Kimkim Trip Reviews for Guatemala

4.8
Based on 115 ratings
Read 115 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip to Guatemala on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

Thank you Catherine and Columbus Guatemala Travel
Guatemala | Mar 5 - Mar 13, 2024

Wade
Wade B.
Charlotte, NC | Reviewed on Mar 13, 2024
Catherina and the Columbus Guatemala Travel team were not only extremely helpful and informative, but kind and welcoming. They checked up on myself and my fellow traveler on a daily basis to ensure we got where we needed to be, and be there on time. The activities that were booked for us were also outstanding, with the Acatenango hike being the highlight. Each driver and guide for all activities were terrific. Furthermore, Guatemala is a beautiful country with friendly people and amazing... Read more

Catherina and the Columbus Guatemala Travel team were not only extremely helpful and informative, but kind and welcoming. They checked up on myself and my fellow traveler on a daily basis to ensure we got where we needed to be, and be there on time. The activities that were booked for us were also outstanding, with the Acatenango hike being the highlight. Each driver and guide for all activities were terrific. Furthermore, Guatemala is a beautiful country with friendly people and amazing culture. Antigua quickly became one of my favorite cities I’ve ever visited. Overall, the Kim Kim and Columbus Travel team, along with the local guides all did their part in making an amazing trip. So far, I’m 2 for 2 with great booking experiences on Kim Kim.

Activity Reviews
Villages Around Lake Atitlán by Boat
Villages Around Lake Atitlán by Boat
Guatemala

Great guides and the like is beautiful. Lots of amazing history and culture to see. San Juan is an awesome little village.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Bike Through Villages Of Itzapa And Calderas.
Bike Through Villages Of Itzapa And Calderas.
Antigua

Although I genuinely enjoyed this activity, I would be lying if I didn’t admit how difficult this activity is. Being in the military and an active gym goer, I figured this activity would be a breeze but I was very wrong. This was still very fun and the guide, Willy, was amazing and helpful. However, I wouldn’t suggest this activity to anybody that isn’t used to mountain biking, EXTREME cardiovascular activity, or at least high altitudes.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Acatenango overnight
Acatenango overnight
Guatemala

My favorite part of the trip. Albeit quite challenging, it was well worth it. Between the volcanic eruptions and the sunset and sunrise views are some of the most spectacular things I’ve ever witnessed.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Catherina Tittaferrante

Lots of driving
Guatemala | Feb 16 - Feb 29, 2024

B
Bruce D.
Canada | Reviewed on Mar 07, 2024

Some of the hotels were substandard ... In particular Coban, Lake Atitlan and Antigua.. Rooms were dirty and internet was poor. We indicated that 3-4 star was acceptable but these hotels were more like 2 star by international standards.

Local specialist: Eduardo Celada

This trip could have been so much better
Guatemala | Feb 22 - Feb 28, 2024

P
Pedro J C.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Mar 06, 2024
Our first time in Guatemala was amazing and disappointing at the same time. The beauty of Guatemala surprised us with its mesmerizing volcanoes and lake Atitlan. The logistics left us puzzled at best. This is the first time a guide does not receive us at the airport. The only time with the trip planner Eduardo was the night before we departed after we had voiced repeatedly our concerns. We did not feel well informed of the plan. In fact the printout given to us by the driver upon arrival was... Read more

Our first time in Guatemala was amazing and disappointing at the same time. The beauty of Guatemala surprised us with its mesmerizing volcanoes and lake Atitlan. The logistics left us puzzled at best. This is the first time a guide does not receive us at the airport. The only time with the trip planner Eduardo was the night before we departed after we had voiced repeatedly our concerns. We did not feel well informed of the plan. In fact the printout given to us by the driver upon arrival was not accurate or thorough. The culmination of the concerns was reached when a vehicle we were riding broke down and we could not complete our day of excursion. We wasted an entire day. For that we were reimbursed $287. We gave Eduardo a list of 12 points that we think will help improve his business. We are experienced travelers and we feel that amount we paid for this trip was not worth it at all.

Local specialist: Eduardo Celada

5-star fun and adventures in Belize and Guatemala.
Guatemala | Feb 17 - Feb 24, 2024

Robin
Robin R.
Hayward, CA | Reviewed on Mar 04, 2024
Alex did an exceptional job creating our Guatemala and Belize itinerary. He was very responsive, had great suggestions, was patient and polite throughout the process. Our trip started with pick up from the airport. The driver patiently waited a couple of hours for two different flights to arrive so our whole party could depart together. We spent the first 3 nights in San Ignacio. It was a great introduction to Belize and Guatemala - with a clean, safe hotel, amazing food, and really fun (and... Read more

Alex did an exceptional job creating our Guatemala and Belize itinerary. He was very responsive, had great suggestions, was patient and polite throughout the process. Our trip started with pick up from the airport. The driver patiently waited a couple of hours for two different flights to arrive so our whole party could depart together. We spent the first 3 nights in San Ignacio. It was a great introduction to Belize and Guatemala - with a clean, safe hotel, amazing food, and really fun (and informative) trips to two different Mayan ruins.

I really enjoyed the water tubing excursion we took while transitioning from interior Belize to the coast in the middle of our trip. We had the same drive as before - and he was friendly, punctual, and ensured a safe delivery.

On the coast, we stayed in San Pedro. The scenery is like a postcard. Alex selected an ideal snorkeling excursion that totally made our trip.

Overall, I cannot wait to return to Belize and Guatemala and will definitely enlist Alex's help to plan our next adventure.

Activity Reviews
Explore Tikal National Park
Explore Tikal National Park
San Ignacio

William (I think), the guide was friendly and knowledgeable. He paced the tour so a range of fitness levels could learn, explore, and adventure. I really enjoyed walking to each structure, checking out nature, and glimpsing a few fun animals. It was an active but not exhausting day - the perfect amount of time. Also, the restaurant we went to for lunch at the end was fantastic!!!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
On time, safe, polite.
Horse Riding Tour of the Xunantunich Maya Ruins
Horse Riding Tour of the Xunantunich Maya Ruins
San Ignacio

I really appreciated the knowledge of the tour operators at St. Leonards tours. And, the gentleman who rode horses with us was outstanding - he stopped to check in on everyone, kept conversation going, and ensured a safe ride.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Transfer from San Ignacio to Belize City with Cave Tubing Tour en Route
Transfer from San Ignacio to Belize City with Cave Tubing Tour en Route
Guatemala

Derrick, our driver, was so nice and helpful. He waited with our belongings the whole time we were tubing. Tubing was wonderful - perfect temperature (air and water), right amount of time, our guide was great and I especially liked just floating outside of the tube to look at the trees, etc. The lunch, on premise, was delicious!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Half day Snorkel tour at the Marine Reserve from Caribe Resort
Half day Snorkel tour at the Marine Reserve from Caribe Resort
Guatemala

This was a perfect adventure. The boat transport was fun, our captain/dive leader was funny, the water was ideal. We say plenty of fish and sea life.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Alex Coronado
Alex
Alex Coronado
Local specialist in Antigua Guatemala | Replied on Mar 05, 2024

It was our pleasure Rovin and thank you again for your patience and positive energy while creating your personalize trip to Belize and Guatemala! Our team and partners had a great time with you and we hope to see you again in the future maybe to explore more in Guatemala, especially my hometown Antigua Guatemala.

If you have a chance to spread the word about Belize and Guatemala with your friends and family, the more people know the better!

Thank you!

This trip exceeded our expectations...
Guatemala | Feb 16 - Feb 29, 2024

Teresa
Teresa D.
Canada | Reviewed on Mar 04, 2024
Loved the authenticity of Coban.
Semuc Champey was great but we would have liked more warning/info about what the "water cave" experience was going to involve. This was complicated by the fact that the guide's English was inadequate.
Flores was lovely.
LOVED Yaxha - Guide Oliveiro was superb. Tikal also great.
Really enjoyed Rio Dulce, the hotel we stayed at (Tixal?) and the whole river experience. Livingston was very interesting. Great guide too - Fernando.
Best was the hot...
Read more

Loved the authenticity of Coban.
Semuc Champey was great but we would have liked more warning/info about what the "water cave" experience was going to involve. This was complicated by the fact that the guide's English was inadequate.
Flores was lovely.
LOVED Yaxha - Guide Oliveiro was superb. Tikal also great.
Really enjoyed Rio Dulce, the hotel we stayed at (Tixal?) and the whole river experience. Livingston was very interesting. Great guide too - Fernando.
Best was the hot springs!! Great experience!
Chichicastanango was absolutely fantastic - the market! and the cemetary.
Lake Atitlan was beautiful. We loved the kayaking & hiking experience. The towns we visited were tourist-y (San Juan, San Pedro, Santiago) but the things we visited (chocolate factory, weaving cooperative, shaman house) were really! interesting.
We really, really enjoyed this trip - it exceeded our expectations.

Hotel Review
Hotel La Posada
coban

we found this hotel underwhelming - may have been because it was rainy and cold.

Local specialist: Eduardo Celada
E
Eduardo Celada
Local specialist in Antigua, Guatemala | Replied on Mar 06, 2024

thank you very much for any word you put into this review I am pretty sure when other people read these comments they will feel like visiting the same places you have done in this program which is a good way to get to know Guatemala and its beautiful places.

I hope you can spread the word with friends and family to encourage people to visit this beautiful country
Eduardo

Our trip was terrific and exceeded our expect...
Guatemala | Feb 16 - Feb 29, 2024

Nicole
Nicole D.
Canada | Reviewed on Mar 04, 2024
Our trip was terrific and exceeded our expectations. With the itinerary that was created for us, we saw many different areas of the country. What we hope to have, on a trip like this, is a wide variety of activities and experiences. This trip delivered. We were in cities and villages; we saw nightlife and wildlife; we were on lakes, in mountains and in jungles; we hiked, walked, swam, motor-boated and kayaked ; we visited wide open plazas and packed markets; we explored centuries-old pyramids... Read more

Our trip was terrific and exceeded our expectations. With the itinerary that was created for us, we saw many different areas of the country. What we hope to have, on a trip like this, is a wide variety of activities and experiences. This trip delivered. We were in cities and villages; we saw nightlife and wildlife; we were on lakes, in mountains and in jungles; we hiked, walked, swam, motor-boated and kayaked ; we visited wide open plazas and packed markets; we explored centuries-old pyramids and temples and modern churches; we learned ancient customs and current practices. Our local guides, lined up by Eduardo, were knowledgeable, personable and flexible. And the people of Guatemala were friendly and welcoming. Definitely a great trip overall.

Local specialist: Eduardo Celada

Ten Days in Guatemala
Guatemala | Feb 21 - Mar 1, 2024

B
Bruce H.
Santa Fe, NM | Reviewed on Mar 03, 2024
My wife and I had a great ten day trip in Guatemala. We told kimkim the kinds of things we were interested in and wanted to do (Antigua, hiking, shopping, markets, maybe a cooking class, Tikal, Lake Atitlan), and they put us in touch with Matt at Old Town Outfitters in Antigua, who helped us come up with an ideal itinerary, using local guides and drivers. We especially enjoyed our four days with guide Lucas, whose skill and knowledge and patience and joy of life and spirit of adventure... Read more

My wife and I had a great ten day trip in Guatemala. We told kimkim the kinds of things we were interested in and wanted to do (Antigua, hiking, shopping, markets, maybe a cooking class, Tikal, Lake Atitlan), and they put us in touch with Matt at Old Town Outfitters in Antigua, who helped us come up with an ideal itinerary, using local guides and drivers. We especially enjoyed our four days with guide Lucas, whose skill and knowledge and patience and joy of life and spirit of adventure captivated us. Matt was responsive to our questions and needs, and added a last-minute coffee tour that was one of the highlights. He choreographed all the details of the trip - transportation, local guides, plane tickets to Tikal, and lodging, and everything worked out perfectly. So much easier than trying to figure it all out ourselves!

Local specialist: Matt Hartell

Beautiful country, great guides
Guatemala | Feb 17 - Feb 24, 2024

Roger
Roger A.
Birmingham, MI | Reviewed on Mar 01, 2024
Our first foray to Central America was a fantastic experience, made more so by the enthusiastic, knowledgeable and kind guides and travel planners in Guatemala. The trip was well planned, with one glitch involving an overbooked hotel. The folks from the local tour agency went above and beyond to remedy the matter, with refunds, extra guide time and a dinner thrown in. They were flexible and anxious to see that our every whim was satisfied. Special thanks to JJ and Catherine-great job both.... Read more

Our first foray to Central America was a fantastic experience, made more so by the enthusiastic, knowledgeable and kind guides and travel planners in Guatemala. The trip was well planned, with one glitch involving an overbooked hotel. The folks from the local tour agency went above and beyond to remedy the matter, with refunds, extra guide time and a dinner thrown in. They were flexible and anxious to see that our every whim was satisfied. Special thanks to JJ and Catherine-great job both. And Carlos' personal connection to Tikal enriched our magical experience in that mystical place.

Activity Reviews
Sunrise in Tikal
Sunrise in Tikal
Guatemala

Absolutely out of this world. If the weather cooperates, an experience with no parallel.

Tikal Maya Ruin
Tikal Maya Ruin
Guatemala

Magical experience. Mysterious ruins in a jungle setting, no mobs of tourist busses, it does not disappoint.

Villages Around Antigua By Chicken Bus (Special)
Villages Around Antigua By Chicken Bus (Special)
Antigua

Sounds silly but was actually great fun Learned a ton about Guatemalan home industries and agriculture.

Local specialist: Catherina Tittaferrante
Catherina
Catherina Tittaferrante
Local specialist in Antigua Guatemala | Replied on Mar 02, 2024
Hearing that your first adventure in Central America was a fantastic experience is what we live for! Your kind words about our enthusiastic and knowledgeable team members, makes us feel I apologize for the glitch with the overbooked hotel, but I'm glad to know that we were able to pump you and we went above and beyond. It's our commitment to make things right. And I couldn't agree more about Carlos, we support local community as one of our major goals is to witness local expert and... Read more

Hearing that your first adventure in Central America was a fantastic experience is what we live for! Your kind words about our enthusiastic and knowledgeable team members, makes us feel

I apologize for the glitch with the overbooked hotel, but I'm glad to know that we were able to pump you and we went above and beyond. It's our commitment to make things right.

And I couldn't agree more about Carlos, we support local community as one of our major goals is to witness local expert and friendly guides develop their best this will always guarantee having a deep and real connection to every destination,

We consider you as our own family and we will always be happy to explore together what the world has to offer. Who knows maybe our next adventure is waiting of us at Belize or El Salvador.

Wish you both nothing but the best, huge hug.

Caty , Esteban and JJ with Columbus Guatemala...
Guatemala | Feb 5 - Feb 18, 2024

Scott
Scott W.
Canada | Reviewed on Feb 26, 2024
Caty , Esteban and JJ with Columbus Guatemala Travel were amazing! They made us feel so welcome and shared so much knowledge of Guatemala. All the tours that they arranged were excellent, with great accommodations and transportation and wonderfully knowledgeable and friendly guides. Our lunch and private tour of Uaxactún with Danilo was a particularly memorable tour they arranged for us. The whole experience from reaching out, going back and forth with ideas and dates, to landing and... Read more

Caty , Esteban and JJ with Columbus Guatemala Travel were amazing!

They made us feel so welcome and shared so much knowledge of Guatemala. All the tours that they arranged were excellent, with great accommodations and transportation and wonderfully knowledgeable and friendly guides.

Our lunch and private tour of Uaxactún with Danilo was a particularly memorable tour they arranged for us.

The whole experience from reaching out, going back and forth with ideas and dates, to landing and communicating on the ground was a pleasure.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Biltmore
Ciudad de Guatemala

Exactly the right hotel to transit between flights. Nice and clean, super helpful staff and close to so much (including the airport(.

Authenticity & Character
Great travel hotel... all you needed
Location
we had a quick (early morning) flight turn around so this hotel was perfect
Staff
Very easy to communicate with and always there to assist
Cleanliness & Comfort
Jungle Lodge Tikal
Peten

What a location! Right in the national park with all the explorations of the area within walking distance. The rooms, food, service and amenities were top notch! My only complaint is we didnt stay long enough!

Authenticity & Character
A lovely "rustic/natural" feeling without feeling like you are ruffing it.
Location
A beautiful lodge in the jungle! what else is there to say
Staff
Always willing to help. From holding baggage while you explore to getting you great food and drinks
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very clean and comfortable
Isla de Flores
Ciudad Flores Petén-Flores

Very cosy hotel that has a lot to offer!

Authenticity & Character
A wonderful ambiance. Just know that there are stairs
Location
Right in the center of things close to shopping and dinner. Or you can just hang out in the bar, restaurant or pool on site
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Welcome to Guatemala
Welcome to Guatemala
Guatemala

Whats to say? We arrived around midnight and were quickly met and ushered to our hotel for the night.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
JJ was a wonderful guide who shared a lot of information.
Transport
Uaxactún
Uaxactún
Guatemala

This experience was by far the hilight of our visit. An incredible private tour of pre-classic Mayan site with an excellent and knowledgeable guide PLUS a wonderful and delicious lunch on site prepared by local village. It was only our guide and the two of use the whole time we were exploring! (Not counting the monkeys)

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Danilo and his driver were fantastic. All the people at the village were very warm and inviting.
Transport
A great driver on a bumpy road. He knew the best way to get there!
Tikal Maya Ruin
Tikal Maya Ruin
Guatemala

What a place! so much to see and explore. This was a group tour and everyone was super!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore Flores Island
Explore Flores Island
Guatemala

A very lovely boat ride to the nature preserve and a wonderful look out over the lake.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Guatemala City Tour
Guatemala City Tour
Guatemala

The tour and guide were great. Esteban showed as much of Guatemala as time and traffic would allow.

Quality of Experience
Traffic and time constraints impacted the enjoyment of this tour.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Catherina Tittaferrante
Catherina
Catherina Tittaferrante
Local specialist in Antigua Guatemala | Replied on Mar 02, 2024
I deeply appreciate and love your kind words. Making you feel welcome and sharing our rich culture in Guatemala is what we love to do and I am tremendously happy that we can materialize what we are looking for when creating your itinerary. It warms my heart to know that every member of our team could exceed your expectations. Uaxactún's private time with Danilo was indeed a special highlight, I am brilliantly pleased to know that it left a lasting memory, plus reading the entire experience... Read more

I deeply appreciate and love your kind words.

Making you feel welcome and sharing our rich culture in Guatemala is what we love to do and I am tremendously happy that we can materialize what we are looking for when creating your itinerary. It warms my heart to know that every member of our team could exceed your expectations.

Uaxactún's private time with Danilo was indeed a special highlight, I am brilliantly pleased to know that it left a lasting memory, plus reading the entire experience was a pleasure, from the initial planning to the communication on the ground.

Our goal is to make every step of the journey enjoyable and smooth, and your positive feedback reinforces our commitment and values.

Our wish is to see you again to continue enjoying together this beautiful world in which we live.

We hope you are always safe and healthy. You will always have a family at Columbus Guatemala Travel, tell us where you would like to go and we will make it happen.

All of our tours and guides were amazing!!
Guatemala | Feb 17 - Feb 24, 2024

R
Robin A.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Feb 25, 2024
All of our tours and guides were amazing!! Read more

All of our tours and guides were amazing!!

Activity Reviews
Explore Tikal National Park
Explore Tikal National Park
San Ignacio
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Transfer from San Ignacio to Belize City with Cave Tubing Tour en Route
Transfer from San Ignacio to Belize City with Cave Tubing Tour en Route
Guatemala
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Horse Riding Tour of the Xunantunich Maya Ruins
Horse Riding Tour of the Xunantunich Maya Ruins
San Ignacio
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Half day Snorkel tour at the Marine Reserve from Caribe Resort
Half day Snorkel tour at the Marine Reserve from Caribe Resort
Guatemala
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Alex Coronado
Alex
Alex Coronado
Local specialist in Antigua Guatemala | Replied on Feb 28, 2024

Thank you for taking the time to leave us your review, Rovin. I'm glad you and Rovin were able to get to know a bit of the real Belize and Tikal, the crew had a great time with you both and appreciated your positive attitude and energy! Be sure to spread the word to your friends and family, the more people know about Belize and Guatemala the better. Thank you again for your travels!

We recently got back from a 2 week trip to Gu...
Guatemala | Feb 6 - Feb 18, 2024

Denise
Denise M.
Denver, CO | Reviewed on Feb 25, 2024
We recently got back from a 2 week trip to Guatemala. This was my second time using KimKim to help plan a trip and I honestly feel like I will use them for all my future international trips. Eduardo was our Local Expert and he and I chatted on the KimKim platform for months planning the trip. There were several activities and places I wanted to go on the trip and based on what my partner and I like to do and the specifics that I discussed with Eduardo, he recommended several additional... Read more

We recently got back from a 2 week trip to Guatemala. This was my second time using KimKim to help plan a trip and I honestly feel like I will use them for all my future international trips. Eduardo was our Local Expert and he and I chatted on the KimKim platform for months planning the trip. There were several activities and places I wanted to go on the trip and based on what my partner and I like to do and the specifics that I discussed with Eduardo, he recommended several additional activities/tours that we enjoyed immensely. When I wanted to add a trip to Altamira and Hobbitenango he helped figure that out. He was very responsive overall. He also took care of the domestic flight that we took to/from Flores. The hotels he selected (based on our style/preference) were all fine. I enjoyed the Tikal Jungle lodge and both tours we did of ruins (Tikal and Yaxha) were wonderful. We learned a lot from Oliverio, our guide. He was pleasant and knowledgeable. He took us to an animal sanctuary place when we were in Flores and that was unexpected and cool. Overall, I wish we'd stayed one more day at the Tikal Lodge and been able to do another day at Tikal. By far the best place we stayed was Casa Del Mundo at Lake Atitlan. I remain incredibly blown away by that place. We could have spent half a day or more just exploring all the nooks and crannies at that place and it was just incredibly beautiful. I am so glad we stayed there. Unfortunately, my partner got food poisoning at one of the "regular" lunch places in Pana and that had later ramifications for our trip. While he was recovering at Casa Del Mundo (there are far worse places to be sick for sure), I was able to go kayaking and hiking with our guide, Willy. We thoroughly enjoyed Willy. He was with us from our pick up at GC after Flores until we went on the Acatenango Double Fuego trek. We wish Willy had been with us for that too. He was our favorite guide by a long margin; we were also with him the longest so that's not entirely surprising. He was down to earth and humble and very fun to be around. We had a great time with him at the Lake, hiking the Mayan Nose, seeing various villages around the lake etc. We also had a local guide, Joel, for the Mayan Nose hike and village visiting day. Joel was fantastic, a young man with a good heart and really good energy. I ended up hiking with him and my partner with Willy that day. We also made a change to our Lake Atitlan itinerary on short notice, opting to go to La Reserva Natural near Pana rather than go to the big Chichicastenango market. After the long drive from GC to Pana, we just weren't at all interested in another drive, even a shorter one. So we changed that entire day. I'm very glad we did, La Reserva was so fun, we did an awesome "ultra" ziplines which were great (I only wish they had had someone taking photos/videos b/c I would definitely have purchased some). And the butterfly area was for me, totally worth the price of admission. I could have stayed at that place for hours. Loved it. In retrospect, I might have stayed an additional day at the Lake so I could visit more of the villages and also just to stay another day at Casa Del Mundo. Lake Atitlan is definitely one of the most beautiful places i've visited. I would absolutely go back there. Then we headed to Antigua (again, with Willy). With our first day with Willy in Antigua, we did the Valley Ride Biking tour which was totally fun and worth it. We visited a chocolate factory, macademia nut farm and a jade jewelry making place. and we saw a lot of little villages and churches. B/c of the food poisoning, I was worried that my partner wouldn't be recovered enough to do the volcano hiking so I contacted eduardo and he was able to help with all that. B/c we had Eduardo and b/c we had booked a private hiking tour, we were able to change the date we left for the trek. Eduardo make all of those changes for us with the guides and also helped secure our hotel room b/c of the change. Later, we also ended up adding a day to our trip and Eduardo, again, was super helpful in securing our hotel room for that. So before the trek we ended up going up to Altamira and Hobbitenango. I thoroughly enjoyed both of those places. The creative photo ops and surrounding beauty, views of the volcanoes. Just a really fun day overall. We ate lunch at Hobbitenango and it was excellent. We also did the bike zip lines at Altamira which were terrifying but so fun at the same time. The trek itself was amazing. Our guide, David, was good. He was nice, encouraging and attentive but again, he wasn't Willy. We have done a lot of hiking and I rated the Double Fuego trek as maybe a 7 on the difficulty scale. One of the most challenging parts of the hike is the footing. Hiking on a volcano is like hiking up sand/gravel. The traction was nil. it was incredibly slow going. BUT totally worth it. I was pretty tired by the 2nd day on the trek and wasn't sure if I would make the additional trek over to Fuego but I am REALLY glad that I did. the views at the base camp, views at fuego and sunrise on Acatenango were all extraordinary. Just a really cool, but challenging experience for sure. I was very happy when we were off the volcano and headed back to Antigua. On our additional day in Antigua, my partner and I visited a ton of the ruins throughout the city and we got to see an interesting religious procession (the first sunday after Ash Wednesday) throughout the city. Our hotel in Antigua (Meson de Maria) I have somewhat mixed views on. The beds were comfortable and the hotel interior is beautiful. I enjoyed the views from the upper terrace. There was one person there that was particularly friendly and helpful. The others, not so much. They weren't mean or anything, but not particularly welcoming or friendly which is very unlike all the other places I've travelled in S. America. The breakfast was not great either which was disappointing. The rooms were quite small. That said, they helped get our laundry done one day while we were out and about and I loved the location. They also accommodated our schedule changes and we were able to stay at the same place, just in different rooms, which made things easier.
I got interested in Guatemala b/c I wanted to hike volcanoes. But was really happy with the entire trip. It is more Americanized than places we've gone in S. Am (Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Argentina) but that was okay with me. I had no interest in Guatemala City and glad we didn't spend any time there. For me, using KimKim is so worth it; as is booking private tours b/c it allows you to change your schedule with ease which we did twice. I should add that we mostly had one driver, Ivan, and he was SO AWESOME. he was super friendly and a GREAT driver. he ruled. Thank you so much Eduardo for all your help with this trip. You were great to work with.

Hotel Reviews
Jungle Lodge Tikal
Peten

no complaints about this place at all. Breakfast good. howler monkeys, LOUD :)

Authenticity & Character
Location
super location for a tour of Tikal Ruins
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Casa Amelia
flores

breakfast was good, but no included with rate. good location. nothing spectacular but nothing to complain about either

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa del Mundo
Lake Atitlán

literally one of the best and most beautiful hotels I've stayed at or seen anywhere

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Meson de Maria
Antigua Guatemala

Rooms very small, breakfast not great. One very friendly and helpful employee; others weren't unfriendly but did not go out of their way to be helpful/friendly/welcoming. Thank goodness they had a small floor fan or else I would have been very warm at night. Interior is beautiful, upstairs roof terrace very nice. Good location but area was very loud on weekends.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Hike Acatenango Volcano & Camp Overnight
Hike Acatenango Volcano & Camp Overnight
Guatemala

Loved this experience! We opted for 2-night in the camp on the volcano, and I would recommend it because you have much more time to enjoy the experience.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Hobbitenango/Altamira Visits
Hobbitenango/Altamira Visits
Antigua

Hobbitenango was nice, but Altamira was the highlight of the visit. It was so much fun to be there, and there were plenty of photo spots!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Eduardo Celada
E
Eduardo Celada
Local specialist in Antigua, Guatemala | Replied on Mar 06, 2024

thank you very much Denise for a very detailed review of what you made in Guatemala I'm really happy to hear that this trip that you and I built it was a success and you got great souvenirs and memories from this trip along Guatemala. Since you got the opportunity to immerse and get to know our local guides drivers and partner hotels in the whole country.

And the most important thing, you got to hike the Acatenango volcano which was your goal in this trip.
Saludos de Guatemala

Trip of a lifetime
Guatemala | Jan 9 - Jan 31, 2024

Nancy
Nancy L.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Feb 16, 2024
Guatemala: The guides were knowledgeable and shared much that I didn’t know about the Mayan culture. I especially enjoyed going to the mountain indigenous villages and interacting with the people. The home stays and visits were insightful to seeing the integrity of family life, which seems to be very strong. The artistic cratsmanship of the weavers, was colorful and impressive. I would have like to learn more specifically about the different weavings and traditional dress from each... Read more

Guatemala: The guides were knowledgeable and shared much that I didn’t know about the Mayan culture. I especially enjoyed going to the mountain indigenous villages and interacting with the people. The home stays and visits were insightful to seeing the integrity of family life, which seems to be very strong. The artistic cratsmanship of the weavers, was colorful and impressive. I would have like to learn more specifically about the different weavings and traditional dress from each of the villages that we visited. I bought a few weavings which I don’t know their origin. The Guatemalan people are very friendly, and sometimes wanted to take pictures with and of us. The extreme cold at night in the mountains was unexpected. I had to buy an extra layer at the Mipaca thrift store in Toto. This part of the trip overall was jam-packed, sometimes we had to skip lunch to make it through each day’s activities.

Tikal was spectacular and Flores Island was pleasantly relaxing and had good restaurants, bakeries, and cafes.

Belize: was a new and delightful experience for me. The nature we visited was awesome, from cave canoeing, the hike and waterfall massage at the Jaguar preserve, and the snorkeling in the reefs near Hopkins. It was great to relax after the busy first part of the tour.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Casa Blanca Inn
Guatemala City

There was -a miscommunication on where to meet the taxi driver from the hotel, so that was a bit stressful. Hotel was Adequate. No hot water after midnight. The staff was attentive and helpful. The young man helped me with a problem I had with my suitcase.

Authenticity & Character
Fie
Location
Close to airport. Gated and secure.
Staff
See above.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Muchá
Quetzaltenango

Beds comfortable. Shower amazing! Very cold at night.

Authenticity & Character
Adobe made it very cold.
Location
Convenient
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Cold—bring warm clothes for sleeping.
Totonicapán Homestay!
Totonicapán

Family was wonderful, kind, and very attentive. Very cold at night, I didn’t take a shower because it was too cold to get undressed.

Authenticity & Character
Carolina, Heidi, Melvin and Carlos were sweet and helpful in explaining home life and studies. It was very interesting to see Carolina’s jaspe dying process and Carlos’ sewing piecework. Carlo’s also demonstrated taking corn from the cob and grinding it.
Location
The walk around the property and hearing about the planting and processing of the corn for tortilla, and fresh beans, was absolutely wonderful.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room and Beds were clean, but communal bathroom was rustic, toilet need to be flushed with a bucket.
Casa Antigua El Chalet
Santa Cruz Del Quiché

Everything comfortable. Less cold at nights. I enjoyed sitting in the outdoor living room.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Enjoyed the town.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hacienda Mil Amores
Cobán

Beds were comfortable. Showers were a bit hot and cold the first night, but they arranged alternate shower the next night.

Authenticity & Character
Dining room for dinners and breakfast was lovely and rustic. It was nice to meet and chat with other visitors one night.
Location
Beautiful setting. However, we decided to take rooms away from the stable, since the cow smell was strong.
Staff
Accommodating
Cleanliness & Comfort
Homestay in Chichicastenanago, Casa Diego Ignacio, EN.
Chichicastenango

Great to spend time with Miguel , Juana, Patricia and Sandra and their children. Food was homemade and very delicious. We saw how difficult it is to make tortillas, when we tried to make them. Miguel is a leader in his community and has a lot to share with visitors. Their store had wonderful weavings and masks for purchase at decent prices. If you intend to buy weavings, don’t buy elsewhere. I had already bought a lot before Chichicastenango, so I couldn’t buy much there though I was tempted.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Peten
Flores

Comfortable, but small rooms. Our room was facing the street where a bar had loud reggaton music. It made it hard to sleep.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Beautiful view of the lake, convenient location. See comment about the loud music above.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Midas Belize
Cayo District

Room was large, but mattresses were too soft. Loved the pool. Great for swimming laps. Breakfast was great!

Authenticity & Character
Location
A bit of a walk to town.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Parrot Cove Lodge
Placencia

Wonderful rooms, great restaurant, good breakfast. Beachfront very comfortable. Dock where they picked us up for the snorkeling. Great to have a pool as well as the beach.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Right on the water, but a bit far from the village.
Staff
Very helpful when my companion was not feeling well. Maritza was great in rescheduling our snorkeling.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Coningsby Inn
Belize City

Adequate.

Authenticity & Character
Historical landmark.
Location
Staff
Helpful in suggesting an excellent restaurant.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Small room, but adequate to be close to the airport.
Activity Reviews
Welcome to Guatemala
Welcome to Guatemala
Guatemala

Hot water after midnight.

Quality of Experience
Transport
Pick up from airport was confusing.
Visit Cantel and its Women's Textile Cooperative
Visit Cantel and its Women's Textile Cooperative
Quetzaltenango

We walked around the town. Happened to coincide with a funeral. Nice walk around the town. We did not go to the textile collective.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Luis was always early for pick, knowledgeable, and a safe driver
San Francisco el Alto
San Francisco el Alto
Guatemala

Saw a tradtional market. Few tourists.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Georginas Hot Springs
Georginas Hot Springs
Guatemala

We got there late so we didn’t have much time to enjoy the hot springs. Met interesting people there. Hot springs temperature could have been hotter.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Totonicapán Handicraft Workshops
Totonicapán Handicraft Workshops
Guatemala

I wasn’t feeling well so I didn’t attend weaving demo.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Santa Cruz del Quiche.
Santa Cruz del Quiche.
Santa Cruz Del Quiche
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore and Learn About Santa Cruz Education
Explore and Learn About Santa Cruz Education
Santa Cruz Del Quiche

Private relifgios school was very accommodating, giving us a tour of the school, classrooms, and a brief opportunity to speak with the teachers.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Chajul, El Quiche.
Chajul, El Quiche.
Acul

Interesting meeting the backstrap weaver family

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
San Andrés Sajcabajá
San Andrés Sajcabajá
Guatemala

Long drive to get there. Not sure it was worth the time.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit Chichicastenango Mayan Market
Visit Chichicastenango Mayan Market
Chichicastenango

The family and market were the highlights of this experience.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tikal Maya Ruin
Tikal Maya Ruin
Guatemala

Guide was excellent. Impressive temples. Interesting to know about 25% has been excavate so far. Good lunch.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Discover Xunantunich
Discover Xunantunich
Guatemala

Not as incredible as Tikal. The excavation was at time reconstructed, with facsimiles, rather than real ruins. Tremendous vistas.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Enjoy Barton Creek
Enjoy Barton Creek
Guatemala

Loved it!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Maya Cacao Belizean Experience
Maya Cacao Belizean Experience
Guatemala

Seeing a cacao plantation that is struggling due to not having the right conditions shows the difficulty of producing a healthy crop of cacao beans. Chocolate making workshop w,as interesting.; Nice to meet Hob’s father.

Quality of Experience
I had seen this demo in Costa Rica so. It wasn’t that new for me.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Leisure Day
Leisure Day
Guatemala

Rest, eating well.

Quality of Experience
Jaguar Preserve
Jaguar Preserve
Guatemala

Hiking was great. We learned a lot about flora and fauna, waterfall swimming was great!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Barrier Reef Snorkeling
Barrier Reef Snorkeling
Guatemala

Safety was primary in postponing the day we went. Water was so clear. Great to see fish, corals.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Boat ride was GREAT!
Belize City Tour
Belize City Tour
Guatemala

It was short since we arrived late.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Short and sweet!
Transport
Thank you!
Thank you!
Guatemala
Local specialist: Catherina Tittaferrante
Catherina
Catherina Tittaferrante
Local specialist in Antigua Guatemala | Replied on Mar 02, 2024
My lovely Nancy, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your insightful feedback about Guatemala and Belize. We are so happy to read how much fun you had. We loved sharing our time with you. It's heartening to know that the visits to our indigenous villages and interactions with our local people printed a positive experience and memory. We appreciate your feedback regarding the craftsmanship of the weavers, and we will certainly take note of your suggestion to enhance the... Read more

My lovely Nancy,

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your insightful feedback about Guatemala and Belize. We are so happy to read how much fun you had. We loved sharing our time with you.

It's heartening to know that the visits to our indigenous villages and interactions with our local people printed a positive experience and memory. We appreciate your feedback regarding the craftsmanship of the weavers, and we will certainly take note of your suggestion to enhance the experience by providing more information about the specific weavings and traditional dress from each village.

We're delighted with your friendship, we will be always here for you. Our sincere apologies for the chilly nights in the mountains – weather conditions can indeed catch us off guard. We're glad you found a solution at the Paca in Toto.

Taking time to appreciate nature, local life, traditions and unforgettable activities are integral facts when creating itineraries, and we're glad to realized we made it match with your intereses.

Once again, thank you for your valuable feedback. We look forward to keep exploring other destinations.

Fabulous Guatemala
Guatemala | Feb 2 - Feb 11, 2024

Tanuja
Tanuja R.
Brentwood, TN | Reviewed on Feb 13, 2024
We had the most incredible trip to Guatemala! This tiny country has so much to offer and we only experienced a fraction of it. Eduardo was amazing, he listened and arranged everything we wanted and more. I said “Acatenango Atitlan Antigua Chichicastenango and Semuc Champey”! Then in a fun tongue in cheek way said, “it would be nice to see a Quetzel!” Guess what????
He delivered every request including the rare bird! It’s hard to pick a favorite as all were awesome but we all agreed...
Read more

We had the most incredible trip to Guatemala! This tiny country has so much to offer and we only experienced a fraction of it.

Eduardo was amazing, he listened and arranged everything we wanted and more. I said “Acatenango Atitlan Antigua Chichicastenango and Semuc Champey”! Then in a fun tongue in cheek way said, “it would be nice to see a Quetzel!”

Guess what????
He delivered every request including the rare bird! It’s hard to pick a favorite as all were awesome but we all agreed that volcano Fuego erupting and seeing a Quetzel will be the most memorable parts of trip.

Our driver David was wonderful… knowledgeable attentive and we felt safe being driven around the narrow busy hilly roads.

Our guide Rudy was fantastic! He is young but so mature and responsible. He was kind, thoughtful, paid much attention to detail and his sense of humor was very much appreciated.

We have to say that a big part of this trip was not the destination itself but the journey and people we shared it with. Eduardo, David and Rudy and all the beautiful friendly people of Guatemala will be as much a part of our memories as the volcanoes and birds.

Will be recommending this trip to family members and friends!

Local specialist: Eduardo Celada
E
Eduardo Celada
Local specialist in Antigua, Guatemala | Replied on Feb 13, 2024
Thank you for all this feedback, we don't doubt that this will help us to get more folks and traffic to our company. You have visited one of the gems in Central America. To be honest it was really easy to organize a trip wtih you! Thank you for taking the time to leave us your review !! I'm highly glad you had a great time on the Program activities you and I built for this unforgettable tour. It is very helpful to know that you had a great time with our team guiding you around the... Read more

Thank you for all this feedback, we don't doubt that this will help us to get more folks and traffic to our company. You have visited one of the gems in Central America. To be honest it was really easy to organize a trip wtih you!

Thank you for taking the time to leave us your review !!

I'm highly glad you had a great time on the Program activities you and I built for this unforgettable tour. It is very helpful to know that you had a great time with our team guiding you around the country. Be sure to spread the word to your friends and family, the more people know about Guatemala the better.

Hope to see you back again soon, cheers!

We spent most of our time with the best guide...
Guatemala | Jan 28 - Feb 4, 2024

Helen
Helen H.
Portland, OR | Reviewed on Feb 12, 2024

We spent most of our time with the best guide ever, Lucas, who took great care of us and helped us get the most out of everything. The drivers were great and our Guide, Mario, at Tikal was very knowledgeable and interesting. Overall, a great trip in spite of landslides on the highway and illness because our guides and drivers were in the ball.

Local specialist: Matt Hartell
Matt
Matt Hartell
Local specialist in Antigua, Guatemala | Replied on Feb 16, 2024

Helen,
Thanks for the review. Iam glad that you guys had a good trip out there with us. Looking forward to working together in the future.

Colorful, beautiful Guatemala!!!
Guatemala | Jan 28 - Feb 4, 2024

Carol
Carol T.
Portland, OR | Reviewed on Feb 06, 2024
Our 8-day tour in Guatemala was wonderful. Each site we visited was beautiful, interesting, and fun. Our guide, Lukas, was patient, kind, knowledgeable, helpful, and really a fantastic person overall. The lodgings were also lovely-not fancy, but well- cared for, comfortable, and with great breakfasts! Our drivers were skilled in some difficult terrains, and all of our transitions went smoothly. Home now and smiling to think about all our great experiences! Read more

Our 8-day tour in Guatemala was wonderful. Each site we visited was beautiful, interesting, and fun. Our guide, Lukas, was patient, kind, knowledgeable, helpful, and really a fantastic person overall. The lodgings were also lovely-not fancy, but well- cared for, comfortable, and with great breakfasts! Our drivers were skilled in some difficult terrains, and all of our transitions went smoothly. Home now and smiling to think about all our great experiences!

Hotel Review
Hacienda Tijax
Fronteras

I loved this lodging. The jungle plants, the location on the Rio Dulce, the excellent restaurant. It’s beautifully designed, with interesting and comfortable dwellings. There are several activities available and the boat ride on the river is outstanding!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Matt Hartell

Maya K'iche' Exploration & Belize Beach Vacation
Guatemala | Jan 9 - Jan 31, 2024

Helaine
Helaine M.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Feb 01, 2024
This trip was extremely well-planned by Columbus Travel in Antigua. Catherina and her team worked hard to understand exactly what our goals were and why we were coming to Guatemala. We had very specific requests and they listened intently to us, making sure we would have the experiences we were seeking. Many of the villages we visited had few to no tourists, and we really were able to see up close and personal the way the Maya K'iche' and Ixil people live their daily lives. We had many,... Read more

This trip was extremely well-planned by Columbus Travel in Antigua. Catherina and her team worked hard to understand exactly what our goals were and why we were coming to Guatemala. We had very specific requests and they listened intently to us, making sure we would have the experiences we were seeking. Many of the villages we visited had few to no tourists, and we really were able to see up close and personal the way the Maya K'iche' and Ixil people live their daily lives. We had many, many conversations one-on-one and were able to ask and answer questions, take photos, and dive deeper into the culture than any other type of travel could have provided for us. There were, of course, changes in schedule and plans due to unexpected opportunities or weather shifts, but Columbus Travel was always there to accommodate our needs and make it work for us on the spot. The guides and drivers were always in communication with Catherina and she with them, making managing the trip very smooth for us. The second part of our trip was the fun, more touristy, part, but even during that part, Catherina made sure we kept our cultural focus and were always met and guided by Mayans and visited Mayan sites. It was a true pleasure to work with such travel professionals who were also quite personal with us and got to know us well. I highly recommend this organization and this mode of travel planning. Kim Kim is lucky to partner with Columbus Travel!
GUIDES
Our primary driver and guide for the first half of the trip was Luis Medina. He was absolutely the best choice for our trip! He was informed, open, helpful, patient, and fun to be with. We had many speed bumps (literal and figurative) along the way and his mild temperament always came shining through. On many occasions, he saw opportunities for us to have unique experiences and he always moved forward to make them happen for us. The success of our trip was largely due to his on the spot, professional trip management skills.
Our K'iche' guide, Carlos Chaclan, also provided us with a homestay in Totonicapan and was a gracious host. We so enjoyed spending time with him and his family. They were all so sweet and relaxed with us and made us feel at home. On the road, Carlos never failed to connect us with our mission - to get to know the Maya K'iche' of Guatemala. He helped us engage with them; he taught me useful phrases so that I could begin speaking directly with them; he made suggestions about what we might want to do and experience that was authentic; and he was informative in providing history and meaning when we asked him about specific places and historical markers along our route.

Local specialist: Catherina Tittaferrante
Catherina
Catherina Tittaferrante
Local specialist in Antigua Guatemala | Replied on Mar 02, 2024
Wow, dear Helaine, we are deeply grateful and honored to have known you and to have shared our greatest passion. Craftin your itinerary was a wonderful opportunity to let our culture shine and enhance your extraordinary time in this millenary land of yours now. It warms our hearts to hear that you were able to immerse yourselves in the daily lives of the Maya K'iche' and Ixil people, venturing into villages with few visitors and engaging in one-on-one moments. Luis Medina and Carlos... Read more

Wow, dear Helaine, we are deeply grateful and honored to have known you and to have shared our greatest passion.

Craftin your itinerary was a wonderful opportunity to let our culture shine and enhance your extraordinary time in this millenary land of yours now.

It warms our hearts to hear that you were able to immerse yourselves in the daily lives of the Maya K'iche' and Ixil people, venturing into villages with few visitors and engaging in one-on-one moments.

Luis Medina and Carlos Chaclan are incredible guides, each contributing significantly to the success of your trip. Your positive words mean the world to us, and we all share this warm words. We sincerely thank you for recommending Columbus Travel and for recognizing the partnership with Kim Kim. It is our pleasure to serve travelers like yourself who appreciate a personal touch and an authentic cultural focus.

Our hope is to continue discovering together my dear friend. Huge hug to you.

Colorful Warm Guatemala!
Guatemala | Jan 7 - Jan 12, 2024

david
david a.
Prescott, AZ | Reviewed on Jan 19, 2024
In reviewing my travels in Guatemala, I want to give the following backdrop.... Solo male traveler, age 71, 1st timer in Guatemala with only a little command of the language. Despite these limitations I left Guatemala having an appreciation of the culture and the peoples in various locations. From Mayan ruins both popular and off the beaten path, the hustle and bustle of cosmopolitan Guatemala City, a River Dulce experience that was mind blowing to even a hot springs experience in two... Read more

In reviewing my travels in Guatemala, I want to give the following backdrop.... Solo male traveler, age 71, 1st timer in Guatemala with only a little command of the language. Despite these limitations I left Guatemala having an appreciation of the culture and the peoples in various locations. From Mayan ruins both popular and off the beaten path, the hustle and bustle of cosmopolitan Guatemala City, a River Dulce experience that was mind blowing to even a hot springs experience in two different locations... to a cultural festival that was an explosion of dancing/music and food the care and attention to detail by my in country coordinator Chris was amazing. I always felt he had my back and whenever I reached out (multiple times) he responded and always made me feel safe!
The lodging was a really great mix of up-scale eco camps, to high end hotel rooms to a boutique hotel in Flores right in the heart of the festival. I give each place the highest of ratings!!!
My guides ranged from good to outstanding. Oliver my guide to Tikal changed his whole approach when he heard birding was my passion. I saw 21 taxa in addition to exploring the ruins. Capitan Otilio Morales my guide on the Rio Dulce to Livingston changed his tour and put me on some bird nesting spots that only a seasoned captain could find.
Other guides were ok but my lack of knowing the language was a negative and took away from the experience, but hey that's on me!
The people made the experience and I certainly met many native Guatemalans and have a little understanding of their lives and the struggles they face. One funny experience was getting of the small boat in Livingstone and the ladies were braidng hair extensions and could not believe my braids were real hair and all wanted to rebraid with beads very funny.
Also was able to see 4 churches and attend mass and receive communion in Flores very very special! Also was able to light a candle and place by the statue of Nuestra Senora in Guatemala City in the Cathedral.
Have some real good pictures and could expand but am out of time for now.
Great job to all and a humble thanks to Chris!!!!!

Local specialist: Chris Gwinner
Chris
Chris Gwinner
Local specialist in Antigua, Guatemala | Replied on Jan 19, 2024

What a great review Dave, really enjoyed reliving your experiences in Guatemala through this review. It was our pleasure and thank you again for choosing to get to know the real Guatemala through local people and experiences. Our team had a great time with you and we hope to see you again in the future. Spread the word about Guatemala with your friends and family, the more people know the better!

Really good trip. Chris did an excellent job...
Guatemala | Jan 3 - Jan 13, 2024

jimmy
jimmy p.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Jan 14, 2024
Really good trip. Chris did an excellent job organizing Read more

Really good trip. Chris did an excellent job organizing

Hotel Reviews
Ramon's Village Resort
San Pedro
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Try greeting guests
Cleanliness & Comfort
Mayan Princess Beach & Dive Resort
Roatan

Very good staff. Poor facilities

Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Falling Leaves Lodge
San Ignacio
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa Encantada
Antiigua
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Day Hike to Pacaya Volcano
Day Hike to Pacaya Volcano
Guatemala
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) caves day tour
Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) caves day tour
San Ignacio

Wow, amazing, awesome

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hol Chan/Shark Ray Alley - from Ramon's Village
Hol Chan/Shark Ray Alley - from Ramon's Village
Guatemala

It was okay

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Chris Gwinner
Chris
Chris Gwinner
Local specialist in Antigua, Guatemala | Replied on Jan 17, 2024

Thank you for all the feedback Jimmy, very helpful as we continue to plan more holidays in the future. I'm glad you were able to visit 3 countries in our region in a relatively short time, what an adventure! All the best for 2024 and let us know if you're ever back in our area.

Great time at Guatemala l!
Guatemala | Dec 26 - Jan 2, 2024

Ananya
Ananya B.
Princeton, NJ | Reviewed on Jan 09, 2024
My husband & I had a great experience vacationing in Guatemala. First of all Chris was amazing with his prompt responses, excellent logistical planning & flawless execution. He did not miss a single detail & made our lives easier with reminders of important details. Chris was also extremely flexible with the plan & modified some of the original ideas to incorporate new stops in the trip. Our guides were also excellent & extremely knowledgeable. Willy traveled with us for 3 days & was super... Read more

My husband & I had a great experience vacationing in Guatemala. First of all Chris was amazing with his prompt responses, excellent logistical planning & flawless execution. He did not miss a single detail & made our lives easier with reminders of important details. Chris was also extremely flexible with the plan & modified some of the original ideas to incorporate new stops in the trip. Our guides were also excellent & extremely knowledgeable. Willy traveled with us for 3 days & was super helpful. Highly recommend him. Other guides at the different locations were also great! All in all, a very memorable experience.

Hotel Reviews
Casa Antigua
Antigua
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Isla de Flores
Ciudad Flores Petén-Flores
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Tour the famous Chichicastenango Market
Tour the famous Chichicastenango Market
Guatemala
Day Hike to Pacaya Volcano
Day Hike to Pacaya Volcano
Guatemala
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Explore Tikal National Park
Explore Tikal National Park
San Ignacio
Quality of Experience
Local Foodie Tour
Local Foodie Tour
Antigua
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kayaking & Hiking Lake Atitlán
Kayaking & Hiking Lake Atitlán
Guatemala
Quality of Experience
Local specialist: Chris Gwinner
Chris
Chris Gwinner
Local specialist in Antigua, Guatemala | Replied on Jan 11, 2024

It was our pleasure Ananya and thank you again for visiting Guatemala! Our team had a great time with you and we hope to see you again in the future. Spread the word about Guatemala with your friends and family, the more people know the better!

Great trip to Chichi Market
Guatemala | Dec 31 - Dec 31, 2023

Christopher
Christopher M.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Jan 01, 2024

Christa was great, along with all the other assisting guides that showed up throughout the day! Exceeded expectations!

Local specialist: Chris Gwinner
Chris
Chris Gwinner
Local specialist in Antigua, Guatemala | Replied on Jan 01, 2024

Thank you for taking the time to leave us your review Chris. I'm glad you and the family were able to get to know a bit of the real Guatemala with our local team. Christa and the rest of the crew had a great time with you and appreciated your positive attitude and energy! Be sure to spread the word to your friends and family, the more people know about Guatemala the better. Thank you again for your business!