Santa Cruz La Laguna: 6-Hour Kayak & Mayan Village Hike Tour｜Guatemala

This half-day adventure tour from Santa Cruz La Laguna includes a kayak along the rugged and remote north shore of Lake Atitlan, followed by a hike back through the Mayan villages of San Marcos, Tzununa, and El Jaibalito.

At the meeting point, a qualified kayak instructor will supply dry sacks for your backpacks and gear for the 2nd part of the tour. All the guides are experienced kayak teachers, and can show you basic paddling techniques.

You will paddle for about 2 hours along the shores of Santa Cruz La Laguna, heading past the Mayan settlements of El Jaibalito and Tzununa en route to San Marcos. Encounter Mayan men fishing from hand-hewn boats known as “cayukas,” just as they have done for centuries. Gaze at the rugged rocks that provide home to exotic plant and bird life. You will even have the opportunity to jump into the crystal clear waters from the cliff tops.

Pull into the Bay of San Marcos to gear up for the 2nd part of your adventure. The north shore of Lake Atitlan has no road access, so you will be hiking paths that have been used by the Mayans for centuries. See villagers tending their maize and coffee crops en route.

This section of Lake Atitlan has barely been touched by the outside world, and from your privileged position several hundred feet above the ever changing waters of Atitlan, enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding volcanoes.