Lake Atitlán, Guatemala

Aug 16, 2026 | posted by chris vasquez

Luxury Above the Volcanoes

Few arrivals on the entire expedition should rival the first view of Lake Atitlán. The lake sits inside an immense volcanic landscape, with villages scattered along its shore and volcanoes rising beyond the water. Kayaking, hiking and boats between Maya communities give us plenty of reasons to leave the FJ80 parked for a day. Atitlán is a place to stop moving long enough to remember why we came.

And this is where we splurge. Casa Palopó - Relais & Chateaux overlooks the lake and volcanoes and combines a spa-oriented retreat with the kind of view that makes leaving difficult. For something more secluded, Villas B'alam Ya offers lakeside villas and direct access to the water. The Land Cruiser rests. We get a massage, a long meal and maybe do absolutely nothing for an afternoon. Sometimes recovery is part of the adventure.