Guatemala Travel Agents

We had a great experience with the team at Columbus Guatemala Travel. It was our first time in Guatemala and Catherina helped draw up an excellent itinerary for us. This included Chichicastenango, Lake Atitlan, Antigua, and Acatenango volcano. They were very flexible to our interests and we got to learn about the culture and traditions, see and experience the sights, have some outdoor adventures, and relax and enjoy the hospitality.

Esteban did an amazing job as our guide and really made... read more

We had a great experience with the team at Columbus Guatemala Travel. It was our first time in Guatemala and Catherina helped draw up an excellent itinerary for us. This included Chichicastenango, Lake Atitlan, Antigua, and Acatenango volcano. They were very flexible to our interests and we got to learn about the culture and traditions, see and experience the sights, have some outdoor adventures, and relax and enjoy the hospitality.

Esteban did an amazing job as our guide and really made the trip even more outstanding. He was patient, enthusiastic, hospitable, knowledgeable, and flexible.

Logistically everything went according to plan and we didn’t have any missteps or hiccups. Yet we also had a fair amount of free time, flexibility, and optional activities that we made the best of. The team were all super-friendly and hospitable, and the WhatsApp chat group kept us all in touch at all times if we needed something.

Overall, we had an excellent trip and were very impressed by this beautiful country. Our eyes were opened to a new culture. The sights, the sounds, the food, and most importantly the compañeros along the way made this experience very memorable for us. I highly recommend you consider them if you are looking at Guatemala as a travel destination. Buen chilero :)

Hotel Review

Homestay in Chichicastenanago, Casa Diego Ignacio, EN.

Chichicastenango

This was a really nice place to stay. It is pretty spartan, but was clean, safe, food was excellent, hosts were very friendly, and walking distance to the center of Chichicastenango. Had some issues with dogs barking at night, but room otherwise comfortable. Consider this if you are looking for an authentic Mayan highland experience near the bi-weekly market that takes place here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit Chichicastenango Maya Market

Chichicastenango

It’s definitely a spectacle to witness. And has been going on for hundreds of years, so worth visiting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking in Lake Atitlán

Guatemala

This was a lot of fun. Easy to get to, just hopped in and set out. Worth doing if you are in Panajachel

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Villages Around Lake Atitlán by Bike

Guatemala

I don’t bike a lot, but it was one of the best bike tours I’ve done. A bit challenging with the hills. Picturesque. Nice towns to stop in along the way. Great road condition. Not a lot of traffic to deal with.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walk Antigua Like a Local

Antigua

Great tour. Esteban did a great job showing us around. Saw the main sights, went to some interesting places I would not have thought to visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Acatenango overnight

Guatemala

Ok - this is a punishing climb unless you are exceptionally fit. It’s not technically difficult (no special gear needed other than shoes and a hiking pole perhaps), but is an almost continuous climb for five miles starting at 8,000 feet elevation. If you are young(ish) and healthy, you will eventually get to the base camp. But if you aren’t, seriously consider training for this unless you are already reasonably fit. And read all the reviews and tips (like about how to dress in layers, be prepared for rain, etc - it’s all true). That said, the views at the top are phenomenal. Fuego is erupting almost every 5-10 minutes and puts on quite a show. We stayed at a cabin that was enclosed but allowed great views from inside. Probably a once in a lifetime experience for most of us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We loved our trip to Guatemala & Belize. We took our 2 grandchildren 14 & 12 with us. Our trip had been a long time in the making and thinking. We had ideas of where we wanted to go but we were really in the dark until we stumbled on Kim Kim and Old Town Outfitters, they made our planning so much easier. They were very easy to work with and the itinerary they set out for us was amazing. We had adventures, fun and history ending with 5 days of relaxation in Belize. We loved all of our guides... read more

We loved our trip to Guatemala & Belize. We took our 2 grandchildren 14 & 12 with us. Our trip had been a long time in the making and thinking. We had ideas of where we wanted to go but we were really in the dark until we stumbled on Kim Kim and Old Town Outfitters, they made our planning so much easier. They were very easy to work with and the itinerary they set out for us was amazing. We had adventures, fun and history ending with 5 days of relaxation in Belize. We loved all of our guides ... Vini and our driver Ivan that took us to Tikal. Olivero who was a wealth of information on Mayan history and ruins which was one of the main reasons we were in Guatemala and our guide in Belize, the three of them were excellent and very easy to spend time with. Kim Kim and Old Town Outfitters worked with our budget on every level and all our accommodation was very comfortable. They suggested places for us to visit that we would never have considered and certainly did not know about. We had the best time and our itinerary exceeded our expectations. Having a guide and driver while travelling with our grandchildren took a lot of stress out of our travels and they shared a lot with us about the culture and history of the places we visited and helped us with our Spanish. Kim Kim and Old Town Outfitters provided excellent and helpful service and their itinerary made our trip so easy ... stress free and worry free. Thank you!! We highly recommend them for your travel adventure.

This was an incredible trip. Definitely something off the beaten path. Our guide, Jossue aka Pepien, was fantastic and spared no effort or expense making the trip run smoothly, even if it meant finding a guy in the middle of the mountains to drive us to another part of the mountains on short notice. The mountain biking was challenging but not impossible for someone with not a lot of experience. Staying with the local Mam hosts was a very unique experience and something that you will likely... read more

This was an incredible trip. Definitely something off the beaten path. Our guide, Jossue aka Pepien, was fantastic and spared no effort or expense making the trip run smoothly, even if it meant finding a guy in the middle of the mountains to drive us to another part of the mountains on short notice. The mountain biking was challenging but not impossible for someone with not a lot of experience. Staying with the local Mam hosts was a very unique experience and something that you will likely not find on other trips. If you are planning on going on this trip be prepared to deal with cold nights, occasional rain, high altitude, and unfamiliar food.

We spent 7 days in Guatemala visiting Antigua and Lake Atitlan organised through Columbus. The service from Cathy whilst creating our itinerary was prompt and very flexible. Her communication all the way through was perfect.
Best of all was our guide for the week-JJ. He was so knowledgable, friendly flexible and couldn't do enough to help. We were truly sorry to say goodbye to him. We would very much recommend using Columbus travel through KimKim

Where can I start reviewing my trip to Guatemala? From the beginning Eduardo was amazing in answering all of my questions and planning the trip the way we wanted it. He knew how important it was for us to visit Guatemala after living for 40 years abroad. He planned our trip where not only we learned about the culture, but saw amazing places and met very interesting people.

From the moment Don David (our driver for the duration of the trip) picked us up at at airport until the moment we... read more

Where can I start reviewing my trip to Guatemala? From the beginning Eduardo was amazing in answering all of my questions and planning the trip the way we wanted it. He knew how important it was for us to visit Guatemala after living for 40 years abroad. He planned our trip where not only we learned about the culture, but saw amazing places and met very interesting people.

From the moment Don David (our driver for the duration of the trip) picked us up at at airport until the moment we finalize out trip, his service was extraordinary. He drove us from Guatemala City to Antigua Guatemala. Quetzaltenango, Solola, Chichicastenango, back to Guatemala City (at 3:45 am) for us to take the plane to visit Tikal, picking us up at the airport again, take us to the Hotel Barcelo and picking us up again at 4:30 am to go back tot he airport. His service was incredible. He was always very cordial and will let us know about places and landmarks he thought were interesting or important for us to know.

Now about our tour guides throughout the trip. First, let me tell you about our primary guide, Diana. Such a young, energetic and fantastic tour guide. She is extremely knowledgeable about Guatemala's history. She not only took her time to explain to us each of the places we visited, but also gave us ample time to take pictures, make purchases, eat, and look around. Diana never made us feel rushed and never left us alone in any of the places we visited. She took her time to explain the places we traveled to even told us about the other trips she has done with other groups.

Don Oscar in Chichicastenango was great! The place is incredible. Don Oscar was super knowledgeable about Chichicastenango and its history. If you love to buy items traditional from Guatemala, Chichicastenango is your place.

Don Oliverio (tour guide) and Fernando (driver) in Tikal: From the moment our plane landed in Flores, Don Oliverio and Fernando were already waiting for us. They both made sure we had what we needed for this trip. Our recommendation is to plan to buy bug spray, sun screen and water once you get to Flores (They took the sun screen and bug spray at the airport in Guatemala). Before we started the tour, they took us to a store to buy these items. Don Oliverio explained to us from the temples, royal houses, plants, animals, to the history of the Mayas in Peten.

The hotels: excellent! No other words to describe the cleanliness, comfort and service. In every hotel, we had complementary breakfasts (which were delicious). My favorite hotel: San Buenaventura Hotel in Lake Atitlan. We had our breakfast overlooking the lake and volcano. Amazing experience.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Antigua

Antigua

We stayed two different nights in this hotel. The first room was very very, but the second one, was extraordinary! Very good service and breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the middle of town and super close to everything. Loved the store right next door,

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Boutique Casa Morasan

Quetzaltenango

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were super comfortable. Very nice suite

San Buenaventura Hotel

Panajachel, Sololá

Loved this hotel. We were able to have breakfast right on the garden overlooking the lake and volcano.

Authenticity & Character

Loved all of the pictures hanging around.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Barcelo

Guatemala City

I've been extremely blessed to have traveled to many places around the globe. Hotel Barcelo is for sure a 5 Star Hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Antigua Historic Walking Tour

Antigua

Diana was our Tour Guide. She was very punctual and started the tour on time. Very knowledgeable. She never rushed us. We were able to take pictures, buy things and look around. She never minded repeating information or answering our questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fuentes Georginas

Guatemala

If you are looking for a place to relax and enjoy the health benefits of these water, you must definitely visit Fuentes Georginas.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Chichicastenango Market

Lake Atitlán

The colors!!!! They were so vivid all throughout this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Explore Tikal National Park

San Ignacio

The history and amazing architecture is incredible!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport