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MAP
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Guatemala's Highland Region
Cool misty mountains, colorful villages & natural beauty...
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Totonicapan
The department of Totonicapan is 207 kilometers distant from Guatemala City. It is one of the highest in the country and, therefore, one of the coolest. On the outskirts of the city is the Tanque de los Dragones, a fountain and laundry washbasin dating from the 19th century and still in use today. In this department there are many villages worth visiting such as:
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San Miguel Totonicapán
San Miguel Totonicapán is the regional capital. Among its buildings are the Municipal Theater of San Miguel Totonicapán and the House of Culture, which contains a small museum with samples of pre-Hispanic and Republican-era art, as well as ethnographic materials. The tourism office offers maps to the 53 textile, wooden toy, and ceramic ateliers in the city, which make it one of the most important handicraft centers in the country.
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San Francisco El Alto
At 15 kilometers from Totonicapán is San Francisco El Alto, which has an imposing temple with a beautiful altarpiece and murals dating from the 16th century. The open-air market is the largest in the highlands and takes place on Fridays. It is a multicolor affair offering consumer products, domestic animals such as cows and horses and other items for sale. At 19 kilometers from Totonicapán is San Andrés Xecul, which boasts a colorful parochial church with a spectacular colonial façade that represents the color and design of the local huipil, or blouse. The population here also venerates Maximón.
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Momostenango
Just 13 kilometers from Totonicapán is Momostenango, famous for its woolen textiles, mainly high quality blankets. Here, the 260-day Maya Calendar is still in use. The word Momostenango means 'City of Altars.' Nearby are the Riscos de Momostenango, capricious erosions in the hills. Sunday is the main market day.
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Quetzaltenango
The department occupies 1951 square kilometers. It is cold in the highlands and hot and humid in the lowlands. Spanish, Quiché, and Mam, are spoken here. It’s capital, Quetzaltenango, or Xela as it is often referred to by the locals, is a beautiful city. It is situated in a large valley surrounded by hills and volcanoes. It still conserves the old traditions of the Maya-Quiché lineage intertwined with the colonial past and a dynamic modern lifestyle. It is the second largest city in the country as regards to its size and its industrial, cultural and commercial activities. In addition to being fun and dynamic, the city offers many interesting attractions such as:
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Centroamérica Park
At the city's heart, it is also the heart of its social activity. Every first Sunday of the month, during the dry season, there is an excellent handicrafts market. The park is surrounded by an impressive complex of monuments from which the baroque façade of the church stands out.
Pasaje Enríquez
Situated in front of the Centroamérica Park, it serves as a passageway between 12th and 13th avenues. The west wall is filled with graffiti and has stained glass windows. Archways at both entrances frame large wrought iron gates.
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Espíritu Santo Cathedral
Is located on the west side of the Centroamérica Park. The complex has two main structures: the ruins of the façade of the Holy Spirit parish (1535-1898) and, toward the back, the cathedral of the diocese of Los Altos, a construction that dates from 1899.
Casa de la Cultura
This neoclassical structure houses the House of Culture, or Casa de la Cultura of Quetzaltenango, a library, an archaeological, historical and nature museum, and INGUAT's offices.
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Near Quetzaltenango
Volcanoes
In the department of Quetzaltenango and just a step away from the Regional Capital are six volcanoes that offer multiple climbing adventures: Santa María, Santiaguito, Cerro Quemado, Siete Orejas, Chikabal, and Lancandón. The hike is for all level of climbers, and the view from their summits is impressive. The crater of Volcan Chikabal is a sanctuary for the Maya and a mystical experience. You will see flowers and candle wax burning around the lake used during ceremonies by those who worship there. The winding stairs down into the crater are challenge, the excruciating climb back up is not for the faint hearted.
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Volcanic Domes
Not true volcanoes, these elevations near Quetzaltenango offer attractive views: Cerro Zunil, Zunilito, El Galápago, and El Baúl.
Plains
Quetzaltenango is famous for its extensive plains. Filled with history and traversed by rivers, these high elevation plains are cool and have beautiful locations. Among the most popularly known are: the Llanos de Urbina, La Ciénaga, El Chirriés, Chiquilajá and La Floresta; the later surrounds the Minerva Park and the Municipal Zoo.
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Huehuetenango
This department is located at 266 kilometers from Guatemala City. The center of activities is the central plaza surrounded by the town hall, the colonial church, and several neoclassical edifices. The central plaza has a relief map measuring almost 30 square meters. A territory of impressive landscapes and high mountains, it has been inhabited since immemorial times by different indigenous groups. Some of the areas main attractions are:
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Zaculeu Ruins – Image
This Mam archaeological site is situated at 4 kilometers from the regional capital. As most of the cities dating from the late Post-classical period (1250-1524), it is fortified. The archaeological site is formed by a series of plazas, pyramids with stairways, temples, and ball courts. It maintained close commercial relation with Nebaj and Kaminal Juyú. Its artisans produced jade figurines. The site has a small museum that exhibits some human remains and ceramics.
Chiantla
It is a pilgrimage center whose temple holds the image of the Virgen de la Candelaria, made between 1560 and 1580 and covered in a silver filigree garment. The church was constructed in the early 18th century. Chiantla has several workshops that produce bronze objects.
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Todos Santos Cuchumatán
This Maya-Mam community dwells on the summit of the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes, at 45 kilometers distant from Huehuetenango. Its inhabitants wear richly colored clothing and the village is famous for the traditional activities that take place during the annual November 1 fair in honor of the dead. The fair begins with a ceremony at the cemetery in which the elders and the brotherhood call upon the souls of the deceased. On October 31 they serenade their beloved ancestors and offer them flowers and food. That night, the jockeys prepare for the Skach Koyl (wild horse ride) by dancing and drinking. The competition takes place on November 1 during which some jockeys fall from their rides. The festivities continue with music and the Dance of the Conquest. On November 2, the Day of the Dead, they say farewell to their ancestors.
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Los Cuchumatanes Mountains
The summit of the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes is one of the most relevant attractions in the region. This mountainous mass is the highest in Central America and its natural environment is typical of high, barren plateaus. Some of its plateaus and associated mountains are over 3600 meters above sea level and offer the opportunity to view spectacular panoramic vistas.
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