Audley Travel

Guatemala, ‘the soul of the earth’ as it is known, is an awe-inspiring country. Despite its compact size it is incredibly diverse, with wonderful cobbled-street towns oozing colonial charm, impressive Mayan ruins hidden deep in lowland jungle and delightful traditional villages with brightly coloured markets.

You will find natural beauty, with highland lakes ringed by perfect volcanic cones, both Pacific and Caribbean coastlines, a rugged limestone plateau honeycombed with great caves, and miles of jungle teeming with tropical wildlife and beautiful birds. From the mountain cultures bright in traditional dress to the funky Garifuna community along the Caribbean coast, the Guatemalan people are fascinating and friendly. At its heart the beautiful UNESCO protected town of Antigua is a delightful pocket of colonial architecture with flashes of highland culture and clothing, a prime place to learn Spanish or explore cobbled streets.

The many years of upheaval in the country have protected Guatemala from mass tourism, deflecting visitors into the more stable resorts of Mexico, and the Guatemalan’s spiritual nature and strong sense of tradition have helped them through to the present day: it touches the heart unlike any other country in Central America.

Selected Highlights

Our specialists have travelled the length and breadth of the country to research the best places to stay and things to do. Here they list a few of their favourite “unmissables”. Click here for more highlights

Browse in indigenous markets

One of the most fascinating places to visit on any trip to Guatemala is one of the indiginous highland markets. Colourful and full of hustle and...  [more]

Discovering the magnificance of the ruins of Tikal

Walking through the rainforest in the early morning mist surrounded by the screech of tropical birds and the howl of monkeys suddenly coming upon a...  [more]

Relax in Lake Atitlan

There is something very special about looking out across the shores of Lake Atitlan, with its backdrop of volcanoes, as the power of the sun and wind...  [more]