Post-Wedding

Recover from hangover – all morning

Sunset hike on Pacaya Volcano – 2:30pm-9:30pm
With its peak at 8,373 feet above sea level, Pacaya Volcano looms over Antigua. After a 1½hr shuttle ride to the base of the volcano, the adventurous will embark on a medium-difficulty, 3.5hr hike to the main crater for unparalleled, sweeping views of Guatemala City to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. During the hike, the scenery changes quickly from lush, subtropical vegetation to a barren, volcanic landscape, dotted with vents emitting steam and heat from deep within the bowels of the volcano; if you’re lucky, you may even see lava! You’ll arrive to the crater in time to enjoy the unforgettable spectacle of the sun setting behind a chain of volcanoes and marvel at the lights of Guatemala City below. At the crater’s edge, you’ll enjoy a feast of homemade bread, soup, empanadas, a selection of cheeses and hams, fruit, dessert, non-alcoholic beverages and wine. Flashlights are provided for the hike down. Please wear comfortable clothing and appropriate shoes, as you will be walking on a gravel pathway. Rates for the private, wedding-guest-only tour: $140 per person for 2-4 people, $130 per person for 5-12 people, $115 per person for 13-20 people. Horses can be hired for an additional cost of $15 (each way) for those people who prefer a less strenuous excursion.

Iximché Ruins – 9:00am-1:30pm
Founded in 1470 by the Kaqchikel Mayans, Iximché was the capital of the late-postclassic Maya kingdom. In 1524, it was conquered by the Spaniards, who adopted it as their own capital. They called it Quauhtemallan, from the Mesoamerican Nahuatl word for “forested land”, which then became the name of the entire region: Guatemala. This pre-Columbian archeological site is still considered to be a sacred site for Kaqchiquel Mayan people, who hold spiritual ceremonies there to this day. The ‘palaces’, temples, and ball courts uncovered here are modest in scale but set in a serene, park-like setting. You will first embark on a one-and-a-half hour guided tour of the Iximché ruins (an English- and Spanish-speaking guide will be provided), followed by a visit to Guatemala’s oldest church in the nearby town of Tecpan. Rates for the private, wedding-guest-only tour: $85 per person for 2-4 people, $60 per person for 5-12 people, $40 per person for 13-20 people.

Lago de Atitlán
One of our favorite places in the world, Lago de Atitlán is simply breathtaking. Aldous Huxley famously wrote: “Lake Como, it seems to me, touches on the limit of permissibly picturesque, but Atitlán is Como with additional embellishments of several immense volcanoes. It really is too much of a good thing.” Formed approximately 85,000 years ago in the crater of a massive volcano, Lago de Atitlán is more than 10 miles across at its widest point. It sits at nearly a mile high in altitude and is surrounded on all sides by steep, verdant hills and picturesque Maya villages. Over everything loom the volcanoes, permeating the entire area with a mysterious beauty. No wonder many outsiders have fallen in love with the place and made their homes here. (Gomez-Norelid retirement location?)

The lake is a two-and-a-half-hour bus ride west from Antigua. There is no road that circles the lake; instead, communities are reached by boat from the lake’s hub, Panajachel, or “Pana” for short.

About a 10-minute boat ride from Pana is the lovely little village of Jaibalito, one of the most idyllic, picturesque spots on the lake. We have blocked off all 19 rooms in a cozy hotel near Jaibalito. Rooms range from $43 (with shared bath) to $93 for a suite. This is where the bride and groom will be staying for the week, and we hope to enjoy your company for as many nights as you would like to join us!

Booking information

• Contact Ivan Maldonado, General Manager, at casamundo@gmail.com
• Tell him you’d like to book a room under the Victoria & Yiyo block
• Let him know which room number (check out the hotel’s website to pick!) and which nights
• He will ask you to put down a 50% deposit, via PayPal or a Bank of America
• You will need to send him the scanned bank transaction or PayPal confirmation

In planning your travel logistics, please keep in mind that the lake is a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Guatemala City, as this can affect travel times to the airport for your outbound flights. It’s also important to note that the block under our names will become free to the general public on January 15; after this date, any remaining rooms at Casa del Mundo that haven’t been reserved by our guests will become available to the general public.

Although one can get a taste of the beauty of Lago de Atitlán in a couple of days, there is certainly enough to entertain travelers of all ages and interests for a week, or much more. You can either enjoy the many activities the lake has to offer, or just relax by the water’s edge sipping micheladas for days on end. We have curated a selection of the most popular activities and daytrips with some of the best guides available.

 

Activities you can do on your own:

• Kayaking. There are a variety of places to rent kayaks around the lake, depending on what area you would like to explore. It is important to note that the lake gets quite choppy most afternoons (from around 1:00pm) due to a phenomenon called xocomil in the local languages. It is recommended to get an early start (by 8:00 or 9:00am) while the lake is still glassy calm.  Kayaks can be rented from our hotel for approximately $6/hr. Pedro (see next section below) also drops off kayaks at our hotel for $5/hr or $20/day.  We recommend kayaking to a spot near the village of San Marcos for the best swimming and cliff-diving there is on the lake ($2 entrance fee to swimming spot).
• Village hopping. While there are agencies that offer tours of a selection of the 13 lakeside Mayan villages, this is an activity that you can definitely do on your own.  Hopping on and off the public boats that traverse the lake from village to village, you can get a taste of rowdy Pana (also called Gringotenanga after the growing population of foreigners that have settled here); wander the base of the volcano in San Pedro; partake in meditation, reiki or other spiritually oriented activities in San Marcos and enjoy one of the lake’s best swimming spots a short hike from this village; admire the rugged beauty of Santa Cruz; or explore the enduring traditional Tz’utujil Mayan lifestyle in Santiago Atitlan, where women weave and wear brightly-colored huipiles and locals revere the cigar-smoking version of the popular Guatemalan deity Maximón.  Please note that public boats start decreasing their route frequency at around 3pm and stop all-together at around 5pm.
• Zip-lining at the Atitlan Nature Reserve. With a beautiful hike up to the cable’s starting point, followed by some of the longest and most extreme zip-lines out there, this activity is highly recommended for those with an adventurous spirit.  The combination of lines traverses nearly 8,000 feet in distance, with breathtaking views of the lake. The nature reserve itself is spectacular, with a beautiful butterfly preserve, nature trails, a 75-foot waterfall, and coffee groves.  Reserve open daily 8am-5pm, entrance fee approx. $8.  Zip-lining $29 (ZipTrek X-Tremos) or $45 (ZipTrek Ultra X-Tremos) per person.  (info@atitlanreserva.com, (+502) 7762 2565 / 7762 2564 / 7762 2563).  To get to the reserve, take a boat to Pana.  From there, take a tuk tuk (5min, Q10) to the reserve entrance.

 

With Pedro from Adventure Tours Atitlan
Skype: tours-atitlan.com
toursatitlan.com@gmail.com
(+502) 5355-8849

• Hiking tours. There are numerous, scenic hiking tours available, which you can either do on your own or with an experienced guide.  These include ascending the San Pedro Volcano for incredible lake views at the summit, hiking through the onion fields clinging to the steep mountainsides, or meandering through the Mayan villages dotting the lakeside.  With guide: approx. $45 for 1-4 people.
• Private boat tour of Santiago Atitlán, San Juan, and San Marcos: This guided boat-and-walking tour takes you first to the village of Santiago Atitlán, where you walk along the shore of the bay (a photographer’s dream) before going to the visitor’s center, which offers insight into the life of the Tzutujile Maya people through interpretive displays on the history of the traje (traditional clothing), spiritual beliefs, and Maximón. We then visit the local church with its shrine to Maximón, a folk saint venerated by the Maya.  Then you depart for San Juan, the “Swiss village” of the lake to stop by a few local art galleries, followed by a visit to the Women Weavers and Nuestra Artesanía cooperatives, where the women demonstrate how the beautiful fabrics are made; from harvesting the cotton, to spinning it into yarn, dyeing the yarn, and then creating one of-a-kind fabrics with the backstrap loom.  Next you pop into the Qomaneel medicinal and curative herb garden, operated by the midwives of San Juan, to sample each plant and hear a description of its curative powers; all natural soaps, teas, and shampoos are made on the premises. There are no entrance fees at the San Juan cooperatives; your gift purchases or donations are how these centers function.  We stop for lunch and then head to San Marcos for a dip in one of the lake’s most beautiful swimming and cliff jumping spots before returning to the hotel.  8am-3pm.  $35 per person for groups of 5+; price does not include meals.
• Birdwatching: Lake Atitlán has a great variety of bird species. Pedro arranges for an expert guide, certified by the Inguat Tourism Institute, to go birding with you, from 6am to 9:30am. $50 per person (minimum 3, maximum 5 people); does not include binoculars.

 

With Jim and Nancy from Finca Xetuc
(+502) 5742-8975 or 4767-6657

• Horseback riding. Jim & Nancy, local expats from the US, offer guided tours on horseback from the town of Santiago Atitlán to the top of the ridge behind the bay of Santiago.  From the ridge, on a clear morning, you can see down to the Pacific Ocean on one side and Atitlán’s volcanoes on the other.  Rides include a guide and full gourmet meal served upon completion of the ride. Jim and Nancy offer four different rides, ranging from approximately $55 to $75 per person:  (a) Breakfast Ride: 7am–11:30am, (b) Lunch Ride: 9:30am–3:30pm, (c) Sunset Cocktail Ride: 4:30pm–7pm, and (d) Dinner Ride: 4:30pm–whenever.

 

With Lee and Elaine from Kayak Atitlan
booking@kayakguatemala.com
(+502) 5359-8328 or 5107-1401

• Rock climbing: Advanced climbers can traverse several over-the-water climbing sites around the lake, while beginners try out one of their easier walls at the base camp in Santa Cruz. Advanced over-the-water climbing: half day $85, full day $155.  Introductory lesson and climb $35.

 

With David Yates and Daniel Salguerro
davidyates@gmail.com, (+502) 5353-5823
daniel@antiguafinehomes.com, (+502) 5302-7081

• Mountain biking. Choose from a selection of tours for all levels of experience.  Prices vary.
• Paragliding. Soar above the lake for 20 to 40 minutes as you fly tandem with an experienced German pilot, Christian.  After checking that conditions are appropriate, which they are most afternoons as the southerly breeze picks up from across the lake, Christian will drive you to a point approximately 1,000 feet above the lake, from where you will take off. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride as Christian pilots the paraglide to Panajachel.  $90 per person.
• Spear fishing. Most of the black bass fished from Lago de Atitlán are caught by local Mayan fisherman using a spear gun. You can join a local fisherman who will show you how it’s done. Price includes two guides, all equipment (snorkel, mask, spear guns), and private boat.  $65 per person (1-2 people), $52 per person (3+ people).
• Weaving lessons. Aside from Lago de Atitlán’s spectacular scenery and climate, the friendliness and sincerity of the local people always make a lasting impression on travelers.  While most people from the indigenous communities speak Spanish as a second language, they proudly keep many of their cultural traditions alive.  One of the most beautiful traditions is the use of hand-woven textiles and outfits, which vary in design and material from village to village and which are still worn by most of the women.  A local master weaver from the lakeside village of Santa Catarina Palopó provides weaving lessons using the traditional back looms on which local women create all of their intricate textiles. The price includes all materials. The course takes approximately two to three hours.  $30 per session.

For those with an insatiable wanderlust, Guatemala has even more to offer you.  The highlights from our first trip include Tikal and Semuc Champey, and we’ve also heard great things about the Río Dulce area and the market at Chichicastenango.

Tikal.  One of the largest archeological sites and urban centers of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization, Tikal is located in northern Guatemala in the Petén Basin. Tikal grew into one of the most powerful Maya cities from 200-900 AD; its monumental architecture dates back to the 4th century BC. From Guatemala City, you can catch a long bus ride or take a helicopter flight (which is quicker, but pricey).  Many travel agencies offer Tikal daytrips, but by spending a night here, you’ll have a chance to visit the breathtaking ruins in both the late afternoon and early morning, when there are fewer tourists and wildlife is more active.  (And entrance tickets purchased after 3pm are also valid the next day!).

Semuc Champey.  Along a bumpy road 11 kilometers south of Lanquín (department of Verapaz), Semuc Champey is famed for its beautiful natural limestone bridge and stepped pools flowing with cool river water perfect for swimming. Though this bit of paradise is difficult to reach, the beauty of its setting and the turquoise perfection of the pools make it one of the loveliest spots in the country.

Chichicastenango.  One of the largest trading centers in the Mayan world since pre-Hispanic times, Chichicastenango (or Chichi for short) attracts traders from highland villages for miles around.  Stalls and blankets are set up on the plaza and the streets around it, selling essentials like fruit, vegetables, clothing and spices, as well as beautiful handicrafts such as textiles, leather goods, masks, and carvings.   Chichi is relatively easy to reach from Guatemala City (3hrs), Antigua (3.5hrs), or Panajachel (the hub of Lago de Atitlán; 1.5hrs), and it is best to roam early in the morning before the tour buses start piling in.