Destinations

Antigua Tours: Guatemala Culture in the Great Outdoors

Antigua is a cultural epicenter of Guatemala and a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. Known for its Colonial Spanish architecture, rich heritage, and beautiful scenery, Antigua is a leading bucket-list travel destination.

Available Tours

Antigua is also a hotbed for outdoor recreation - in part because you can access incredible hiking, biking and sightseeing all within walking distance of your lodging. Old Town Outfitters Antigua Tours offer visitors an opportunity to experience the culture of Guatemala and outdoor adventure simultaneously.

Antigua Excursions

OTO offers multiple hiking, biking, and Volcano tours all based in and around Antigua and the Antigua Valley including the highly sought-after Acatenango Volcano Tour. Don’t see a tour that quite matches your interest? Learn more about our fully custom tours and itineraries.

Hiking Tours in Antigua

Our Antigua Valley day hikes take you through coffee farms, small local villages, and provide spectacular views of the valley and its towering volcanoes.

Day hikes include:

  • Chutes and Ladders El Hato Loop
  • Boot Town Loop
  • Ciudad Vieja Ridge Loop

Biking Tours in Antigua

Antigua is nestled in a valley surrounded by towering volcanoes and mountain ridges, all a short ride away. On an OTO Antigua bike tour, you’ll start your rides from our shop in town. From there, you’ll wind through historic cobblestone streets, into the surrounding farmlands, and up to the mountain and volcanic ridges. We offer multiple mountain biking tours that are sure to satiate the adventure thirst of beginners and the most seasoned advanced riders.

Antigua Highlights:

  • Bike through agricultural fields of corn, peas, the citrus nísperos, coffee and avocado trees.
  • Ride through mountainside villages and get a glimpse of local life
  • Visit local villages like Pastores, the leather ‘Boot Town’ of Guatemala, San Antonio Aguas Calientes, known for local weavers, and more!

We did an 8 mile mixed terrain bike ride from Old Town Outfitters' office in the heart of Antigua, up the side of Volcan de Agua, and ending at a fantastic new brewery "Catorce". The cycling guides are excellent, and they cater to each individual cyclist's needs and abilities. All of the Old Town Outfitters staff were friendly, accommodating, and professional. If you're headed to Antigua or the surrounding area, and you want an adventure offered by a reliable company that knows their stuff, I couldn't recommend Old Town Outfitters more highly!

– Drew Acuff, TripAdvisor

FAQs

Yes. In general, Antigua Guatemala is very safe but precautions should still be exercised. Antigua is one of the safest cities in all of Guatemala. In the daytime, the charming cobblestone streets of Antigua are safe for tourists, even if you are traveling alone. At night, the streets are equally safe, but more precautions should be taken to not make yourself an easy target by walking alone or under the influence.

Antigua’s elevation is 5,029 feet (1,533 meters). From Antigua, you can see multiple volcanoes in the distance including Acatenango, which rises up to 13,045 feet (3,976 meters)

The weather in Antigua and much of Guatemala is pleasant year-round. The rainy season runs from April through October. During the rainy season, it is common to have clear mornings and afternoon storms. The day and nighttime temperatures do not fluctuate throughout the year very much. The dry season is primarily from November through March. Clearer skies from December through February bring slightly warmer days and cooler nights.

Although Antigua sits on a huge aquifer and is blessed with good clean water, the delivery system is antiquated and thus tap water should not be drunk. Fresh filtered water and bottled water is readily available around town and certainly on every OTO trip.

Can I use $USD, Euros, etc?The local currency is called the Quetzal (ket-zahl) and is roughly 7.5 to 1 USD. You may find that you can use USD in some establishments in Antigua and other touristy spots, but Q is the preferred currency in Guatemala.

There are some public transport options to get you to and from, but the best way to get to Antigua is to send us your flight info and let us come pick you up from the airport upon your arrival.