Country Information
The name Guatemala comes from the Mayan for ‘many trees’. It is the most populated country in Central America and is bordered by the Pacific, the Caribbean, Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Belize.
For a country that has had a pretty rough past, Guatemala is an extremely diverse and culturally rich place. The infusion of colourful Mayan culture, colonial Spanish influence and geological features make for a spectacular and colourful nation that is really still finding its feet.
Guatemala’s capital is Guatemala City, but for the tourist it is the colonial capital Antigua that holds sway over them. Antigua, only 40 minutes from Guatemala City is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is surrounded by three huge volcanoes- Volcan de Agua, Acatenango and Volcan de Fuego. Fuego is constantly active at a low level and can be seen to be smoking daily.
Geographically, Guatemala has two major mountain ranges, numerous volcanoes and lowlands covered in lush rainforests. It is amongst these that one can come across numerous ruins of the Mayan civilisation, most famously Tikal, with its 60 metre high temples. The rainforest around Tikal is full of wildlife including jaguars, howler monkeys, toucans and ocelots and has been designated the Maya Biosphere Reserve. The effects of its volcanic past can be seen where Guatemala meets the Pacific, in the form of vast black sand beaches, which are used by three different species of turtle, on which to lay their eggs.
A Peace Treaty between the leftist URNG guerrilla group and the Guatemalan government ended the 35 years of civil war in 1996. The rift that underlay the war (the divide between the rich and the poor- generally the indigenous Mayan population) still exists in Guatemala now, 11 years on, but the political situation is constantly increasing in stability.
Guatemala has a lot of history, biodiversity and culture to offer, something that every traveller should immerse themselves in.
Time
Guatemalan time is six hours behind GMT.
Getting There
You will need to fly to Guatemala City airport where you will be met and taken to your home stay accommodation.
Climate
Generally, Guatemala enjoys a pretty nice climate all year round. The Pacific and the Caribbean coast both get quite hot and humid, but you always have the sea breeze to cool you off. There is a rainy season, locally known as ‘winter’. This falls, roughly, between May and October, but really there are generally only showers in the afternoon and the rest of the day can be entirely pleasant. Altitude controls the climate somewhat, so the low-lying jungle areas are hot and humid all year round, whereas the higher areas including Antigua and Guatemala City have a more comfortable climate that can get quite cool at night.
