This ride begins with a shuttle from our shop in Antigua up to the trailhead at 8,300 feet (2,600 meters) on the alpine slopes of Volcán Acatenango. After a brief climb, we begin a singletrack descent that follows agricultural trails along a dramatic ridge with large views of the surrounding volcanoes. The trail drops 2,500 feet (760 meters) of pure downhill! The soft volcanic soil is fast and flowy with little rocks; however, there are some steep technical sections and creek crossings. At the base, we climb a 4x4 road through agricultural fields passing by the San Andres ruins, an earthquake-wrecked church from the 16th century. The climb follows a moderate grade until the final 656 feet (200 meters) of steep push. Don’t worry, the next descent is worth the effort! After passing through a lush forest you are rewarded with expansive views of 3 volcanoes and the Antigua valley as we descend down an ancient trail cut deeply into a ridge with large drops to either side. This final descent of 2,500 feet (760 meters) takes about 45 minutes to complete and is loaded with fun rocks, drops, switchbacks, and a half-pipe like aqueduct trail to finish the ride.

Get to know the areas surrounding Antigua with a half-day bike tour. On this trip, which is suitable for beginners and intermediate bike riders, ride to the Almolonga Valley west of Antigua. The area was home of the second capital of Guatemala, Ciudad Vieja. On your trip, see the city life fade and the country life take over as you travel further out. Learn about how the old city met a fateful end in 1541 as a result of a terrible mudslide released from the crater of Agua Volcano. The city disappeared in the valley between Agua, Fuego, and Acatenango volcanoes, and you will hear about the ongoing debate as people try to pinpoint its exact location. While out and about, you will also see the villages of Santiago Zamora and San Antonio Aguas Calientes, and stop off at a macadamia farm. This trip is guaranteed to be an educational experience that will teach you about the history and culture of the area while spending time in the great outdoors!

On this half-day guided tour you’ll cycle from the center of colonial Antigua to a coffee farm called Finca Azotea, located outside of Jocotenango. Enjoy the beautiful scenery as you ride through the valley and learn about the history and process of making coffee from seed to cup. Visit the Mayan music and textile museums and admire the locally crafted jade, handicrafts, and coffees. You’ll get a taste of the best coffee in the Antiguan Valley! The ride to farm and back to Antigua is around 25 minutes each way, and there’s no technical riding involved. Beginning riders are welcome on the tour.

Enjoy a half-day bike ride of the mountain roads and paths of San Andrés Itzapa, northwest of Antigua, and marvel at the fertile soil that provides ideal growing conditions for corn, black beans, peas, broccoli, coffee, and many other vegetables. You will pedal single track cross-country dirt roads and old jeep tracks through an undulating terrain that is suitable for a variety of skill levels. The energetic 32-mile (50-kilometer) ride includes a visit to the Maximón shrine in San Andrés Itzapa, where you will have the opportunity to see the indigenous Maya ceremonies up close. Watch farmers at work in their fields and plantations, while enjoying panoramic views of the mountains of Guatemala’s southern Highlands.

Get your adrenaline pumping with a mountain biking adventure through the Guatemalan countryside. Meet your guide in Antigua and set out for the 2.5-hour drive to Panajachel, stopping along the way for a coffee and restroom break. Upon arrival in Panajachel, get fitted out for your mountain bike followed by a quick safety briefing before your adventure begins. Start the trail on a downhill country road and ride towards a quiet lake. Follow a route that combines backcountry dirt roads and jeep tracks as well as tight technical singletrack climbs and descents. Enjoy biking through a landscape of rolling pine forests, intermixed with local agricultural plots of corn, beans, and squash. After a couple of hours of riding, take a 2-kilometer climb to a viewpoint located high above Lake Atitlán where you will enjoy a healthy and well-deserved fresh picnic lunch as you admire spectacular views of the lake. After lunch, continue cross-country and downhill on the technical cliff-side trail that traverses some 2000 vertical feet above the lake. Complete your day with a ride on some of Guatemala’s best singletrack, from the rim of the vast caldera down to Santa Catarina Palopó, finishing with an awesome staircase into this lakeside Mayan village. Take some time to recover with a swim or a stroll through the village before heading back to Antigua.