The green silence is interrupted only by the cries of the parrots, which occasionally cut through the silence in the lush rainforest. Respectful volcanoes impress with their beauty and threatening clouds of smoke. Guatemala is beautiful nature and Mayan culture in an exciting mix of present and history. Ruins of powerful Native American people attract everywhere and the Maya women’s traditional, colorful attire gossips about their owner’s origins.

See Guatemala Travel

Population: 15 mill.

Capital: Guatemala City

Language: Spanish and Native American languages

one of the largest Mayan cities was in Guatemala? The phenomenal ruined city of Tikal was the capital and was built around 700 BC.

to worship the god Maximon with gifts in the form of whiskey, cigars and beer? Maximon is also considered to be able to help with everything from finding true love to taking revenge on an enemy.

Guatemalan nature

The Central American country of Guatemala borders Mexico, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador with shores to the Pacific Ocean and a small part of the Caribbean Sea. More than half of the country’s surface consists of mountains that are between 2000 and 3500 meters high and there are a few that are even higher. Guatemala’s and also Central America’s highest mountain is the volcano Tajumulco which is 4220 meters high. To the north is the lowland area El Petén, which consists of both karst landscapes and rainforests. Karst landscapes occur in forestless areas where the limestone below the ground surface is dissolved by seeping water and creates meter-deep furrows and large underground stalactite holes.

History of Guatemala

Of Guatemala’s 13 million inhabitants, about half are mestizos and live in coastal areas. The other half are descendants of the Mayan Indians and live in the mountainous areas of the western part of the country. The official language is Spanish although many of the Indians still speak the ancient Native American languages ​​the Mayan Indians spoke during their heyday. Guatemala has been populated since 2000 BC. when a series of fishing and agricultural villages arose on the Pacific coast and became the beginning of the Mayan Empire. During the heyday of Mayan culture, the center was located in the Petén region in the northeast, where most of the ruins are today. Guatemala was under Spanish rule between 1523 and 1821 and thereafter was briefly incorporated into the Federal Republic of Central America before being liberated in 1839. Before as well as after the Spanish colonization, the Indians who remained in the country were heavily exploited and their lands were converted into tobacco and sugar cane plantations. Guatemala’s independence followed a period of both tyrannical military rule and periods of more liberal and democratic conditions. During the second half of the 20th century, the country was exposed to constant threats from guerrilla groups and terrorists from both left and right phalanxes. Even today, there is complete political stability and economic equality in Guatemala, and relations with neighboring Belize are tense, to say the least. Guatemala’s independence followed a period of both tyrannical military rule and periods of more liberal and democratic conditions. During the second half of the 20th century, the country was exposed to constant threats from guerrilla groups and terrorists from both left and right phalanxes. Even today, there is complete political stability and economic equality in Guatemala, and relations with neighboring Belize are tense, to say the least. Guatemala’s independence followed a period of both tyrannical military rule and periods of more liberal and democratic conditions. During the second half of the 20th century, the country was exposed to constant threats from guerrilla groups and terrorists from both left and right phalanxes. Even today, there is complete political stability and economic equality in Guatemala, and relations with neighboring Belize are tense, to say the least.

Traveling in Guatemala

A trip through Guatemala offers Native American culture, charming colonial buildings and wonderfully beautiful nature. The country’s most famous attraction is the Mayan civilization’s fantastic ruined city, Tikal, located in the middle of El Petén’s impassable jungle. Tikal was discovered by chance in 1848 but the site has only been opened to the public in recent decades. In Tikal there are ruins from temples built in 700 BC. while most originate from the classical Mayan period between 300-900 AD. Anyone who wants to experience even more Native American culture, this time in an exciting encounter with Spanish colonial history, should visit Antigua. Antigua has been the third largest city in all of Latin America and 200 years ago it was the country’s capital with over 60,000 inhabitants. Today, Antigua is a peaceful place that is well worth discovering. West of Antigua is the beautiful lake Atitlan, surrounded by volcanoes and wooded cliffs. The water in the lake constantly changes shade from the darkest green to the clearest turquoise depending on the position of the sun and the cloudiness of the sky. Around the lake are several small, isolated Native American villages and the whole area offers a fantastic mix of unique nature experiences and traditional Native American culture. Even more beautiful nature experiences await in the small town of Rio Dulce on Lake Izabal, not far from the Caribbean coast. This large lake is known for its tropical nature experiences and a sailing trip on the lake through mangrove swamps and tropical jungle is a memorable experience. Around the lake are several small, isolated Native American villages and the whole area offers a fantastic mix of unique nature experiences and traditional Native American culture. Even more beautiful nature experiences await in the small town of Rio Dulce on Lake Izabal, not far from the Caribbean coast. This large lake is known for its tropical nature experiences and a sailing trip on the lake through mangrove swamps and tropical jungle is a memorable experience. Around the lake are several small, isolated Native American villages and the whole area offers a fantastic mix of unique nature experiences and traditional Native American culture. Even more beautiful nature experiences await in the small town of Rio Dulce on Lake Izabal, not far from the Caribbean coast. This large lake is known for its tropical nature experiences and a sailing trip on the lake through mangrove swamps and tropical jungle is a memorable experience.

Guatemalan Mayan ruins

It is not possible to vacation in Guatemala without exploring the Mayan Indians. In addition to the attractions Tikal and Antigua that just have to be visited, exciting ruins from this legendary civilization can be visited in Quiriguá which has a tropical park with a number of rigidities. A stele is an upright stone with finely carved reliefs. The sturgeons of Quiriguá are among the most famous in the entire Mayan kingdom and one of them extends eight meters above and three meters below the ground. Guatemala’s most unknown ruins are Yaxchilán, which lies deep in the rainforest where the Usumacinta River bends. Yaxhilán offers an unusual experience with its large crocodile and jaguar statues that boast in the middle of the village and between the many moss-covered buildings, and their pyramids with impressive stone reliefs.

Climate and weather Guatemala

Get an overview of Guatemala’s climate and weather in the capital Guatemala City.

According to bridgat, the climate in Guatemala is tropical in the lowlands with cooler temperatures at higher altitudes. There are volcanoes in the mountain areas, and earthquakes occur in the country. The rainy season is between mid-May to mid-October – March and April are the hottest months in the lowlands.