The crater of Volcán Chikabal filled up with water sometime in the past, and now it’s a sacred Maya site, as well as a very cool day hike. The bus ride from Xela takes about an hour, and then you are looking at an hour and a half hike up to the lake. Since the area is a sacred Mayan site, swimming isn’t allowed, but it’s a great place to make a fire and eat lunch. Be respectful and enjoy the natural beauty. Beware: the lake is well known for being almost completely fogged over – this can make for a somewhat eery experience, but it’s still definitely worth the trip. Bus ride – 5Q each way; entry fee: 15Q.

1. First, you need to find your way to Parque Benito Juárez.
2. From there, head north three blocks to the bus stop.
3. Take a bus toward Chile Verde. Ask the Ayudante if it goes to La Distancia, and ask him to tell you when you get there. Don’t ask the price. Just pay 5Q per person. There’s some chance he’ll charge more: if it’s just a little bit, pay, but if it’s ridiculous, argue.
   
4. At La Distancia you have a couple of options. You can start hiking, or you can pay for a pickup ride. Another 5Q. Either way, head up the hill towards the small town, Aldea Las Nubes. If you need directions just ask for La Laguna Chikabal.
5. Pay the entry fee.
6. Hike!
7. Check out the mirador (viewpoint).
8. Hang out by the lake.
9. Return the same way you came, catching the bus on the other side of the road.

Overlooking Xela from the East is a nice viewpoint that’s actually very easily reached from the city. It’s also a hotspot on the weekends, with families barbecuing and hanging out, kids playing soccer, and the not-to-be-missed concrete slides, or resbaladeros. This is a great hike for any morning or afternoon, or anytime, really. It’s steep, but short, so shouldn’t be too taxing for anybody. There’s also a road to the top in case you want to drive or take a taxi.

1. From the Parque Central head east and downhill on 5th Calle (the corner with McDonalds). Follow the main road as it veers to the left.

2. Turn right at the gas station.

3. Follow this road up the hill, turning when you are nearly at the end. The turnoff is a small dirt road with houses along the left side.

4. Cross the main road and keep heading up the path.

5. Enjoy the view, wander around the park at the top, and be sure not to miss the…

6. Slides. Follow the sign to Resbaladeros.

Concrete Slides / Resbaladeros

Watch out! The way these work is you take a flattened plastic bottle and sit on it to slide. If you have a good big bottle (experts use the 3L ones) you can get going really fast. These things are awesome, but… you could kill yourself. So be careful.

Hiking to the top of Volcán Tajamulco easily makes the list of must-see, must-do attractions on the Guatemalan tourist trail. Though it’s the highest mountain in Central America at 4,220 meters (13,845 feet), it isn’t necessarily one of the most difficult hikes. To top things off (haha!), if you are there on a clear day you can see the entire volcano chain of Guatemala, the Ocean, Mexico, and many other things.

Many people do the hike overnight, and if you want to do that, we recommend using a tour company’s services. The sunset and sunrise probably make it worth it, but you should be warned that it’s very cold during the night. If, on the other hand, you decide to simply do a day hike, we provide here directions and maps to help you successfully reach the summit. The ascent takes 3 – 3 1/2 hours; the descent takes slightly less.

1. From Terminal Minerva catch a bus to San Marcos for Q10. You probably want to leave early in the morning, both to make sure you have reliable transportation back to Xela in the afternoon, and in order to have a better chance at clear views from the top.

2. At the San Marcos bus station walk around the main building to the upper parking lot. Microbuses leave from here that will be able to drop you off at the trailhead. Ask around, telling the ayudante or driver that you want to hike Volcán Tajamulco. The bus ride should be Q10 at the most, though your price may vary. It takes about 45 minutes to reach the trailhead.

3. Cross the road and head up the “paved” trail. Paved here means sort-of cobblestoned.

4. The hike is pretty straightforward – follow the trail.

5. When you reach this abandoned foundation, you have a choice. If you ascend the spine to the left, you’ll end up doing a little bit of more technical bouldering before reaching the top. If you want an easier hike head right and keep following the trail.

6. Congrats! Enjoy the view. Don’t shiver too much.

La Muela translates to The Molar, and once you get near the top of this hike you’ll be able to see where that name comes from. The route starts in Xela, and if you want to walk up the highway you can do that, but the bus will save you a kilometer of possibly dangerous roadside walking. Once on the trail up the hill, you’ll pass through beautiful fields and forests before reaching the volcanic rock fields that make up La Muela and the areas around it. The views from the top are great, and there are also further peaks that you can go to if you have a lot of time and are feeling adventerous.

1. From Parque Central, walk two blocks south, then two blocks east to get to the gas station where buses leave town.
2. Take a bus for Almolonga or Zunil. Tell the Ayudante that you want to go to La Muela. (Try to) pay only 1 Quetzal.
3. Follow the road up the hill.
4. Turn right at this dirt track.
5. Reach the soccer field! Take a break if you want.
6. Now the hike gets fun. Climb up the volcanic rockfield until you get to the top.

Volcán Santa María can be seen to the south from most everywhere in Xela, or at least it can be when the skies are clear. It’s a very popular hike, and on cloudless days provides great views of many of the other volcanos, the ocean, and it’s active neighbor, Volcán Santiaguito. The bus ride from Xela is around 15 minutes (2Q each way), the ascent takes between three and four hours, and the descent a little bit less. To top things off, there are cows on the peak. Weird!!!

1. You want to catch a bus to Llanos del Pinal, the town at the base of the volcano. It should cost 2 Quetzales. Some of the buses pass through Parque El Calvario.
2. Many more buses go along Avenida Las Americas. To get there, walk along the edge of the cemetary from El Calvario and up the hill to the crossroads.
3. About 15 minutes later you will arrive in Llanos del Pinal. Ride the bus until it is about to turn left. You can also ask the ayudante to tell you where to get off for the volcano.
4. Walk up the hill! Eventually you’ll get to a place with the official “Welcome to the Volcano” sign, and have to turn right. It’s obvious which way to go: up!
5. So you made it, check out Santiaguito from up here and look around a lot.

The crater of Volcán Chikabal filled up with water sometime in the past, and now it’s a sacred Maya site, as well as a very cool day hike. The bus ride from Xela takes about an hour, and then you are looking at an hour and a half hike up to the lake. Since the area is a sacred Mayan site, swimming isn’t allowed, but it’s a great place to make a fire and eat lunch. Be respectful and enjoy the natural beauty. Beware: the lake is well known for being almost completely fogged over – this can make for a somewhat eery experience, but it’s still definitely worth the trip. Bus ride – 5Q each way; entry fee: 15Q.

1. First, you need to find your way to Parque Benito Juárez.
2. From there, head north three blocks to the bus stop.
3. Take a bus toward Chile Verde. Ask the Ayudante if it goes to La Distancia, and ask him to tell you when you get there. Don’t ask the price. Just pay 5Q per person. There’s some chance he’ll charge more: if it’s just a little bit, pay, but if it’s ridiculous, argue.
   
4. At La Distancia you have a couple of options. You can start hiking, or you can pay for a pickup ride. Another 5Q. Either way, head up the hill towards the small town, Aldea Las Nubes. If you need directions just ask for La Laguna Chikabal.
5. Pay the entry fee.
6. Hike!
7. Check out the mirador (viewpoint).
8. Hang out by the lake.
9. Return the same way you came, catching the bus on the other side of the road.

Literally translated, “the steams,” these steam baths are just over an hour’s walk from Parque Central. Los Vahos make for a great morning / afternoon trip: hike up, relax for an hour in the saunas, then eat a packed lunch and hang out in the sun before heading back down. You also have the option to climb a little farther (see map) to check out a view of Volcán Santa Maria to the south. Though it’s not extremely strenuous, the hike to Los Vahos is almost entirely uphill, so be warned. The owners charge 20Q per person.

1. Head south from Parque Central on 12th Ave., turning right on 11th Calle.
2. Turn left on 13th Ave A. This road switches back and forth up the hill.
3. Pass Cristo Viene. The road turns into a path here. Keep following it.
4. At the fork, turn left.
5. When you see this house, turn left again.
6. Say hello to the cows. ¡Hola Vaca!
7. At the blue Tigo school, turn right and follow the path up the hill.
8. Enjoy the baths!
9. Optional Find the path a short distance past Los Vahos and scramble up the hill for a great view of the volcán.

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