Safety in Guatemala: what overland travellers should know

Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 17 February 2026.

Safety

Armed attacks on vehicles — Violence is still high and crime widespread — murders, armed robbery and kidnapping for extortion — above all in parts of the capital and the main cities. Armed attacks on private vehicles have happened, including on the roads known as Ruta al Pacífico and Ruta Nacional 14, and even traditionally safe tourist areas are not exempt: there have been recent assaults on foreigners in the villages around Lake Atitlán. Do not resist if you are robbed, as the robbers are usually armed.
Regions to avoid — Avoid the areas along the Mexican border and the departments of Izabal, Alta Verapaz, Chiquimula, Quetzaltenango, parts of Petén, Huehuetenango and San Marcos (Tajumulco and Ixchiguán), where high social conflict comes with criminal groups tied to drug trafficking; the rural municipalities of Ixchiguán and Tajumulco deserve specific caution. Rural tensions over the exploitation of natural resources in Santa Rosa and Cobán, as well as San Marcos and Huehuetenango, have brought heavier policing. Near the borders with Honduras, El Salvador and Belize behave with maximum prudence, and since migration flows from Honduras towards Mexico cross Guatemala, the ministry says to avoid land border crossings in those zones and follow local instructions.
Guatemala City zones — The capital and some neighbouring municipalities have the highest crime figures in the country. Zones 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 are strongly advised against, along with Mixco and Villanueva; zones 1 (the historic centre), 9, 13, 15 and 16 need reinforced vigilance and as little night-time movement as possible. Even in residential zones 10 and 14, where the hotels and places frequented by foreigners are, stay particularly careful after dark.
Roadblocks and protests — Protest roadblocks and demonstrations spring up over specific grievances, often purely local, sometimes with little or no notice. Follow police instructions, avoid confrontational behaviour and gatherings, keep checking road conditions before you set off, and do not photograph people or children in rural areas without explicit consent.
Rain damages the roads — In the rainy season, May to November, tropical storms that can turn into hurricanes hit mainly the Atlantic coast. Heavy rain causes flooding, landslides, sinkholes and damage to the road network anywhere in the country, particularly around the capital, and on urban outskirts and rural areas.
Earthquakes and volcanoes — Guatemala is among the countries most exposed to natural disasters, with high seismic and volcanic risk. For any hike on a volcano the ministry says to use a professional local guide, preferably from the tourist assistance office, to go in a group and to go in the morning, and to check civil protection bulletins on volcanic activity.

Before you rely on this

This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 17 February 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Guatemala before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.

Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 17 February 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.