Top 5 Guatemala Car Tours: See The Countryside

Guatemala, so it’s a country of stunning natural beauty, and also it has an incredible history, plus seriously appealing culture; experiencing it all from the freedom of your own rental car is almost certainly a fantastic option, and really there’s nothing quite like setting your own schedule and seeing what catches your eye. Picking just the right tour, though, it’s almost certainly something you want to do right. These tours they can range from exploring historic ruins to discovering lovely, cool mountain towns, which are certainly worth a detour, that will just take your breath away. Very few visitors realize what awaits. So, what should you do?

1. The Antigua Explorer Car Tour

Antigua, a UNESCO World Heritage site, basically, it’s the jumping-off point for loads of Guatemala adventures, or very often that’s the case, I think. Driving is really easy once you get past Guatemala City, as a matter of fact the roads tend to be pretty good too. First, find a good rental company. Then set a course. From strolling its cobblestone streets to seeing its beautiful colonial buildings and, as well, exploring nearby coffee plantations, very little will prepare you for its unique beauty.

The highlights of this tour they include:

The Antigua Central Park: It’s almost like starting at the heart of Antigua, which actually is a pretty wonderful spot to people-watch and appreciate the city’s layout, usually that’s the big selling point.
Santa Catalina Arch: The Arch, this thing is a must-see iconic landmark that offers, certainly, a terrific photo opportunity with Volcán Agua as the backdrop.
Coffee Plantations: Discovering the coffee-making process from bean to cup is so incredibly cool. Tour the local coffee plantations that surround Antigua. This can also give you the fuel to explore.
Cerro de la Cruz: This viewpoint is slightly outside the city center that allows one to provide really wide views of Antigua and the volcanoes all round the area.

This car tour is something to consider when the traveler wants more flexibility and can handle the local driving, basically.

Read our full review: Antigua Explorer Car Tour Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Reserve Antigua Explorer Tour)

2. Lake Atitlán Scenic Drive

The trip around Lake Atitlán, well it’s so scenic and something people write poems about, too it’s known for being one of the prettiest lakes in the entire planet, very very much so. Very very much. This tour very typically includes a drive by all the lakeside villages such as Panajachel, San Pedro, and Santiago Atitlán, sometimes visiting local markets or Mayan villages, and really those experiences are wonderful.

Don’t miss:

Panajachel: A place to start in most adventures it is so extremely easy. It acts as an entrance point into the lake and offers lots of shops as well as eateries and it’s almost a cool place to get souvenirs.
San Juan la Laguna: This small village very often focuses more specifically on textile production. Discover the awesome natural dyeing and weaving process from the local women, too that could provide insights that most people miss.
Santiago Atitlán: Almost always find out about Maximon, or also called San Simon, he’s basically a local saint who represents Mayan folk religion, this alone can be a seriously eye-opening look into cultural ways.
Boat Trips: When traveling on Lake Atitlan, almost certainly you want to rent a boat and find hidden places only seen in travel magazines, yet don’t overlook this!

This journey’s almost perfect for anyone who likes scenic drives combined by cultural experiences, frankly that’s quite a lot of folks!

Read our full review: Lake Atitlan Scenic Drive Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Book Lake Atitlan Tour)

3. The Mayan Route: Tikal and Yaxhá

For anyone that really has a thing for Mayan history, and very often that’s many of us, then I would tell people don’t think twice, really just do it. Very commonly Tikal and Yaxhá, I’d say, almost make up, some, of Guatemala’s must-see archaeological sites. Expect long drives through the northern regions. Usually, there’s some pretty spectacular natural beauty right when you arrive, almost always. Then so few people see it from a car’s windshield.

Major Spots to stop at:

Tikal National Park: Getting close with those, almost always stunning, pyramid temples in what really is a really well preserved Mayan site is basically worth the effort alone. Climb them!
Yaxhá: The town might not have Tikal’s population, so at least that could get the tourists off your back for a little while. Plus, watching that sunset from Temple 216 in Yaxha well that just basically changes everything. I might want to watch the sunrise.
Flores: That location is literally situated on an island located at Petén Itzá Lake so then just basically imagine quaint streets paired really nicely with cafes/shops – I mean just don’t tell me you won’t visit! That island provides easy access specifically to Tikal and Yaxhá with ease plus more lodging for lodging, basically a cool place for those longer journeys needing rest.

It may prove attractive particularly amongst ancient civilizations scholars as well adventurers who enjoy seeing jungle environment explorations, basically. Now that makes the idea worthwhile alone to go through a car.

Read our full review: Mayan Route: Tikal and Yaxhá Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Book Mayan Route Car Tour)

4. Caribbean Coast: Río Dulce and Livingston

A drive so extremely different, like it contrasts so vividly against more common highland spots inside Guatemala, well that is what makes this tour shine unlike others; I mean, sure this location almost showcases rivers surrounded inside thick rain forest while even offering unique cultural discoveries near Livingston. Be warned so it could necessitate a longer journey from either Antigua maybe the main town depending solely regarding origin points set previously through personal navigation tools previously implemented previously- I suggest ensuring everything is accurately pre-loaded previously-wise when initiating something much more detailed such coastal regions wise when doing exploration for your exploration, seriously.

Don’t overlook stuff for stops:

Río Dulce Canyon: Enjoy amazing boat journeys near Agua Caliente that may feature hot springs plus canyons too, actually seriously awesome scenes along waterfront sides while touring waters
Livingston: Take exploration and also get connected personally inside town, specifically its Garifuna communities here throughout its region to get submerged together amongst such vibrancies personally once engaged near central region too. I like the sounds and flavors here in Garifuna.
Castillo de San Felipe: Getting to witness castle near entrance waters might offer look directly backward while taking you close near coastal waters-side scene with your adventure overall inside river routes also from historic perspectives during traveling routes of exploration too too. I mean can you see what happens!

For people thinking along going out beyond commonplace vacation path, with nature’s view besides interacting culture throughout its whole length for something unusual, or really extremely weird but seriously remarkable journeys too then so consider really truly investigating those specific coastal attractions as part too through having something remarkable done via personal transport-wise for real exploration activities when there exists a trip happening while you use it during driving situations.

Read our full review: Caribbean Coast: Río Dulce and Livingston Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Explore Caribbean Coast)

5. Highlands Adventure: Quetzaltenango (Xela) and Surroundings

Consider travelling around near Xela in case mountain exploration excites with maybe cold weather settings to appreciate Mayan ancestry within its location while offering different things than perhaps tourist traps available almost- not tourist traps in that regard? In addition expect journey routes inside remote mountain environments near those attractions overall and basically it takes consideration plus proper motor ability- or just motor vehicles for a bit basically I state that; almost ensuring car selected matches such high mountain path ways. Actually take good pre-planning when navigating journeys of such journeys taken- as a bit a plan if done efficiently offers very amazing outings here to truly investigate locations as part inside.

Best highlights include here things below overall:

Quetzaltenango (Xela): Have personal exploration amongst local scenes near location which has pretty architecture, plus nearby spots for getting a Spanish lesson set done for you together, if you are on such journeys- not necessarily of such personal activities alone here at that time specifically perhaps! Seriously it’s hard to explain!
Fuentes Georginas: Basically these pools for the hot, I want one right now – and specifically what helps me there as getting into mountains around specifically, just go to natural pools that gets heat through subterranean causes within setting which provides you that relax environment- or nearly relaxes one! A slight sense I almost gain when explaining Fuentes- not Fritos ok.
Almolonga: Getting visiting within city locations known quite through their veggie production may perhaps offer new look overall how veggies produce or you actually appreciate fresh pick products, really in actuality it might provide eye looks how produce goes for tables altogether!

Perhaps maybe appropriate, I might say near folk considering visiting rural scenes to feel traditions inside what Guatemala consists for something beyond places which usually folks appreciate quite always!

Read our full review: Highlands Adventure: Quetzaltenango (Xela) and Surroundings Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Explore Highlands Now)