El Rostro Maya (Indian Nose) Hike in Lake Atitlán

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El Rostro Maya hike (previously called the Mayan Face or Indian Nose) is one of the most popular trails and things to do in Lake Atitlán.

The Indian Nose (La Nariz or La Nariz del Indio in Spanish) towers above the other hills surrounding the lake, making it easy to spot from the Tz’utujil Maya town of San Pedro La Laguna, located just opposite.

It was one of the first activities on my bucket list after crossing from Mexico into Guatemala.

While it certainly isn’t for the fainthearted, hiking Indian Nose in Guatemala is a beautiful way to connect with nature and get a panoramic perspective of Lake Atitlan and the surrounding landscapes.

In the early hours of the morning, both locals and tourists come to watch the sunrise as it peeks out behind the chain of volcanoes nearby and far away.

Hiking Indian’s Nose is a must for enjoying an outdoor adventure while learning about the surrounding Maya towns and volcanoes.

This is particularly true if you appreciate nature and want to learn more about volcanism in Guatemala.

Going with a geologist makes for an even better experience — which is what we did on the extended version of the Indian Nose hike from San Juan La Laguna.

There are multiple ways to complete the Indian Nose hike, including the short sunrise hike or a much longer yet scenic 2.5-hour trek.

Before strapping on your hiking boots, here’s everything you need to know about the El Rostro Maya hike in Lake Atitlán, Guatemala.

The Complete Guide: Indian Nose Hike in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

How to Get to the Indian Nose Viewpoint in Lake Atitlan

The hike up to El Rostro Maya leaves from either San Pedro La Laguna or Santa Clara La Laguna, depending on whether you want to do the short sunrise hike or the longer hike up the mountain.

Both of these towns are situated along Lake Atitlan’s western shore. Your tour provider will guide you along the hike from either of these starting points.

Can You Hike Indian’s Nose Without a Guide?

Before our hike up to Indian Nose, we had often heard and read online about safety concerns regarding hiking around the lake — whether it be Indian’s Nose or the hike between Santa Cruz and San Marcos.

There have been reports of petty robberies, but they’re rare. In the case of the Indian Nose hike, it’s most often a misunderstanding.

The land on which the Indian Nose trail sits is actually partitioned into three sections, each owned by different landowners.

So, of course, in good Guatemalan fashion, it only makes sense that you pay a fee to pass through said land.

Because the hike up to Indian Nose crosses several areas where the land is divided (the chin, the nose, the eyes, etc), there are several fees to pay.

Not many tourists know this and think they are being robbed—as our guide said—because the landowners and sons, even if they’re not aggressing you, will ask for a fee and it can be intimidating to see them with a machete strapped to their hips.

If you don’t know these owners or land personally, it can be difficult for tourists like you and me to know who to pay and who to trust. This gets even trickier if you don’t speak Spanish.

For your general safety and just in case, I recommend that you hike Indian’s Nose with a guide.

You technically could go on your own, but you shouldn’t.

Not only will it be safer, but you’ll likely save money, too. If you go on your own, you’re likely to be overcharged.

Indian’s Nose Viewpoint Sunrise Hike VS the Long Hike

You have two options when it comes to hiking Indian’s Nose.

Sunrise Hike (35 – 45 minutes up)

If you want to hike up to Indian Nose for sunrise, your tour operator will shuttle you from San Pedro La Laguna to Santa Clara La Laguna. You’ll then hike the short 35-45 minute trail to watch the sunrise from the summit.

You could also do this later in the day, but the sunrise option is the most popular.

The total distance of this route is 4 miles roundtrip or about 6.4 km. 

Long Hike (2.5 – 3 hours up)

For the long and intense hike, you’ll depart later in the morning and start your ascent from the bottom of San Juan La Laguna, just next door to San Pedro.

Here, you will pay the park entrance fee (30 GTQ) and then slowly zig-zag your way up the face of the Indian, who appears to be lying peacefully under the forested mountains (that is, if you are looking at him the proper way – chin on the right).

We decided to do the longer hike because it offered more vistas and explanations about the lake and surrounding towns. I’d recommend it if you enjoy hiking and don’t mind a good sweat.

This longer version of the hike is about 5 miles long roundtrip or 8 km.

No matter which version of the hike you end up doing, since the Indian Nose summit is situated on the northwest shore of Lago de Atitlan, you will be able to see the:

• Volcán San Pedro
• Volcán Toliman (and its little “parasitic cone” of Cerro del Oro)
• Volcán Atitlán
• Towns of San Juan La Laguna, San Pedro La Laguna, and Santa Clara La Laguna, as well as some of the towns on the left shore on a clear day (San Pablo, San Marcos, Santa Cruz, and Santa Catarina Palopó and San Antonio Palopó).

Indian Nose Hike Tour Cost

There are a few ways you can book the Indian Nose hike tour.

• In-person at one of the local tour operators in San Pedro La Laguna (on the main road just off the Pana dock)
• Online via GetYourGuide or Viator
• Matt, the geologist and the fun and knowledgeable expat and owner of Geo Travel Guatemala, will excitedly tell you about Guatemala’s volcanism and how Lake Atitlán was formed! Check out his website to get in touch with Matt for bookings.

Having done the hike with Matt, I can say that you will get the best price and value with his Indian Nose tour (275-450 GTQ per person, depending on group size).

He also offers sunrise tours (including the geology spiel, so you don’t miss out on anything) and private transfers to the airport.

Best Indian Nose Hiking Tours & How to Book

As I mentioned, it’s not recommended to do the Indian Nose hike on your own for safety reasons.

Hiking with a guide offers many benefits, including supporting local businesses, giving you a more educational experience, and ensuring your safety.

Aside from the hike with Matt and his Geology expertise, other great organized hikes up Indian Nose are offered online for around $50 per person!

These are particularly good options if you want to book your tour beforehand.

Sunrise Hike Tour Indian Nose

• From $52 per person
• Private guide
• Coffee, tea, and bottled water provided
• Pick up in an air-conditioned vehicle
  • Additional pickup is offered in further locations by boat
• Book here

If you’re interested in getting panoramic views of Lake Atitlan at sunrise, this is the hike of Indian Nose for you!

For those staying in the nearby towns of San Pedro, San Juan, or San Marcos, you’ll be picked up in a comfortable vehicle and transported to the start of the trail.

Hike up the short route to Rostro Maya with a private guide, navigating the path as the sky begins to fade from star-studded shades of indigo to peachy hues, the sun peaking up over the volcanoes in the distance. 

Enjoy tea and coffee at the summit before making your way back down. You can also be picked up by boat from towns further away for an additional fee.

Indian Nose Hike & Cliff Jumping

• From $160 per person
• Entrance fees included
• Private group
• Knowledgeable guide
• Bottled water included
• Book here

Thrillseekers and adventure lovers alike will love this Indian Nose hiking tour, which also includes cliff jumping in the nearby Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve. With your guide, start the day by hiking up the short route to Indian Nose for sunrise. 

After an epic morning of trekking, you’ll head to your next spot by speed boat for swimming and cliff jumping.

This is considered one of Lake Atitlan’s cleanest and most beautiful spots. The main pickup location is in San Juan La Laguna, but San Pedro and Panajachel can also be arranged. 

Gather a group of newfound friends for this tour, as it gets less expensive the more people in your party!

Our Experience Hiking Indian’s Nose with a Geologist

The summit of Indian Nose sits at over 2200 m (7217 ft), which means it’s a pretty decent climb if you’re coming from the mountain’s base.

Lake Atitlan is 1562 m (5128 ft) in altitude, which works out to be around a 650-750 m (2300 ft) ascent. Not bad, eh?

I am thankful for all the stairs leading up to our Airbnb in San Pedro because without this minimal “training,” I would’ve had difficulty climbing up to Indian’s Nose.

Our morning began by hopping in a bright red tuk-tuk, where we picked up some sunscreen and met Matt at the Pana dock in San Pedro.

Together, along with his adventure pup Spike, we speedily jumped into a lancha boat and skirted across the lake to San Juan La Laguna – the town just over. (Normally, you could go via the road connecting the two towns, but it was under construction when we went).

Our hike technically began straight from the dock into San Juan La Laguna, which is quite the climb in itself.

From the town, the hike continues up into the park to access Mirador La Cruz (viewpoint) overlooking the town. From there, the trail splits off to the left and continues up the mountain until the top.

Along the way, we learned about the native flora speckling the hills, the coffee plantations hiding under the forested slopes of the mountain, the corn harvesting season, and the colorful indigenous communities that populate the lakeside Mayan towns.

The storytelling and fun facts courtesy of Matt made the time go by quickly. We kept a steady pace nonetheless, eager to beat the clouds already covering the volcano peaks in the distance that can normally be seen on a clear, sunny day.

Once at the top, we had plenty of time to rest, eat our snacks (and sip on a surprise), before listening to Matt in an all-too-perfect classroom setting – in the bewildering setting of nature herself.

For the next hour, while Matt drew charts and visuals in the dirt with a stick, that Spike loved to steal, we listened attentively and with great curiosity about the geology of not only Lake Atitlan and Guatemala but about volcanism around the world. 

On a clear day, you can see 8 of Guatemala’s 30+ impressive volcanoes from atop Indian’s Nose, including Volcán Fuego and Volcán Acatenango in Antigua, the charming colonial city 2.5 hours away.

The geology talk truly puts what you’re gazing at into perspective on a global scale. Oh, how small we truly are!

After our photo session at the summit, we headed back down the mountain, this time via the Santa Clara—Indian Nose trail, which is a little less steep, before rejoining the path from which we had come just a few hours earlier.

If all that sounds like your kinda adventure, then book your Indian Nose tour with Matt, the Geologist – you won’t regret it. 🙂

What to Do After the Indian Nose Hike in Lake Atitlan

Depending on which town you’re returning to after the hike, whether it be the small village of San Juan La Laguna or the backpacker haven of San Pedro La Laguna, you’ll have plenty of things to keep you busy for the rest of the day. 

Some of the best things to do in San Juan La Laguna include browsing for naturally dyed textiles, cafe hopping, or perusing art galleries. You can also grab a celebratory, post-hike glass of wine at El Gato Perdido. 

If you’re looking for things to do in San Pedro La Laguna after the Indian Nose hike, spend the rest of the afternoon entrenched in the arts at the Teixchel Women’s Weaving Association and uncovering street art or learn more about the heritage of the village at the Tzunun’ya Museum.

What to Wear & Pack for the Indian Nose Hike

The elevation gain hiking up to Indian Nose can make it go from reasonably warm to chilly, especially in the mornings when the sun isn’t yet shining.

Here is a quick and easy packing list to keep handy before setting out on the Indian Nose hike.

• Reusable water bottle (32 oz. per person recommended)
• Hiking shoes (be wary of loose rocks and soil)
• Light jacket
• Capris or shorts (just mind the prickly plants and biting insects)
• Biodegradable bug repellent
• Sunscreen
• Hat or sunglasses
• Granola bars
• Action camera
• Small change (quetzales)
• Rain-proof day bag to carry it all in

Please practice Leave No Trace! Whatever trash you pack in, be sure to pack out! Read more eco-friendly travel tips here.

Let’s keep this land plastic-free, shall we?

Also, beware that there are no public restrooms at the top.

If you are looking for a great hike to do around Lake Atitlan while learning about the country’s wild landscapes, don’t miss out on the Indian Nose hike.

Whether you want to do the short or the long version, you will be rewarded with jaw-dropping panoramic views.

If you have any questions about hiking Indian’s Nose or what to do around the lake, check out my other guides to Guatemala and drop me a comment below!

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