GETTING TO SAN PEDRO

San Pedro La Laguna is 4 hours from Guatemala City by bus, and is served by a direct road or you can cross the lake from Panajachel by boat.

Map of San Pedro de la Laguna: Map

By Taxi from Guatemala International Airport

We can meet our students directly at the airport and accompany them in a taxi to San Pedro. This service costs Q600 (approx. $80) for up to 4 people.

By Public Transport from Guatemala City

Direct buses from “El Trebol “zone 8 of Guatemala City are provided by four San Pedro companies: Transportes Mendez, San Pedrana, Milissa and Transportes Wendy. Buses leave at every 30 minutes. All buses to San Pedro now leave from  41 Calle  Zona 8 or from el Trebol also zone 8  The 4 hour journey to San Pedro costs 25Q (approx. $3.5).

To avoid waiting in the center of Guatemala City, take any bus from the City or from Antigua along the CA-1 highway (Carretera Inter Americana) to the road junction at Los Encuentros. Both chicken buses (retired US school-buses) and more luxurious Pullmans (mainly retired Greyhounds), make this 3 hour journey every 15 minutes or so and cost approximately 20Q ($2.5).

At Los Encuentros, take the first bus to Panajachel via the departmental capital of Sololá. This 30 minute connection costs Q5.

From Panajachel, San Pedro is a 15km 30 minute boat ride across the lake, giving you an excellent introduction to the natural beauty surrounding San Pedro. Pay the lancha pilot 25Q without discussing the price.

When you arrive in San Pedro, whether it is by bus to the market square, or by lancha to the dock, we ask that you come to the school to let us know you have arrived safely, and to discuss accommodation.

You can ask directions, or ask one of the local children to act as a guide, and we can pay them a small tip. Ask for Ramón Peneleu at the San Pedro Spanish School.

By Public Transport from Guatemala International Airport

Many of our students arrive by airplane. If you arrive in the morning, and wish to travel straight to San Pedro, take a taxi from the airport to the office of the Transportes Rebuli bus company, 21a Calle 1-34, Zona 1 in the capital, and there you can wait for the hourly bus to Panajachel, and take the lancha as above. Or you can take a taxi from the airport to 41 calle zona 8 and take a direct bus to San Pedro La Laguna  (make sure that is San Pedro La Laguna and not other San Pedro)

If you arrive in the afternoon, we recommend staying for your first night in Antigua. Take a taxi to Antigua. The next morning, take any bus to the town of Chimaltenango on the CA-1 highway, and change buses for Los Encuentros, and then proceed as above. Another option to reach Panajachel is one of the numerous tourist minivan shuttles which run from Antigua travel agencies and hotels directly to Pana for approximately $10.

If you arrive late at night, we recommend making a reservation in the Dos Lunas Guest House in the outskirts of the capital city. Their address is 21 Calle 10-92, Zona 13, and they can be contacted by phone on +(502) 2332 5264 or by email at info@hoteldoslunas.com . Website: http://www.hoteldoslunas.com the price for a shared room for the night is $12, including an airport pickup. They can advise you how to continue your journey to San Pedro the next day.

NOTE:
These procedures may sound complicated but bus conductors along the route will go out of their way to make sure you get on the right bus, and the changes are surprisingly easy to make.