The Great Guatemalan Adventure | Volcanoes, Villages & ATVs

This trip is designed to be a small group experience, with up to 14 guests. Keeping the group smaller makes the trip feel more personal and allows us to move around more easily when we’re exploring villages, taking boats around Lake Atitlán, or heading out on ATV rides.

Yes, and many travelers do. Couples and friends often love the group dynamic because you still get to travel together while also meeting other like-minded travelers during activities and dinners.

Absolutely. Many people join these trips solo, and it’s actually one of the best ways to travel if you don’t have someone to go with. The group dynamic makes it easy to meet people and share experiences, while still giving you freedom to explore on your own when you want.

I offer roommate matching for solo travelers who want to share a room. While I can’t guarantee a match, I do my best to pair travelers when possible. If a match isn’t available, the solo room surcharge will apply.

You’ll fly into Guatemala City’s La Aurora International Airport (GUA). This is the starting point for the trip, and we’ll arrange transportation from the airport to Lake Atitlán where the adventure begins. We'll also arrange transportation from Lake Atitlán to Antigua and Antigua back to the airport!

On arrival day, I recommend landing no later than 2:00 PM so you have time to reach Lake Atitlán before the public boats stop running. For departure day, I suggest avoiding flights earlier than 10:00 AM, since it can take about 90 minutes (or more with traffic) to reach the airport from Antigua.

Don't forget that you'll still need to arrive at the airport 2-3 hours before you scheduled departure time!

Most of the activities are moderate and manageable for most travelers. The most active day is the Pacaya Volcano hike, which involves hiking across uneven terrain and about 2 hours total of hiking at high elevations (around 8,000 feet). If you’d prefer not to hike, you can ascend this portion on horseback instead for a small fee (about $50). This amount would be paid on the spot (with cash) to the person leading your horse.

Otherwise, it's important that guests do not have any mobility issues that would prevent them from riding ATVs, climbing stairs (there are many in Lake Atitlán) or boarding the water taxi boats.

No prior ATV experience is necessary. The ATV tours are beginner-friendly and guided the entire time. The local guides will walk everyone through how the vehicles work before we start riding, and passengers can ride with another traveler if they prefer not to drive.

A valid driver's license is required if you plan to drive an ATV during this trip. If you do not plan to drive an ATV or you do not possess a driver's license, you must have another person on your reservation who plans to drive for you to become a passenger.

The trip includes 8 nights of high quality accommodations, daily breakfasts, airport transfers, transportation between destinations, guided tours, roof top cooking class with a local, and several adventure experiences including ATV rides around Lake Atitlán and Antigua, a Lake Atitlán villages tour by boat, and the Pacaya Volcano hike.

Flights, meals & alcohol unless otherwise noted, and travel insurance (I highly recommend you insure your trip which you can do here).

While flights are not included in the total trip cost, I'm happy to assist any trip participants with choosing the best flight options. Just ask!

Booking is simple. Use the "Check Availability" buttons on this page to submit your deposit and secure your spot on the trip.

If you you'd rather learn more before submitting your deposit, let's get to know each other!

I'm always happy to set up a time for us to chat, video call or answer questions about my tours over email.

You can find my contact information below:

• Wes Mergard
• 513-202-3064
• wes@travelwithwes.com
• www.travelwithwes.com

You can also reach me on social media. If you don't already, join the 50,000+ people who already follow along with my travels in real time!

• Instagram
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• Facebook

If you're located in Cincinnati, I'm always happy to meet in person over coffee to discuss.

Once you're ready to reserve your spot, you can do so by submitting your deposit using the form on this page, or using this link.

• The first set of dates is arriving on January 10th and departing on January 16th, 2027
• The second set of dates is arriving on January 17th and departing on January 23rd, 2027.
• Consider adding +1 night to the front end of your trip to ensure you arrive well rested and on time for your tour!

Spanish is the primary language spoken in Guatemala. It's not necessary that you can speak Spanish to visit Guatemala or participate in this tour, but it can be helpful at times, particularly if you want to spend time away from the group or our guided activities.

If you're a U.S. citizen, you do not need a tourist visa to visit Guatemala. You’ll simply receive a tourist entry stamp when you arrive. Your passport should be valid for the duration of your stay, and most travelers are allowed to stay up to 90 days. I also recommend  your passport be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date when you plan to return to the United States from Guatemala.

Yes. While the trip includes a number of guided activities, there is also free time built into the itinerary so you can relax, explore on your own, grab a coffee, have dinner in town, or just enjoy the scenery.

Travel insurance isn’t required, but it’s strongly recommended. It can help protect you in case of flight delays, cancellations, medical issues, or unexpected travel changes.

If you don't have travel insurance, you can compare policies here.

Deposits and prepayments are refundable in accordance with the tour cancellation policy.