What's the best time to visit Guatemala?
Guatemala is one of the most popular destinations in Central America, thanks to its many Mayan ruins and spectacular landscapes. It’s also very popular among young backpackers, many of whom travel along the Central American circuit.
The spectacular landscapes in Guatemala are one of the main draws for visitors to this country, from the volcanic mountain ranges to the beaches.
Lake Atitlan is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations thanks to its placid waters and the strong Mayan culture around it. Guatemala also has a lot of history, visible in the Mayan ruins and colonial cities such as Antigua.
Even if you’re interested more in culture and history than adventure, a lot of the best things to see and do in Guatemala are outdoors. You definitely want to make sure you visit when you can actually enjoy spending time outside. We’ll show you this and more below.
Overall Best Time to Visit Guatemala
Livingston, Izabal/Guatemala-11/24/2018:Playa Blanca, one of the unique places on the country that has white sand/Fredy Estuardo Maldonado/Shutterstock
The best time to visit Guatemala is during one of the dry seasons, the longer one which runs from November to April and the shorter of which is in July and August.
Guatemala is located between the two tropics, which means that most of the country has a tropical climate (this isn’t true for some parts, such as the high mountains, which have more of an alpine climate).
That means that instead of the four seasons in continental climates, Guatemala experiences just two, a rainy and dry season. The exact timing of the rainy and dry seasons as well as other seasonal variations vary throughout the country.
Guatemala is larger than most visitors think and contains more diversity within it in terms of climate, so a mountainous region will have very different weather from the Caribbean coast.
However, a general rule of thumb is that the dry season lasts from November to April, and the rainy season takes up much of the rest of the year. There is a period where the weather dries out in the middle of the rainy season, around July and August.
The weather gets very hot then, which is why most people prefer to visit during the first dry season. The weather is a major reason why it’s better to visit during the dry season.
Not only is it more pleasant to walk around when it isn’t raining all day, but it’s also more practical. Many activities such as hiking volcanoes or visiting more remote Mayan ruins are impossible during the rainy season because the unpaved roads flood.
The heavy rains of the rainy season sometimes cause flooding and landslides. For lounging on the beach, the best time to visit is during one of the dry seasons. The weather is hotter in July and August, but temperatures even in November to April are pleasant along the Caribbean coast.
For serious surfers, peak waves are the best during the winter months. During the November-April dry season, you can catch a lot of cultural festivals and events geared towards tourists and locals alike.
Highlights include:
- The indigenous village of Chichicastenango’s festival of Santo Tomás (mid-December)
- Livingston’s Christmas Eve Carnival (December)
- Rabinal Fiesta (January)
- Holy Week and Easter (spring)
The summer is the best time to visit for people who are dependent on school vacation times or who are looking to improve their Spanish.
Guatemala is a popular destination for immersive Spanish language schools, and most of these schools operate during the summer. The short dry season during the summer is also great for swimming and other outdoor activities such as river tubing.
Least Cheapest Time to Visit Guatemala
PeterBatarseh/Shutterstock
The cheapest time to visit Guatemala is during the very beginning and end of the rainy season, April-May and September-October, when the prices of accommodations and other expenses tend to go down.
The rainy season is more affordable than the dry season because there is much less demand from tourists, so in general the atmosphere is more laid-back.
However, make sure that you avoid holidays. Holy Week and Easter in spring tend to be the most popular time for Guatemalans to travel, while July and August attract a lot of Northern Hemisphere visitors because of school breaks there.
Prices increase accordingly. During the rainy season’s tourist lull, many hotels and hostels offer discounts of up to 40% on rooms.
You also face less competition for house-sitting or home exchange bids, meaning that you can score accommodation for a very low price. The least expensive time to fly to Guatemala is during the fall rainy season.
Flight prices tend to be lowest in September and October, but the risk of your flight getting canceled due to a storm is highest during this time. You can also get good deals on a flight in late April and May, with less risk of getting rained out.
Least Busy Time to Visit Guatemala
Aleksandar Todorovic/Shutterstock
The least busy times to visit Guatemala are at the beginning and end of the rainy season, as few visitors want to brave the rains of May, June, September, and October, meaning that you will have a lot of popular attractions to yourself.
Even popular tourist attractions such as the city of Antigua and Lake Atitlan receive fewer visitors during the rainy season, meaning that if you want to have these areas all to yourself, these months are the best time to visit.
However, if you were hoping to have the typical backpacker experience of connecting with other travelers, this isn’t the best time to visit. If you want to beat the crowds but have a better chance of good weather, visit during the first half of the rainy season as the spring is less rainy than the fall.
Most downpours happen in the afternoon, so you can even schedule some outdoor activities during the morning, and lounge on the beach before the rains hit.
Worst Time to Visit Guatemala
Santa Rosa Guatemala 09/12/2019 latin street flooding in Guatemala/ShutterPrice/Shutterstock
The worst time to visit Guatemala is during the fall, which is the rainiest time of year. The spring rainy season is also fairly unpleasant. When it rains in Guatemala, it pours — literally.
The rainy season means that there are heavy downpours nearly daily, with the heaviest rains occurring in September and October. Most of these rains come with negative consequences such as mud, power outages, and even flooding and landslides.
Coastal parts of Guatemala are also affected by hurricanes during the rainy season, which strike most often between late August and early October. The areas that are affected most by hurricanes are Petén and the Pacific Coast.
Hurricanes are not usually deadly in the country, but they will disrupt your travel plans heavily. It is possible to travel through Guatemala during the rainy season, and some people find that it is a more rewarding experience because you get to bond with the locals over the shared experience.
As long as you are prepared with the right gear and are flexible with your plans in case the rain causes part of your trip to get canceled, it can be fun.
Towards the end of fall, by late October and early November, the rains begin to peter out and you can see Guatemala at its most lush and magical (although more remote roads are still muddy). Stick around long enough and you can catch the Day of the Dead celebrations.
Things to Consider
ANTIGUA, GUATEMALA – APRIL 22: View of colonial colorful buildings in Antigua, Guatemala on April 22, 2014. Antigua is the the former capital of Guatemala and was relocated in 1776 to Guatemala City/Molosz Maslanka/Shutterstock
Here are a few additional tips for finding the best time to visit Guatemala:
- If traveling in the high season, book well in advance. Popular resort areas fill up quickly, especially around Easter.
- Prepare for the rainy season with the right gear. Bring waterproof clothing and waterproof, sturdy shoes with a good tread (city cobblestones can get slippery). Bug spray is also important as mosquitoes are abundant and often carry disease.
- Check the weather for the region you’re traveling to. Pack accordingly. For example, it would be a mistake to think the highlands are as warm as the coast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Milosz Maslanka/Shutterstock
Here are some other common questions people tend to ask about Guatemala that can also be helpful when planning your trip:
What are the best months to visit Guatemala?
The best months to visit Guatemala are November, December, January, February, March, and April. These months make up the country’s dry season, when the weather is the best.
Is the rainy season bad in Guatemala?
The answer depends on when in the rainy season you visit. The early rainy season is damp but bearable, while September and October often see heavy deluges.
What is the warmest month in Guatemala?
The warmest month in Guatemala is April, followed by July and August. However, this depends a lot on the region of Guatemala.
What is the coldest month in Guatemala?
The coldest month in Guatemala is January. However, even January is warm and pleasant, and it only gets chilly in the mountains and highlands.
So, What’s the Best Time to Visit Guatemala?
The best time to visit Guatemala is between November and April, when the weather is great for exploring. July and August are also good choices since the weather is also dry, but much hotter.