Plan the western highlands around two market days. Chichicastenango is busiest on Thursday and Sunday, and San Francisco El Alto’s main market is on Friday. Start in Chichicastenango on a Sunday, base yourself in Quetzaltenango (Xela) for the week, catch San Francisco El Alto on Friday, then head north to Huehuetenango and Todos Santos Cuchumatán. That makes an eight-day loop. Start on a Thursday instead and you can fit Chichicastenango and San Francisco El Alto into four days. Every market day below comes from INGUAT or a dated report, and every transfer time from one of our transport guides.
TL;DR: Sunday: Chichicastenango, then the 16:00 Altiplanos service to Xela. Tuesday: Almolonga and Zunil. Friday: San Francisco El Alto. Saturday: Xela to Huehuetenango (2.5-3 hours). Sunday: Todos Santos. To add Nebaj, fit in the 5-day Quetzaltrekkers trek, which starts and ends in Xela.
Quick summary: market days you can plan on
| Town | Department | Market day | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chichicastenango | Quiché | Thursday and Sunday | INGUAT; Atitrans market shuttle runs Thursdays and Sundays only |
| San Francisco El Alto | Totonicapán | Friday is the main day; trading has spread to Wednesday and Thursday | Prensa Libre, 2 June 2013, citing the municipality |
| Almolonga | Quetzaltenango | Tuesday and Friday (plaza days) | Deguate municipal profile, 2016, on our Almolonga market page |
| Zunil, Totonicapán city, Nebaj, Todos Santos | — | Not confirmed by an official or dated source | Ask locally before you plan around one |
The Almolonga days come from a 2016 profile built on a 2009 municipal plan, so they are the weakest dates on this page. Check them with your hotel in Xela.
The 8-day route, day by day
This version starts on a Sunday, so that you reach Chichicastenango on a market day and San Francisco El Alto on Friday.
| Day | Plan | Transfer | Transfer time (source) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Sun) | Chichicastenango market, then on to Xela | Antigua 07:00 market shuttle, or from Panajachel; then the 16:00 Altiplanos service to Xela | Antigua: 2.5-3 hours (operators on our Antigua page); Panajachel: 1.5-2 hours (INGUAT) |
| 2 (Mon) | Xela | — | — |
| 3 (Tue) | Almolonga plaza day, then Zunil and the hot springs | Local trip from Xela | See our Almolonga and Zunil pages |
| 4 (Wed) | Xela, or a day hike | — | — |
| 5 (Thu) | Free day, or a second visit to Chichicastenango | — | — |
| 6 (Fri) | San Francisco El Alto market | Local trip from Xela | Not on our transport pages |
| 7 (Sat) | Xela to Huehuetenango | Adrenalina (hub lists daily, product page weekdays only) or Altiplanos shuttle | 2.5-3 hours (Adrenalina) |
| 8 (Sun) | Todos Santos Cuchumatán, then back to Huehuetenango | Road via Chiantla | Not on our transport pages |
Day 1: Chichicastenango on a Sunday
INGUAT calls Thursday and Sunday the most important days to visit, when the market reaches its peak. The market shuttles follow the same calendar. From Antigua, Atitrans lists Thursdays and Sundays only, leaving at 07:00 with a 3-hour journey. Other sellers on our Antigua to Chichicastenango page list 2.5 to 3 hours and a 14:00 return. From Panajachel, INGUAT gives 1.5 to 2 hours. Atitrans puts the town at 2,030 metres. Our Chichicastenango market guide covers church etiquette, the December fiesta and how to avoid the tour-bus window.
Instead of returning at 14:00, carry on to Xela. Our Xela to Chichicastenango page lists an Altiplanos departure from Chichicastenango at 16:00 for $20 (checked 4 November 2026). The listing does not say whether that is per person, it is a separate one-way ticket, and Altiplanos says some routes need a minimum number of people, so book it before the day.
Days 2 to 5: Xela, Almolonga and Zunil
Xela is the base for the week. Schedule Tuesday for Almolonga, one of the two plaza days in the 2016 profile, and pair it with Zunil. Our Zunil hot springs page compares Fuentes Georginas, Aguas Amargas and the sauna option, with their entry fees. Wednesday and Thursday stay open for a hike, a Spanish class or a rest day. If you missed Sunday in Chichicastenango, Thursday is its other market day.
Day 6: San Francisco El Alto on Friday
Prensa Libre described San Francisco El Alto in 2013 as the largest market in the highlands. Municipal figures in the same report counted more than 14,000 sellers a week, with Friday still the busiest day at about 6,000. Friday used to be the only important market day, and trading has since spread to Wednesday and Thursday. Our San Francisco El Alto market page covers the livestock area and Prensa Libre’s October 2013 figures.
Days 7 and 8: Huehuetenango and Todos Santos
Our Xela to Huehuetenango page lists Adrenalina Tours at 3 hours on its product page and 2.5 hours on its hub page, and Altiplanos at 07:30 and 14:00 for $20 (read 26 October 2026). Adrenalina’s two pages give different days and booking notice: the product page lists the outbound run Monday to Friday only, while the hub lists it daily, so a Saturday seat is not guaranteed. Confirm before paying. INGUAT puts the road distance at about 85 kilometres and the drive at 1.5 to 2 hours, shorter than the shuttle listings, and warns that rain, traffic, roadworks and road conditions all change journey times.
On the road from Huehuetenango to Todos Santos Cuchumatán, INGUAT places the Juan Diéguez Olaverri viewpoint in the Chiantla area. INGUAT describes Todos Santos as one of the best-known towns for its Mam culture and traditional dress, and as especially famous for its 1 November celebrations. It adds that these are not staged for visitors. Our things to do in Huehuetenango guide covers more of the department if you have extra days.
The UK government advises that areas in and around Huehuetenango department have high levels of crime. It recommends a reputable tour company, staying within the tourist areas and travelling by daylight where possible.
The 4-day version (start on a Thursday)
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| 1 (Thu) | Chichicastenango market, then the 16:00 Altiplanos service to Xela |
| 2 (Fri) | San Francisco El Alto market in the morning; Xela in the afternoon |
| 3 (Sat) | Zunil and the hot springs |
| 4 (Sun) | Return to Antigua or Lake Atitlán |
Friday is also a plaza day in Almolonga, per the 2016 profile, so on a Friday you choose between the two. For the trip back, start from our transport guide and pick the Xela route you need.
Adding Nebaj and the Ixil region
We have no dedicated route page for getting to Nebaj (the Nebaj town page lists the shuttle), so this route uses the trek as the way in. Quetzaltrekkers’ Nebaj to Todos Santos trek runs 5 days for 2,200Q per person, with 3 homestays and 1 hostel night. The price rises to GTQ 2,300 on 1 January 2027 (read 25 October 2026). It meets at the Quetzaltrekkers office in Xela the evening before, and the group returns to Xela at the end. The details are on our Nebaj to Todos Santos trek page. The trek page lists a mandatory 18:00 meeting at that office the evening before departure, so be in Xela by then rather than arriving on the evening service from Chichicastenango. To fit it in, run the trek over days 3 to 7 of the eight-day plan, with the meeting on the evening of day 2 (this drops Almolonga, San Francisco El Alto and the Huehuetenango road), or add five days to the end.
Sources
- INGUAT, Chichicastenango: guía completa para tu visita a Guatemala, https://visitguatemala.gt/en/blog/chichicastenango/, read 4 November 2026
- INGUAT, Huehuetenango: What to see, what to do and how to get there, https://visitguatemala.gt/en/blog/what-see-do-huehuetenango/, read 4 November 2026
- Atitrans, Antigua to Chichicastenango market round trip, https://www.atitrans.net/shuttle/antigua/shuttle-antigua-guatemala-to-chichicastenango-market-round-trip/, read 4 November 2026
- Prensa Libre, report on San Francisco El Alto market (2 June 2013), https://www.prensalibre.com/?p=218559, read 4 November 2026
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Guatemala: safety and security, https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/guatemala/safety-and-security, read 4 November 2026
- Transfer times, fares and the trek price: our transport and hiking guides linked above, each with its own operator sources and read dates
- Banco de Guatemala reference exchange rates for business day 3 November 2026 (USD 7.63621, CAD 5.46087, GBP 9.8002 quetzales)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which days are the big highland markets?
Chichicastenango’s market is busiest on Thursday and Sunday, per INGUAT, and the Antigua market shuttles run only on those two days. San Francisco El Alto’s main day is Friday: Prensa Libre (2 June 2013), citing municipal figures, counted more than 14,000 sellers a week and about 6,000 on Friday alone, with trading also spreading to Wednesday and Thursday.
How many days do I need for the western highlands?
Eight days covers Chichicastenango, Xela with Almolonga and Zunil, San Francisco El Alto, Huehuetenango and Todos Santos, with free days in Xela to absorb delays. Four days, starting on a Thursday, is enough for Chichicastenango, the Friday market at San Francisco El Alto and a day around Xela.
Can I go from Chichicastenango to Xela the same day?
Our Xela-Chichicastenango page lists an Altiplanos departure from Chichicastenango to Quetzaltenango at 16:00 for $20 (checked 4 November 2026). The listing does not specify the currency code or whether the fare is per person, it is a separate one-way service, and Altiplanos says some routes need a minimum number of people, so confirm before you travel.
How long is the trip from Xela to Huehuetenango?
Adrenalina Tours lists 3 hours on its product page and 2.5 hours on its Xela hub page, and Altiplanos lists departures at 07:30 and 14:00 for $20 (our Xela to Huehuetenango page, read 26 October 2026). INGUAT puts the road distance at about 85 kilometres and the drive at one and a half to two hours, shorter than the shuttle listings.
How do I fit Nebaj into a highlands trip?
This route does it on foot. Quetzaltrekkers runs a 5-day Nebaj to Todos Santos trek from its Xela office at 2,200Q per person, rising to GTQ 2,300 on 1 January 2027 (read 25 October 2026). That is about US$288, C$403 or £224 at Banguat’s 3 November 2026 rates.
