Day trips

The 15 Best Day Trips from Quetzaltenango

Drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan for every place worth the trip.

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There are 15 good day trips from Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, led by Guatemala City, Villa Nueva, Mixco. The closest is Totonicapán, about 30 min by car, and 3 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Quetzaltenango at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
Guatemala City111 km E1 hr 45 minFull-day trip
Villa Nueva107 km E1 hr 40 minFull-day trip
Mixco101 km E1 hr 35 minFull-day trip
Tapachula79 km W1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Cobán142 km NE2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
Escuintla100 km SE1 hr 35 minFull-day trip
Villa Canales114 km E1 hr 45 minFull-day trip
Chichicastenango46 km E55 minHalf-day trip
San Juan Sacatepéquez96 km E1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Petapa110 km E1 hr 45 minFull-day trip
Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa78 km SE1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Coatepeque40 km SW45 minHalf-day trip
Chinautla111 km E1 hr 45 minFull-day trip
Totonicapán19 km NE30 minHalf-day trip
Chimaltenango78 km E1 hr 30 minFull-day trip

Drive times are estimates from the distance. Check live traffic before you leave.

The best day trips from Quetzaltenango

  1. 1

    Guatemala City, Guatemala

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 45 min by car111 km east of Quetzaltenango3 hr 30 min round trip

    Known for Bernardo O'Higgins.

  2. 2

    Villa Nueva, Guatemala

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 40 min by car107 km east of Quetzaltenango3 hr 20 min round trip
  3. 3

    Mixco, Guatemala

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 35 min by car101 km east of Quetzaltenango3 hr 10 min round trip
  4. 4

    Tapachula, Mexico

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car79 km west of Quetzaltenango3 hr round trip
  5. 5

    Cobán, Guatemala

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car142 km north-east of Quetzaltenango4 hr 30 min round trip
  6. 6

    Escuintla, Guatemala

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 35 min by car100 km south-east of Quetzaltenango3 hr 10 min round trip
  7. 7

    Villa Canales, Guatemala

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 45 min by car114 km east of Quetzaltenango3 hr 30 min round trip
  8. 8

    Chichicastenango, Guatemala

    Half-day trip
    About 55 min by car46 km east of Quetzaltenango1 hr 50 min round trip
  9. 9

    San Juan Sacatepéquez, Guatemala

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car96 km east of Quetzaltenango3 hr round trip
  10. 10

    Petapa, Guatemala

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 45 min by car110 km east of Quetzaltenango3 hr 30 min round trip
  11. 11

    Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, Guatemala

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car78 km south-east of Quetzaltenango3 hr round trip
  12. 12

    Coatepeque, Guatemala

    Half-day trip
    About 45 min by car40 km south-west of Quetzaltenango1 hr 30 min round trip
  13. 13

    Chinautla, Guatemala

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 45 min by car111 km east of Quetzaltenango3 hr 30 min round trip
  14. 14

    Totonicapán, Guatemala

    Half-day trip
    About 30 min by car19 km north-east of Quetzaltenango1 hr round trip
  15. 15

    Chimaltenango, Guatemala

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car78 km east of Quetzaltenango3 hr round trip

A sample day trip: Quetzaltenango to Guatemala City

A realistic pace for Guatemala City, 111 km from Quetzaltenango. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 07:30Leave Quetzaltenango
  2. 09:15Arrive in Guatemala City (1 hr 45 min drive)
  3. 09:30Bernardo O'Higgins
  4. 11:30Lunch
  5. 12:45Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Guatemala City
  6. 15:15Head back to Quetzaltenango
  7. 17:00Home in Quetzaltenango

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Quetzaltenango?
The best day trips from Quetzaltenango are Guatemala City, Villa Nueva, Mixco, Tapachula, Cobán. The closest is Totonicapán, about 30 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Quetzaltenango?
Totonicapán is the closest, 19 km north-east of Quetzaltenango, roughly 30 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Quetzaltenango?
3 places are within about an hour's drive of Quetzaltenango: Totonicapán (30 min), Coatepeque (45 min), Chichicastenango (55 min).
What is the biggest city near Quetzaltenango for a day out?
Guatemala City is the largest city in day-trip range, 111 km east of Quetzaltenango and about 1 hr 45 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Quetzaltenango?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Cobán at 142 km, around 2 hr 15 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.

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