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About Guatemala

Guatemala is a country bursting with beautifully striking features, biodiversity and an indigenous culture with a powerful and vibrant identity. It boasts of volcanoes, thick tropical forests, outstanding Mayan ruins that stretch out and above the surrounding forest canopy, beautiful lakes, and is bursting with exotic fauna, flora and wildlife.

Guatemala is a country bursting with beautifully striking features, biodiversity and an indigenous culture with a powerful and vibrant identity. It boasts of volcanoes, thick tropical forests, outstanding Mayan ruins that stretch out and above the surrounding forest canopy, beautiful lakes, and is bursting with exotic fauna, flora and wildlife.

One of the most beautiful and culturally rich countries in Central America it is also one of the largest, covering an area of over 108,000 sq Km (slightly smaller than England). Guatemala shares its main border with Mexico to the north, the east by the Caribbean Sea and Belize, on the west by the Pacific Ocean, and on the south by both Honduras and El Salvador.

Guatemala also has a fascinating environment, with over 8000 species of plants in 19 different ecosystems. It overflows with an abundance of animals; 250 species of mammals, 600 species of bird and 200 species of reptiles and amphibians. Guatemala is also home to the resplendent quetzal, the national bird, which is often used to symbolise Central America.

The landscape is awe inspiring, from mountainous forest highlands, to jungle plains, and volcanic beaches. There are 30 volcanoes spread through out the highlands in the Cuchumatanes range, they reach over 4,000m. The Cuchumatanes range includes the volcano Tajumulco, the tallest peak in Mesoamerica, standing at 4,220m.

There are 30 protected areas of national parks and biological reserves and north of Guatemala city the highlands of Alta Verapaz slowly descends into the low lands of Petén. Petén; part of Central America’s largest tract of virgin rainforest, the Mayan Biosphere Reserve (MBR), encompasses the Guatemala-Mexico border. The low plains of the Petén form part of the tierra caliente, they are hot and humid through out the year.

Climate:

Guatemala City and many other parts of the country have a stable and pleasant climate. Rainfall here is moderate with a distinct dry season from November to April. The Pacific slope is rich in coffee, cacao, fruit, and sugar plantations.
The Pacific coast is covered by vast sprawling beaches of glistening black volcanic sand and small palm trees. The coast is tropical, rainy, hot and humid most of the year. Air temperature often reaches over 32 degree C º although the black sand of the Pacific coast in midday heat has been known to reach close to 50 degree C º. There is thankfully usually a cool breeze circulating to subdue the temperature.