Guatemala holidays : introduction

Guatemala is a colourful land of volcanoes, colonial cities, archaeology, wildlife and the heart of the Maya world. Most of the indigenous population live in the south of the country, and there are over 2,000 archaeological sites, many of which have yet to be excavated. The Easter celebrations in Antigua are a riot of colour and sound: bright carpets of sawdust and flowers are laid along the processional route.

A visit to Guatemala can easily be combined with Belize, Mexico or Honduras, or by air with Costa Rica.

Climate and when to go

Dry season is early October to May, but even in the rainy season showers generally fall only in the afternoons, except for September which can be very wet. There is usually a 6 week Indian summer (canícula) in mid July. It is coolest in December and January, especially in the highlands. In the Petén March and April are the hottest months and temperatures of 36ºC and 85% humidity are not uncommon.

 

“Just a word to tell you that we had a fab trip and all went according to plan. We loved every bit of it. Thank you again for all your help and for arranging the trip. It was an amazing experience all round.” - NPS

“Thank you for your part in making it all happen for us in the way we wanted - that is, to learn more about the 4 countries we visited, to experience their cultures, to marvel at their inheritance from ancient civilisations, to admire their landscapes, to wander the streets of some great cities and to reacquaint ourselves with some Central American wildlife. We have an overriding impression of friendly, welcoming people, helpful drivers and good guides.” - LG

“We had an absolutely brilliant trip to Guatemala (with a tiny bit of El Salvador tacked on). Huge thanks to both your organisations for your top class work. The advice that we received in the UK at the planning stage was excellent and the service on the ground was outstanding. Everyone that we dealt with was right on top of his or her job.” - RL

“We had a fantastic holiday and Guatemala and Belize made a wonderful combination of contrasts. Thank you very much for all you did in making our holiday such a success.” - SK