one-to-one lesson in the morning I couldn’t bear listening to Spanish any more. Previously I had had a very basic understanding of Spanish grammar with few chances of conversation. Bombarded by Spanish all in the morning, my brain became spaced out and stopped engaging with anything. But I could stick to it for four weeks because the whole thing was so open, spontaneous, and humane. Not to mention a close-to-heaven environment with a fresh clean air, we had a precious break time between classes and extracurricular activities like cooking class and movies. During a break every day we had a chance to chat with other students, munching on various local snacks with tea and coffee. When you take your own brief bathroom break, you could peek into a kitchen below to witness women making tostadas with beans and avocados, and chuchitos, a kind of tamale from scratch. Above all my teacher was very patient and persistent. She worked repeatedly on my weak areas and gave me enough homework to occupy me for a few hours in the afternoon. She encouraged me to speak on various topics. So did she. We could talk about our families, especially a relationship with our mothers, food, future dream, and life, although we came from very different backgrounds. It turned out to be such a stimulating cultural exchange on a personal level. Study was demanding but I never felt it forced on me. After three weeks I suddenly started to understand what people were talking about in Spanish even outside the school. My trip afterwards to other Latin American countries went smoothly with my newly improved Spanish. I enjoyed studying at the Orbita Spanish School and would love to return there if I have a chance.

I really enjoyed learning about the Maya culture and history. The price is 35Q and it includes a tour in Spanish or English. Our guide had perfect English and he was able to answer our questions about the Mayan culture. I also enjoyed seeing a film of San Pedro recoded in 1940s! Great stop on the first day in San Pedro! :)

We had an amazing time here. We ended up there kind of unexpected, and spent a lot more time than planned, but it was 100% worth it! The guide really knows his culture and is very good at explaining everything, at the pace you like yourself. You also get to know your mayan sign, a nice extra touch!

This should be the first place to visit to understand the place and culture. Ignore the negative comments. Don’t expect it to be similar to a museum in a western country. If you know Spanish it helps. Ask the person in the museum for a tour Ours was a sweet lady. She went in details about the beginning of how things started according to tradition in the community. Learnt about how the lake came to be. She is really passionate and knows a lot We also learnt about our Mayan birthday which was cool

Lovely and informative museum. 35Q entrance fee. They'll ask your birthday and give you information of your Mayan nahual. It also includes information about the geology of the lake as well as the history and culture. This would be a nice place to start a Lake Atitlán visit

Small museum but very interesting to learn the local history. Well worth the visit.

Even for a Guatemalan, this was an amazing experience—learning about Lake Atitlán more deeply through the eyes of Mayan culture. We had an amazing guide and explained all the history beautifully 🩷

This was one of my favourite experiences so far in Atitlan. I would recommend going here before you do anything else as it will help you understand everything you see thereafter. I would also highly recommend availing of a guide as the amazing Francisco brings it all to life.

Great store, beautiful designs, good quality, fair trade and very good value for money. Tono is lovely and very patient, we wanted to buy everything!

Highly respected and effective NGO provides an incredibly informative tour experience. We learned so much and had an opportunity to meet and learn from master indigenous weavers from the local community.

Amazing experience!

(Translated by Google) Beautiful store. Original and high quality designs. They manage a fair price for the artisans and the clients. A pleasure to witness a place like this. (Original) Hermosa tienda. Diseños originales y de gran calidad. Manejan precio justo para las artesanas y los clientes. Un placer ser testigo de un sitio así.

(Translated by Google) It's an information point. They show a video about the formation of Lake Atitlan and the original villages. (Original) Es un punto de información. Pasan un video de la formación del lago de atitlan y de los pueblos iniciales.

(Translated by Google) An excellent option to visit in Santiago Atitlán, you learn a lot about the materials, the dyeing manufacturing process and the entire process that goes into making a typical costume of the region as well as part of its history and some pieces used for its production. There is also an exhibition of some pieces and a small anecdote to learn. Very good attention from the staff 👍👍👍 (Original) Una excelente opción para visitar en Santiago Atitlán se aprende mucho acerca de los materiales proceso de fabricación teñido y todo el proceso que conlleva elaborar un traje típico de la región así como parte de la historia de los mismos y algunas piezas utilizadas para la elaboración. Hay también una exposición de algunas piezas y una pequeña anécdota para aprender. Muy buena atención por parte del personal 👍👍👍

(Translated by Google) Incredible place with products of excellent quality and design, and that promotes decent work for indigenous Mayan women! It is highly recommended to visit the museum and take home a souvenir from Santiago de Atitlán! (Original) Increíble lugar con productos de excelente calidad y diseño, y que promueve el trabajo digno a mujeres indígenas mayas! Super recomendable pasar a visitar su museo y llevarse un recuerdo de Santiago de Atitlán!

I really enjoyed learning about the Maya culture and history. The price is 35Q and it includes a tour in Spanish or English. Our guide had perfect English and he was able to answer our questions about the Mayan culture. I also enjoyed seeing a film of San Pedro recoded in 1940s! Great stop on the first day in San Pedro! :)

We had an amazing time here. We ended up there kind of unexpected, and spent a lot more time than planned, but it was 100% worth it! The guide really knows his culture and is very good at explaining everything, at the pace you like yourself. You also get to know your mayan sign, a nice extra touch!

This should be the first place to visit to understand the place and culture. Ignore the negative comments. Don’t expect it to be similar to a museum in a western country. If you know Spanish it helps. Ask the person in the museum for a tour Ours was a sweet lady. She went in details about the beginning of how things started according to tradition in the community. Learnt about how the lake came to be. She is really passionate and knows a lot We also learnt about our Mayan birthday which was cool

Lovely and informative museum. 35Q entrance fee. They'll ask your birthday and give you information of your Mayan nahual. It also includes information about the geology of the lake as well as the history and culture. This would be a nice place to start a Lake Atitlán visit

Small museum but very interesting to learn the local history. Well worth the visit.

Even for a Guatemalan, this was an amazing experience—learning about Lake Atitlán more deeply through the eyes of Mayan culture. We had an amazing guide and explained all the history beautifully 🩷

This was one of my favourite experiences so far in Atitlan. I would recommend going here before you do anything else as it will help you understand everything you see thereafter. I would also highly recommend availing of a guide as the amazing Francisco brings it all to life.

Great store, beautiful designs, good quality, fair trade and very good value for money. Tono is lovely and very patient, we wanted to buy everything!

Highly respected and effective NGO provides an incredibly informative tour experience. We learned so much and had an opportunity to meet and learn from master indigenous weavers from the local community.

Amazing experience!

(Translated by Google) Beautiful store. Original and high quality designs. They manage a fair price for the artisans and the clients. A pleasure to witness a place like this. (Original) Hermosa tienda. Diseños originales y de gran calidad. Manejan precio justo para las artesanas y los clientes. Un placer ser testigo de un sitio así.

(Translated by Google) It's an information point. They show a video about the formation of Lake Atitlan and the original villages. (Original) Es un punto de información. Pasan un video de la formación del lago de atitlan y de los pueblos iniciales.

(Translated by Google) An excellent option to visit in Santiago Atitlán, you learn a lot about the materials, the dyeing manufacturing process and the entire process that goes into making a typical costume of the region as well as part of its history and some pieces used for its production. There is also an exhibition of some pieces and a small anecdote to learn. Very good attention from the staff 👍👍👍 (Original) Una excelente opción para visitar en Santiago Atitlán se aprende mucho acerca de los materiales proceso de fabricación teñido y todo el proceso que conlleva elaborar un traje típico de la región así como parte de la historia de los mismos y algunas piezas utilizadas para la elaboración. Hay también una exposición de algunas piezas y una pequeña anécdota para aprender. Muy buena atención por parte del personal 👍👍👍

(Translated by Google) Incredible place with products of excellent quality and design, and that promotes decent work for indigenous Mayan women! It is highly recommended to visit the museum and take home a souvenir from Santiago de Atitlán! (Original) Increíble lugar con productos de excelente calidad y diseño, y que promueve el trabajo digno a mujeres indígenas mayas! Super recomendable pasar a visitar su museo y llevarse un recuerdo de Santiago de Atitlán!