Top Guatemala Unique Experiences

Step inside the Maya community of Santa Cruz with this NGO visit. Check out a successful non-profit vocational training center with classes in cooking, beading, sewing, and carpentry. Visit a classroom, café, and store run by the organization. Explore the village of Santa Cruz, home to one of the oldest churches in Guatemala, and end your tour with lunch at the NGO-run rooftop café overlooking the waters of Lake Atitlan.

If you like unpopular tours for small groups to trully learn about Antigua culinary history based on your expectations this is your food tour. This is a mix of our local top picks of street food hidden gems, and must places to trully immerse in our Guatemalan food community We don't have a standard list of places since we always tailor every food tour from our local perspective and top picks. But it will always include 6 to 7 food stops and almost 10 food/beverage tastings. That we know you'll like. Please once you request your booking let us know your expectations. Thanks for choosing us!

Take a journey through the traditions of Mayan spirituality as you experience a 2-hour traditional fire-cleansing ceremony with a guide in the Sacred Caves of Lake Atitlan. Step inside these mystical caves, used by local Mayans for many centuries, to observe the performance of this holy and powerful ritual by a local shaman. Listen as your guide explains the history and traditions behind the ritual and provides insight into the Mayan calendar system. Before you leave, you’ll have time to admire the gorgeous views of the lake down below.

Find out what’s bubbling in the typical Guatemalan kitchen during this 4-hour cooking class near Lake Atitlan. Spend your session gaining a hands-on understanding of three Guatemalan dishes, discovering the blend of Mayan and Spanish colonial flavors that give this Central American cuisine its unique taste. You’ll finish class by enjoying a tasty lunch of the dishes you prepared, and recipe book to recreate the dishes in the future. Optional upgrades featuring private lessons and visits to the market are also available.

Get up close and personal with a Guatemalan volcano on a day trip to Pacaya Volcano, one of the country’s most active. Hike through volcanic vegetation and surreal landscapes on your way to the top, enjoying views of nearby volcanic peaks of Agua, Fuego and Acatenango that you won't get anywhere else. Your trip from Antigua to the volcano also includes round-trip transportation from your hotel, so you don't have to worry about finding a meeting point.

Antigua is known for its jade, and while you can pick up everything from earrings to jade sculptures in the local market, it's much more fun to carve your own special piece to take home. With the help of a jade-carver instructor, learn how to fabricate your own piece that you can display as a necklace or bracelet charm or on a keychain.

Learn how to prepare chocolate desserts in the country that does it best during a 2-hour workshop at the ChocoMuseum in Antigua. Learn all about the chocolate making process from cacao bean to candy bar. Afterwards, with the help of an instructor, prepare your own creations. Take home 120g of your handmade desserts to share with friends or, more likely, devour all on your own.

Here's your chance to volunteer and make a difference in a Mayan village if you have just one day. Before your hands-on community service, start your day with a traditional Guatemalan breakfast. Then go behind the scenes to experience the rich cultural heritage of the Mam-speaking Maya via a walking tour of the village and a visit to the home of a local family. After lunch and a demonstration of traditional backstrap weaving, share your skills and interests by engaging in meaningful volunteer work that will impact the lives of so many villagers. Opportunities include assembling clean water filters or emergency food bags and delivering them to people's homes; assisting in the health clinic; engaging with children on art projects and soccer play; and practicing English with the staff. 78% OF YOUR ACTIVITY FEE DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THE PROGRAMS and CLINICS of LOCAL HOPE/XELA AID THAT EMPOWER LOCAL FAMILIES and COMMUNITIES TO BE HEALTHY, EDUCATED AND SELF-RELIANT.

Discover one of Guatemala's hidden natural treasures while supporting a sustainable tourism initiative that benefits the communities of Sipacate and El Paredón. Travel from Puerto Quetzal to Sipacate, where local guides welcome you for a peaceful boat ride and the proyect of protecting the Marine Turle, You will see the turtles and watch how they mesure them and make studies about population and where they migrate. Visit a community sea turtle conservation center and discover local efforts to protect endangered marine turtles. Continue to the Guardians of the Mangrove School, where students share their environmental education projects on mangroves, sea turtles, coastal birds, and conservation. Join interactive activities such as environmental games, mural painting, or reading with local children. Explore the school's educational garden. Your booking goes US$5 support for children activities of conservation.

Sit alongside local women and learn the art of Maya beading with this hands-on workshop in Santa Cruz la Laguna. Not only is this socially responsible tour a great way to learn about the Maya cultures found on Lake Atitlan, but it also directly benefits local communities. Upgrade to include lunch at Lake Atitlan’s top restaurant—also run by a social enterprise—or a community-led tour of the village.

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

Visit four traditional villages in one day with this day trip from Antigua to San Juan del Obispo, San Pedro las Huertas, Ciudad Vieja, and San Antonio Aguas Calientes. This tour packs in sightseeing at every stop: see churches, plazas, markets, and even a chocolate workshop, all while learning about the area’s Spanish and Mayan history from your guide as you go.

Explore the traditional markets of Antigua and learn about regional cuisine on this popular tour from Guatemala City. Spend the day learning how to cook some of the nation's most iconic dishes, including beans, tortillas and more. Take home printed recipes to share with friends! You can even participate in a chocolate making workshop and learn how bitter beans are made into one of the world's sweetest treats!

Embark on an exotic culinary adventure with this 5-hour small-group cooking class in Antigua, including hotel pick-up. Master expert techniques and local ingredients to create typical Guatemalan dishes like ‘hilachas’, tamales and ‘camote en dulce’, under the watchful eye of a professional chef. After tasting your creations over lunch, leave armed with recipes and cooking tips to help you recreate your favorite dishes back home.

Explore Antiguan history, culture, and cuisine on this half-day chicken bus tour, ideal for travelers tight on time. Cover more ground than you could on foot and visit unusual places many travelers overlook, such as the San Juan del Obispo Museum and Valhalla Experimental Station. Plus, enjoy access to communities that you likely couldn’t get if exploring independently.

This popular Pacaya Volcano day trip from Guatemala City is the perfect way to experience the beauty of the country’s most active volcano. Follow your expert local guide to the top of this fiery mountain and look out over stunning views of Guatemala countryside. It’s a memorable way to experience the natural beauty of this incredible country and is perfect for novice hikers.