If you are travelling to Guatemala, chances are that you are going to visit both Antigua and Lake Atitlan. Antigua is a beautiful city with amazing architecture, surrounded by incredible nature. And Lake Atitlan is probably one of the most beautiful lakes you have ever seen. Each of the villages along the lake has its own unique charm.
How long does it take to travel from Antigua to Lake Atitlan?
The distance between Antigua and Lake Atitlán is around 80 km, and the easiest way to travel between the two places is by shuttle. A shuttle bus from Antigua to Lake Atitlán will take you roughly 3 hours. But the trip could be a little shorter or longer, depending on the traffic.
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Where at Lake Atitlan will you get dropped off?
The shuttle will drop you off in Panajachel, one of the biggest and busiest villages along the lake, which is accessible via the road.
If you then want to travel to any other village around the lake, such as San Juan, San Pedro, San Marco, etc. you will need to take a water taxi from Panajachel.
From where the shuttle will drop you off, you basically just need to walk down to the water for a minute, and you can see the pier. Tell any of the people who are working there where you want to go, and they will guide you to the correct water taxi. There will usually be one waiting already. There are no set departure times. The boats will leave once there are enough people.
You just pay once you get into the boat. So you do not need to book anything beforehand, when taking a water taxi from Panajachel to any of the surrounding villages.
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Where to book your trip from Antigua to Lake Atitlan?
You can book your transportation from Antigua to Lake Atitlan either at any travel agency in Antigua or online at GuateGo. This way, you can assure you have a spot in the shuttle at your desired time.
I have booked my trip from Lake Atitlan to Antigua through the GuateGo website, and it went very smoothly.
The shuttles depart from Antigua to Lake Atitlan (Panajachel) at the following times:
- 5:30am
- 8:00am
- 12:30pm
- 4:00pm
And shuttles from Lake Atitlan (Panajachel) to Antigua depart at:
- 5:00am
- 9:00am
- 12:00pm
- 4:00pm
Other ways to travel from Antigua to Panajachel?
Other than travelling with the shuttle bus, you could also take an Uber. That would be a lot more expensive though, and will take you around the same time as the shuttle bus, so there is no reason to spend more money on an Uber.
But if you are feeling brave enough, and have the extra time and want to save a bit of money, then taking the chicken bus would also be an option. You can expect that to take around 4+ hours.
Looking for other Guatemala Transportation guides?
- The best ways to travel from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlán
- Taking the night bus from Guatemala City to Flores
- How to travel from Flores to Caye Caulker
And also don’t forget to check out the beautiful nature reserve in Panajachel in Lake Atitlán!
And I hope this gave you an overview of how to best travel from Antigua to Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. Let me know if you have any questions.
Talk to you later
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