Paula Bendfeldt-Diaz 
This 2 week Guatemala itinerary is for travelers who want to see Guatemala with enough time to actually enjoy it, not just rush from Antigua to Lake Atitlán to Tikal and call it done. In this article I’m sharing the exact 14-day route I would recommend to a friend who wants volcano views, Maya culture, … Read more
Livingston, Guatemala is a boat-access Caribbean town in Izabal, where the Río Dulce meets the sea and Garífuna culture is part of everyday life. This Livingston travel guide covers how to get there from Río Dulce or Puerto Barrios, what the boat ride is like, what to do in town, where to eat tapado, whether … Read more
Yes, there are manatees in Guatemala, but the best way to plan a manatee trip here is not to think of it as a guaranteed wildlife sighting. Think of it as a quiet boat trip through some of Guatemala’s most fragile and beautiful Caribbean wetlands, with the chance of seeing an Antillean manatee if the … Read more
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you book or buy something through one of my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend places and services I have personally used or vetted. Reserva Natural Cañón Seacacar is a Q’eqchi’ Maya community-run nature reserve near El Estor, … Read more
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you book or buy something through one of my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend places and services I have personally used or vetted. Castillo de San Felipe de Lara is a Spanish colonial fort on Río Dulce, … Read more
Finca El Paraíso is a hot spring waterfall near Río Dulce, El Estor, and Lake Izabal in Guatemala, where warm thermal water pours into the cool Río San Antonio. This guide covers how to visit Finca El Paraíso, how to get there from Río Dulce or El Estor, what to expect at the waterfall, what … Read more
El Boquerón Guatemala is one of the easiest adventure stops to add to a Río Dulce or Lake Izabal itinerary, especially if you want limestone canyon walls, a short cayuco ride, local guides, and a beautiful nature experience without committing to a full-day hike. This guide covers how to visit El Boquerón from Río Dulce, … Read more
The Acatenango hike is the volcano experience almost every visitor to Guatemala asks me about, usually right after seeing a video of Fuego erupting in the dark and wondering if that could actually be them standing there. It can be. But the real hike is harder, colder, dustier, muddier, and more complicated than most short … Read more
The biggest Guatemala itinerary mistake first-time travelers make isn’t choosing the wrong places. It’s choosing the wrong order. Guatemala looks compact on a map. Most people see it and assume the distances are manageable, the roads are straightforward, and the transfers are quick. Then they land, follow the standard route every blog recommends, and spend … Read more
October is one of those months travelers often skip when planning a trip to Guatemala. It sits at the end of rainy season, right before November starts to dry out, and it does not have the obvious name recognition of Semana Santa, Independence Day, or the giant kites. But October has its own quiet appeal: … Read more
