A woman looks out towards the city of Antigua, Guatemala from a balcony at Hobbitenango.

5 Best Day Trips from Antigua, Guatemala

Last updated:

November 16, 2025

One of my favourite things to do while abroad is to go on a road trip. To me, driving through small towns and observing daily life gives you a glimpse of the soul of a place outside of its touristic centers. When in Guatemala, you will probably stay in Antigua for at least a night. Antigua’s proximity to other touristic destinations makes it the perfect base for a day trip. In this post, I share 5 of the best day trips from Antigua, Guatemala.

Disclosure: Booking your tour/accommodations via the links in this guide will earn me a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Earnings will go back to the maintenance of the travel guides provided on The Thrill of Pursuit. Thanks for your support!

<3 Dominique

Map created with Wanderlog, a road trip planner app on iOS and Android

1) Hobbitenango

This place defines itself as a theme park and it is only a 20 minute drive from Antigua. When you say “theme park” I think of an amusement park with rollercoasters and carnival music. Hobbitenango was intended to be a small, ecological village. It was designed as a place to connect with nature. It is tranquil and far from being an amusement park.

A woman looks out towards the city of Antigua, Guatemala from a balcony at Altamira. — Views of Antigua from Hobbitenango.

The spectacular views from its location no doubt reminded its founders of Middle Earth from the Lord of the Rings franchise. So much so that they installed model hobbit houses in the eco-village. In this sense it is a “themed park”. Besides having impressive viewpoints (12 to be exact), Hobbitenango has the following amenities:

hobbit-themed accommodations
two restaurants
a REALLY high swing (takes you up 2,500 metres)
archery, axe throwing, 6 hole mini golf
short nature trails
a playground for the kiddos

Tips for your day trip to Hobbitenango

“tenango” is a Nahuatl suffix meaning “the place of” or “town”. So the name of park means The Place of the Hobbits or Hobbit Town.
You can get away with budgeting only a couple hours at Hobbitenango if you are trying to pack as many things as possible to your day. The park isn’t that big and is designed for a chill excursion.
Hobbitenango is one of the most popular day trips from Antigua with both locals and foreigners. It can get pretty busy on weekends and holidays, so plan accordingly if you want to avoid the crowds.
The park is open daily from 8am to 7pm. The Antigua ticket office is open daily 8am to 5pm.
Credit cards are accepted at the park but there is a surcharge. It is best to bring cash to avoid the fees.
To fulfill your Lord of the Rings/Hobbit fantasies, you can stay in one of the hobbit casitas overnight. You can book your casita directly on the Hobbitenango website.

How to get to Hobbitenango

There is a shuttle that brings people between their Antigua ticket office and Hobbitenango. The shuttles depart every two hours. You need to book your shuttle ticket at least one day in advance here or by contacting their Whatsapp at +502 7758 9594.
You can Uber between Antigua and Hobbitenango but the shuttle option is cheaper.
To take the hassle out of figuring out logistics and to see other mountain viewpoints above Antigua, I booked this ATV tour and had tons of fun.

A woman stands on a giant hand in Guatemala's Hobbitenango theme party facing towards Antigua underneath some storm clouds.

2) Altamira

Much like Hobbitenango, Altamira is another park that is close to Antigua. If you are going straight there it is about a 10 minute drive from Antigua. Altamira is where that viral golden hand is located. In case you don’t know what I’m talking about, here is a pic:

Altamira is a small and quaint park. The main thing to do there is to take a picture on all the giant hands on site (so much so that I ran out of giant hand poses):

A woman in a blue shirt sits cross legged on a giant wooden hand that offers a birds eye view of Antigua, Guatemala and its lush, green surroundings.

I then had to switch to the other props available around the picturesque park:

A woman sits on a plane on an overcast day in Altamira, El Hato, Guatemala

A woman sits on a wreath made of plastic sunflowers suspended over a valley with a volcano in the background at Altamira, El Hato, Guatemala.

Travel tips for Altamira, El Hato, Guatemala

Altamira can be easily paired with Hobbitenango on a day trip from Antigua.
The viewpoints at Altamira are open daily from 8am to 6pm.
Admission price is 25Q per person.
There are places to buy snacks and drinks inside the park. However, you can save money by buying snacks and drinks in El Hato, the town you will need to cross through to get to Altamira.

How to get to Altamira

I am not familiar with how to get to El Hato via public transportation, so I would suggest taking an Uber.
Alternatively, you can book the same ATV tour that I went to get to Hobbitenango and Altamira. It was great having a guide to show me around. On the same day as my tour, Miss Universe Guatemala were doing promos around Guatemala using ATVs from the same tour company. People thought I was a contestant and kept waving at me (the ATVs had a very distinct colour). This was my personal favourite of all the day trips from Antigua.

3) Chichicastenango

Referred to as “Chichi” by locals, Chichicastenango is a small town in the Guatemalan Highlands where the population is predominantly Indigenous. Depending on your mode of transportation, it is at least two and half hours away from Antigua. Chichi is famous for its market days held every Sunday and Thursday.

The main road in Chichicastenango with the iconic archway visible in the center. Note the steep incline of the road. Chichi sits at an altitude of about 1,965 m (6,447 ft).

The Chichicastenango Market predates the Spanish Conquest and to this day attracts visitors from near and far. It is one of the largest and most historic open-air markets and is known as the most colourful in all of Central America. On Sundays and Thursdays, the streets of Chichi explode with colours, aromas and textures that are uniquely Mayan. You can find food, handicrafts, and livestock at the market. Market day at Chichi is a vibrant hub for Mayan culture and that is why I included it as one of the best day trips from Antigua.

Besides the market, there also colonial churches built on old Mayan temples around the town. If you can’t make it to Quetzaltenango during your visit to Guatemala to see the famous colourful cemetery, the cemetery in Chichi has the same features (albeit in a smaller scale).

Travel tips for Chichicastenango

Remember that market days are only held on Sundays and Thursdays.
The market hours are 8am to 6pm; the busiest hours are 9am to 2pm.
As with any crowded market or place in the world, mind your belongings as not to tempt pickpockets.
Bring cash as no vendor accepts card. Chichi isn’t a remote town though and there are ATMs there, in case you run out of cash.
Warning: the sale of livestock may be shocking/upsetting to some, if you’re not used to seeing it.
To take the hassle out of planning how to get to and from Chichi, check out this day tour departing from Antigua or this one that combines day trip to Chichi with a day trip to Iximche‘.

4) Iximche‘

If your Guatemala itinerary doesn’t allow for a visit to Tikal (the best Mayan ruins in the world, in my opinion), consider taking a day trip to Iximche’ (pronounced ish-im-CHAY). By no stretch is Iximche’ close to what Tikal is, but if it is the only Mayan archaeological site you can fit in your schedule, then this might just be one of the best day trips from Antigua for you. Iximche’ is about a 90 minute drive from Antigua.

Iximche’ served as a capital, twice. It first served as the capital of the Late Postclassic Kaqchikel Maya kingdom from 1470 to 1524. During the Spanish Conquest, the Kaqchikel kings allied themselves with the conquistadors and helped them defeat the other Maya highland kingdoms. Iximche’ then served as the first capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala in 1524. Eventually, the Kaqchikels would be put off by the conquistadors’ constant demand for tributes and relations would sour. This would eventually lead to the abandonment of Iximche’ by 1530 and the capital would be moved to what we know today as Ciudad Vieja (check out 15 Wonderful Things To Do in Antigua, Guatemala for more on Ciudad Vieja).

A picture of the Iximche archaeological site in Guatemala. — Iximche’ archaeological site. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.

Today, Iximche’ still serves as a sacred place for Maya ceremonies. A majority of the visitors to Iximche’ are Indigenous Maya. The site expects about 250 visitors on the weekends. In comparison to other attractions near Antigua, not that many foreigners make it to Iximche’.

Travel tips for Iximche’

Open daily from 8am to 4pm.
Admission is 50Q for foreigners aged 8 and up. Cash is the only accepted form of payment.
Bring the following: cash, food (if you do not want to eat at a restaurant in Tecpán, the nearest town), water, sun protection, and comfortable shoes.
To take the hassle out of planning how to get to and from Iximche’, check out this tour departing from Antigua that combines a day trip to Chichi with a trip to Iximche‘ or alternatively, this tour that would take you to Iximche’ and some of Antigua’s iconic sites after.

5) Lake Atitlán

I recommend spending at least a couple nights at Lake Atitlán. With the deep blue colours of the lake surrounded by dramatic volcanoes and vibrant lakeside towns, Lake Atitlán is a sight to behold. But if you are short on time and still want to see this Guatemalan gem, Lake Atitlán is reachable via a day trip from Antigua. The drive from Antigua to Panajachel is approximately three hours.

If you are going the day trip route to Lake Atitlán, I am assuming that you ARE short on time. The only option for getting to Lake Atitlán at this point would be via a day tour. Check out this high-rated tour departing from Antigua.