Guatemala Travel Risk Overview
Official US advisory · Level 3
Reconsider Travel
This decision takes precedence over the analytical baseline composite.
Is Guatemala safe to visit right now?
Reconsider Travel. Follow the current official advisory. The baseline composite is analytical context and does not weaken that decision.
Guatemala has a Travel Risk Calculator baseline composite score of 42 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); city-level files are available for 2 cities. This page covers the country-level baseline across nine weighted safety categories (crime, disease & health, government advisory, political & civil unrest, natural disaster & weather, transport & route, environmental, digital security, money safety), the current US State Department advisory, GDACS disaster alerts, CDC health notices for Guatemala, recent news headlines, plus links to every city we have an editorial file for.
Run a personalized Guatemala assessmentAI safety snapshot · refreshed Aug 23, 2026
Guatemala carries a moderate risk baseline composite of 42 out of 100 and a US State Department advisory level 3. Travelers should also be aware of an ongoing drought affecting the country, as well as a Level 1 global dengue health notice from the CDC.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Sep 1, 2026 00:49 UTC
How safe is Guatemala to visit in 2026?
Guatemala is currently under a US State Department Level 3 Reconsider Travel advisory. That official decision takes precedence. The 42/100 moderate baseline composite remains visible only as analytical context and must not be read as permission to disregard the advisory. The full live US State Department advisory text for Guatemala, current GDACS disaster alerts, CDC health notices, and recent news headlines are shown in the Live conditions section below. For city-specific files (Guatemala City, Mixco), see the City Risk Files section below — they include neighborhood-level scam patterns, transport notes, and medical-access details where available.
Country baseline composite
Data file
| Confidence | 50 |
|---|---|
| Source note | Editorial regional baseline 2026-05-15 (GPI + State Dept advisory + WHO health/transport + INFORM disaster) |
| Last reviewed | 2026-05-18 02:25:55 |
| City files | 2 |
Assessment memory
Anonymous assessments help Travel Risk Calculator identify which country and city files deserve deeper review.
| Saved assessments | 0 |
|---|---|
| Average composite | No saved signal yet |
Threat Vector Baseline
City Risk Files in Guatemala
Showing 2 of 2 reviewed cities in Guatemala, ranked by population.
Live conditions in Guatemala
Country-scoped real-time data — official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For city-specific weather and air quality, open any city page below.
Official travel advisory
Level 3 · Reconsider Travel
Guatemala - Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Track Guatemala’s advisory
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Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
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Drought is on going in The Bahamas, Belize, Cuba, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, El Salvador ORANGE · country-wide · 2026-07-03
The Drought notification level is Orange.
“~N km away” = event centroid within ~500 km of this location; “country-wide” = a national/regional alert that may not be near this specific city. Source: GDACS · fetched 2026-09-01 00:49:38 UTC
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
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Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-07-30
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Samoa, Vietnam, New Caledonia (France), Maldives, Bolivia, Tonga, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia,
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Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-03-09
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
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Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
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. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-08-31 15:03:16 UTC
Recent headlines
No recent national headlines were returned for Guatemala. This is not evidence that conditions are quiet; check local and official sources.
Automated safety monitor
Recent safety-relevant news for Guatemala
Headlines are an early-warning monitor, not risk assessments. Verify material developments with official authorities and the linked publisher.
- Crime Stockton police investigating fatal shooting of 24-year-old father - Stocktonia stocktonia.org · Aug 30, 2026 19:34 UTC · via Googlenews
- General Festival Chapin to take place this weekend in LA - Spectrum News spectrumlocalnews.com · Aug 28, 2026 16:42 UTC · via Googlenews
- Politics Guatemala - Civil War, Human Rights, Refugees - Britannica www.britannica.com · Aug 28, 2026 05:00 UTC · via Googlenews
- General US removes radioactive cancer-treatment material from Central American country over 'dirty bomb' risk - Fox News www.foxnews.com · Aug 27, 2026 21:57 UTC · via Googlenews
- General Situation Report #9: Measles in the Americas Region. 14 August 2026 - ReliefWeb reliefweb.int · Aug 27, 2026 20:33 UTC · via Googlenews
- General Victim of Trenton homicide identified as 29-year-old city resident - Trentonian www.trentonian.com · Aug 26, 2026 12:35 UTC · via Googlenews
- General Trenton man shot, killed while walking home with uncles, family says - NBC10 Philadelphia www.nbcphiladelphia.com · Aug 25, 2026 21:37 UTC · via Googlenews
- General Mayor Gusciora’s Statement Regarding Homicide on Sunday - Insider NJ www.insidernj.com · Aug 25, 2026 21:08 UTC · via Googlenews
This country currently has a Level 3 US advisory. Compare the high-risk-country watchlist →
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Guatemala
The most weather-stable two-month window for Guatemala is December–January, when typical daily temperatures run from about 13°C to 24°C and monthly rain averages 8 mm.
Seasonal planning flags include hurricane season in June–November. These are climate patterns, not forecasts.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Aug 6, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Emergency Numbers
| Police | 110 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 128 |
| Fire | 122 |
| General emergency | — |
Backfilled from the public international emergency-number registry. The GSM standard 112 (and 911 in the Americas) is redirected to local emergency services on mobile networks in most countries. Verify locally on arrival.
Latest AI-assisted briefing for Guatemala
Official advisory constraints recommend that travelers reconsider trips to Guatemala due to moderate-to-high risk indicators across advisory and crime categories. Crime score 45 reflects moderate exposure to theft and property crimes, while advisory score 70 highlights elevated government warnings.
Top risk drivers
-
Government travel advisory recommends reconsidering travel
· advisory
Advisory score 70 reflects severe official caution and elevated government warnings regarding safety and security conditions in the country.
-
Moderate property crime and theft exposure
· crime
Crime score 45 indicates moderate risk regarding opportunistic theft, pickpocketing, and urban property crimes.
-
Environmental hazard considerations
· environmental
Environmental score 45 highlights moderate exposure to natural hazards and environmental factors affecting travel routes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Guatemala safe to visit right now?
Follow the current official advisory. The baseline composite is analytical context and does not weaken that decision. Composite baseline: 42/100 (Moderate risk). Always cross-check with your home country's foreign-ministry advisory within 7 days of departure; the live US State Department advisory is shown above. Last refreshed September 2026.
What is the current travel advisory for Guatemala?
The current US State Department advisory level for Guatemala is shown in the Live conditions section above and is re-fetched every 6 hours from the official RSS feed. UK FCDO, Canada GAC, and Australia DFAT also publish advisories — for high-stakes trips, cross-check at least one foreign-ministry advisory in addition to your home country's. See our travel advisory guide for how to read each tier system.
Is it safe to visit Guatemala in September 2026?
For September 2026, the baseline composite for Guatemala is 42/100 (Moderate risk). Live data — advisories every 6 hours, disaster alerts every 30 minutes, health notices every 12 hours, news every hour — is shown in the Live conditions section above. For a personalized risk briefing for your specific trip and traveler profile, use the Travel Risk Calculator linked above.
How are these country-level travel risk scores calculated?
Each category is scored 0-100 from government advisories (US State Dept), crime indices, Global Peace Index data, WHO/CDC health context, and curated regional editorial knowledge. The composite is a weighted sum across nine categories — see /methodology for the full weight breakdown. Live data (advisories, news, disaster alerts, health notices) is layered on top of the baseline at request time.
Where can I find city-specific safety information for Guatemala?
City-specific files for Guatemala are listed in the City Risk Files section above. Each city page covers the same nine categories at city scope, plus city-specific scam patterns, transport-hub safety notes, medical-access detail, and (where available) neighborhood-level guidance. Use the header search to find a specific city directly.
When was this page last reviewed?
The baseline scores for Guatemala were last reviewed on May 18, 2026. Live intelligence (advisory, disaster alerts, health notices, news) refreshes automatically on the cadences described above.
Is this a substitute for an official travel advisory?
No. Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated risk information for planning purposes only. Always check your home country's official travel advisory and any health notices from your national health authority before traveling.
When is the best time to visit Guatemala?
December–January is the most weather-stable two-month window in the stored 1991-2020 normals. The most weather-stable two-month window for Guatemala is December–January, when typical daily temperatures run from about 13°C to 24°C and monthly rain averages 8 mm.
What is the rainy, hurricane, or severe-weather season in Guatemala?
hurricane season: June–November.
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.