Guatemala Tours & Holidays

Guatemalan culture is a vibrant mix of Spanish, European and Maya customs and languages. Although most of the population is Catholic, there are still groups of indigenous communities who have links to ancient Maya rituals and practice these alongside their Christian faith.

Despite Guatemala’s modern exposure to foreign brands, media and pop culture, the country’s indigenous customs, dress, language and cuisine still persist, especially in villages where you commonly see people dressed in colourful traditional clothing, celebrating a variety of age-old festivals and producing local handicrafts to sell at village markets. Traditional dress is held in high regard, and different villages have their own patterns and designs to set themselves apart.

The Guatemalan populace is one of contrasts, with daily life varying greatly depending on social status, heritage and where you’re from. Surprisingly, Guatemala has a fairly young population, with the median age sitting at 20.7 years, and around 37% of residents under the age of 15.

People living in the city range from well-off business owners to culturally savvy university students, to modest street cart operators. Rural life also varies – many people that live in villages rely on subsistence farming or handicraft-making, and typically have less access to electricity, plumbing, health care and formal education than their urban counterparts.

Many people outside of the main cities live a very humble life without a lot of income. Despite this simple living situation, Guatemalans maintain a positive outlook, with a focus on family and religion.

The Maya times

Before the Spanish came to colonise this part of the world, hunter-gatherers had lived on the land for thousands of years. Olmecs were in the region from about 1500 BC, and in the following centuries Maya civilisations came to dominate. Citadels and settlements were built during the Middle Preclassic period (around 1000–300 BC), establishing sites such as Peten, Tikal, Cival and El Mirador.

Fast forward a few hundred years, and Maya city-states dominated the region, some with huge temples and upwards of 100,000 inhabitants. But in the eighth and ninth centuries conflicts and droughts forced the Maya to abandon their settlements and move north into Mexico.

Spanish colonisation

Then comes the Spanish. It’s thought that most of the Maya had already moved on or were defeated by the time of Spanish colonisation in the 1520s. In 1542, after an original capital city was destroyed by earthquake and flooding, Antigua was established, and Spanish settlers pushed some of Guatemala’s indigenous population into forced labour. Antigua-based Dominican friar Bartolome de Las Casas convinced higher powers in Spain to end the system, and over the following years the practice died out.

19th and 20th century

Guatemala declared independence from Spain in 1821 and became part of the fledgling First Mexican Empire. Like many of its Central American neighbours, Guatemala grappled with unstable governance, experiencing dictatorships, insurgencies, coups and civil wars.

Two leaders in the 1940s and 50s – Juan Jose Arevalo and Jacabo Arbenz – brought more liberal reforms to the country, handing back land to the working and poorer classes, which then caused a revolt and the rise of conservative leader Carlos Castillo Armas. Guatemala veered back into a period of violence and unrest, often with leftist advocates working alongside the long-oppressed native populations to fight against brutal military regimes.

The Guatemalan Civil War stretched out over more than thirty years of turbulent times between 1960 and 1996. A peace process was underway by the late 1980s, but it took many years to restore democratic rule and peace to the country.

Today

More recently, Guatemala’s economy has improved, mainly due to the strength of the local agriculture and tourism industries. Despite a rocky past and many ongoing social and economic issues, Guatemala continues to rebound from its challenges to modernise its industry.

Touted as the birthplace of chocolate, Guatemala obviously knows a thing or two about flavour. The food here is among the best in Central America, so hit the markets for some street snacks or a restaurant for a more formal and wholesome meal.

Must-try dishes and drinks in Guatemala

1. Elotes
   
   The simplicity of this dish is what wins travellers over. Take a fresh ear of corn, roast it on a barbecue, add cheese, lime, butter and chilli, and serve it on a stick. Cheap and easy – you really can’t go wrong.
2. Chiles rellenos
   
   Chiles rellenos are another popular street food snack – peppers stuffed with pork and vegetables, then lightly battered and fried. And what’s better than something deep fried? That’s right, nothing.
3. Tamales
   
   This is one of the most popular comfort foods in Guatemala and a staple in a lot of Central American cuisines. Tamales are a corn-dough based dish, boiled or steamed and served wrapped in a plantain leaf. Typical fillings include chicken, pork, cheese and vegetables, as well as sweet dessert fillings like fruit or almonds.
4. Pepian
   
   Probably the most representative Guatemalan dish, pepian is a spiced and slightly bitter stew, with pumpkin seeds, tomatoes and guisquil – a type of squash. Try a chicken, pork or beef one, or mix and match your meats!
5. Kak’ik
   
   What’s a cuisine without a signature soup? Kak’ik is a sweet and sour broth served with turkey, and is often served when christening a new home in Guatemala. Be sure to ramp up the spice with some chilli paste, usually served on the side.
6. Spiced mango
   
   Most cities and markets in Guatemala will have street carts selling mango spiced with chilli and lime. The blend of sweet and bitter flavours with a hint of spice is a perfect pick-me-up during your day of exploring.
7. Lemonada con soda
   
   You think you’ve tried lemonade? Well, the Guatemalans take it next level. This zesty soft drink is made with real lemons and is the perfect refreshment on a hot and humid day of touring lanes and markets.

Guatemala shares borders with Belize, Mexico, Honduras and El Salvador, and is predominately mountainous terrain except for pockets of land on the south coast and northern lowlands. With large tracts of rainforest, cloud forest, woodlands and mangroves providing a habitat for a huge range of birds, mammals, reptiles and insects, Guatemala one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world.

However, widespread logging and deforestation has dramatically reduced the forests that once occupied the area. The fertile valleys provide perfect conditions for growing coffee and other crops, but with volcanic eruptions and frequent floods and landslides, farming can be difficult.

Despite the challenges, many Guatemalans live rurally and visitors will be able to see many small villages and towns dotted throughout the country, as well as larger cities with more developed infrastructure.

The varied environments and climates provide the perfect conditions for an array of wildlife, especially of the flying kind. Be sure to keep a keen eye out for some of Guatemala’s famed birdlife on your travels.

Birds to spot in Guatemala

1. Keel-billed toucan
   
   This tropical feathered icon is known and loved all over Central America. Often found in pairs or groups, keel-billed toucans use their huge beaks to chomp on fruit and nuts. Abundant populations make them easy to find in the rainforests and jungles of Guatemala.
2. Guatemalan screech owl
   
   In Guatemala, owls represent luck, so you’ll be sure to see plenty of owl trinkets, statues and jewellery in the shops and markets along the way. Hopefully, you’ll also get to see a Guatemalan screech owl hiding in woodlands and forests. Listen for its faint but distinct call – its ‘oos’ get higher and higher in pitch until they abruptly break off.
3. Resplendent quetzal
   
   Oh, resplendent these birds are – Guatemala’s national bird is a colourful mix of emerald green, scarlet red and white. The males feature a very long tail, which makes launching into flight difficult, so they often jump backwards first – like a parachutist!
4. Wine-throated hummingbird
   
   These tiny birds nestle in the cloud forests of highland Guatemala. Despite their size, they’re not impossible to locate – just look for its green head and a stunning magenta throat that shimmers like a mini cravat.
5. Ringed kingfisher
   
   These noisy birds – named after their wide, white collars – can be found near large bodies of water looking for their favourite food, fish, although they will also eat reptiles, insects and berries. You won't have many problems spotting this species as they are found in great numbers throughout Central and South America.
6. Blue-crowned motmot
   
   This striking, multi-coloured bird has a green and yellow body with a turquoise-fringed face and deep-set red eyes. Motmots love humid conditions so can be found in forests, plantations and gardens throughout tropical Guatemala.

Although Guatemala does have a few modern malls, the most interesting shopping experiences happen at the many markets you can visit in villages and cities.

Most importantly, have fun and don’t forget to haggle for a good price! It's also a good idea to check with your local customs officials to ensure that you are able to bring certain items back into your home country. Countries like Australia and New Zealand generally have strict quarantine laws.

Things to buy in Guatemala

1. Traditional handicrafts
   
   Colourful blankets, shawls, scarves and clothing, wooden carvings, woven baskets and handmade ceramics all make great souvenir options. Guatemalan goods come in a rainbow of colours and won’t break the bank!
2. Art
   
   Guatemalan paintings are typically colourful and uplifting. The galleries and markets of Antigua are among the best spots to pick up unique art, from traditional paintings to folk art and contemporary pieces by emerging local artists.
3. Coffee
   
   Guatemala produces and exports some of the best coffee in the world, with its range of growing environments producing unique variations in flavour – from the complex, fruity notes of beans grown at high altitudes to the nutty, chocolatey products of volcanic soil. Coffee lovers should stock up here where the quality and price are exceptional, plus enjoy (at least) one local brew daily.
4. Chocolate
   
   Guatemala also creates some of the finest chocolate in the world. Head to a chocolate shop and choose from bitter dark chocolate, spicy chilli and cinnamon chocolate or perhaps pick up some rich hot chocolate mix to take home.

Semana Santa

Guatemalans take their Holy Week traditions seriously – seriously colourful. Throughout the week, celebrations of Maya and Christian traditions take place, including many processions of swathes of dyed sawdust made into colourful rugs. Most of the main Easter celebrations take place in and around Antigua, and are some of the busiest and most popular events in Guatemala.

Festival Folklorico de Coban

The Coban Folkloric Festival takes place in the last week of July, with parades, rodeos, art exhibitions and more. The main event is the Rabin Ajau, or ‘daughter of the king’ pageant, where girls from across the country don traditional dress and vie for the crown of Maya princess, a title bestowed to the contestant judged not just the most beautiful but, more importantly, the most representative of Maya values and traditions.

Dia de los Muertos

This well-known holiday that honours the dead is celebrated all over the country. Guatemalans usually fly massive kites, visit the graves of ancestors and eat fiambre – a giant mixed salad of meat, cheese, olives, egg, corn and onion. Colourful altars decorated with flowers and skulls can also be found in homes, shops and streets during Day of the Dead.

Fiesta de Santo Tomas

The highland town of Chichicastenango is home to one of the best outdoor markets in Central America, and also this extraordinary annual festival. Combining Catholic and Maya traditions, expect to see lively displays of fireworks, pageantry and a mash-up of dance and bungee jumping called palo volador (flying pole) – where two men scale a wooden pole, tie ropes around their waist then leap off, spinning to the ground.

For inspiring stories to prepare you for your Guatemala adventure, check out these books:

• The Long Night of White Chickens – Francisco Goldman
• The President – Miguel Angel Asturias
• Popol Vuh: A Sacred Book of the Maya – Victor Montejo and Luis Garay
• In Search of Providence: Transnational Mayan Identities – Patricia Foxen
• Homies and Hermanos: God and Gangs in Central America – Robert Brenneman 
• Severina – Rodrigo Rey Rosa
• Guatemalan Journey – Stephen Connely Benz