GUATEMALA
COUNTRY CONTEXT
Size: 42,085 mi² (109,000 km²)
Languages: Spanish is the official language and is spoken by the majority of the population. There are also ~25 Indigenous languages throughout the country, including 22 different Mayan languages. If you don’t speak Spanish, you should be able to get along okay in English, given many people in the tourism industry speak the language perfectly. That being said, English is far from omnipresent and definitely much rarer in rural areas.
Currency: Guatemalan quetzal (Q)
Something You Should Know: XX
OUR TRAVEL SUMMARY
We spent about three weeks in Guatemala in December 2022. We spent about a week rock climbing at Lake Amatitlán (not the much more popular Lake Atitlán) outside of Guatemala City, a few days exploring the town of Antigua and its surrounding volcanoes, and a week adventuring in Petén — the northernmost department in the country home to many Maya ruins. In terms of logistics, we traveled around by private transfer in and around Guatemala City and Antigua, and we flew to Petén. We either camped or stayed at hostels and Airbnbs. Food-wise, we largely ate out — for the most part, it was very possible to find great, cheap local restaurants. Cost-wise, prices were varied; accommodations and tours were mid-range, while food and transfers were usually more affordable.
Between amazing food (I still dream of desayuno tradicional), one-of-a-kind nature experiences (how many times have you sat across from an erupting volcano?), and fascinating culture past and present, Guatemala has a whole lot to capture your interest — we both left the country knowing a return trip would be necessary! See below for our experience-specific guides.
