El Rostro Maya, aka Mayan Face and Indian Nose, is a peak that sits over the gorgeous Lago de Atitlán. It gets its name from the ridges of the peak that form the shape of a face’s profile. If you’re in one of the nearby towns on the shores of the lake, you’ll be able to see this face formation. Climbing El Rostro Maya has become a popular activity for those visiting Lago de Atitlán. Taking a sunrise tour is an amazing way to enjoy views over the lake and explore the pretty landscape that surrounds it.
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How to Get to El Rostro Maya
On Your Own
You can hike up El Rostro Maya without a guide; however, there are some things to note. As with some other hikes in the area, there have been some instances of individuals armed with machetes demanding money or robbing hikers of their belongings along the trails leading up the peak. This hike has become very popular, and plenty of people have done it without issues. Just keep the risks in mind when making your decision.
El Rostro Maya can be reached either from the trail starting in San Juan La Laguna (1.5-2hr one way) or the trail beginning in Santa Clara (30-45min one way). If you start your hike in Santa Clara, you can either take a taxi or bus there from San Pedro or San Juan.
If you begin your hike in San Juan, note that there is a fee of 30Q to access the trail. If you begin before sunrise, there will likely not be anyone there to collect the fee, but you may be asked to pay it upon arriving back at the trailhead later.
Whichever trailhead you start at, you’ll encounter various trails and viewpoints on the peak. So if you decide to go yourself, make sure to have maps downloaded. Some of the land that the trails lead through is private, and local guides have connections with the families to allow passage to the peak. Without a guide, you’ll likely be hassled for money at the viewpoints and potentially along the trail. There will be people at the top charging around 50Q. It’s not required as far as we know, but many just end up paying because they aren’t sure or sometimes because the situation starts to feel a bit aggressive.
We generally prefer to hike on our own, but with all that said and because we were in San Pedro, we decided on a tour from there. It’s affordable, supports local guides, and just makes the logistics of getting to the trailhead and navigating the peak easier.
in Santa Clara
Guided Tour
The most common way to reach El Rostro Maya is by taking a tour with a local guide. The majority of tours begin from San Pedro or San Juan and head up the peak for sunrise, so expect a starting time of 3:30am – 4:00am. If you’re staying in another town on the lake, ask if the company can organize a pickup or lancha to get you to the meeting point before the tour.
You can find tour options on sites like Get Your Guide, Viator, and independent company sites. We’d recommend booking in advance if you have a tight schedule or want to go with a specific company since this is a popular activity. We had a pretty open schedule, so we just walked around San Pedro when we arrived and booked with a company for the following morning. Our excursion was with Casa Verde Tours. It included transport to and from Santa Clara, a guide during the hike, and hot chocolate and a snack at the top.
Most tours will take participants in a van up to Santa Clara to begin the hike. However, you can also find guides offering the option to take the trail all the way up from San Juan.
Our Tour Up El Rostro Maya
Tour Overview
Cost: When we went, the tour cost 180Q for the both of us. On the Casa Verde Tours website, it appears that the same tour is now 105Q per person (about $14 USD)
Hike Type: Moderately easy out-and-back trail
Hike Duration: 1hr -1hr30min round trip – not including time at the top
Distance: 2.6km (1.6mi)
Elevation Gain: 157m (515ft)
We chose to do this hike from Santa Clara, so the above information is for that tour and trail. But if you’re looking for more info on hiking El Rostro Maya from San Juan, here’s the AllTrails link.
Our Excursion up El Rostro Maya
3:30am came much too fast, but we awoke and groggily headed to the tour office to meet up with our group. The group climbed into the van and we all sat quiet as we wound up the mountain to Santa Clara. The driver pulled up to the end of a dark street and we got out.
Our guide gave us a quick hike overview and we began making our way down the trail. The hike was pretty steep, but it wasn’t long at all. Our guide made sure to take it slow and made an occasional stop to ensure we were all keeping up. We were wearing layers since it was a chilly morning, but quickly became warm from the exercise and shoved them into our pack.
Before we knew it, we had arrived at the top. There are multiple viewpoints in the area. This one had a small shelter and some benches and rocks to hang out on. Matt and I found a nice spot to sit, and soon, a cute pup joined us. He was likely anticipating the sweet bread and hot chocolate, which were handed to us shortly after.
The sun began to rise and the city lights far below slowly faded into the daylight. It was super smoky during our time in Guatemala, which was kind of a bummer because the distant peaks were hardly visible. But the views over San Juan and the lake were beautiful anyway!
We enjoyed the sunrise up there before making our way back down the trail the way we came. Now that we were all more awake, our guide gave us some info on the plants along the trail, history of the area, and more. When we made it back to the trailhead, we hopped back in the van and cruised back to San Pedro. Just in time for a mid-morning breakfast!
What to Bring to Hike El Rostro Maya
Hiking Shoes: The trail is uneven in spots and steep, so we’d recommend wearing sturdy shoes with good tread.
Water: A hike essential.
Snacks: Tours will generally offer a pastry and hot chocolate at the summit. But with the early rise, you may not have had the chance to eat breakfast and may want some additional snacks.
Layers: It can get chilly and breezy at the top, especially before the sun rises. We’d recommend a light jacket to easily take on and off as needed.
Head Lamp: Guides will have a flash light, but it’s much easier to see where you’re walking on the trail if you have your own head lamp or flash light.
Cash: A little extra cash to tip your guide.
Misc. Gear: Some hikers enjoy using hiking poles on this steep trail, so bring those if you enjoy using them.
Mini First Aid Kit: This is just something we have in our pack for any hike in case of scrapes, blisters, etc.
Camera: To capture the beautiful views from the top!
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