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Hi guys, could you guys look at my plan and see if this is feasible in 2~3 weeks starting from mid-August?

  1. Fly into Belize and do a day dive (spend 2 days total)
  2. Take a bus to Flores and do Tikal (2 days )
  3. Go to Lanquin/Semuc Champey ( 2days)
  4. Go to Antigua (4 days)
  5. Go to Lake Atitlan (4 days)
  6. Go back to Antigua and visit El Tunco (El Salvador) for (3 days)
  7. Return to Guatemala city and fly out from there

Do you think this schedule is feasible?

Also, I'm assuming I won't be able to do any trekking (especially Acatenango) around Antigua right now. Is it worth spending 4 days at Antigua If I'm not hiking?

Thanks

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1

It is rushed but doable. Hopefully you arrive early and have almost two full days in Belize? You should check the buses from Belize City to Santa Elena/Flores. I don't know if the bus would agree to drop you off at El Cruce Ixlu, just south of El Remate. There you can flag down any bus going to Tikal. If you end up in Santa Elena you might still be able to take a public bus to Tikal that afternoon or maybe a shuttle from Flores or the airport. It would be great to get to Tikal that day so you can spend the night there. If not, it might be best to book a sunrise tour leaving from Flores early the next morning. But I would want to explore more on my own after the tour. You do have to get back to Flores that evening as you will be taking a morning shuttle from Flores to Lanquin the next day. One day for Semuc Champey is enough. Just be aware that going to Lanquin requires two long travel days (Flores to Lanquin and Lanquin to Antigua or Lake Atitlan). You won't have 4 days in Antigua as the first day you will still be traveling to Antigua from Lanquin. Without Acatenango you could get away with a day in Antigua (2 would be better). But you can hike up Acatenango again (I recommend the overnight trip) but you should be acclimatized. Although the trip from Lanquin to Lake Atitlan is very long it would be better to go to the lake first for at least some acclimatization and then go to Antigua. That would still give you 3 days at the lake. You could also consider taking Diamox (helps prevent altitude sickness). Do you surf? And if so, is it really important to surf this trip? It would be so much better to add those 3 days somewhere else. You could add days to Belize (diving or maybe San Ignacio) and maybe see Yaxha as well. Or you could add a day to Lanquin and have a day to relax, swim, go tubing... Or you could go to Xela (volcanoes, hiking, hot springs...). August can be rainy so you should be prepared to change your plans if needed.

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Is it worth spending 4 days at Antigua If I'm not hiking?

Probably not, at the pace you'll be traveling. You can see the Antigua sights with 2 full days in the town. But the sunset trip to Volcan Pacaya is certainly worthwhile for incredible views if you get a clear sunset. That uses up half a day, and it does involve a few km of hiking. So maybe 3 days if you include Pacaya.

The comment I made on your previous post still stands. What you propose looks good if you plan around 3 weeks, and won't work in 2 weeks time because of the transport days you'll need.

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In response to #2

I will likely be doing the overnight trekking ! thank you for your input.

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Yeah, I'd add days or leave something off. Maybe leave off El Salvador this trip because you'll be spending way too many days sitting on buses in shuttles in my opinion. That way you can spend 3 nights on Caye Caulker or Ambergris Caye, do a caving trip in western Belize (google ATM cave), and maybe still add a day somewhere. Or leave off Semuc Champey which will cost you 2 long travel days; without that you could take a night bus between Flores and Guatemala City and have 3 days to spend else where. Just my 2 cents' worth...


My photos w/ blog & travelogue links on the main page of each collection: http://www.flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections
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