Private Tour: Lake Atitlan Boat Tour to Santiago & San Juan La Laguna

Atitlán means “between the waters.” In the Nahuatl language, “atl” is the word for water,and “titlan” means between.The “tl” at the end of the word “atl” is dropped and the words are combined to form “Atitlán.”

Your tour will begin with a pick up at your hotel in Guatemala City by our local guide and transfer to Panajachel, below a brief summary of what to expect on your way.
We will go to the west of the country where most of the indigenous villages of Guatemala are concentrated. On the way to our destination we will start in a wooded area surrounded by pine trees and other tree species continuing our journey we will see a valley where a variety of vegetables are grown, as well as fruits and vegetables grown by local people.

Upon arrival to Panajachel we will take a boat to cross Lake Atitlan and visit Santiago Atitlán, where you’ll learn of the local Saint “Maximon” he is a nahual of the tz’utujiles of Santiago Atitlán, and is venerated as the “guardian protector” of the Tz’utujil people given his status as a colonized people. Popular tradition refers that this character is a tree of “palo de pito” or “tz’atel”, a common tree in the regions of Mesoamerica, who in mythological times was also proposed as guardian protector of the people.

Santiago is the most popular lakeside settlement outside Panajachel, and many atitecos (as its people are known) cling to a traditional Tz’utujil Mayan lifestyle. Women weave and wear huipiles (tunics) embroidered with brilliantly colored birds and flowers, and the cofradías town’s maintain the ceremonies and rituals of tradition, the syncretic traditions and practices of Mayan Catholicism. There’s a large art and crafts scene here as well.

Then continue to San Juan la Laguna , the first ideas that come mind are: peace, order, culture, art galleries, textile dyeing, weaving women, fishing men, medicinal plants, legends, landscapes, the Mayan Face and a lake that will make you fall in love with the warmth of its people.

Throughout the town you will find murals painted by the Xocomeel (painters), in these paintings you can discover the daily life, history and customs of San Juan la Laguna

At the end of our walking through the town we will take a boat to transfer back to Panajachel.

In Panajachel you will take a delicious lunch (NOT INCLUDED)

At the end of your lunch , you’ll be returned to Guatemala City.