Guatemala Travel FAQs

Up to date information for vaccinations before you travel to Guatemala are available from the NHS website

For up to date information around safety and security in Guatemala read the Foreign & Commonwealth Office latest information for Guatemala.

The Best Time to Visit Guatemala: Dry season(summer) – November to April. The dry season (or summer) is considered by many to be the best time to visit Guatemala. It extends from November through to April across most of the country, with the Pacific Coast experiencing a slightly longer summer season.

British citizens don't need a visa to visit Guatemala for up to 90 days. For further information on entry requirements for tourists and for those planning to work in Guatemala, contact the Guatemalan Embassy in London.If you overstay your visa then you should expect to pay a fine before leaving the country.

The official currency of Guatemala is the Guatemalan quetzal.

The wildlife in Guatemala includes an almost endless list of species such as the iguana, sea turtle, crocodile, snake, howler, stork, spider monkey, ape, tapir, puma, jaguar, deer, ocelot, monkey, scarlet macaw, peccary, and many types of rodents.

Pepian is the national dish, slow-cooked meats; vegetables like onion, tomato, poblano pepper and chunks of potato; and seeds and nuts like peppercorns, pumpkin seeds and cumin seeds.

Guatemalan Spanish is the local variant of the Spanish language. Twenty-one Mayan languages are spoken, especially in rural areas, as well as two non-Mayan Amerindian languages, Xinca, an indigenous language, and Garifuna, an Arawakan language spoken on the Caribbean coast.

The currency in Guatemala is the Guatemalan quetzal. In Guatemala tipping is a question of rewarding good service rather than an obligation. Restaurant bills don't include gratuities; adding 10% is customary.

Local Guatemala travel experts are available.