Guatemala
Volcanoes, Maya cities and highland markets, on a tailor–made journey through the living heart of the Maya world.
Guatemala holds four UNESCO World Heritage sites in a country you can cross in a morning’s flight. Picture yourself walking the cobbled streets of Antigua at the foot of three volcanoes, crossing Lake Atitlan by boat to villages where weaving is still done by hand, bargaining at the Chichicastenango market in K’iche’, then standing on the Great Plaza of Tikal as howler monkeys move through the rainforest canopy above the temples.
At AZORA we design tailor–made trips to Guatemala, created just for you by our local expert. Explore our sample itineraries to inspire your next escape and contact us to craft an authentic and sustainable journey together.
Guatemala at a glance
- Where: northern Central America, between Mexico, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador, with a Pacific and a Caribbean coast.
- Languages: Spanish, spoken alongside more than twenty Maya languages. AZORA journeys are guided by local French–speaking guides.
- Currency: the quetzal.
- Main gateway: La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, with a domestic flight north to Flores for the Peten.
- UNESCO World Heritage sites: four. Tikal National Park and Antigua Guatemala, both inscribed in 1979, the Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quirigua in 1981, and Tak’alik Ab’aj National Archaeological Park in 2023 (source: UNESCO World Heritage Convention).
- Best season: November to April, the dry season.
- Recommended length: 10 days for Guatemala alone, 14 days combined with Belize.
- Getting around: private air–conditioned vehicle with your own driver, plus domestic flights, which are always included in AZORA journeys. International flights are excluded and can be arranged separately, see our airline comparator.
- Good to know: Antigua, Guatemala City and Lake Atitlan sit at altitude, and highland evenings are cool all year, even in the dry season.
Our tailor-made journeys in Guatemala
THE ESSENTIAL OF GUATEMALA
Antigua Guatemala · Chichicastenango · Lake Atitlan · San Juan La Laguna · Atitlan nature reserve · Pacaya volcano · Flores · Tikal · Yaxha · Guatemala City
10 DAYS / 9 NIGHTS
Your travel can be customized according to your wishes.
GUATEMALA & BELIZE, MAYA LANDS AND CARIBBEAN BLUE
The Guatemalan highlands, volcanoes, Maya markets and a UNESCO–listed colonial city, then across the border into Belize for the Maya sites of the Cayo District and the Caribbean coast
14 DAYS / 13 NIGHTS
Your travel can be customized according to your wishes.
Where to go in Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala, the colonial capital
Founded in the sixteenth century and abandoned as capital after the earthquake of 1773, Antigua kept its grid of cobbled streets, its ruined convents and its baroque facades, and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1979. Three volcanoes close the horizon, and Holy Week here is one of the most striking religious events in Latin America.
Lake Atitlan and its Maya villages
A lake held in a volcanic caldera, ringed by villages that are still reached most easily by boat. San Juan La Laguna is known for its weaving and natural–dye cooperatives, Santa Cruz for its quiet shore. Mornings are usually clear, and the light on the volcanoes is at its best before the wind rises.
Chichicastenango and the highland markets
The market fills the streets on Thursdays and Sundays only, which is why any serious Guatemala itinerary is built around those two days. Beyond the stalls, the church of Santo Tomas stands on a Maya platform and the hilltop shrine of Pascual Abaj is still used for Maya ceremonies.
Tikal, Yaxha and the Peten rainforest
Tikal is a mixed UNESCO site, listed for its Maya architecture and for the rainforest around it, where howler monkeys, toucans and coatis are part of the visit. Yaxha, set between two lakes an hour to the east, receives a fraction of the visitors and is at its best in the late afternoon. Both are reached from Flores, a small coloured town on an island in Lake Peten Itza.
The volcanoes
Pacaya is the most accessible active volcano in the country and is climbed in a morning, at an easy to moderate pace, with horses available on site for those who prefer. Acatenango, facing the constantly active Fuego, is a far more demanding overnight ascent that we only include when the group is prepared for it.
Beyond the classic route
Semuc Champey and its turquoise limestone pools, the carved stelae of Quirigua on the Caribbean plain, or a crossing into Belize or the Mexican Yucatan. These are the extensions our travellers add most often, and each one changes the length and the rhythm of the journey.
When to go to Guatemala
November to April is the dry season and the easiest time to travel: clear mornings over Lake Atitlan, firm tracks in the Peten and reliable light on the volcanoes. December to February are the coolest months in the highlands, where evenings drop noticeably at altitude.
May to October is the rainy season. Showers are heavy but usually short and concentrated in the afternoon, mornings stay clear most days, the landscapes are far greener and the sites are quieter. The unpaved road to Yaxha can be slow after heavy rain, which is the main practical limit of this period.
Two dates fill hotels well in advance: Holy Week in Antigua, in March or April, and the Day of the Dead at the beginning of November. If you want to travel then, book early.
Travelling to Guatemala, frequently asked questions
Where is Guatemala and what language is spoken there?
Guatemala sits at the northern end of Central America, bordered by Mexico, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador, with coastlines on both the Pacific and the Caribbean. Spanish is the official language, spoken alongside more than twenty Maya languages, and on our journeys you travel with local French-speaking guides.
When is the best time to travel to Guatemala?
The dry season, from November to April, is the most comfortable window, with clear mornings over Lake Atitlan and firm tracks in the Peten. The rainy season, from May to October, brings short heavy afternoon showers, greener landscapes and fewer visitors, and the mornings are usually clear.
How long should a trip to Guatemala be?
Ten days is the shortest sensible route through the highlands and the Peten. Fourteen days lets you add the Caribbean coast of Belize, and a slower pace or an extension such as Semuc Champey pushes the journey towards sixteen days.
How many UNESCO World Heritage sites does Guatemala have?
Four. Tikal National Park and Antigua Guatemala were both inscribed in 1979, the Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quirigua in 1981, and Tak’alik Ab’aj National Archaeological Park in 2023. Tikal is a mixed site, listed for its Maya architecture and for the rainforest that surrounds it.
Which Maya sites can you visit in Guatemala?
Tikal is the largest and best known, rising straight out of the Peten rainforest. Yaxha, set between two lakes, receives a fraction of the visitors. Quirigua, on the Caribbean plain, is famous for the tallest carved stelae of the Maya world, and a day trip across the border to Caracol or Xunantunich in Belize can be added.
Is Guatemala a good destination for volcano hiking?
Yes. Pacaya is the most accessible active volcano and is climbed in a morning, at an easy to moderate pace, with horses available on site. Acatenango is a far more demanding overnight ascent facing the Fuego volcano, and we only include it when the group is prepared for it.
Can Guatemala be combined with Belize or Mexico?
Yes. Our fourteen-day journey crosses overland from the Peten to the Belize barrier reef, which is the most natural combination. Mexico, and the Yucatan in particular, is reached by the same northern border and can be added to either itinerary.
How do you travel around Guatemala?
On our journeys, by private air-conditioned vehicle with your own driver, plus the domestic flight between Guatemala City and Flores in both directions. Domestic flights are always included in AZORA journeys, international flights never are.
What are the entry requirements for Guatemala?
Requirements depend on your nationality and change over time, and crossing into Belize or Mexico adds its own border formalities. Always confirm the current rules with the official sources for your country before you book, and AZORA will flag anything specific to your itinerary.
Can an AZORA trip to Guatemala be tailor-made?
Yes. The itineraries shown here are starting points, not fixed packages. The length, the pace, the hotel standard and the experiences are all adjusted to you, and a local expert builds the journey around your wishes.
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