El Paredón lies on the Pacific coast of Guatemala, roughly two hours from Antigua and three hours from Guatemala City. It is accessible via two different routes, either coming via land or via boat (travelling down the canal until you arrive at the community from the Sipacate side). Here we will explain how to get to El Paredón, how much each route will cost, and how to book the transport.
There are several shuttle companies that service El Paredón from several other cities for about Q115 per trip. While you can easily find shuttles with varying prices (and potentially air conditioning) upon daytime arrival at the airport, here are two services that LCC volunteers use regularly.
NEWay Tours: Schedule a collective shuttle from Guatemala City or Antigua. Contact via WhatsApp, letting them know where you want to be picked up, and tell them to drop you off at La Choza Chula.
Check their Facebook page to see what times are available, and be ready to pay in cash. Make sure you book in advance as they can fill up quickly.
Roadrunner: Schedule a collective or private shuttle from Antigua, Guatemala City, Panajachel (Lake Atitlan) and more. Check their website for hours and locations (you can filter by Paredón Inbound), and don’t be afraid to text them via WhatsApp as well.
The trip from Antigua or Guatemala City to El Paredón takes roughly 2.5 hours, depending on traffic.
Still looking? Guatemala Transportation has an extensive list of services at varying prices, including from outside Guatemala.
While more expensive, private shuttles are available from many of the same companies. You can ask for additional information and book this shuttle via NEWay, Roadrunner, or several other companies you can easily search for online. Just look up “Shuttles Guatemala El Paredón.”
If you are travelling overland from the Sipacate side, you can arrive by ferry rather than driving all the way around the canal. Take a tuk-tuk (small taxi, Q5) from the gas station in Sipacate, or drive your vehicle to El Escondite, a very small public pier at the western end of the main road. Leave the tuk-tuk and take a public boat (Q5 per person, 15-minute ride) that goes to El Paredón. If you are driving your own vehicle, it’s Q85-Q100 per vehicle.
It is also possible to travel to El Paredón from other main cities via chicken bus. However, this route takes approximately 2 hours longer, and is reportedly more dangerous and more uncomfortable. It is not recommended especially if you have all of your belongings in Guatemala with you. They have also been known to try to charge tourists more for tickets in the past.
For any questions, please contact us at info@lachozachula.org.