If you are visiting Panajachel, or any surrounding town along Lake Atitlan, you should also pay a visit to the Atitlán nature reserve in Panajachel. From walking across hanging bridges, spotting some adorable coatis and visiting a butterfly enclosure, you can easily spend multiple hours in this beautiful nature reserve. It was actually one of my favourite places and should be included in any Guatemala itinerary.
How to get to the Nature Reserve in Panajachel?
The nature reserve is located around 2 km away from the city centre of Panajachel. However, it is located up the hill and there is no sidewalk up the hill, so you are best off taking a Tuk Tuk. This shouldn’t take you more than 10–15 minutes, depending on traffic.
How much is the entry fee to the Nature Reserve in Panajachel?
The entry fee is Q80 for adults and Q45 for children under 12. The nature reserve is open every day from 8am to 5pm (Updated May 2025)
What is there to do at the nature reserve?
Right near the entrance, you can find a butterfly enclosure that you can enter and walk through. Watch the butterflies, and if you are lucky, some might even end up sitting on your hand or shoulder.
The highlight of the nature reserve are the coatis, that you will see running around in some areas. When I visited, there was a whole family with small coatis, which was so cute to see. You can get pretty close to them, as they also get quite close to the walking path. Make sure to not pet them, though, as they can bite.
There are also a few monkeys around, that you will most likely spot as well.
Check out my experience travelling solo in Guatemala 🙂
After a bit of walking along some paths, you will come out right by the beautiful lake Atitlan. You can also get some stunning views of the lake along the way. It’s the perfect place to go swimming and to relax for a little.
Additionally, you can also find some waterfalls at the nature reserve. Smaller and bigger ones, and also lots of hanging bridges that you will need to cross. For an extra price, there is also the opportunity to do zip lining.
In total, I would probably recommend spending about 2–3 hours at the nature reserve in Panajachel. It’s a beautiful place, that you should definitely pay a visit to if you are anywhere near lake Atitlan.
Have a lovely day!
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