Frequently Asked trip & travel Questions

  • David and Bethany, who lead these trips and own this business, have a unique perspective on Guatemala overall, and Antigua in particular.

    David’s first trip to Guatemala was in 2004 and Bethany’s first visit was more than a twelve years. For both, it quickly became their favorite place to visit…and then live. They have both called Antigua their home for multiple years, and even ran their own bakery café for more than two years. They are currently splitting time between Antigua and the United States.

    Having trip leaders who know Antigua as long-time residents gives participants an insight and advantage over trips led by people who have only ever visited. From knowing about the best new restaurants to learning about the most enjoyable and unique experiences, having guides on the ground year-round is a huge step above.

  • Yes, absolutely! Antigua is a very safe place, and as the tourist capital of the country, it’s a priority for authorities to keep it so.

    Like any city in any country, it’s always wise to be mindful of your surroundings and to know where to go, where not to go, and when. Guatemala, like the US and all countries, has areas that are safe and areas that are less so. Antigua is definitely one of those safe places! In fact, Antigua is continuing

    We are always mindful of where we are and what we are doing, and we have never had an issue - neither us personally, nor on one of our guided trips.

    We are happy to talk to you more about this if you have any particular questions or concerns!

  • While the country of Guatemala has a wide range of climate types, Antigua is known as “The Land of Eternal Spring.”

    It sits at about 5000 feet of elevation, in a valley surrounded by three volcanoes (two extinct, one active). This unique location has its own micro-climate, with year-round highs in the mid-to-upper 70s and lows in the 50s.

    Antigua has two seasons:

    "Summer” is the dry season, and runs from October to April, approximately.

    “Winter” is the rainy season, running the rest of the year. In general, this means beautiful mornings and some rain in the afternoon. We schedule most group activities for the morning during rainy season trips, although the rain rarely impacts what we do!

  • All of our pre-set group trips are eight days and seven nights. They are usually scheduled to begin and end on Tuesdays, as that’s usually a cheaper day to fly.

    If you want to arrange a custom trip, it can be of whatever length you choose. Just reach out to us about this option.

  • Our trips have a maximum of eight participants, as that keeps things from getting unwieldy. We will operate any trip with a minimum of four participants.

  • When you book a trip with us, the following is included:

    -Hotel room
    -All ground transportation for official activities, including airport transfers
    -All official group excursions, including entrance fees and tips
    -Daily breakfast
    -Some lunches & dinners (about 7)
    -Tips at meals and excursions for all official group activities
    -Access to the guides throughout the trip

  • You are responsible for the following:

    -Airfare to Guatemala City
    -Optional excursions, such as the Pacaya Volcano hike or Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Workshop
    -Any lunches and dinners not included (detailed in your final itinerary, about seven total)
    -Souvenirs
    -Tips for hotel staff or any other service providers, outside of all-group activities

  • All of our planned group trips are based out of the beautiful Porta Hotel Antigua. A large and beautiful property, it gets rave reviews from all previous participants. It has large open-air restaurant, with a big breakfast buffet, along with a large swimming pool with poolside food & drink service, lots of green space and an amazing staff. Rooms are spacious and well-appointed.

    More info at: www.portahotelantigua.com

  • Yes, once you are confirmed for the trip, we will connect with you about your flights. We like to have people arrive together, when possible, or close to the same time, at Guatemala City’s La Aurora International Airport (GUA).

    Delta flies direct from Los Angeles and Atlanta; United through Houston; and American through Dallas and Miami.

    We try to coordinate people so that they’re on the final leg of the journey together, so that we can meet everyone at the airport together.

    If that’s not feasible, we can coordinate additional ground transportation for you. A small fee might be applicable, depending on a variety of factors.

  • Before going through customs in Guatemala City, you’ll need to have filled out their official form online. When completed, you’ll receive a QR code. Please have this ready to display in the airport at the appropriate time.

    The SAT customs form can be filled out up to 7 days prior to travel. You will also fill this out when you leave. (You can switch the language to English as you begin.)

    Any questions during this process can be sent to us, and we will help!

Frequently Asked food & drink Questions

  • It is not recommended to drink the water that comes out of the tap. Every hotel room at Porta Hotel has a small water filter, which is easily refillable. We recommend you bring a refillable water bottle for ease.

    You can also easily buy bottled water almost everywhere you go, whether at a restaurant or a corner tienda. The local supermarket also sells large bottles of water, which some people have chosen to keep in their rooms.

    All restaurants and coffee shops that we recommend use filtered water and make ice with filtered water.

  • Porta Hotel has a large breakfast buffet every morning, featuring a mix of Guatemalan and international breakfast dishes. From potatoes and beans and plantains, to fresh bread and juices, to a design-your-own-omelette station. And, of course, coffee is included. There’s plenty of options for everyone!

  • About half of the lunches and dinners are included in the itinerary (and the trip price). We take the group to some of our favorite restaurants, featuring a variety of cuisines.

    For meals not on the schedule, we will provide you with a list of an additional fifteen to twenty choices that might fit your needs. Or, you might see a place when you’re walking around and we’d be happy to give you more info.

  • Absolutely! Antigua’s wide range of restaurants, and customer-focused ethos, makes it easy for diners of all types to enjoy eating out.

    Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, Alpha GAL, or have any other restrictions or allergies, you’ll be well taken care of.

    All restaurants for our all-group meals are ones we have plenty of experience with, and know they take allergies, diets and cross-contamination seriously.

    When you’re out on your own, we will make sure you know the best places to go to meet your needs!

  • All restaurants we take you to - or guide you to for your free time - are safe, follow careful sanitary practices, and use filtered water.

    While there is no guarantee of food safety, we feel confident in all of the places we go to. As tourism is the #1 economy in Antigua, it’s in every restaurant’s best interests to keep their customers safe!

  • For the breakfast buffet at Porta, you have access to the full buffet, including coffee and juices. The servers there can guide you if you have any questions.

    When we are at restaurants, you will order off the menu and have a budget in place. In general, participants choose their main course and a non-alcoholic beverage, and we also order shared appetizers for everyone to enjoy.

  • Your trip fee does not cover alcoholic beverages at any included meal. If you would like to order wine, beer, or a cocktail, you will need to request a separate check and pay on your own at the end of the meal.

  • For a variety of reasons, we do not recommend eating street food during this trip. Street food does carry a higher risk of food-borne illness, as most vendors don’t have access to running water during the day to wash hands, clean utensils and otherwise prevent cross-contamination.

Frequently Asked other questions

  • Absolutely not! As the tourist center of Guatemala, most Antigua restaurants and coffee shops have menus in English and Spanish, as well as staff who can speak both. As well, your guides - Bethany and David - can speak Spanish and help out.

    As you wander and shop or explore, there may be some times where you would benefit from Spanish. We will be happy to help you out in those situations. As well, most travelers in the past have been able to figure out what they needed, even without Spanish skills.

  • This is all depends on the type of plan you have. Some US carriers, such as Verizon, offer a day pass that you can use. You can also upgrade to a plan that allows for international cell and data.

    The hotel and most businesses have wifi for customers, so if you don’t want to change your cell phone plan, you can use that for what’s needed.

    There are, additionally, international eSim options you can look into before traveling. We can also assist you in getting a short-term eSim from a Guatemalan provider, such as Tigo or Claro.

  • The official currency of Guatemala is the Quetzal. Currently, it is approximately 7.66 Q to one US dollar, 5.56 Q to one Canadian dollar, and 8.88 Q to one Euro.

  • On our trips, we provide every participant with about Q200 in cash to start. In general, you won’t need much cash for this trip! You will likely use it for making small purchases (like snacks or sodas at a tienda) and leaving tips.

    Nearly everywhere you’ll go will accept credit cards - restaurants, coffee shops, museums, and beyond.

    Not only is it the easiest way to pay, it also provides you the best exchange rate.

  • We highly recommend that you bring a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. This will provide you the best value for your money. Please check with your credit card company to see if your card charges you these fees.

  • The front desk at Porta Hotel will exchange dollars for quetzals and may also exchange euros. While the exchange rate is not as good as a bank, it is probably the fastest way to do so.

    If you’d like to go to a bank, you can stand in line - with your passport - and exchange your money for quetzales. Please be sure to bring crisp, untorn, clean bills. The banks are very particular about the cash they accept.

    We can also point you to trusted ATM machines, where you can also get a very good conversion rate. Like with the credit cards, please check ahead of time about foreign transaction fees and non-network ATM fees.

  • For the first few days of each trip, you are with the whole group for large chunks of the day. You’ll quickly get the layout of Antigua, which is in a very straightforward grid.

    There are very clear, easy to find landmarks - which we will point out to you - that will always help you find your way back to the hotel.

    If you have access to cellular data, you can always use the mapping feature on your phone.

    Additionally, there are paper maps of Antigua to be found in many spots, which we will be happy to mark up for you to help you learn about the town!

  • We will send out a full packing list to all participants after they’ve signed up. Because the weather is pretty moderate year-round, you won’t need anything special or out of the ordinary. If you’re going on a trip during rainy season, you’ll want a raincoat!

    If you choose to sign up for the Pacaya volcano hike, we do recommend hiking boots.

  • Absolutely! Nearly anything you’d want to buy and bring back with you is easy to pack and bring back to your home country. The only common purchase that has some restrictions is coffee! Whole bean coffee can go in carry-on or checked bags, but there are some restrictions on ground coffee and green (unfrosted) coffee. You’ll need to check the rules for your home country before making your purchases.

  • You can consult with a local travel clinic about what shots or immunizations you might need.

    The United States’ CDC has a reference page for Guatemala and you can look that over, as well. As the page notes, Antigua is not considered a risk area for malaria.

  • Fortunately, we don’t take you on many car rides. The longest rides you’ll likely take will be to and from the airport in Guatemala City and Antigua. While without traffic, it’s only about 45 minutes, the rides can last up to two hours. Approaching Antigua are some windy mountain roads. We recommend (and David himself always takes) Dramamine or something like that, as well as some ginger chews.

    Once in Antigua, the only possible vehicle rides are to the De la Gente coffee tour (only about 15 minutes, and pretty straight), and if you opt for the Pacaya hike (about 60 minutes).