Xela, Semuc and/or Rio Dulce/Livingston: Cant choose

Hi everyone,

I'm planning a trip with a friend for 10 days/ nights from November 22 - Dec 2).

Were planning on spending 2 days/nights in Antigua, 2 days/nights in Lake Atitlan, and a day/night in flores, Besides for that - were debating between Xela, lanquin/coban and Rio Dulce/ Livingston. We definitely want to do one of those destinations in addition to the above 3 if not two of those ( but can't choose which - though we've been leaning toward rio dulce/livingston for a couple days/nights for a few reasons- garifuna festival is happening then, and the the option of getting in some beach time). So which two should we choose? ( or one - and add on a couple more days/nights to Lake Atitlan).

We're two guys in our late twenties - equally interested in outdoors/beautiful scenery/hiking as well as cultural experiences/history/interacting with locals. We're happy to move around a lot/get a change of scene ( though don't want to spend our entire trip traveling, and our waking up excruciatingly early) and money isn't an object ( happy to fly to flores- take private shuttles between cities etc.)

Any recommendations based on the above and the weather at that time of year? Thanks - and if you're planning on being there that time of year message me so we can meet up!

Semuc is a lot of difficult for a short trip so that is the first I would scratch off. I have been to Antigua twice neither of which was so enriching. I think I would start in Rio Dulce and Livingstone then maybe migrate to Copan Honduras. There is a place on the Rio Dulce river called Finca Tatin. I liked it and so stayed 3 days.

I would say Antigua (2 full days), the lake (3 full days), Flores/Tikal (one night in Tikal, so two days if you fly there). Then if you want to add more I would suggest Xela. Hike up volcano Santa Maria. Visit the Fuentes Georginas hot springs. Laguna Chicabal. Some of the surrounding villages.

So : fly from Guatemala City to Santa Elena/Flores. Spend a day, night and morning in Tikal. Afternoon in Flores. Fly back to GC. Make you way to Antigua. 2 days. Make your way to the lake. 3 days. Make your way to Xela. From Xela you can take a bus back to Guatemala City (for example Alamo) and a taxi to the airport.

I concur with skol, 1 night in Antigua is enough. I'd take a shuttle to Copan then over to Dulce and onto Tikal and fly back to GC from Flores. Highly recommend staying in the park at Tikal.

I would skip Xela--it is a working town, not a tourist town. I have been to Rio, tikal, & Semuc but on different trips. But when I went to Semuc , it was on a shuttle operated by La Union Spanish school in Antigua. You don't have to be a student to take it.

Anyway we were with a Canadian family on the trip to Semuc. After spending a day at Semuc the husband and son caught a bus at Semuc (0600!)to go to Tikal, then Rio Dulce & Livingston, then back to Antigua. The wife & daughter headed back to Antigua with us and then took a shuttle to Pana where the husband & son met them a few days later. I talked to the husband there and he said they had no problems going from Semuc, to Tikal, to Rio, to Antigua, to Pana.

husband and son caught a bus at Semuc (0600!)to go to Tikal, then Rio Dulce & Livingston, then back to Antigua.

xinloi, was this in one day? Wow!

Not in one day! Believe they did it in 2 or 3 days. I know you can leave Flores in morning and arrive in Rio Dulce about 10:00, run under bridge and catch boat to Livingston and be back in Rio dulce to catch a late afternoon bus to Guate City then another bus to Antigua.

Don't spread yourselves too thin. You only have 9 days. You can't do anything on the 22nd or the 2nd but arrive and leave. So this means you can do 3 things. Antigua, the lake and Flores/Tikal. Believe me, this is more than enough. Don't ruin your trip by spending so much time on buses.