Guatemala Travel Forum

Hello!

I'm thinking about doing an organised trip to Guatemala, Belize and Yucatan. After reading the travel warnings of the German Department for Foreign Affairs I'm really suprised and unsure. Does anyone has any experience?

Second question, does anyone has done a trip with %L[http://www.gapadventures.com/]Gap Adventures%L* and if yes would you travel again with them?

Thanks a lot for your help!

You possibly could consider Costa Rica instead of the Yucatan. I have family that spent time near the Arenal Volcano. Besides the volcano, there were all sorts of exotic flowers and animals. There were lots of water activities and rain forest canopy tours. If your interested, I'll try to get them to log on. Gary

GAP are a very reputable company and I know a number of people that have toured with them and have spoke highly of their experiences with them. I have not used them personally (mostly because we prefer to make the travel arrangements ourselves).

From a danger standpoint, the answer is yes, there are dangerous areas in many if not most countries. I don't want to make light of the potential dangers, but the tour operator you are looking at will ensure that they minimize any risks to you. Thet are in business to make money and getting bad press because people traveling with them have gotten into danger is not good for their business. This may mean a change in itinerary to cancellation of the trip. We have certainly had itinerary changes (and police escorts!) due to dangerous situations.

I would contact GAP and get the information from them.

Guatemala? I don't think this is an optimal time to go. They have the president they kicked out off in the border and don't let him back in. They old president is trying to incite violence by acting innocent - things don't look good at all.

Wrong country - I suspect you are thinking about Honduras, not Guatemala... For issues in Guatemala:

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pays/report_rapport-eng.asp?id=112000

Re: Is it really that dangerous?
Posted: Tue July 28, 2009 09:09 PM EDT
Guatemala? I don't think this is an optimal time to go. They have the president they kicked out off in the border and don't let him back in. They old president is trying to incite violence by acting innocent - things don't look good at all.

duh ... I hate it when I don't read ...

Well, they announce travel warnings because probably its dangerous. Before I travel, I always see to it that my safety is secured first before doing anything and travel warnings is one of them, but of course, its still up to you

and you could have an obese American fall on top of you, and injure you.

Thanks a lot to all of you for your replies!

You might take a look at the US State Departments warnings. They go country by country, it is quite interesting

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html#L

Before I went to Argentina I did see the state department warnings (I always do). Wow! I almost did not go - kidnappings, horrific auto accidents, bad economic condition. Then I did three things:

- just what you did, did the "safety" post

- found a paper in BA (not sure if you're fluent in Spanish) - and read the local news for a couple of weeks. Yes, accidents ... kidnappings ... but I got a feel that kidnappigs were more of affluent locals than of tourists (most of the time).

- took whatever steps I needed to take to try to mitigate the issues.

Went and had a great time. I am glad I checked though - mostly with transportation.

A truer picture of the situation/condition in these reported troubled spots usually is different - much more tamed and acceptably less dangerous - once you get there.

Individual reports of social upheaval and government travel danger advisories are almost always exaggerated.

I went to Guatemala a few years ago when the insurgency was highly active and was warned by the State Department to not go. But I did, no problems and had a great time. I even climbed a volcano but of course with a guide which you need to take up for anything when travelling outside of the urban areas.

I have several friends who have traveled to Guatemala in recent years and none of them ever reported feeling unsafe, although the political climate may have recently changed. I always feel like most travel advisories are over-reactions, maybe I'm a fool. Nevertheless a female friend of mine moved to Guatemala for 6 months -ALONE- and she loved it there and never wanted to leave, so I'm assuming she felt safe.

Hello,
I am guatemalan living in the Lake Atitlan area, and all of you are just really paranoid!
Even though there are bad things happening in Guatemala, bad things happen all over and arround the world!I think that you and any other person will do good on a trip to Guatemala.Just have fun and don't be affraid to experience the adventure to Guatemala!
Everything seems fine here but if you feel that there is too many things going on here, just don't risk yourself but you will really miss on a lot of fun!Hope that you do this trip and if you do I would like to know what it was like and if you had fun!

<all of you are just really paranoid!>

none of us are paranoid but you however might be the one...for coming down with such brusque and blatant accusation!

how about reading again everyone's responses and try your best to grasp the real and full extent of members' effort to share general information and concern for the poster.

for someone whose HP is empty and totally blank should not have the gall to be so uppity!

Thank you!

Last May, I traveled independently to both Guatemala and Mexico, and felt the same anxiety, especially after couple of "horror" stories told by friends who visited/lived there. I had most fabulous experience, with Guatemala being at the top of my most favorite countries to visit. yes, bad things happen, but they happen everywhere. but some common sense, you will be fine. don't let the exaggerated country safety tips scare you from exploring those beautiful countries.

I also happen to travel with Gap adventures last year to South East Asia, and can confirm that they are a reputable company. there were some issues during that trip, like guides that the company hires who speak English, which is very difficult to understand, but that's a common problem for Asia. the trip combines planned activities with free time so you will still have opportunity to explore. one thing that I would recommend if you decide to go with them, stay for extra days after the tour, so you could explore more/comeback to places you liked.