Discover Guatemala - Ancient Maya ruins, enchanting towns, vibrant markets, towering volcanoes & spectacular scenery.
Discover our Guatemala ItinerariesEvery Guatemala holiday that we arrange starts with a blank canvas from which we then strive to create the perfect itinerary for your specific individual requirements — your route, your pace and your choice of accommodation together with your own car and driver / guide. Together with our local expert agents, there probably isn’t a combination of cities, countryside and Maya sites that we can’t arrange.
For a relatively small country, Guatemala sure packs in a lot of variety: steamy lowland jungles in the north, cool & mountainous highlands in the south, dramatic rivers such as the Rio Dulce, spellbinding Lake Atitlan, countless atmospheric Maya ruins such as Tikal, Yaxha & Iximche, traditional & colourful indigenous markets at Chichicastenango & Solola, towering, lava spewing volcanoes, trekking, cycling and birdwatching. And of course, the most beautiful town in all of Central America, Antigua.
Beyond The Ordinary arrange fully bonded, tailor made holidays and tours to Guatemala. Contact one of our experts on 01580 764796, email travel@beyondtheordinary.co.uk or contact us via our website.
The fact that it lacks the picture-postcard beaches of its near neighbours means that a holiday to Guatemala really is all about touring and exploring, my great passion.
With that in mind, and while I will always love and highly recommend the key destinations of Antigua, Lake Atitlan & Tikal, I also enjoy getting off the beaten track. That is why I so enjoyed researching our The Road Less Travelled itinerary which, as the name suggests, takes in parts of Guatemala that very few visitors ever get to experience.
Boating down the Pasion River to the Maya ruins of Ceibal will always be an unforgettable experience although perhaps best avoided in October – feel free to ask why!
Call Jon on 01580 764796
Personal recommendations
The following are just a small selection of my favourite experiences in Guatemala. Depending on your individual interests, there are many more that I can suggest and arrange as part of a private, tailor made tour of the country.
Wandering the impossibly atmospheric streets of Antigua
Boating down the Pasion River to the ruined Maya city of Ceibal
Climbing a volcano, either Pacaya or Acatenango
Visiting traditional, Maya villages on a day hike at Lake Atitlan
Relaxing in the beautiful pools of Semuc Champey
Listening to the cacophonous calls of howler monkeys at Yaxha
Tucking into a big bowl of Tapado on Livingston island
Gliding along the majestic Rio Dulce in Peten province
Taking in a traditional, indigenous market such as Chichicastenango
The Guatemala Specialists
All our holidays are entirely tailor made, so these are just some initial ideas to get you inspired.
This classic 10 night itinerary packs in the key highlights of Guatemala including Antigua, Chichicastenango, Lake Atitlan, Flores and Tikal. In addition, it includes visits to two of Guatemala's lesser known Mayan sites at Iximche and Yaxha.
This brief itinerary around the Guatemala Highlands takes in the key destinations of Antigua, Chichicastenango & Lake Atitlan together with some lesser known ones such as the Mayan ruins of Iximche and the city of Quetzaltenango.
This classic Guatemala itinerary starts in the Highland region, taking in Antigua, Chichicastenango & Lake Atitlan amongst others before heading north via Quirigua, Livingston & Rio Dulce to the vast flatlands of Peten, home to the great Mayan cities of Tikal & Yaxha.
Starting in Flores and ending in Antigua, this itinerary takes clients on the backroads of Guatemala, visting sites and regions that the vast majority of visitors to the country never see. The travel isn't always easy or comfortable and accomodation options very limited but, for those who like to...
No single itinerary can ever succeed in being entirely comprehensive but our private, 3-week, Complete Guatemala comes pretty darn close and even provides the option of quick detour into Honduras.
This 2 week tour combines gentle hiking around the Highlands of Guatemala - including Antigua, Lake Atitlan & Quetzaltenango - with time to take in some of the region's key cultural highlights and activities.
While the focus of our Guatemala holidays is very much on touring and exploring, and the country lacks any beach locations of note, that is not to say that flopping out post tour is out of the question. The simplest option is to tag on a few days in Belize at the end while Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is also just a short flight away. Both offer stunning, Caribbean beaches and a variety of hotel options.
We feature almost all the key Guatemala holiday destinations and traveller highlights. These are 6 of the most visited but simply click on the link for details of all our featured destinations.
Central America's most beautiful town
Iconic, twice weekly indigenous market
Picture postcard lake and towering volcanoes
Stunning, world famous Maya site
Picturesque island town and gateway to Peten's many Maya treasures
Garifuna culture & river expedition
Beyond The Ordinary is a genuine, specialist tour operator, featuring just a handful of countries including Guatemala. Having travelled extensively around the country, we have a detailed knowledge of its many and varied attractions and, together with our expert local partners, can help put together your ideal holiday itinerary.
We only feature 4 countries, all within the same region.
All holidays can be tailor made to clients’ requirements.
100% protection under our ATOL & ABTOT bonds.
Beyond The Ordinary feature a wide variety of hotels right across Guatemala from simple inns to luxury hotels. These are 6 of our favourite Guatemala hotels but there are many more that we can recommend.
Talk to a specialist
Call Jon on 01580 764796 or email travel@beyondtheordinary.co.uk.
No obligation. No automated response. Jon replies to every enquiry personally, usually the same day.
Delve into our Guatemala Travel Guide featuring flights, transport, family and luxury holidays.
Useful information
Unless you have been to Guatemala before, you’re bound to have a number of travel related questions. Fortunately, as specialists in tailor made Guatemala holidays, we are well used to all manner of Guatemala related questions, just some of which are answered below. Alternatively, please feel free to give us a call or drop us an email and we’ll be more than happy to answer all and any questions you may have.
British passport holders do not require a visa to enter Guatemala for stays up to 90 days. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your planned date of return to the UK.
All travellers entering Guatemala must also complete an online immigration, pre-clearance form from 2 weeks prior to arrival. You will receive a confirmation email, which you should print and take with you and / or have a screen shot of the QR code.
Non-UK citizens should check entry requirements with their nearest Guatemalan embassy.
If you are flying via the US, British and most other nationalities will require at least an ESTA, perhaps even a full US Visa. Please be certain to check your individual requirements before committing to any booking.
Guatemala is generally a safe country in which to travel, especially if you are part of an organized tour. Key tourist destinations such as Antigua & Lake Atitlan are considered safe. Guatemala City is somewhat more sketchy but can easily be bypassed altogether.
Beyond The Ordinary arrange private tours of Guatemala with expert Driver / Guides. For more independent travellers, there are long distance buses, tourist shuttles and even the iconic chicken bus. Domestic flights operate between Guatemala City & Flores.
No vaccinations are required for travel to Guatemala unless you are arriving from a country that is considered high risk for Yellow Fever, in which case you will require a Yellow Fever Certificate. Legal requirements aside, we always recommend that travellers seek expert medical advice in respect of all and any international travel.
The Guatemala currency is the Quetzal (named after the national bird) which is further divided into 100 centavos.
From the UK, it is now possible to buy Quetzales in advance of travelling to Guatemala. Once in-country, there are ATMs in all the major tourist destinations as well as within convenience stores.
While US$ are accepted in some tourist related businesses, such as high end hotels and some shops in Antigua & Lake Atitlan, exchange rates will generally be poor. We therefore recommend paying for all cash purchases in Quetzales, the currency of Guatemala.
There is currently no law in Guatemala requiring visitors to have travel insurance.
However, it is a condition of booking with Beyond The Ordinary that clients have full travel insurance in place before travel. We recommend taking this out as soon as you book and ensuring that such a policy includes Cancellation & Curtailment Cover.
Guatemala is a year round holiday destination although some months are naturally better than others. November through April is Guatemala’s high season with the weather generally at its best.
When making your travel arrangements, we understand just how important peace-of-mind is. Beyond The Ordinary hold both ATOL & ABTOT bonds so whether you book your flights through us, or independently, any money you pay us is 100% protected. More detailed information on Financial Protection can be found by clicking here.
Whichever of our featured countries you wish to visit, we've been there several times. So, if you're after something beyond the ordinary to Cuba, Nicaragua, Guatemala or the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, we'd love to hear from you.
