“When is the best time to visit Guatemala?”
A lot of our friends ask us when they should visit Guatemala and I’ll tell you the truth…
While the weather in Guatemala year-round is pretty stable in some ways, there are times you definitely just want to give it a miss. Why?
A lot of the activities you’ll want to do in Guatemala are mostly outdoors and I wouldn’t want the rain to hinder you from experiencing Guatemala to the fullest.
That’s why we created this guide so you can decide the best time to visit Guatemala and when you should probably avoid planning a trip to the beautiful country.
If you need a quick answer, here it is: The best time to visit Guatemala is from November to April. This is during the dry season when you’ll get plenty of sunshine, warm weather and lower chances of precipitation.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Time to Visit Guatemala
While the rain and sunshine are the obvious factors when choosing the best time to visit Guatemala…
…they aren’t the only factors you need to consider.
Here are some things you should consider when choosing the best time to visit Guatemala:
- Humidity
- Rainy season
- Prices
- Events and
- Crowds
Here’s the thing – everyone’s travel preferences are different and that’s okay! You need to choose the best time to visit Guatemala according to the activities you’d like to do and the destinations you’d like to visit.
While the weather doesn’t vary so much around the country, it’s a good thing to keep in mind. For example, there’s a vast difference between visiting Lake Atitlan in the dry season and visiting it in the rainy season (and trust me, you want to go in the dry season).
Matthew and I love visiting top digital nomad destinations during the shoulder months because we get better rental deals and fewer crowds of people even if we have to endure some rainy days.
But maybe your love for the sunshine outweighs the need to battle crowds of tourists and higher accommodation prices then the peak season is worth it! Lake Atitlan weather is the best during peak season and even we would agree to visit during that time.
Here are some questions to help you choose the best time to visit Guatemala:
- Which parts of the country do I want to visit?
- Will the rain ruin my travels?
- Do crowds of tourists truly bother me?
- What kind of activities do I want to do?
- Does the humidity affect me?
Based on your answers to these questions, you can narrow down the best time to visit Guatemala for yourself – whether that’s during the wet season or the dry one! Again, everyone’s preferences are different!
Quick Answer: When Is The Best Time To Visit Guatemala?
The best time to visit Guatemala is in February. Why?
February is in the middle of the peak season in Guatemala – this means it’s still the dry season with plenty of sunshine hours. There are not many events going on around this month which means crowds are less than normal and the accommodation prices can be lower.
Can’t go in February?
The best time months to visit Guatemala are from November to April during the dry season. If you love the sunshine and you want to do activities like hiking Acatenango volcano or kayaking on Lake Atitlan you should definitely visit during these months.
Quick Stats on Guatemala Weather & Seasons
This varies based on where you are in Guatemala but I just want to give you a quick snapshot so you get an idea of what the weather is like.
- Warmest month in Guatemala: April (81°F/27°C)
- Coolest month in Guatemala: January (74°F/23°C)
- Rainiest month in Guatemala: June
- Driest month in Guatemala: February
- Most crowded months in Guatemala: December/April
- Least crowded months in Guatemala: June, July, September
The Best Time To Visit Guatemala – Overview
Guatemala is known as the “land of eternal spring”. What does that mean?
The weather is never too hot and it’s never too cold. Don’t get me wrong, the weather in Guatemala is beautiful all-year-round (minuses the rainy days). The temperature is very comfortable at an average of 25C which is honestly perfect!
Here’s the best time to visit Guatemala (and the worst).
The Best Months To Visit Guatemala
The summer months in Guatemala are from November to April. A lot of people like visiting Guatemala during this time because the sun is shining and the daytime temperatures are pretty good at around 25-27C.
There are plenty of opportunities to do the top activities like – visiting Semuc Champey, seeing the ruins in Tikal, kayaking in Lake Atitlan and hiking the Pacaya volcano near Antigua, Guatemala! There are so many things to do – if you’re the kind of person that likes to visit every single thing on a trip then definitely visit during the dry season.
However, this is also the peak tourist season where crowds are plenty. You won’t be fighting for space to walk like we did while on our honeymoon in Santorini but it still gets pretty crowded in Guatemala. The prices for things like accommodation and tours can go up during this time as well. You can expect to pay anywhere between 15% to 30% more during the summer holidays.
The Worst Months To Visit Guatemala
The worst time to visit Guatemala is in June and September. These months have heavy rainfall which means you can get stuck inside the house/hotel for most of your trip.
The worst months to visit Guatemala are from May to October. You’ll experience heavy rains for days which makes it the wettest months to visit.
Hear me out though: the thing about the rainy season in Guatemala is that it doesn’t rain alllll day long. You might get some heavy showers in the morning and again in the afternoon. There will be times when the sun comes out and you’ll just have some chilly nights. Unlike the weather in San Cristobal, Mexico where it’s pretty cold during the day and night – it’ll only be at night where you might need a jacket in Guatemala.
It’s hard to visit places like Lago de Atitlan or hike the popular volcanoes during this time. That’s why it’s important to see the kind of activities you want to do so you can avoid the rains and muddy conditions.
Temperature Year-Round
The weather in Guatemala is honestly fantastic year-round. The annual average temperature of 25°C means it’s never too hot and never too cold. You won’t find yourself sweating from walking place to place like you might with the weather in Playa del Carmen.
Precipitation Year-Round
The rainiest month in Guatemala is in June and September. These months have over 20 days of rain on average each month. There are rainstorms sometimes but they aren’t so bad compared to the rainy seasons in Asia. You’ll just get the usual rainy afternoon showers in Guatemala.
As you know, the weather is very unpredictable. We were in Lake Atitlan from March to May then Antigua Guatemala from June to July. We got the tail-end of the dry season and it was absolutely amazing! While we were in Antigua, it did rain quite a bit which is why we didn’t end up hiking Volcan Acatenango.
Sunshine Year-Round
If you want the months with the most hours of sunshine, January, February and March is in your best bet! These months get an average of 230 hours of sunshine each!
We were living in Lake Atitlan for 2 months from March to May and we noticed that March was definitely better and didn’t rain once for us. While we were living in Antigua from June to July and it rained almost every afternoon. The sun did come out in the mornings though so it’s not like the rain will completely dampen your plans!
More sunshine hours mean you get more chances to get out and enjoy the natural beauty Guatemala has to offer!
The Weather Seasons In Guatemala: Wet and Dry
The weather in Guatemala has 2 seasons: dry season and wet season.
Dry Season In Guatemala
The dry season is more like summertime so it’s going to be pleasant weather during your entire trip.
This makes it the ideal time to visit Guatemala!
Here are the best things to do in Guatemala during the dry season:
- Weekend trip to Lake Atitlan
- Hiking Pacaya and Acatenango volcanoes
- Exploring Semuc Champey
- Visiting the Tikal Maya Ruins
- Go on a coffee farm tour
Pros of visiting Guatemala in the dry season
- Less likelihood of rain
- Most activities are open
- Lots of festivals and events happening like Semana Santa and Christmas
Cons of visiting Guatemala in the dry season
- Prices will be much higher eg. accommodation costs
- Crowded with tourists
- Peak tourist season (November-May)
Wet / Rainy Season In Guatemala
The wet season is more like a rainy season where you’ll get afternoon showers and chilly nights.
The temperate climate makes it a really nice change from the heat of summer.
Here are the best things to do in Guatemala during the dry season:
- Take a Guatemalan cooking class
- Visit the museums
- Tour the church ruins around Antigua
Pros of visiting Guatemala in the wet season:
- Fewer crowds of people
- Typical tourist attractions will be less crowded than the dry season
- Prices are likely to be cheaper eg. accommodation costs
Cons of visiting Playa del Carmen in the wet season:
- High chances of multiple rainy days during your trip
- Fewer outdoor activities to do because of the possible showers
The Best Time To Visit Guatemala In Our Opinion Is…
The best time to visit Guatemala is November and March! We love visiting top travel destinations during the shoulder months. This means we get pretty decent weather (maybe a few rainy days) but we also still get good deals on accommodation. For us, this is the sweet spot when choosing the best time to visit a place!
We came from San Cristobal to Guatemala and the warm weather was just what we needed! Guatemala is truly a hidden gem in Central America and it’s worth visiting when the weather is the best.
We hope you find this helpful and that you love Guatemala as much as we did!
