How to get to Lake Atitlan from Antigua or Guatemala City (2024)
Lake Atitlan is considered one of the must-visit places while traveling in Guatemala. Located only a few hours away from the main airport in Guatemala City, it is the perfect spot to admire the beautiful volcanoes, discover the local Guatemalan culture, as well as totally unwind.
We also had the opportunity to stay at one of the most phenomenal hotels there, perched on the remote cliffside and surrounded by the lush botanical gardens.
If you are excited to go there, you may be wondering how to get to Lake Atitlan.
Fortunately, there are multiple options and we will walk you through each of them. We also provide some helpful tips based on recommendations from other travelers and also mistakes we made along the way.
Let’s jump right in!
⏰ Don’t have the time to read through the entire post?
Here is a quick summary of our recommended modes of transportation 🚌:
– Welcome Pickups: Private transport service with English speaking Driver
– GuateGo: Shared transport, reliable and affordable
– Day tour to Lake Atitlan from Antigua or from Guatemala City
Where to stay 🏠:
– Hotel Casa Del Mundo (one of our favourite hotels EVER)
How far is Lake Atitlan from Guatemala City?
Lake Atitlan is located about 112km away from the main airport in Guatemala City, La Aurora International Airport. If you are heading to Lake Atitlan, you will likely be heading towards Panajachel. This is the main town that the buses bring you to. The journey takes on average 3 hours but may take longer if the traffic in Guatemala City is bad.
Towards Lake Atitlan, the roads are also quite mountainous and twisty so the driving speed will be slower. Once you arrive, you will take a water taxi to reach the specific town that you are staying in.
How far is Lake Atitlan from Antigua?
Lake Atitlan is located west of Guatemala City, with Antigua located in between. Antigua is about 2 hours from Lake Atitlan and about 1 hour from Guatemala City. Lake Atitlan is located 76km away from Antigua.
It is certainly possible to start your trip in Guatemala City, and then spend a few days in Antigua, before heading 2 more hours away to reach Lake Atitlan.
This is what we did on our trip and felt like the perfect flow of travel. Another reason why this is ideal is that in Antigua, you will likely hike the volcano, so Lake Atitlan is the perfect place to rest after the hike.
Ideal route to visit Lake Atitlan?
Most travelers will be arriving at Guatemala City’s international airport. From there, the most recommended route would be to take a shuttle 1-1.5 hours away to Antigua. Spend a few days exploring Antigua including the volcano trek on Acatenango, and then head over to Lake Atitlan.
You can take a shuttle for 2-3 hours to reach Lake Atitlan. After spending your ideal itinerary in Lake Atitlan, you can book a shuttle direct to Guatemala City.
From there, you can take a bus or plane to reach the incredible Northern city of Flores to then explore one of the world’s most impressive Mayan ruins, Tikal.
Transportation options to get to Lake Atitlan
Below we have listed all the options of getting to Lake Atitlan from either Antigua or Guatemala City. We also provide our personal suggestions and the best methods of transport.
Private vs. Shared shuttles
Once you arrive at Guatemala City’s airport or Antigua, you will have the choice of taking a shared shuttle or Private Transport to Lake Atitlan. We highly recommend pre-booking your transportation as the shuttles that are not pre-booked will usually wait around until they fill up before departing.
We took the shared shuttle with GuateGo and had a very positive experience. Overall, the shared bus will pick up about 8-10 passengers and bring each of them to their hotels at the destination. The starting point is usually the airport so everyone will already be there, but once you arrive at the destination, that’s where you may encounter some delays.
Since each guest will be brought to their respective hotels, if you are the last on the list, then it may add 30-40 minutes to your transport time (3-4 hours total travel time). We were lucky as we were one of the first to get off.
Overall, the shared shuttle costs about 35-40$ per person from Guatemala City to Panajachel (main town of Lake Atitlan).
With a private shuttle, you will be brought directly to your hotel in Lake Atitlan without any delay. Since you are the only guests on the ride, you also have more flexibility in case you need to stop somewhere for a bathroom break or a quick photo stop. Most private drivers also speak better English.
The total cost of a private shuttle to Lake Atitlan will be about 150$ for the group. There are several options below, however we highly recommend booking with WelcomePickups. You will have a very customized service, from a reputable company, and be picked up by an English-speaking driver. We have used them in the past and had very positive experiences.
🚌 Here are other recommended Private and Shared shuttles services:
- Private shuttle from Guatemala City or Antigua to Lake Atitlan
- Shared shuttle from Guatemala City to Antigua (if you are heading to Antigua first as we did)
- Shared shuttle from Antigua to Panajachel Lake Atitlan
- Shared shuttle from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan with GuateGo
Can you fly to lake Atitlan?
There are no flights that bring you from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan. The nearest airport to Lake Atitlan is the one in Guatemala City (La Aurora International Airport).
Can you take an Uber to Lake Atitlan?
It is possible to take an Uber to go from Guatemala City airport to Lake Atitlan. This will cost around 580 Quetzales (100$) one way but this is per ride and not per passenger. The transportation time remains about the same at 3-4 hours total time.
This can be a good option however we have heard that it may be challenging to find an Uber driver to accept driving you on this route. This is because after they drive you all the way to Lake Atitlan, they need to come back and there is no guarantee they will find a client there that needs to go back to Guatemala.
From Antigua to go to Lake Atitlan, the cost is also approximately 590 Quetzales. However, you may encounter the same difficulty in finding an Uber that is willing to drive 2 hours away.
For that reason, we feel it is still more convenient and affordable to just take a shared shuttle. You will have professional transportation there and can get to know some fellow travelers along the way.
Can you rent a car to Lake Atitlan?
It is possible to rent a car at Guatemala City airport, however, we do not recommend it. The reason is that driving within the city can be quite chaotic. We saw the driving conditions both during the day and during the evening and we certainly did not want to be the ones driving ourselves there.
We have also heard that many districts in Guatemala City are not safe, and if you don’t know the city well, then you may accidentally drive into one of those neighbourhoods.
Finally, since you are headed to Lake Atitlan, you won’t need a vehicle once you arrive there. Transportation around Lake Atitlan is by water taxi or tour.
🚘 If your plans do end up requiring a car in Guatemala, we would highly recommend booking with DiscoverCars! We have used them several times and have always had positive experiences!
Can you take a taxi to Lake Atitlan?
Taking a taxi is also possible from Guatemala Airport or Antigua to Lake Atitlan. the average cost will be between 600-800 Quetzales (100$) and also take 3-4 hours (or 2 hours from Antigua), depending on the time of day and your negotiating skills.
However, not all taxi drivers will want to drive all the way to Lake Atitlan for the same reason explained above with the Ubers.
For that reason, we would only recommend taking a taxi/Uber in an emergency situation. This happened to one of our friends when her shuttle did not show up, and she had to make it to Lake Atitlan the same day. She ended up calling a taxi and it cost her 100$.
Can you take a Chicken bus to Lake Atitlan?
If you are traveling through Guatemala, you will have surely seen the Chicken buses. They are school buses that get remodelled and painted in very vibrant colours. Chicken buses are frequently used by locals as their means of transportation but it is not recommended for foreign travelers.
There are several reasons for this including the risk of being robbed/pickpocketed, poor level of comfort, and a lack of proper bus schedule. We have heard many instances of fellow travelers who had their stuff stolen while being on a chicken bus. Therefore, this would not be a recommended transport method.
Can you take a helicopter to Lake Atitlan?
If you want to arrive at Lake Atitlan in luxury and quickly, then riding in a helicopter is in fact an option. Instead of taking 3-4 hours by car, you will arrive in just 25 minutes and get to admire the beautiful Guatemalan countryside.
One of the companies that offer this is GuateFlights and the ride starts at 900$.
Can you take a day tour to Lake Atitlan?
If you are short on time, it is definitely possible to visit Lake Atitlan as a day tour. This is possible from both Guatemala City and Antigua, although Antigua would probably be better due to it being closer.
⭐ If you are in Antigua, this Tour to Lake Atitlan from Antigua is a great option and includes transportation there and taking a boat to visit several towns in Lake Atitlan (San Juan, San Pedro, and Santiago). This is a full-day tour that lasts 12-13 hours.
⭐ If you are in Guatemala City and want to visit Lake Atitlan, this tour can be a great option. It departs from Guatemala City, will bring you to Panajachel where you can take a boat to enjoy the view of the three volcanoes, and then you can visit Santiago Atitlan. Finally, you will have some free time in Panajachel to explore before returning to Guatemala City.
This post is part of our series about Guatemala. If you want to learn more about Guatemala, planning your trip, and some of the best experiences there, check out the guides below:
How to get around Lake Atitlan once you arrive?
⚠️ Make sure to ask to be dropped off at Tzanjuyú public boat dock. This is where the water taxis primarily pick up their passengers to go around Lake Atitlan.
At the Panajachel docks, there will be several boat captains waiting around inviting you on their boat. Make sure to ask if this is a public boat or a private boat. The public boats are used by the locals and travelers and cost a fraction of what the private boat would.
Once you let them know where you are going, they will bring you onto their boat or guide you to one of their colleagues who is headed that way. Some boats are headed in the Eastern direction, and others in the Western direction, so make sure to get on the proper boat.
Once we told the boat captain where we were going, he grabbed my heavy luggage, propped it on his head, and zoomed towards the dock. Since our legs were still very sore after doing the Volcano Acatenango hike, we had to walk slowly and it made us nervous that he zoomed ahead. But there was nothing to worry about as he waited for us at the boat. So don’t be surprised if they grab your luggage to help you. But do make sure to ask if the boat is public or private.
If nobody is there waiting for you, then stand at the dock and wave your arms in the air as the boat is approaching. This will signal to them that you need a ride, and they will ask you where you are headed.
If they are not headed in that direction, then they will let you know around when the next boat will be coming. Usually, it is between 5-10 minutes so you won’t need to wait for long.
Expect to pay between 15-40Q depending on the distance. For a list of estimated boat transport costs, one of the hotels called Free Cerveza has a good boat price list.
The boats are just rows of benches and at times, the ride can get pretty choppy if you are going midday when the winds are higher.
Boats run from 6 am to 5:30 pm so make sure not to miss the last boat!
Also, as the boat approaches the dock, make sure to keep your hands and fingers inside the boat. You definitely do not want to get them caught between the boat and the wooden dock.
Where we stayed in Lake Atitlan: Hotel Casa Del Mundo
Remember how we were saying earlier on that one of our most memorable hotel stays ever was in Lake Atitlan?
Well, the hotel is called Casa Del Mundo. Perched on a secluded cliff of Jaibalito. It is surrounded by gorgeous gardens, swimming holes, multiple balcony overlooks, and even a hot tub overhanging the lake.
It is located in Jaibalito and can only be accessed by boat which adds to the sense of tranquility. They have an amazing restaurant on site and you can dine on their open balcony with unobstructed views of the entire Lake.
With 19 bedrooms spread out throughout the property, you always have your own secluded space where you can enjoy the sounds of the waves and the birds chirping.
The staff are super caring and attentive and after spending 3 days there, we felt like we were part of their family. They also conveniently offer tours right from the hotel.
Staying at Casa Del Mundo was one of the most memorable stays we’ve ever had in our travels around the world. We would highly recommend that you try it out.
Make sure to reserve early though as they definitely get fully booked. We reserved around 4 months in advance and still had to be on a waiting list for the specific room we wanted.
TIP: if you want one of the standard rooms with the best view of the lake with a private balcony, try to get room #17.
⭐🏡 Check out the amazing Casa Del Mundo hotel!
Important and Useful tips
- Sometimes you will need to change shuttle buses mid-journey (from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan or vice versa) since some of the passengers are going to Antigua and others directly to the destination. This affects your timing but also make sure not to forget anything on the shuttle bus when you switch. We forgot our steak sandwich. It looked delicious and we were saving it for the airport.
- Make sure to book your transport with a reliable agency as we heard from other travelers where their bus just never showed up and she was obligated to spend 100$ for a taxi. We used GuateGo.
- Based on our experience, the bus may be delayed by 10-15 minutes due to local traffic. Factor that in when booking your bus times.
- The roads towards Lake Atitlan are quite mountainous and winding. If you have motion sickness, make sure to bring along the appropriate pills. It also helps to sit towards the front of the bus where you can look out the driver window.
- Shared shuttle buses will make stops at each passenger’s hotel. Make sure to factor that into the time it takes to arrive at your destination.
- The best way to save money is by knowing how much things should cost in Guatemala. Check out our Guatemala budget breakdown post where we share how much we spent in each category.
Conclusion
Of all the ways to get to Lake Atitlan, we would recommend taking the shared shuttle or the private shuttle. We ended up choosing the shared shuttle and the pickup and drop-off were punctual, and the drivers were cordial.
Since the ride takes 3-4 hours, we definitely preferred going with a professional agency rather than an unknown Uber or taxi driver. We also met a couple of fellow travelers along the way which was great!
Either way, you will definitely enjoy your time at Lake Atitlan! We spent 5 days in Lake Atitlan and could’ve stayed even longer! We hope you find this helpful!
