Guatemala campsites

MAP 03 GUA

1. Tikal National Park, Campground N17.22512 W89.61111  Q50/ person for camping Q150/ person entrance fee. Toilet/shower. The park is very nice, well kept and maintained, apart from the obvious there are lots of wildlife too. It is super expensive for Guatemalan terms. Spent 1 night in late November 2013. warm in the day, just a little chilly at night.

Tikal Campsite Tikal November 2013

Tikal Campsite
Tikal
November 2013

 

 2. El Remate, edge of the lake by a public beach site. N16.99765 W89.70474  FREE No facilities. We knew other travellers who stayed here. It is by the road and is very quiet by night. There happen to be a couple of policemen we could ask to camp here, it was no problem. Spent 1 night here, late November 2013. warm in the day, just a little chilly at night.

Lakeside camping (public shore)  El Ramate (near Tikal) November 2013

Lakeside camping (public shore)
El Ramate (near Tikal)
November 2013

 

3. Finca Ixobal, Poptún. Eco ranch/ campground/ backpackers place. N16.30397 W89.42164   Q30/ person (electricity is +Q10/day) Toilet/shower, water and electricity can be arranged. Nice little place with onsite restaurant/cafe, activities (hiking, horse riding) Spent 2 nights here, late November/December 2013. warm in the day, just a little chilly at night.

Finca Ixobal Campsite Poptún November/December 2013

Finca Ixobal Campsite
Poptún
November/December 2013

 

4. Lago Izabal, Aguascalientes (hot waterfall) Camp at the restaurant. N15.58756 W89.20640  Q25/ person (we arranged electricity hook up but they turned it off for the night) Q10/ person for the aguascalientes visit. Toilet. Some travellers stay at Finca El Paraiso over the road (by the lake) When we visited the hot waterfall (which is really lovely) we asked about camping by the restaurant, it was OK so we stayed. It was a bit un-easy night as the restaurant is open till 9PM and till then it was a bit noisy. Spent 1 night here, in December 2013. Warm day and night.

Aguascalientes by Lago de Izabal December 2013

Aguascalientes by Lago de Izabal
December 2013

 

5. Cheap family hotel near Santa Maria Cahabon, on the road from Lago Izabal to Lanquin. N15.61092 W89.83169  Q25 for the night. Toilet. This was a good stop at the end of a difficult and all-day-long drive from Lago Izabal. The hotel didn’t seem to be busy -for a while I think,  it has a restaurant and they had cold drinks, they asked if we wanted to eat because they would prepare fish for us, but the restaurant was empty too and no guests that night when we were there. Otherwise it was a nice and quiet night. Spent 1 night here, in December 2013. Warm day and night.

Cheap family hotel December 2013

Cheap family hotel
December 2013

 

6. Semuc Champey carpark. N15.53661 W89.95437  Q10/ person for camping. Q10/ parking fee (for the vehicle) Q50/ person entrance fee to the park. Toilet at the visitor centre. Epic drive to Semuc. The only official camping spot is the car park which is on a gravel ground but surrounded by trees. After the daytime visitors leave it is quiet (a generator was on till 9PM nearby) The park with he pools is very beautiful, there’s also a water cave which is seemed good fun. Spent 1 night here, in December 2013. Warm day and night  

Samuc Champey December 2013

Samuc Champey
December 2013

 

 7.Coban, Parque Nacional Las Victorias. N15.47508 W90.38285  Q30/ person for camping. Q10/ car parking. Q10/ person entrance fee. Toilet/shower, we arranged electricity for the price of the camping, also could fill up with water before we left. It is a nice, small green park walking distance to town. They close the gates by 5.30-6PM. Spent 2 nights here, in December 2013. Warm day and night

Parque Nacional Las Victorias Coban, December

Parque Nacional Las Victorias
Coban,
December

 

 

8. Hotel Casa Blanca, Uspantan. N15.34571 W90.87423  Q30/ night. Good stop for a night. English speaker owner (Dona Gabriel) By the road which quiets down after 9-10PM. The town is low key, nice market but nothing outstanding to see. Spent 1 night here, in December 2013. Warm day and night.

 

Hotel Casa Blanca Ushman December 2013

Hotel Casa Blanca
Ushman
December 2013

 

 

9. Hotel Shalom, Nebaj. N15.39921 W91.14422  Q50/ night. Parking in hotel’s car park at the edge of a nice, good feel Mayan town, 10 minutes to centre. Low key town but has a nice main square with church and a busy market for fresh fruits and veg. Spanish class in town with cafe and wifi, also they offer all sorts of hiking with guides. Our only option was Hotel Shalom, it is next to a small practice football pitch where there were noisy practice both nights till late. Spent 2 nights here, in December 2013. Warm day, chilly at night

 

Hotel Shalom Nebaj December 2013

Hotel Shalom
Nebaj
December 2013

 

 

10. Car park in Todos Santos Cuchumatan. N15.50979 W91.60570  Q25/ night. Very remote Mayan town with excellent traditional clothing for big and small, surrounded by high mountains. Peaceful and friendly town on 2500m altitude. There are a couple of parking lots in middle of town with no facilities. We parked up in one, the owner appeared at around 5pm so we paid him. Nights are a bit noisy, dogs, roosters, fireworks. Spent 2 nights here, in December 2013. Warm day, very chilly at night.

 

Parking lot Todos Santos December 2013

Parking lot
Todos Santos
December 2013

 

 

11. Rescue camp by the road near Fuentes Georginas. N14.76342 W91.48174  FREE. No facilities, Parked up by the side of the road. The view was pretty (as far as deforestation goes) with colourful vegetable patches everywhere. We had no one to ask for permission to camp but felt safe. It was quiet and pretty chilly. (up the road Fuentes Georginas wanted Q100/ person/ night + Q50/ person ticket + parking fee for the day which we didn’t find out how much would’ve been but we found the price a little steep) Spent 1 night here, in December 2013. Very chilly night and morning.

 

Rescue camp near Quetzaltenango December 2013

Rescue camp near Quetzaltenango
December 2013

 

 

12. Pasaj Cap (Pierre’s place), San Marcos, Lake Atitlan. N14.72266 W91.24928  Q50/ night (but goes up to Q75 from January 2014) Toilet, shower, water/electricity, wifi, fruit trees.  San Marcos is a small, scruffy town with some enjoyable hippy stuff (yoga, meditation, life elixir drinks and such). Pasaj Cap is just a km beyond town that’s where Pierre’s place is behind a large black gate. Once you’re in it’s a steep driveway down to a grassy, tree shady lot. He also offers good quality meat, fish, wine to buy from him. In December 2013. Warm days, mild nights, very pleasant. Please do contact Pierre/ Pasaj Cap for bookings: www.pasajcap.com or email to rental@pasajcap.com or call (502)7723 4055

Our view is more impressive then the spot we are parking on... Pasaj Cap, San Marcos la Laguna Lake Atitlan, December 2013

Our view is more impressive then the spot we are parking on…
Pasaj Cap, San Marcos la Laguna
Lake Atitlan,
December 2013

 

 

13. Laguna Chicabal and Volcano
N14.79503 W91.64674
Q15/ person for camping, Q10/ car for parking, Q10/ person entrance fee
They have a run-down toilet but there was no water. There’s also a small shop on sight. Parked up at the side of a football pitch. First night was magical and quiet, the next day 120 kids arrived for church camp but it was OK. The campsite is on 2600m and there’s a steep but nice hike up to the top of the volcano where there’s a lake in its crater. The lake is a sacred place and Mayans still do their ceremonies by the lake. It is very peaceful up there. Stayed 2 nights in December 2013, if sunny warm days, pretty chilly nights/mornings.

Laguna Chicabal and Volcano Laguna Chicabal December 2013

Laguna Chicabal and Volcano
Laguna Chicabal
December 2013

 

 

14. Beach Camp, Tecojate
N13.96690 W91.34745
FREE camp right on the beach with no facilities.
Arriving from the highway to a beach village (nothing much to the town) we had to aske where is a good place to park on the beach. We would’ve not found it ourselves. Once on the beach, it was no problem to park up and stay overnight. There are a few kids and families to come down to watch the sunset but otherwise it is a very quiet and pretty chilled beach spot. Stayed 2 nights in December 2013, hot days, warm evenings.

Beach camp Tecojate December 2013

Beach camp
Tecojate
December 2013

 

 

15. Antigua, tourist police parking area.
N14.55518 W90.73852
FREE but have to register with passport. Max stay is 5 days.
Toilet, shower on a fairly green but large area. This is the usual and only option for overlanders and campers in Antigua. Few minutes walk to town centre with essential shops, market, cafes etc. Stayed 4 nights in December 2013-January 2014, warm/hot days, pleasant chilly evenings.

Tourist police car park Antigua December 2013 January 2014

Tourist police car park
Antigua
December 2013 January 2014

 

 

16. Rescue camp by small church&school South-East of Guatemala City.   GPS coordinates not collected                                                                         FREE

106 Church camp

 

17. Agua Blanco Volcano
N14.55129 W89.64468
Q20/ vehicle with no facilities
Our last campsite in Guatemala. The area/ lake is owned by a family. Parking in a dirt area with trees just off the “official” parking for the lake. Driving is about 10km uphill to the volcano, it gets steep by the end. Stayed 1 night in January 2014 pleasant temperature in the evening/ morning.

107 Agua Blanco

 

2 thoughts on “Guatemala campsites

  1. Would you please provide me with more information about reserving a campsite at Tikal? If it is not possible, and it is a thing where you just show up, then please let me know that as well so I can stop searching. Also, do they charge less if you have your own hammock?

    • Hi Shabria,
      Yes, just turn up. No need to book. Not sure about the charge if you have your own hammock but you can always try to negotiate.

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