Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Highlands Highlights
Soar over, dive under or relax by sublime
Lago de Atitlán
(
Click here
)
Hunt for
huipiles
(embroidered tunics) and other Maya weavings at vibrant indigenous markets in
Chichicastenango
(
Click here
) and
San Francisco El Alto
(
Click here
)
Polish your Spanish and hike volcanoes in and around
Quetzaltenango
(
Click here
)
Take in the stunning Cuchumatanes scenery and village life of the Ixil Triangle around
Nebaj
(
Click here
)
Mingle with the Maya in
Todos Santos Cuchumatán
(
Click here
),
San Mateo Ixtatán
(
Click here
)
and other
remote villages
Getting Around
Public transport connections between towns and villages are easy and cheap, accommoda-
tion is plentiful, and people are generally welcoming and helpful, making it a cinch to get
around.
The meandering Interamericana (Hwy 1), running 345km along the mountain ridges
between Guatemala City and the Mexican border at La Mesilla, passes close to all of the
region's most important places, and countless buses roar up and down it all day, every day.
Two key intersections act as major bus interchanges: Los Encuentros for Panajachel and
Chichicastenango, and Cuatro Caminos for Quetzaltenango. If you can't find a bus going to
your destination, simply get one to either of those points. Transfers are usually seamless,
with not-too-frustrating waiting times and locals who are ready to help travelers find the
right bus.
Travel is easiest in the morning and, for smaller places, on market days. By mid- or late
afternoon, buses may be difficult to find. Further off the beaten track you may be relying
more on pickups than buses for transportation.
Microbuses - large vans that depart as soon as they fill with passengers - are becoming
the dominant mode of transport along highland routes such as Santa Cruz del
Quiché-Nebaj and Chichicastenango-Los Encuentros. They're preferred by many locals
for their convenience and are only slightly more expensive than buses.
Otherwise, vans run by tour operators shuttle tourists between the major destinations of
the region and beyond. They travel faster, more comfortably and more expensively than
buses.
