From Quetzaltenango to Lake Atitlán by Chicken Buses

About a week had flown by in Quetzaltenango. We’d had some lovely adventures in the area, including climbing the active volcano Santa María and witnessing rain-calling Maya rituals on the sacred shores of Lake Chicabal. Now, it was time to continue our journey through Guatemala toward the enchanting Lake Atitlán.

Chicken bus maneuvering through the streets of San Pedro La Laguna on shore of lake atitlan — Chicken bus maneuvering through the streets of San Pedro La Laguna

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There are two ways to reach Lake Atitlán from Quetzaltenango (or anywhere in the country): either a private transfer or—what we prefer by default—chicken buses. Keep in mind that—even though the lake itself isn’t huge—the distances between its various shoreside villages are. There are no direct bus lines between them, and most local transport is carried out by boat. It’s important to take a bus to your correct final destination. For us, that was the village of San Pedro on the lake’s western shore.

Our hosts in Quetzaltenango gave us a ride to the bus station (located here) and helped us find the best route. There are no direct buses from Quetzaltenango to any of the villages around Lake Atitlán. Typically, you’d take a bus to Sololá, transfer to Panajachel, and continue from there by boat. Since we were headed to San Pedro, it was far quicker to take a bus toward Guatemala City and hop off at our turn.

We passed our bags to the porter on the roof and squeezed into our seats. About two hours of jolting later, I checked my map and realized the driver had forgotten our stop, and we were now a good 10+ kilometers past it. I darted urgently to the front and asked him to pull over immediately. Not because I expected him to do it, but just to blow off steam, I also asked for my two dollars to be refunded. He only stared at me nonchalantly.

Praying that the leaden clouds overhead wouldn’t unload their burden before the first bus passed, we stood on the opposite side of the road, out in the open, and waited. It didn’t take more than 15 minutes. We hopped on, paid another overpriced dollar for a few minutes of standing-room-only travel, and got off in the right place.

This is where the turnoff to San Pedro is located. There wasn’t anything resembling a bus stop, but at least there was a small shop where we could run for cover if the rain started. We didn’t have to. We sat on the ledge outside for the entire hour or so it took the next bus to arrive.

The storm broke out shortly after we boarded the final bus. From the level plateau, the road plunged steeply down the jungle-clad, precipitous mountainsides that framed the vast caldera. At its bottom, broad and pale beneath the haze, appeared the surface of Lake Atitlán.

A little over an hour later, we got off in the center of San Pedro and, huddled under a shared umbrella, hurried toward the guesthouse that would become our home for the next two weeks that we’d spend exploring the mysteries of this enchanting lake.

In the wet streets of San Pedro la laguna, lake atitlan — In the wet streets of San Pedro

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