15 awesome things to do in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala for a solo female traveler

Quetzaltenango plaza

Most commonly known among locals as Xela, Quetzaltenango is a colonial city in the northeast region of Guatemala. Wrongly overlooked by tourists most of the time, Xela is the second-largest city in Guatemala, and it’s packed with exciting places to see and things to do, and that’s what you will find in this guide.

Located in a rich valley surrounded by volcanic mountains and hills, Quetzaltenango, Xela, is a beautiful city that you will want to include in your Guatemala itinerary if you wish to explore a little far off the beaten track, learn more about Guatemala’s history and culture, and hike some of the highest and most incredible vulcanoes.

I have been to Quetzaltenango twice during my two trips to Guatemala. The first time, I only had a couple of days after the Chichicastenango market, and I just enjoyed walking around the city, only taking one hiking tour to Laguna Chicbalà, which I will talk about later.

The second time, I was traveling from San Cristobal de las Casas to Guatemala, where I would have spent almost a year sitting in a beautiful home in the mountains around Antigua, facing the vulcanos Fuego, Acatenango and Agua, but that will be for another post.

Quetzaltenango plaza

This second time I was determined to explore Xela and stayed for a week alternating exploring and working on the blog. It was right after Guatemala reopened its border to tourists, so I was basically the only one and had to book private tours, which turned out to be amazing, in fact.

I didn’t do strenuous hikes and saved them for the next time when I will be fitter (hopefully). I booked with Adrenalina tours which also organized my transfer from San Cristobal de Las Casas to Quetzaltenango.

Patrick, the owner, was super kind and professional in organizing my daily trips around Xela. I would really recommend his travel agency. In fact, as I am writing this post from Antigua, I am planning to go back to Xela on my way back to Mexico and complete the hikes I have missed, or some of them.

There is so much to do there that if you had a month, it will probably be just about enough to explore everything.

Quetzaltenango - Xela - cemetery

Anyway, why would you want to include Xela in your Guatemala Itinerary?

Quetzaltenango is surrounded by soaring volcanos and mountains for off-the-beaten-path hikes and for every fitness level. Just keep in mind that the city itself is located in a mountain valley at an elevation of 2,330 meters. So if you are sensitive to altitude and you are coming from sea level, you will need some time to acclimatize.

However, if you are not a hiker, you will still find incredible things to do in Quetzaltenango. This city will charm you with its authentic local culture, the markets, the nearby villages, the colonial churches, and even the unique cemetery.

Those are some of the reasons why spending a few days in Quetzaltenango (Xela) should be included in the things to do in Guatemala.

But I will tell you about all of it in detail here below. So please read on if you want to know everything you should not miss in Xela, Guatemala.

San Andres Xecula church
San Andres Xecula Church

Map of Quetzaltenango and Guatemala

quetzlaltenango map
Photo © Google Map – Click on the image to open the map

Things to do in Quetzaltenango for solo travelers (and not)

Explore the city

I found Xela historical center pretty charming and quite safe. Walk around the cobblestone roads, check out the theater, the museums. On weekends the plaza becomes alive with the local street food of all sorts, families with kids out playing, and a few curious tourists.

Walk around the narrow roads up the cemetery, check out the markets, old book stores, and, what impressed me, the closer you get to the cemetery the more you will see old shops selling religious icons and statures.

quetzaltenango theatre

Have lunch at the Panorama Restaurant and look out

You can walk up to the Panorama restaurant for a spectacular view of the city and a decent lunch. The road is short and safe but steep. I asked my driver to drop me off at the end of a tour and then I walked back down on my own.

Beware of street dogs. When I passed by, they were just minding their own business, which was sleeping.

Cemetery view
plaza view from panorama
theatre view from Panorama

Pay a visit to the dead

I know it sounds creepy but I would suggest you walk around Quetzaltenango cemetery. It’s a very suggestive place with a volcano as a backdrop and the many flowers and decorations of the tombs.

I happened to be there close to the day of the dead in 2018 which was fortunate because this second time, I couldn’t get in because of the pandemic. If when you are in Xela, it will be open, I would suggest you walk around even if it’s not around November 1st. 

I just found out there are walking tours specific to the Cemetery. They tell stories and legends of important or curious characters buried there. Check with the local tourist office for more info.


Hike to the Laguna Chicaba’

This is a moderate and relatively short hike that you could do alone, but I never recommend it. I never liked to be alone in nature, so I hired a guide.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a note of how much I spent but I remember it wasn’t outrageously expensive. The Laguna Chicabal is actually a Crater Lake that was formed in the crater of Volcán Chicabal at an elevation of 2,712 meters (8,879 feet). A lush cloud forest surrounds it, and it’s a beautiful but very steep hike.

Once you arrive at the rim you can enjoy the spectacular views of the lake before descending to the shore. A few small altars with flowers and candles spread around the shore.

In fact, the Laguna Chicabal has always been considered a sacred place for the Mayan civilization, and groups of locals still come to the lake to perform ceremonies.

Once you get by the water, you can walk around the entire perimeter of the lake and you will notice many altars of any size and color, which means that a ceremony has been recently held.

What to bringHiking boots, wind or rain jacket, long trousers, sunglasses, sunscreen, binoculars, camera, personal items and at least 2 liters of water and snacks if you think you will get hungry.

Book your tour to Laguna Chichabal here


Visit Las Fuentes Giorginas

Located at only 10 km from Xela by the town of Zunil, these natural hot springs are one of the most popular attractions in the area, loved by locals and tourists alike. The best way to relax and release the muscles tension between strenuous hiking days.

You can either go by bus on your own or join an organized tour. You actually don’t need a tour, but it is more comfortable to go on private transportation, which is actually what the tour provides, besides some information about the history of these natural hot springs.

fuentes georginas pool

The place has been restored and fixed after multiple hurricanes, the last one being in 2010 which was actually a Tropical Storm, Agatha. They have been eventually restored.

The hot waters come from the nearby Volcano Zunil. Although the pools have been recreated by man labor and are not completely natural, they feel so, with the help of the natural jungle-like surroundings.

Unfortunately, I don’t have updated prices at the moment. But I will be updating this post as soon as I will go back to Xela.

To get to the Fuentes Georgina, the best way is to join a tour. But if you like to go on your own, and have some adventure, just grab a chicken bus to Zunil (6 GTQ), and then a Tuk Tuk will take you to the hot springs for about 30 GTQ.

Nowadays, I would rather go on a tour or take a private taxi than take a crowded bus.

What to bringswimsuittowels – change of swimsuits – money – sunscreen

Book your tour to La Fuente Georgina here


Hike volcano Santa Maria

Volcano Santa Maria is one of the hardest, although not the highest, volcanoes. The route is steep and can be slippery. I read that some extreme and expert hikers did it independently, but I wouldn’t recommend it, especially if you are a solo female traveler.

Actually, even for a man, I don’t think it is smart to hike on your own. Anything can happen even to the most experienced hikers, and if you are not in a place where you can use the phone, well… I don’t even want to end the sentence.

If you really want to go without a guide, I suggest being in a group for safety reasons and never bringing anything valuable with you, but that goes without saying.

I haven’t done this hike yet, but it’s on my list, and I am going to share my experience here. From what I have read, the difficulty level is between Acatenango and Pacaya.

This post from Sean, from Living out Lou, will give you more details about this hike if you want to do it on your own. Make sure you don’t get lost, and you stay in a group, though.

Hike to the Mirador to see Santiaguito smoking Vulcano

If you are not a hardcore hiker or if you are but want to do some training before getting to the higher peaks, this hike to the Santiaguito mirador is for you. It’s a spectacular hike with great views, but the best ones are once you get on top of the mirador.

The hike’s starting point is the same as the one for the Santa Maria Volcano, but there is a deviation at a certain point. It’s a fun hike with some narrow paths, but it’s super easy.

View from the Mirador Santiaguito

You can also do this hike on your own but always with somebody else because you can get lost. We met some cows and a bull on the way up, which was kind of scary, but we managed.

I booked an organized tour and it was basically private because there were no other tourists at the time. I enjoyed it a lot, though.

It took us about 3 hours to get to the top and 1h 30′ to get down. It’s a half-day moderate hike that will take you to 3,771.9 meters  (12,375 ft).

santiaguito peak

Hike to the Cerro Quemado

The hike to Cerro Quemado is super easy and short, but it will take you to one of the most unique views of your life. In fact, after a one-hour steep hike among vulcanic rocks and boulders, which makes it so much fun, you will find yourself on a plateau that looks like the top of a smashed and crumbled volcano.

That formed small areas and caves among rocks, where locals climb with flowers of all sorts and colors and an incredible number of candles to perform their own rituals.

They are actually a syncretism between Catholicism and some other indigenous ceremonies, and although some of them sounded kind of creepy as the people would recite prayers with voices of despair and anguish, it was indeed fascinating to watch and listen.

When I got there, it was a Sunday, which made it even more crowded, but the guide told me that it’s every day that people come up to pray.

The way down was more difficult for me than the way up because I needed to hold myself onto rocks while walking down very steep paths, and my bulky backpack with my camera didn’t really help, but I made it.

I felt really awkward watching the local ladies of all ages jumping up and down in their flip-flops or (heels sometimes) and skirts as if it was the easiest thing on earth while I was crying to the guide to help me out in my perfect hiking gear.

Oh well! I made them laugh at least.

Although it was a beautiful hike indeed, it’s also a great cultural experience that I highly recommend.

Take a cultural tour of local villages

This was an amazing cultural tour that I really recommend if you want to take a walk among local villages where tourism didn’t contaminate the atmosphere, yet.

I went with a private guide by car, and that was the best way to visit because we squeezed into three villages in half a day and it wasn’t even expensive even if I was on my own.

We visited San Andres Xecul, where we even managed to enter a cemetery (it was around the day of the dead) before visiting the market and the church.

Unfortunately, the church was closed because of the pandemic, but I could admire her fascinating yellow facade, and all its symbolic figures, a clear representation of religious syncretism.

The second stop was in San Cristobal Totonicapan. Also there the church was closed unfortunately but we managed to walk around the town and through the colorful market.

The third stop was the church of Salcaja, which is mainly known for the Church of San Jacinto (also called Ermita la Conquistadora), which was the first church built in Central America in 1524.

Ermita la conquistadora church

In fact, Salcaja was one of the first places in Guatemala where the Spanish managed to invade and establish their hegemony after being defeated in Quetzaltenango, which was obviously conquered later on.

Visit the local markets

I am very fond of markets every time I visit a new city I look for one, maybe it’s not the best place to be during a pandemic, but with the right precautions you can enjoy the colorful display of products and look around, and some times mingle with locals and eat where they do.

In Quetzaltenango, you should check out Mercado Las Flores and Mercado Municipal. I have included both in the map above.

Tajumulco 1 or 2 days hike

Volcan Tajumulco is the highest mountain in Central America reaching up to 4,220 mt (13,786 ft)a large stratovolcano in the department of San Marcos in western Guatemala.

It is part of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas mountain range, which begins in Mexico’s southernmost state, Chiapas. You can choose between a two-day trek or a one-day tour.

Tajumulco
Tajomulco

However, this review on Alltrails mentions that although it’s totally doable in one day, you would miss the best part: watching the sunrise from up top. They also mention that it’s much better with a guide, especially because if it gets too cloudy it is easy to get disoriented and miss the right trail.

Book your tour to Tajumulco Vulcano


3 days trek from Xela to Lake Atitlan

For the more adventurous, this is a three-day trek that takes you from Xela to San Juan la Laguna on Lake Atitlan. It is generally a moderately difficult trek, which becomes difficult because you will have to carry all your stuff.

There are some more challenging parts, mostly descending due to the slippery conditions of the trails. You will sleep in local homes for safety reasons and also support the local families, which is nice.

It is useless to say this trek cannot be done on your own, and you should contact a local travel agent. One of them can be Adrenalinatours (Disclaimer– I don’t have any commercial relationship with this travel agency, I just speak from my experience)


Learn Spanish

I already speak Spanish so I didn’t need it, but I know many people who want to learn Spanish choose Xela as a base to learn the language since it’s more authentic and less touristy than the famous Antigua, and obviously less expensive.

If you are interested, you may want to take a look at some local Spanish schools, especially if you have gotten excited by reading about all the amazing things to do in Quetzaltenango.


Take a daily tour to Chichicastenango

Chichicastenango is a very popular town in Guatemala, renowned among tourists for its huge colorful markets, where locals from all over the nearby towns sell their beautiful handmade products, including colorful bags, accessories, clothes, and textiles made with the ancient art of weaving.

You will be tempted to buy everything but keep in mind that you will never wear that yellow t-shirt with flowers embroidered around the neckline at home. (just saying!)

I went to Chichicastenango for two nights so that I could enjoy the market without rushing it. But if you don’t have lots of time you can still take an organized tour from Quetzaltenango in one of the local agencies.


Quetzaltenango travel tips

Quetzaltenango elevation

Xela has an elevation of 2300 mt. which is not high enough to get altitude sickness but it can be felt for some individuals.

Quetzaltenango Climate

Quetzaltenango has a privileged climate, which is mild and temperate with a temperature that varies from 10ºC to 20ºC in summer and from 3ºC to 17ºC in winter. The coldest month is January with a minimum temperature of 3ºC while the hottest is May with a Max temperature is 21.5.

  • Compared with winter, the summers have much more rainfall.
  • September and June are the wettest months.
  • December is the driest month.

How to get to Quetzaltenango

Getting to Quetzaltenango is easy even though it’s off the beaten track. Here is how you can do it.

Getting to Quetzaltenango by chickenbus

The chicken buses are local buses notoriously superfast and dangerous. They are so-called because it’s easy to see chickens and all sorts of stuff on top. The danger part can sound like a legend, but I took a ride from Chichicastenango to Xela because there was no other option, and I was terrified.

They drive super fast, and on curves, it feels like they are driving on two wheels. You are all squeezed because, for some reason, they are always packed.

Locals explained that chicken buses in the capital city are also more easily exposed to assaults, while they are less unsafe in the countryside.

chicken-bus

Getting to Quetzaltenango by tourist bus

Tourist buses in Guatemala are minivans that offer a shared service. They are normally used for tourists or wealthy locals who don’t want to use a car. They are organized by local travel agents and are definitely safe because they don’t make random stops along the way and have specific itineraries.

You can get to Xela either from San Cristobal in Chiapas, Mexico, from Antigua, Guatemala, or from Panajacel on Lake Atitlan. You can check out rates, schedules, and availability with any local travel agent.

It’s Quetzaltenango safe?

Like any big city, there are some neighborhoods that are better avoided. The historical center is safe to walk around during the day, but I would avoid dark, narrow roads at night, especially as a solo female.

on the way to santiaguito
On the way to Santiaguito

Where to stay in Quetzaltenango

Because it’s not a popular tourist destination, the hotel offer is not that abundant but quite decent. I stayed at Lunavela Hotel, which is two blocks from the main plaza. It is super cute and clean, and the rooms face the typical courtyard of old colonial homes.

If you want to splurge, though,, you can check out Hotel Pension Bonifaz or Hotel Casa Quetzaltenango, the most luxurious hotels in the city, located right by the plaza.

Hotel terrace
Hotel Siete Lunas Terrace

Where to eat in Quetzaltenango

I found quite a few restaurants by the plaza where I always used to go and work. My favorite was La Stampa Bistrot. The food was ok, although not exciting, but there was a great ambiance, and they would let me stay all day to work without complaining. Avoid the pizza. 🙂

The other nice place is Panquewaffles, which doesn’t only have waffles but also great hamburgers, even vegan ones. It has a great ambiance, too. There are quite a few other restaurants, but I stuck to these two because they were perfect for working while eating or having coffee.

If you are a coffee lover make sure you check out my friend’s place 5M’ Coffe’ House 15 Avenida 1-10 Zona 1. Best coffee ever!


Fun facts about Quetzaltenango

  • Quetzaltenango is Guatemala’s 2nd biggest city, with 300,000 people.
  • Xela is the original name given by the local Mayan population
  • It is both the Quetzaltenango Department’s capital and the Quetzaltenango municipality’s municipal seat.
  • When the Spanish arrived, they couldn’t get into the city because the local Mayan group didn’t allow them so they founded what is now called Salcajá, which is now included in the Department of Quetzaltenango.
  • Quetzaltenango has become more popular for Spanish language students.
  • WIFI is almost everywhere and fast
  • Showers have hot water issues (in my experience), but getting it is always a trick. So remember to ask at your hotel when you check-in.

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