Overland Guatemala Travel

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Currency to display:

Entering Guatemala with a Car or Motorbike

Correct as of: February 2012

Required Paperwork

Process at border

(To check if you need a travel Visa for Guatemala, application instructions and fees see: Guatemala Visa online application at VisaHQ.com)

  • Your vehicle will be fumigated, which costs $3.00 USD. Be sure to get a receipt.
  • The owner of the vehicle gains entry at immigration (migración), including a stamp in their Passport.
  • The owner must show the new passport stamp, drivers license and the original vehicle registration to customs (aduana).
  • Pay the required fee of Q160.00 GTQ at the nearby bank. Be sure to get a receipt.
  • The owner is issued a temporary import permit for the vehicle.

NOTE: You will encounter pushy locals offering to help you with paperwork to get across the border. See Border Crossing Helpers for advice.

Cost of entry

  • $3.00 USD for fumigation.
  • Q40.00 GTQ for the vehicle entry.

NOTE: The CA-4 stamp that most nationalities get allowing entry to Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua for 90 days is supposed to be free, but some customs officials will ask for money. Politely ask for a receipt, and do not pay unless you are given a receipt for this.

Permitted length of stay

90 days. Guatemala is part of the CA-4 Border control agreement. This agreement grants travel between Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua for a TOTAL of 90-days. The number of days remaining on your CA4 is written in your passport as you travel from country to country. The 90-day limit begins when you enter any country that is part of the CA4 agreement. To avoid penalty and fines, Exit the CA4 countries and enter into Costa Rica or Mexico/Belize before the 90-days limit expires.

Extension of stay

It is possible to extend your vehicle import permit by leaving any of the CA-4 countries (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua), then re-entering the country with a new import permit.


The second option is possible without leaving Guatemala. In Guatemala City, the first step is to go to the Extranjeria office to renew your visa for another 90 days: Direccion General de Inmigracion (Extranjeria), Avenida 6, 3-11, Zona 4, Open Monday to Friday (excluding holidays) 8:30am-4:30pm. Phone #: (502) 2411-2411

After your visa is extended, go to the SAT Customs branch near the airport and go to the 'Informacion' window. Explain your situation here and ask for an extension to your vehicle import permit, they will be able to give you another 180 days for your vehicle. Note: you will be asked to present the extended visa for your passport before you will be granted a 180 day extension on your vehicle import permit. Also keep in mind that these extension services are not policy, they are simply a courtesy that can be offered by the officials, so be sure to ask nicely.

Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country

(unknown)
Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long.
Also mention if the owner / temporary importer can leave the country while the vehicle is in storage.

Exiting with a vehicle

  • The registered owner presents the temporary import paper to customs.
  • The registered owner is stamped out of Guatemala at immigration.

NOTE: As with entering Guatemala, you will definitely encounter very pushy locals offering to help you with paperwork to get across the border. See Central America Border Crossings for advice.

Driving in Guatemala

Insurance requirements

Insurance is not required in Guatemala.

Cost of insurance

N/A

Where to purchase insurance

N/A

Driving license

Technically an International Driving Permit is required.
In reality, showing a license from anywhere in the world seems to be good enough.

Driving side of road

Right.
Right hand drive vehicles are permitted without problem.

Mandatory items in vehicle

None.

Roads

General Road quality

Roads in Guatemala vary greatly. The Pan American is paved and good quality for the length of the country, as are most other highways. Lesser roads are gravel and can be very bumpy and rutted. Towards the center of the country, roads are extremely bumpy and slow-going. During the rainy season meany roads are impassable.

Road signs

Road signs are uncommon, and can not be relied upon.

Toll roads

None.

Bribery in Guatemala

Police bribery is relatively common in Guatemala, so you should expect it to happen. See the bribery tips page for advice.

Checkpoints

Police checkpoints are common in Guatemala. You'll primarily be asked to show your Passport, Vehicle registration, drivers license, and the temporary import permit you were issued at the border.

Traveling with pets

Unknown.
List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet.

Gas and Diesel price in Guatemala

Last updated: August 2012

Currency and unit to display:

Gasoline Grade Price
Regular Q34.90 GTQ per Gallon (US)[1]
Super (90) Q35.75 GTQ per Gallon (US)[2]
Premium (95)  ??
Ultra (97)  ??
Normal Diesel Q30.99 GTQ per Gallon (US)[3]
Diesel (low sulfur)  ??

Gas and Diesel Availability / Frequency

Gasoline is common.

Gas and Diesel Quality

Accepted to be low quality. Sulfur content of diesel is unknown, but probably high.

Safety and Security Considerations

Driving at night

Driving at night is absolutely not recommended in Guatemala, due to safety considerations.

  • The North of the country near the Belize border is known to be especially dangerous.
  • Driving all the way around Lake Atitlán (Lago de Atitlán) is not recommended - numerous Overlanders have encountered bandits along the road to the South.

Vehicle parking

Find a secure parking lot to park for any length of time. Price unknown.

Special driving considerations

Like most Central American countries, you need to expect the unexpected at all times. Unlike Mexico, speed bumps are no longer called "topes" and are referred to as "tumulos" in Guatemala.

Security advisories and information

Camping in Guatemala

Camping is not popular in Guatemala, though you will find the odd spot if you keep a lookout. Roadside camping can be OK in the smaller out-of-the-way places.
The Police in Antigua offer a free campground in the middle of the city - a popular meeting place for Overlanders. See Overland Travel Interest below

Camping guide books

Unknown.

Drinking water

Tap water in Guatemala is not safe to drink.

Navigation

Paper maps

The Mexico Road Atlas also has maps of Guatemala. It can be bought at gas stations within Mexico for around $20.00 USD. It is updated yearly, and is in Spanish.

GPS Maps of Guatemala

  • Open Street Map: Appears to have good coverage.[4]
  • Garmin: Apparently no map of Guatemala beside Garmin WorldMap.
  • TomTom: No map of Guatemala. [5]

GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc. in Guatemala

Special Overland Travel interests

  • Camping in Antigua is free at the walled and guarded Tourist Police compound. Toilets and cold showers are free also. You are guaranteed to bump into other Overlanders here. The exact location in town is marked on the map in the Lonely Planet, or ask any Police officer for the Police Touristica. GPS coordinates: N14 33.347 W90 44.379
  • Length of stay and curfew can vary depending on the current attitude of the Tourist Police. It's possible to gain permission to stay up to 3 weeks if you ask nicely. Curfew is typically after 10pm and the gates will reopen at 6am.

Travel Guide Books

Lonely Planet Guatemala (travel Guide)
Lonely Planet Guatemala (travel Guide)
by Lonely Planet, Lucas Vidgen, Daniel C Schechter
From $12.14 on Amazon
Work Less To Live Your Dreams: A Practical Guide To Sa...
Work Less To Live Your Dreams: A Practical Guide To Sa...
by Dan Grec
From $click on Amazon
Don't Go There. It's Not Safe. You'll Die. And Other M...
Don't Go There. It's Not Safe. You'll Die. And Other M...
by LifeRemotely.com
From $click on Amazon
Americas Overland - The Driving Handbook
Americas Overland - The Driving Handbook
by Donald Greene
From $29.95 on Amazon
99 Days To Panama: An Exploration Of Central America B...
99 Days To Panama: An Exploration Of Central America B...
by John Halkyard, Harriet Halkyard
From $20.96 on Amazon
Overlanders' Handbook: Worldwide Route And Planning Gu...
Overlanders' Handbook: Worldwide Route And Planning Gu...
by Chris Scott
From $22.49 on Amazon
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: A Route & Planning Gu...
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: A Route & Planning Gu...
by Chris Scott
From $click on Amazon
Belize, Guatemala & Southern Mexico Handbook (footprin...
Belize, Guatemala & Southern Mexico Handbook (footprin...
by Richard Arghiris
From $12.93 on Amazon
TRAVELIVING - a romantic & practical guide

TRAVELIVING - a romantic & practical guide
by The Pin Project

at 10$ on thepinproject.eu

Vehicle Maintenance

Dealers

4x4s / Trucks

Motorbikes

Local Garages

Add known good mechanics here.

Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Guatemala

Buy
Unknown.
Describe how a foreigner can buy a vehicle. List any difficulties or limitations on where the vehicle can be driven.

Sell
Unknown.
Describe how a foreigner can sell a foreign-plated vehicle, or list not possible.'

References

  1. Antigua | The Road Chose Me
  2. Antigua | The Road Chose Me
  3. Antigua | The Road Chose Me
  4. OpenStreetMap Guatemala
  5. TomTom Map availability

Helpful External links