Quetzaltenango is the second largest city in Guatemala. Widely overlooked on the Gringo Trail, it is never-the-less popular for trekking. High in the mountains, this town is quite chilly and you’ll probably have to buy a sweater if you aren’t already traveling with one. This city is also one of the least expensive places to take Spanish classes in all of Guatemala. I came to Quetzaltenango or as the locals call it, Xela, to do a 6 day trek through Quetzaltrekkers. By spending a few days before and after the trek in Xela, I discovered some of the secrets to this sprawling city.

Activities

Walk the Cemetery

Most people that visit Xela take an afternoon to walk around the cemetery. As strange as this sounds, it is very interesting with the large and colorful tombs stacked on top of  each other. The outside of the cemetery is a bustling area where vendors sell flowers.

See a Movie

Another popular activity in Xela is to visit the mall with a movie theatre and to practice your Spanish by watching a movie with English subtitles.

Enjoy Live Music

The hostel Kasa Kiwi plays live music every evening. The rooftop bar has a wonderful panoramic view of the city.

Eat Chocolate

Doña Pancha chocolate shop has many different flavors of mouth watering chocolate. I personally recommend the chocolate covered banana.

Fuentes Georginas Hot Springs

These hot springs are a 45 minute shuttle ride from Xela. The pools are on top of a mountain and the elevation makes it very cold. Despite the water having steam coming off of it, it wasn’t warm enough. I shivered as I tried to enjoy my two hours there and would not recommend it.

Treat Yourself to Pad Thai

La Esquina Asiatica is a quaint little Asian themed restaurant. It was such a delight to enjoy Pad Thai after months in Central America

This city has many different neighborhoods to explore. My friends that stayed here longer felt like Xela offered an authentic Guatemalan experience that the other popular tourist destinations were lacking. There is a Central Park with a buzz of commotion and beautiful architecture. Throughout the city there are also many local markets to discover. If you want to experience a real Guatemalan city, not solely catering to tourists, this is the place to go!

 

 

Nebaj to Todos Santos via Quetzaltrekkers

While in Xela I did the six day hike from Nebaj to Todos Santo through Quetzaltrekkers. I chose this trek because I love multi-day hikes and the landscapes sounded breathtaking. The chance to reach remote indigenous communities, so high in the mountains that there are no cars, sounded captivating.

What I wasn’t expecting was what an educational and eye opening experience it would be. The 36 year civil war that plagued Guatemala directly affected these remote communities. High in the mountains there were villages that had no idea a war was going on for the first 11 years of it. Eventually the guerillas enlisted the help of these peaceful villagers and before they knew it, entire villages were burned down by the military and family members were tortured. As we hiked from village to village our knowledgeable guides explained the history and atrocities that took place there. The kind Guatemalans that we passed on the trail smiled at us even though foreign visitors once destroyed life as they knew it.

It was a solemn trek full of physical accomplishment and ever changing views. We saw rocky fields, forests, a valley with a waterfall, flowery meadows and were sometimes trekking in the clouds. At the end we made it to Todos Santos, a town famous for their drunken horse race on the Day of the Dead. Men in Todos Santos wear red pants with white stripes. We respectfully didn’t take pictures of any of the locals so you will have to go there personally if you want to get an understanding of these indigenous communities.

This hike allowed me to truly leave the Gringo Trail. For the first time on my trip, I felt like I was experiencing the real Guatemala. Even though this trek had guides, it was not a pampered experience. We each carried our own food, water and sleeping bags as we crossed 50 miles of Guatemalan countryside.

If this hike sounds daunting to you, Quetzaltrekkers also offers a 3 day trek to Lake Atitlan. This hike has a lighter spirit and at the end you are rewarded by the magic of the lake.

Another popular Trek is to Volcán Tajumulco which is the highest volcano in Central America.

Quetzaltrekkers is a great organization. The staff is composed of volunteers and all of the profits from the hikes go to children in the community. I’d definitely recommend squeezing a visit to Xela into your Guatemala trip and doing a hike through Quetzaltrekkers!