Iximché Ruins and Antigua City Tour: Explore Mayan History and Spanish Colonial Sites
4.8
18 Ratings
Tecpan
Immerse yourself in Guatemala's rich history on a full-day tour of the Iximché Ruins and Antigua City. Discover Mayan heritage at the archeological site of Iximché, then explore the Spanish colonial charm of Antigua's iconic landmarks. Perfect for families!
Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Iximche - After pickup from your Antigua hotel, venture northwest approximately an hour to the dusty town of Tecpán. Here, explore the Mayan ruins of Iximché, once the Kaqchiquel Maya capital and a Guatemala must-see attraction. Upon entering the ruins, you’ll see four ceremonial plazas, which are surrounded by tall temple structures and two ball courts. Tour the site with your knowledgeable guide and discover the ancient history of Guatemala.
  • The Plaza Central Park - Stop for lunch at a local restaurant (own expense) before visiting the Central Plaza with your guide.
  • Casa del Jade - Watch craftsmen turn stones into unique jewels and see the jade collection housed at the museum. After the tour, you’ll be taken back to your hotel.
  • Iglesia de La Merced - Next, visit La Merced Church, which has a beautiful Baroque-style façade.
  • Iglesia de San Francisco El Grande - Then, head back down to Antigua’s Central Plaza, where you’ll visit San Francisco Church, home to the shrine of Peter of St Joseph Betancur. See also the famous arch of Santa Catalina, built in the 17th century and once home to Santa Catalina Convent.
What's Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Professional guide
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Experience Guatemala’s mixture of Spanish and Mayan influences on this full-day tour of Iximch and Antigua. Learn about Mayan history from your knowledgeable guide as you explore the archeological site of Iximch. Then, head to the Spanish colonial city of Antigua to visit some of its most famous sites, including San Francisco Church, Calle del Arco, La Merced Church and Plaza Central. This day tour is perfect for the whole family!

Location
Iximche
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(18 Ratings)
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Darvin_s
Mar 17, 2024
Definitely worth the time - Great private tour with knowledgeable guide. The ruins are a long way from Antigua so be prepared for an hour long ride. The guide was proud of his city and the Antigua tour was worth every minute. Antigua has a rich history and hearing from a local was exactly what I was looking for
Review provided by Viator
Luca_e
Jan 5, 2024
Knowledge makes a difference - Tour guide was excellent. Don José gave us a lot of information and explanations. Really enjoyed his knowledge and we felt very satisfied.
Review provided by Viator
Rebecca_j
Aug 30, 2023
Fantastic experience - We had a wonderful time on this tour. It was a good amount of time in both places. We got to see the beauty, history, and architecture of the city with time left to shop and eat, and then headed to the ruins. Our tour guide, Mirco, was fantastic. He was knowledgeable and very personable. We plan to use this group for future adventures.
Review provided by Viator
Elizabeth_p
Jan 30, 2023
A beautiful exploring ancient civilization - I thoroughly enjoyed my day of adventure with Jose. We were lucky enough to to get to see some Mayan rituals at Iximche. It was a great treat to have a private tour of such a special place.
Review provided by Viator
Xphile1067
Jun 21, 2022
Great company for solo travelers! - Carmen was my guide on this solo tour. She is a great story teller and gave me all kinds of historical information! Iximche was truly stunning, and we went there first before the rain started and saw a Mayan ceremony, too. Antigua was beautiful and all the locations we stopped in were very interesting! It was pouring by that time, so Carmen drove between stops and I truly appreciated that. Had a nice lunch and she gave me a couple souvenirs, which was so sweet! The magnet is on my refrigerator Carmen! Muchisimas gracias por todo!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Romelita_v
Mar 18, 2022
Amazing Trip - We had a wonderful trip! Our guide, Gustavo is so knowledgeable and ensured a very interesting trip. We were very lucky to also see and participate in a Mayan ceremony at iximche. Best meal at a restaurant called Katok as per guide recommedation. Highly recommend Gustavo - best guide ever!
Review provided by Viator
Debmatsu
Dec 16, 2021
Passionate Guide - We were fortunate to have Carmen as our Tour Guide. She was professional, palpably passionate about Mayan culture and possessed a wealth of Guatemalan historical knowledge. Throughout our day together, she demonstrated helpfulness, patience, and generosity toward us. Her personal stories and anecdotes truly illuminated our experience. We were blessed to witness several Mayan ancestral ceremonies behind the ruins in real time with her guidance of respectful observation. The Antigua afternoon was relaxed and fun with cacao tastings and a mini Jade tour, in addition to shopping, gelato, cathedrals and more historical tidbits. We highly recommend this tour and suggest you specifically request Carmen as your Guide. You will be grateful that you did.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Taneal_c
Nov 16, 2021
AMAZING!! - I loved loved loved (!!!) this tour. Honestly, this was probably the most incredible highlight of my trip. Belisario was a great guide and so full of knowledge. He truly made the tour an unforgettable experience! I would recommend this tour to any and every one. Please take note that there is A LOT of walking, but it is soooo worth it. You will not regret booking this tour. Amazing!
Review provided by Viator
Keithbs8010xw
Feb 17, 2020
Short but worth it - The guide was Peter (probably Pedro) was very intelligent. The ruins then selves are small but you learn alot from him and the small museum there as well. The Antigua part is short as well, he takes you to a couple spots you wouldn’t think of including as church, a scenic overlook of the town and a jade store. I’d recommend him. On these tours your tour guide really makes the difference.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Natebowser625
Feb 11, 2020
The ruins - I left my phone and credit card in the van after my excursion to the ruins. I was understandably freaked-out. But the next day they drive from Guatemala City to my hotel in Antigua and dropped off my belongings. Without my phone and credit card my vacation could have been ruined, but they handled my crisis with prompt professionalism. My guide, Mirko, was great.
Review provided by Viator
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