Is It Safe to Travel to Guatemala in 2026?
Guatemala - Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Last updated: · Source: U.S. Department of State
⚠ Reconsider Travel
The U.S. State Department recommends reconsidering travel to Guatemala due to elevated risks. Key factors: crime, terrorism.
Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in northern Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast (in the adjacency zone) by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador.
Is It Safe to Travel to Guatemala in 2026?
Guatemala is currently rated Level 3 — Reconsider Travel by the U.S. Department of State. Reconsider travel to Guatemala due to crime and terrorism. Some areas have higher risks, including San Marcos Department, Huehuetenango Department, Zone 18 in Guatemala City, and Villa Nueva.
Key concerns cited in the advisory:
- crime
- terrorism
Traveler Impact
Solo travelers face significant risks of opportunistic crime, particularly in urban areas like Zone 18 in Guatemala City, where gang violence is prevalent.
Business travelers may encounter operational disruptions due to crime and governance issues, particularly in areas with high gang activity, but can access major cities with caution.
Families with children should be cautious due to limited healthcare access in rural areas and the risk of crime in urban centers, necessitating careful planning.
Remote workers can find good connectivity in tourist areas like Antigua, but should avoid rural regions where infrastructure may be lacking.
Data on this page comes from the U.S. Department of State, the CDC, the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, and Freedom House. All sources are updated regularly and cross-referenced to provide a composite safety picture for Guatemala.
Regional Safety Breakdown
Do Not Travel Zones
The U.S. State Department advises against all travel to the following areas due to extreme risk:
- San Marcos Department
- Huehuetenango Department
- Zone 18 in Guatemala City
- Villa Nueva
▶Level 4 — Do Not Travel4 regions
▶Huehuetenango Department
Do Not Travel to Huehuetenango Department due to risk of crime and terrorism.
▶San Marcos Department
Do Not Travel to San Marcos Department due to risk of crime and terrorism.
▶Villa Nueva
Do Not Travel to Villa Nueva due to risk of crime and terrorism.
▶Zone 18 in Guatemala City
Do Not Travel to Zone 18 in Guatemala City due to risk of crime and terrorism.
Guatemala has 4 distinct regions with varying advisory levels. Risk conditions differ significantly by area.
▶Safety and Stability Ratings
Threat Severity (0-10 scale)
Guatemala has an overall threat severity of 7.5 out of 10. Crime risk is rated 7.0/10, terrorism risk 5.0/10, and kidnapping risk 0.0/10.
Governance Indicators (World Bank, percentile)
Political Stability▶
Measures the likelihood that the government will be destabilized or overthrown by unconstitutional or violent means, including politically-motivated violence and terrorism. Higher percentile means greater stability.
Rule of Law▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which agents have confidence in and abide by the rules of society, including the quality of contract enforcement, property rights, the police, and the courts, as well as the likelihood of crime and violence.
Control of Corruption▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which public power is exercised for private gain, including both petty and grand forms of corruption, as well as capture of the state by elites and private interests.
Government Effectiveness▶
Captures perceptions of the quality of public services, the quality of the civil service and the degree of its independence from political pressures, the quality of policy formulation and implementation, and the credibility of the government's commitment to such policies.
Regulatory Quality▶
Captures perceptions of the ability of the government to formulate and implement sound policies and regulations that permit and promote private sector development.
Voice & Accountability▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which a country's citizens are able to participate in selecting their government, as well as freedom of expression, freedom of association, and a free media.
Data from World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators (2023).
Freedom Status: Partly Free — scored 46/100 by Freedom House (2024). View full freedom profile →
▶Entry Requirements and Health
Entry Information
Visa
Check embassy for details
Currency
Quetzal (GTQ)
Language
Spanish
Notable restrictions:
- drug possession illegal including medical marijuana
- e-cigarettes prohibited
Vaccinations
Recommended:
⚠ Malaria Risk: moderate
Recommended medications: Atovaquone-proguanil, chloroquine, doxycycline, mefloquine, primaquine, tafenoquine
Active health notices:
- watchGlobal Measles: Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel.
Vaccination data sourced from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Consult a travel health professional before your trip.
Common Questions About Traveling to Guatemala
▶What is the current travel advisory level for Guatemala?
▶Is it safe to travel to Guatemala right now?
▶Do I need a visa to visit Guatemala?
▶What vaccines do I need for Guatemala?
▶Is Guatemala safe for solo travelers?
▶How bad is crime in Guatemala?
More Guatemala Data
Partly Free — 46/100 on the Freedom House index.
Governance indicators including rule of law, corruption control, and regulatory quality.
View all 195 countries color-coded by advisory level.
Read the full advisory on travel.state.gov.
Access this data programmatically. Free tier available.
On-demand country risk PDFs from 6 government sources.