Wanderlust UK – September 2019

(Axel Boer) #1

GUATEMALA


wanderlust.co.uk September 2019 91

Footnotes


Guatemala


GEARTIP
Bringwalking
boots,long-sleeve
shirts,waterproof
jacket,trousers,
a„leece,beanie
hat,sunhat,warm
pyjamas,hydration
pack,headtorch,
insectrepellent
andsuncreams.
Bedding,trekking
polesandtowels
areprovided.

Trek Guatemala; Sarah Gilbert


THETRIP
Theauthortravelled
withJourneyLatin
America(020 3553 9647,
journeylatinamerica.co.uk)
onthe13-dayActive
Guatemala:TrekkinginStyle
trip,costingfrom£2,836per
person.Includesfournights
inAntigua,twonightsin
LakeAtitlánandonenight
inChichicastenangoon
aB&Bbasis,plusathree-night
glampingtrekfromAntigua
toLakeAtitlánonafull-board
basis,excursions,transfers
andinternationalŽlights
withAeromexico.


Top of the world
Volcanoes dot
the trek between
Antigua and Lake
Atitlán, which passes
through many (top)
local villages

Vital statistics
Capital: Guatemala City
Population: 16.6 million
Languages: Spanish is the o’ icial
language; there are more than 20
Maya languages spoken, especially
in rural areas, as well as Garifuna on
the Caribbean coast.
Time: GMT•6
International dialling code: +502
Visas: Not required by UK nationals
for stays of up to 90 days.
Money: Guatemalan quetzal (GTQ)
is currently around GTQ9.96 to the
UK£. There are ATMs in cities and
major towns, and credit cards are
accepted at most hotels and shops
but you’ll need cash for rural areas,
markets and tipping.

When to go
Guatemala is a year-round
destination. Tikal is hot and humid
year-round and the highlands are

usually hot and sunny during the
day and cold at night.
November to April: This is the dry
season. Hotel prices rise during
Christmas, New Year and Easter,
with Antigua being particularly
busy, so book well in advance.
May to October: The rainy season
sees showers fall in the afternoon;
September is the wettest month.

Health & safety
Recommended immunisations
include tetanus. There’s a low to
no risk of malaria throughout the
country but be aware of the e¤ ects
of altitude sickness, which can
begin at 2,400m above sea level.

Getting there
Aeromexico (aeromexico.com,
0800 9775 533) Žlies from London
Heathrow to Guatemala City via
Mexico City, avoiding the need for
an ESTA and long queues at US
immigration. Flight time is from
around 14 hours; return fares start
from £622. There are also Žlights
to Guatemala City via US hubs
with other carriers.

Getting around
Multi-hued ‘chicken’ buses
rattle along at breakneck speed;
microbuses and shuttle buses ply
the popular tourist routes; and
a network of long-distance coaches
are good value and comfortable.
To save time getting to Tikal, Žly
from Guatemala City to Flores
with TAG Airlines (tag.com.gt)
or Avianca (avianca.com).

Cost of travel
If you’re on a budget you can get by
on US$50 (£40) per day by sleeping
and eating cheaply, or up to
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