When to Go

Guatemala has two seasons—rainy and dry. The rainy season usually begins at the end of May; the summer months mark the early part of the rainy season, characterized by short afternoon or early evening showers that clear up by nighttime. By September or October, however, the weather is often socked in for days with rain and clouds. Foreign visitors are noticeably fewer during these two months and many hotels offer discounts in hopes of filling their rooms. Some parts of the country, most prominently the Caribbean coast, are rainy throughout most of the year.

The dry season runs from November to early May. December through February are the coldest months, with cold fronts from the north often bringing temperatures into the mid-60s for daytime highs in mountain areas such as Antigua [1], Quetzaltenango [2], and Guatemala City [3]. Temps warm up dramatically in March and April before the arrival of the first rains in mid-May. During this time, thick haze from heat, dust, and agricultural burning clouds the views of Guatemala’s stunning mountain scenery, easily viewable during other months of the year.

The high tourist season runs from December to Holy Week (usually in April) with a second high season between mid-June and early September.

Language study schools in Quetzaltenango [4] and Antigua [5] are usually full with college students during the summer and rates go up accordingly. School lets out during the middle of October, with the local equivalent of summer vacation taking place until January. Families with children tend to take over many of the popular destinations.