It is better if you have your own vehicle, contact us if you want to rent a car or a 125cc bike for a few days. Otherwise by public bus, there are 4 buses a day from Flores to San Pedro, or you can take a microbus hourly from Flores to San José, 6 miles away, and hire a tuktuk from there. It takes about 30 minutes by car to go to Flores and Tikal, 1 hour by bus to go to Flores, we can book you a tour to Tikal but there are no public buses where we are that will take you there. You can take a bus to Flores, then to Tikal if you prefer.
Our village is small and you will find basic shops that sell a few fruits, vegetables, dry goods and drinks. The nearest supermarket where you will find more choice is 20 miles/30km away. We recommend you bring your food on arrival if you like to cook.
Driving directions (scroll down for public transportation and our pick up service)
From Guatemala City:
We are on the North Shore of lake Petén Itzá
The main road to Flores is via Rio Dulce, however, if you are planning a scenic tour, you can take the road to Cobán as well, and stop en route to visit Semuc Champey, Lanquín or the Candelaria caves.
It is about 8 hour drive from Guatemala City. Once you get to Flores/Santa Elena, keep going around the lake to San Andrés and San José. From San José, the dirt road starts, we are 6 miles ahead. The dirt road is usually well maintained but during the rainy season it may be better to have a 4WD or a high vehicle, as it can take a few days for the council to come and fix the potholes.
From San José, keep driving around the lake for 6 miles. You will pass a house named Xilil, then another one called Gucumatz, and finally Villa Andrea. We are the next house on your right side. Our wall is white and our door is green. On the wall, the name of the house says “San Damiano, km 512.4”. You have arrived!
Public transportation
From Guatemala City: There are several companies who operate a night bus to Santa Elena/Flores, with rates starting at Q120 for the economy service from Fuentes del Norte to Q230 for the luxury AC bus from Linea Dorada. Unless you plan on visiting Río Dulce on the way, the night bus is your best option, as it is a 9 hour journey.
No need to book in advance, except during the holidays and Easter.
From Flores/Santa Elena: There are 4 buses a day coming to San Pedro. They charge around Q15 one way and take 45 minutes to one hour. They stop right in front of the house if you ask them.
If you have missed the bus to San Pedro, you can take a microbus to San José for around Q10, and then wait at the beginning of the dirt road for a pickup to take you to San Pedro. There are microbuses every half hour to San José, and the pickups do not have a regular schedule but they circulate pretty often.
Pick up service
We can also pick you up from Flores or El Remate, if you come from Belize. If you are two or more people, it will save you a lot of time and be worth the cost. Otherwise you have to get all around the lake to Flores and San José, which by public transportation can take you three hours (El Remate to Flores one hour, bus change one hour, Flores to San Pedro one hour).
Our rates are, for up to 4 people
Pick up from El Remate Q150 or $20
Pick up from Flores or Santa Elena Q150 or $20
Pick up from San José (see above how to get to San José with bi-hourly minibuses) Q50 or $7
We can rent you a car to go to Tikal, Yaxhá or Flores for Q500 a day, including gas and 100 miles. That is what a trip around the lake would take, so you can wake up, go to Tikal, come back to Flores for a late lunch, and get to the house for sunset. The car we have up for rent is an old Suzuki Samurai that seats 4 comfortably and 5 tightly. You can find better rental deals in Guatemala City if you need a car for several days, however if you just need to go to Tikal this is your option.
