Payment & Reservation

You can view a complete list of what is included in the price of each trek on it’s specific page under “What’s Included.”

Gear:

Any and all gear needed to complete a Quetzaltrekkers hike is available to borrow from our gear room included in the cost of the trek. Gear will be handed out by your guides at your coordinating pre-trek meeting.  Deposits will be necessary when borrowing headlights/head torches as well as for trekking poles (Q100/item) which is given back once items are returned to QT at the end of the Trek in the same condition (except for general wear and tear) that it was in when the Client received it at the start of the Trek.

If gear is not returned in the same condition that it was originally received QT may, at its sole discretion, retain the deposit, or have the Client’s credit card charged for the amount required to repair the damage or replace the gear. Should the required repair or replacement of such gear be greater than the retained deposit, QT has the right to require the Client to pay the difference for the damaged gear. A list of all gear repair and replacement is available to view by the Client before borrowing of gear by QT.

If you have a piece of gear that you are unsure is suitable for the trek you will be attending, you are welcome to bring it to the pretrek meeting to ask your guides who will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Cancellations by Quetzaltrekkers:  Quetzaltrekkers reserves the right to cancel trips before scheduled departure time due to unusual or unforeseen circumstances outside of our control. If a trip is cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control and no alternate trip/itinerary is offered that the client opts to partake, a refund equal to the full amount paid will be issued.

Quetzaltrekkers is not responsible for additional expenses incurred by preparing for the trip (for example: non-refundable advance purchase air tickets, clothing, equipment, visa fees, medical expenses, etc.).

Cancellation by the Client:

If a Client cancels or leaves a Trek for any reason the following will apply;

  1. a refund equal to the full amount paid (with exception of online booking charges) by the Client will be issued where the cancellation is made by 11.00am of the day prior to the Trek’s departure, with exception of Private Treks who adhere to clause 8;
  2. a refund equal to the full amount paid by the Client minus either the Q100 cash Deposit will be issued where the cancellation is made after 11.00am of the day prior to the Trek’s departure, but before 9.00pm of the day prior to the Trek’s departure; For online bookings where only the booking charge was taken, an additionalGTQ100 per person (plus 10% CC surcharge) cancellation fee applies. This amounts to a GTQ110 per person cancellation fee that will be charged to the credit card on file from booking.
  3. any cancellations made after 9:00 p.m or “no call, no show” to the trek will result in 50% of your balance plus CC Charge for the trek (not including extras) charged to the card on file, or retention of 50% of the already made cash payment.
  4. no refund will be issued where, for any reason whatsoever, the Client leaves or does not complete the Trek.

 

Quetzaltrekkers’ full Terms & Conditions

Please contact us to inquire further about private hikes with the below information:

  • What hike you are interest in;
  • What dates you prefer;
  • How many trekkers will you be;
  • And any other special requests for the hike.

Our office coordinator will get back to you ASAP with a quote for your trek as well as answer any other questions you may have in preparation for your trip.

 

Reservations are required for every Quetzaltrekker hike and shuttle.

Reservations must be made before 11am the day prior to departure to secure your place. This can be done by: stopping by our office located inside Casa Argentina Hostel in Xela with payment of Q100/person; stopping by our office located inside Cambio Spanish School in Antigua and paying Q10 online with a valid Credit Card; or via our website.

On rare occasions, we can add late sign ups however you must stop by our office and speak with that treks specific guides. Additionally, you will have to pay a mandatory Q50 late fee.

 

It’s possible to pay in cash in the form of Guatemalan Quetzal or with credit card in the office. We have the following surcharges for credit card payments:

5% in-office, with Visa/Mastercards only.

10% in-office, with American Express, JCB, or Discover. Any online payments regardless of card type will require payment of 10% CC Charge.

With cash payments, we do NOT accept any other forms of currency than Guatemalan Quetzal.

Absolutely! Trekkers can sign up for any trek up until 11 a.m. the day prior to departure* at our office located inside of Casa Argentina hostel in Xela with a down payment of GTQ 100/person.

After 11 a.m. sign-ups are to guides desecration and are not guaranteed, and in the case of acceptance to the trek, you will have to pay an additional GTQ 50/person late fee.

Cash payments are only accepted in the form of Guatemalan Quetzal. We do not accept any other forms of cash currency.

*Be aware: although it is very rare, we do sometimes reach capacity for treks so advance sign-up is recommended!

Generally, we will try to maintain a 17+ age requirement for our publicly scheduled calendar departures and reserve the ability for families to book private departures. Please contact us if you are interested in this option. Many families have successfully completed private versions of our Xela – Lake Atitlan trek.

All of our hikes- with exception of Volcan Tajumulco- require trekkers to carry all of their gear on their backs without porter services. Backpacks average between 10-15kg for all of our multi-day through hikes. Please be advised that parents wishing to hike with younger children may be required to carry extra weight should their child(ren) be unable to carry their packs themselves.

We do offer the ability to borrow gear for all of our treks, however please be aware that this is all fitted for adults, so we cannot guarantee we will have certain gear items (backpacks; sleeping bags; etc) sizable for children.

 

Preparation

Wear whatever is comfortable. It is recommended to have a sturdy pair of broken-in trail shoes, boots, or sneakers. It is preferable to dress in layers and wear clothing that will wick away perspiration and keep you dry and comfortable.

Every trek has varying gear you will need for it respectfully, however anything you do not have is available to borrow from our gear room included in the cost of the trek (including sleeping bags, backpacks, clothing, boots, etc).

Please refer to the information section for the specific trek you are interested in on our website for a comprehensive list of gear you will need for that hike.

Depending on budget and desire, you can easily stay at Casa Argentina Hostel where our office is located. They do not take reservations nor will it be guaranteed they have room, however in most cases you can easily show up the same day and receive accommodation. Otherwise, we recommend Kasa Kiwi Hostel, a 15min walk from our office.

For more, visit our accommodations page for recommended location in and around Guatemala.

 

 

There are a few different ways to Xela / Quetzaltenango. The most convenient ways to get here are via combi shuttle or bus.

Buses

First class buses

First-class buses run between Xela & Guatemala City frequently and are similar to Grey Hound services in the USA.  You can find the schedule here.

Chicken buses

There are many frequent buses to/from Xela from all parts of Guatemala, many of which are direct. Best travel time is morning to early afternoon as this is when most direct buses will be running as well as the fact it is not advised to travel via public bus past night fall for foreigners.

If coming to Xela, you will arrive to the Minerva terminal in Xela. Once off the bus, you have a few options to get to the city centre. You can either get a taxi near the main terminal area for Q30 total; cross through the market to the other side to take a bus to take a microbus to Parque Central for Q1.25; or make the about 30min journey by foot.

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Coming from Guatemala City

If you’re coming from Guatemala City, the best way to get to Xela is by shuttle or first class bus. Private shuttles/cars from departures at the airport can be booked through Quetzaltrekkers; please contact us to learn more. A cheaper option is via first class buses, such as Alamo.

If you’re coming from the airport and wish to take a first class bus, you’ll need to take a taxi to their station (~Q40). Taking a chicken bus in Guatemala City is not recommended and considered dangerous by INGUAT, so please approach this at your own risk.

Coming from Antigua

You can take a “chicken bus” from Antigua to Xela. It will leave from the main terminal and you will have to change buses in Chimaltenango or in Los Encuentros. Costs should be around Q35-Q45. You can also easily book a shuttle from Antigua to Xela here which will pick you up from your hostel and drop you off here in Xela where you prefer.

Coming from Lago de Atitlan.

There are quite a few options for travel from Lake Atitlan to Xela. For more information for “chicken buses,” please take a look here.

Shuttles can be booked from Panajachel via our website here.

Weather

We hike in the rain, snow, wind and any other weather conditions that nature decides to throw at us. After all, we’re going on an adventure!

Should the weather be judged unsafe for any reason, the trip itinerary will be changed or postponed. You will be notified if there are any changes due to weather and will be fully briefed by your guides on possible other hike plans at the pre-trek meeting.

If you need to borrow any rain or warm gear for your trek it can be provided included in the cost of your trek.