Guatemala Travel Agents

We have to echo what all the other reviews are saying…our trip to Guatemala far exceeded our expectations. Truly, in every way imaginable. From the very beginning, Catherina at Columbus Guatemala Travel was incredibly responsive, thoughtful, and intentional with every detail. She asked all the right questions to make sure our itinerary was perfect for us, and she absolutely delivered. The entire planning process felt effortless.
 
On the ground, everything was seamless. Every driver and guide was phenomenal — on time, easy to find, friendly, and deeply knowledgeable.
 
We had a full seven-day itinerary — flying to the rainforest one day for Tikal, then exploring the volcanic beauty of Lake Atitlán the next, and finishing in the colonial magic of Antigua. It was full, rich, and truly unforgettable… yet never rushed. Everything flowed so smoothly that we could just relax and enjoy every moment.
 
Benedicto at Tikal was amazing! We spent most of our time with our guide, JJ, who instantly felt like an old friend from the moment we met him. He is knowledgeable, fun, attentive, and always one step ahead with great recommendations. It was clear he genuinely cared about our comfort and whether we were having a great time. He constantly checked in behind the scenes to make sure everything flowed smoothly. We could feel how much heart and intention went into every moment. And let me say, after experiencing Guatemala’s adventurous driving style, I have never been more grateful to have JJ behind the wheel! I felt safe the entire time and appreciated his calm confidence navigating every twist, turn, and surprise the roads offered.
 
The whole team is amazing. We were genuinely touched by the small surprises, thoughtful gifts, romantic dinner, and all the extra care we never expected. They made us feel celebrated and cared for.
 
One thing that truly stood out is how deeply this company lives its mission and values. Their promise to be “your local compañero - your trusted companion” isn’t just a slogan — it’s something you feel every single day. It’s obvious they created their mission with intention, and they live it with heart. Nothing about it feels like publicity or marketing; it feels real, authentic, and woven into every interaction. We appreciated that more than anything.
 
We absolutely love these people and cannot wait to return with our son. We recommend Columbus Guatemala Travel 1000%.
 
We originally connected through the KimKim platform, which was smooth and easy. For future trips to Guatemala, we will definitely book directly with Columbus Guatemala Travel, because they were outstanding, but we’ll absolutely use KimKim again for other countries (including our upcoming Vietnam trip) in hopes of finding another team as incredible as this one.
 
Hands down, one of the best travel experiences we’ve ever had.

Activity Reviews

Tikal Mayan Civilization

Guatemala

Benedicto was amazing!! He was always checking in to make sure we were okay and had great suggestions for food. We appreciated not just his incredible knowledge of Maya history, but also his knowledge of the plants and animals in the region as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Villages Around Lake Atitlán by Boat

Guatemala

JJ was fantastic!! He knew just where to take us to learn and experience the best of the villages.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking in Lake Atitlán

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pacaya Volcano Hike

Guatemala

Loved our local guide up the volcano!! He was so friendly! Appreciated that JJ was also there to help interpret when needed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walk Antigua Like a Local

Antigua

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Romantic Dinner For Two

Antigua

Food was delicious. View was amazing. The surprise music, flowers, and photos blew our minds ❤️❤️❤️

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

my guides were mi hombres😀Willie and Garcion(sp) I loved their company, professionalism, humor and friendship! They were on time every time. Garcion cooked lunch for us twice.... delicious ! He drove on the Guatemalan streets and trails expertly! Willie.... great rider, strong on the up hills sections. Picked trails based on my level of riding! Always concerned about me being bueno! I picked up more español and local culture, really the reason i chose Guatemala!im 100% happy with Kim Kim Alex, and Old Town Outfitters, my guides and the equipment we used👍😀i ll be back and i want the same team!!!!

Hotel Reviews

Camelias Inn

Antigua

breakfast buffet on the roof with a view of Vulcan de fuego!!!

Authenticity & Character

True colonial architecture

Location

close to the center of town

Staff

bilingual and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

it's difficult to rate a bed your not used to, but i did sleep

Hotel Utz Jay

Panajachel, Sololá

very quit and cute

Authenticity & Character

central court with excellent plants

Location

close to the lake and main street

Staff

very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

very clean and authentic

Activity Reviews

Antigua Walking Tour

Guatemala

Danial was my local historian for my tour of two museums. We found liquid refreshments at Cafe Nosa!

Quality of Experience

he's historically enlightening

Guides, Drivers and Staff

they got me there on time for the afternoon tour

Transport

Valley Ride - Bicycle Tour of Antigua's Villages, Farms, and Ruins

Antigua

a great warm up ride, we hit a chocolate factory, coffee co op and a macadamian plantation shop

Quality of Experience

my guide was great company over chocolate and bread on the veranda

Guides, Drivers and Staff

lots of local knowledge from both of them

Transport

he's a great driver!!

Double Down Mountain Bike Tour

Antigua

these were challenging trails for me and my guide helped me enjoy it

Quality of Experience

so scenic

Guides, Drivers and Staff

made it great .... never thought of throwing the towel in, finished the hardest day of trail riding

Transport

no way i'd drive here thank God for gerson!!!

Mayan Traverse MTB Ride

Guatemala

riding followed by ruin tour..... my kinda day very educational! Thank you Melvin

Quality of Experience

it's one of the reasons i picked Guatemala

Food

a true Guatemalan picnic

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gerson cooked us lunch while i was on the tour!!

Transport

consistently great

Transfer to Lake Atitlán, Visit the Iximché Ruins

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Atitlan Slickrock MTB Ride

Guatemala

last day great ride , tailored to my riding level, the uphills were still killing me

Quality of Experience

at this point i didn't want it to end

Guides, Drivers and Staff

another great picnic in a Guatemalan park

Transport

we drove over some difficult trails

Amazing trip to Belize and Guatemala. Alex was very communicative and helpful during the entire planning process and while we were on the trip. We have been on many trips through kimkim with local companies in different companies. There seemed to be a disconnect with this trip. Typically we have one guide for each region that spends each day with our family (from airport pickup to the last day). This guide gives us local history and lots of information. They typically provide water for our family, local snacks and keep an eye on the schedule for stopping to eat (which is important for us as we have five children). This wasn’t the case in Belize or Guatemala. The guides we did have were great! The trip was wonderful but not as seamless as we are used to with kimkim trips.
There was more than one instance where we arrived at a location (ferry, airport, etc) and the driver was no where to be found. Alex took care of things very quickly but there seemed to be a lack of communication or understanding of pick up expectations between Alex and the drivers. I would highly recommend visiting Belize and Guatemala, they are both beautiful countries.

Activity Reviews

Hol Chan/Shark Ray Alley - from Ramon's Village

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Tikal National Park

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Hike to Pacaya Volcano

Guatemala

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I booked the trip to the Antigua region at sort of the last minute, but once again Kimkim and Alex at Oldtown Outfitters came through brilliantly. Alex arranged an amazing short trip that packed in an astonishing variety of wonderful experiences in a short period of time, including a visit to Lake Atitlan, the Mayan ruins at Iximche, a cooking class, a visit to a coffee coop, and a walking tour of Antigua. Throughout the planning process, he was really responsive to my questions, and flexible in arranging the trip. The airport transfers were seamless, and the hotels were excellent. Nery, my guide, was so knowledgeable, professional and nice, and overall, I just strongly recommend both visiting Antigua and working with Alex!

From my first email with Catherina to our last day with our personal guide JJ, and everything in between on our week-long trip was amazing and personal – truly. You can’t go wrong with this amazing and caring team. Some highlights: 1. I needed to book the trip quickly as we’ve never traveled internationally as a family. My husband was concerned about the State Department warnings. So, I knew I needed help. Of the 4 online companies I contacted, Columbus (Catherina) was the only one who replied quickly – and kept replying quickly to create the ideal trip for us. I felt like I was talking to a friend who truly cared, rather than a bot or bored office worker. She stuck with me until the itinerary was ideal – and we were also able to make changes on the fly during the trip. 2. We visited Guatemala City, Lake Atitlan, Antigua, and several places in between that had personal meaning to us. JJ was with us the entire time, expertly navigating the busy roads and easing the way with his translating and friendly personality. We felt safe and cared for the entire time, and were thrilled with the charming and delicious roadside restaurants JJ recommended. 3. This team is as good on the ground as they are at planning. The dedicated behind-the-scenes logistics team checked ahead to ensure things would go smoothly, alerting JJ to potential road blockages. We couldn’t have felt in better hands than this amazing group of caring people.
4. We are so glad that we made this trip. We found Guatemala to be a stunning country filled with incredible history and kind people. The first look at Lake Atitlan gave me goosebumps and will stay with me forever, as will so many of the memories we made on this trip. Thank you Columbus Guatemala Travel for making this happen for our family!!! I'm sure I left things out, because every single day was filled with beauty, wonder and learning. I highly recommend Guatemala as a destination and this amazing team as your guides.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Barcelo

Guatemala City

One of the best things about this hotel is the extremely comfortable beds/bedding -- great for a good night's sleep. The buffets offered an amazing array of options, just wish some of the dishes had been warmer - or maybe that's a cultural difference. We especially enjoyed the breakfast buffet. Seems to draw a mostly business crowd, with just a few other tourists like us.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Carmen

Antigua

El Carmen was super comfortable and all-round really good. It turned out to be our favorite accommodation during the trip. The rooms were a perfect size for our family, making it a relaxing place to stay.

Posada de Don Rodrigo Panajachel

Panajachel

Posada de Don Rodrigo Panajachel had amazing food and a beautiful rustic charm. The breakfast was fantastic and the people were incredibly nice. However, it was a bit loud due to open air concept and lacked air conditioning which might not suit everyone's comfort level. Nonetheless, the views were gorgeous, and I would stay there again despite the minor issues.

Activity Review

Villages Tour on Chicken Bus

Antigua

The Villages Tour on the Chicken Bus was just thrilling. Visiting the women's collective was a standout experience, providing an incredible insight into local culture. The views on the way were breathtaking. Overall, every bit of it was enjoyable and truly an amazing part of the trip.