Antigua To Lake Atitlan: By Chicken Bus, Shuttle Or Taxi

If you’re keen to find a chill spot to relax in Guatemala, then for sure head from Antigua to Lake Atitlan. I’ll tell you how to book, prices, more about traveling by shuttle, taxi, or, if you’re down for an adventure, the chicken bus!

Once you have finished checking out one of my favorite places, Antigua, it’s time to head to the next spot, Lake Atitlan.

Here you will find a beautiful lake surrounded by 3 incredible volcanoes, plenty of culture, and a pretty damn epic backpacker scene.

However, what’s the easiest way to travel from Antigua to Lake Atitlan? Cause we all know the last thing you want on a travel day is unnecessary stress and transport problems. Luckily, that’s where I come in.

I spent a month backpacking Guatemala, traveling all over. So, I definitely learned that a travel day here means a WHOLE day, but thankfully, this route is an exception.

Now, it’s incredibly easy to travel to Lake Atitlan, though you’ll need to hit the road as flying isn’t an option.

Distance Between Antigua and Lake Atitlan

Now, you don’t need to worry about spending full days on the road, and thank God for that! If you’re like me, you’ve already spent too long traveling to and from Semuc Champey.

The journey to Lake Atitlan is a super short being around 80km.

However, be aware there’s a bunch of different roads your transport could take.

For example, on the way there, we quickly turned off the highway and spent most of the time on small, windy roads.

Though on the way back to Antigua, we stuck to the highway as much as possible.

How Long Does It Take To Get To Lake Atitlan

Thankfully, you don’t need to worry about long journeys here as it is a quick and easy ride.

Tourist Shuttle: Your trip to Lake Atitlan will take between 2 to 2 and a half hours

Chicken Bus: Now, taking the chicken bus is for those looking for an adventure, not a relaxing journey. This method will take around 3 to 4 hours.

Taxi: Enjoy a quick and direct journey in a taxi, which only takes 2 hours. It’s quite scenic, so you may want to pull over for a couple of photo stops.

Where Do You Arrive? The Different Towns Around Lake Atitlan

Be aware that when we talk about Lake Atitlan, it’s about the area as a whole, and instead, you’ll want to travel from Antigua to your accommodation at the lake.

Villages are spread all the way around, some large, some small, some accessible by road, and others simply by boat.

I recommend finding the township you want to travel to, such as Antigua to Panajachel, Antigua to San Marcos, or Antigua to San Pedro.

These are the three main towns around the lake with plenty of connections to Antigua.

You can easily book shuttles from:

• Antigua to Panajachel
• Antigua to San Marcos la Laguna
• Antigua to San Pedro la Laguna

Once you are here, you can easily catch a water taxi around Lake Atitlan to get to your desired town.

1. Taking A Shared Shuttle To Lake Atitlan

Now, we’ll start with the most straightforward and simply easiest way to travel to Lake Atitlan, which is on a shared shuttle.

The great thing about the shuttle is there is no need to worry about changing buses and all those hassles. Instead, you can just chill and enjoy the pretty damn good views.

There’s a good chance the drivers will speak limited English, but you’ll quickly learn enough Spanish to get by when traveling Central America, or someone else will onboard.

You’ll likely make one toilet/snack stop on the way, for us, this was a gas station.

When booking your shuttle you’ll have the choice to travel from Antigua to Panajachel, San Marcos la Laguna, or San Pedro la Laguna.

These all have multiple departures each day. Plus each township is a seperate van, so you won’t all be in the same one and need to stop at the other towns along the way.

Your journey will take 2 to 2 and a half hours, depending on how long the driver decides to stop.

My journey from Lake Atitlan back to Antigua was definitely quicker than the journey there, and like I said, the first driver chose a random route through the mountains.

Nevertheless, this is definitely the best choice for travelers in Guatemala who simply just want to get there and get into lakeside relax mode.

How To Book Tickets

Thankfully these tourist shuttles are super easy to book! You can either do so in advance online or instead wait until you are in Antigua.

Though, it’s best to book your tickets a couple of days in advance, as they do quickly get booked out.

I traveled Guatemala during May, which is considered the shoulder season. When my friend tried to book on the same shuttle as me the day before, it was sold out.

If you wait until you are in the city, you’ll find plenty of travel agencies advertising tickets for this route. Feel free to shop around for prices.

The majority of businesses use the same shuttle company, but just charge travelers more or less depending on their commission.

We literally drove around the city before departing, picking people up from hotels, hostels, and travel agencies. It’s very likely that we all paid different rates.

Alternatively, if you want to book your tickets online for peace of mind or perhaps you are a bit nervous about testing out those Spanish skills, this is super easy to do.

You can check out the travel route Antigua to Lake Atitlan on GuateGo,buy your tickets through them, and then they will email you a copy! Super easy!

Where Does The Shuttle Drop You Off

Luckily, regardless who you book your shuttle with, they’ll drop you off in a relatively central location.

Panajachel:  Our shuttle dropped a couple of people at their hotels, and then the rest of us at the pier. From there, it was super easy to take the water taxi to other villages around the lake.

San Pedro la Laguna: The exact company you use will depend on where they drop you off. Since basically everyone will be staying here, the shuttle buses won’t drive you around. Rather, they’ll stop in a central location where you then make your own way.

If you are booking a shuttle to San Pedro online, make sure it actually finishes in San Pedro la Laguna. I have seen companies say you are booking this route, but they actually finish in Panajachel, where you then need to take a water taxi to San Pedro.

San Marcos la Laguna: The same as above, but depending on the company you book, where you get dropped off will affect where you get picked up. Also, if you are booking a shuttle online, make sure it actually ends in San Marcos, not Panajachel, where you then need to take a water taxi.

My Experience Taking The Shuttle

Time to head from my favorite hostel in Antigua, Maya Papaya, to Lake Atitlan.

After a quick breakfast, I check out and wait by the door for the shuttle to turn up. It does take quite some time, about 30 minutes, but this is pretty common here.

Everyone is basically given the same pick up time, but since everyone is spread around the town, you can wait up to an hour.

Seriously, if it has been over an hour I would question things, but otherwise, wait and be patient.

I am not going to lie. It isn’t the most comfortable minivan in the world. Well, actually, it is a simple van with seats in the back, but nevertheless, it would do. After collecting more passengers, we head out of town.

We follow the main roads and, after about an hour, stop at a petrol station to use the bathroom.

Unfortunately, one of my van mates jumped out and was extremely sick, right in front of the petrol pumps.

It turns out she had only arrived in Antigua from Semuc Champey last night after getting extremely sick there. She felt better this morning when she got in the van but obviously was no longer this way.

Now, I am the kind of person who likes to follow the van on Google Maps, and I noticed we turned off the main highway and started going down windy mountain roads relatively early on in the dricve.

I presumed there were toll roads along the way, all goods. I respect the hustle of the driver for not wanting to pay.

However, for the chick who was already sick, this was not a good move. The windy roads just made things worse, and we had to pull over every 10 to 15 minutes.

I will say that no one onboard was upset about this at all. Instead, we all wanted to help her. It’s Guatemala, and everyone gets sick. This is normal.

I had been in this same situation a week ago when I made the journey from Flores to Semuc Champey, so I understood.

Luckily, we started descending towards the lake soon enough, going around sharp hairpin turns and towards civilization.

Once in Panajachel, the van maneuvered the tight streets, dropping some people off at their hotels.

The final stop is where I got off, at the water taxi pier. From here, you can easily travel to all the other villages around the lake, including the one I was staying at, Santa Cruz la Laguna.

2. Chicken Bus From Antigua To Panajachel

Next up, we have the infamous chicken bus, your much more local style of transport when backpacking Guatemala.

Sure, it’s an adventure, but it’s also a controversial option.

After talking with locals, the main opinion is that they don’t want tourists to take the chicken buses. This is due to safety concerns and the simple fact that, as a foreigner, you’ll quickly be an easy target.

However, the majority of travelers think it is an old school unrealistic approach. Just use common sense, and you’ll be fine.

It’s up to you whether you decide to use the chicken buses, but either way, it’ll no doubt be an adventure.

Now let’s get into what exactly even is a chicken bus.

If you have already traveled Guatemala, you would have seen these large, colorful buses. These former American School buses have been imported here to live out the rest of their days.

Many people think of this when imagining transport here. So, if you are looking for a more local experience, you know where to find it.

However, contrary to many blogs, there are no direct chicken buses from Antigua to Panajachel or vice versa.

If this does change please let me know in the comments.

How To Take The Chicken Bus To Panajachel

So you should now know whether taking a chicken bus is right for you, let’s find out how to do it.

In total, it will cost you around Q50 / $6.00.

The drive will take between 2.5 and 4 hours due to how long you may be stuck waiting around for a bus at each stop. 

Starting at Antigua you’ll first have to go to the main bus stop. This is located behind the market and is pretty hard to miss.

From here, you’ll need to take the chicken bus heading to Chimaltenango. This section is a pretty short journey and should take around 35 minutes.

Next up is of course another chicken bus, this time from Chimaltenango to Los Encuentros. This is the longest part of the journey, taking around 1 hour to travel this distance.

Once you have arrived in Los Encuentros you’ll need to take another chicken bus 30 minutes to Solalà.

Finally, once in Solalà, you’ll take your last chicken bus to Panajachel, which typically is a 25 minute or so drive.

3. Splash Out On A Taxi

Taking a taxi will be the quickest way to travel to Lake Atitlan, but you do need to know it’s pricey.

If you’re still keen and I haven’t scared you off, it’s worth noting you have 2 choices here, either a typical taxi or an Uber. If you decide on a regular taxi, do some research to make sure it’s a decent company, such as Mariscal Taxis or Amarillo Taxis.

Nevertheless, you should expect to pay around $125.00 to $150.00, just remember to negotiate a set price in advance.

If you don’t like haggling GuateGo offers private taxis that can be booked online, so you don’t need to stress about getting a decent price.

This is a great option if you happen to be traveling as part of a larger group. You can split the price between everyone, and it should work out around the same as the shuttle.

This is a perfect choice if you’re traveling as a group. You can simply split the price, and it’ll work out around the same as the shuttle.

Alternatively, if you’re traveling when shuttles aren’t running, or want to travel there direct from Guatemala Airport, taking a taxi is perfect.

Remember that even though you can easily take a taxi to the Lake, it’ll be harder to find one to take you back to Antigua.

There’s also no Uber around Lake Atitlan like there is in Antigua.

Where You Should Stay In Lake Atitlan

Lake Atitlan is surrounded by some super charming villages with each have something unique to offer. I recommend choosing a few places to stay and splitting your time between them.

Panajachel: This is the main hub around Lake Atitlan and is bustling with constant shuttles arriving and departing. It makes for the ideal spot for booking tours and transportation. I stayed at Selina Panajachel, and it was lovely having a pool and only a few minutes from the pier.

Santa Cruz la Laguna: This village has become increasingly popular due to its affordable hostels. I stayed at Free Cerveza, with a summer camp vibe and teepee dorms, and La Iguana Perdida, with a more chill social vibe and homely feel.

San Pedro La Laguna: Another backpacker hub, San Pedro has plenty of hostels, cafes, and restaurants. It’s perfect if you’re keen to hit up San Pedro Volcano or the easier Indian Nose Hike.

San Juan La Laguna: This village is perfect for experiencing local arts and finding authentic souvenirs. It’s less touristy than other spots and a peaceful escape from the crowds.

San Marcos la Laguna: Known for its hippie vibes and yoga scene, San Marcos has a bunch of incredible accommodation options with stunning volcano views. It’s also a great place for delicious vegan and vegetarian food.

Selina Atitlan The perfect stay for backpackers and digital nomads. Dorm rooms start from $22.00 per night. BOOK NOW	Mr. Mullets A party hostel perfect for those wanting to let loose and make friends. Prices start from $12.00 per night. BOOK NOW
La Iguana Perdida A lovely homely hostel right by the pier. Dorm rooms start from $11.00 per night. BOOK NOW	Free Cerveza Enjoy summer camp vibes and tipi dorm rooms. Prices start from $16.00 per night. BOOK NOW

Things To Do In Lake Atitlan

Given the fact that Lake Atitlan’s a massive tourist destination in Guatemala, there’s plenty of things to do:

Study Spanish: You’ll find so many people traveling here to learn Spanish since there’s a chill atmosphere, stunning scenery, and it’s so affordable. Many towns around the lake have Spanish schools, and most do outdoor lessons where you can enjoy being in nature.

Hiking: Now, you’ll find so many hiking trails where you can check out some of the best views of Lake Atitlan. Whether you choose to climb a volcano, tackle the famous Indian Nose hike, or simply check out a viewpoint, you won’t be disappointed.

Yoga: Lake Atitlan is well and truly known for being a yogi paradise, so much so, you’ll find a yoga studio in nearly every town. One of the most popular spots is Eagles Nest with freakin amazing views over the lake.