Guatemala Travel Guide
Public transport

Take a Guatemala tour with the South American travel specialists. Adventure Life Journeys offers nature and culture-based tours and multisport adventures throughout South and Central America.
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Operators offering guided travel in Guatemala can be found here: Tours

With no rail service and flights to Flores/Tikal being the only real need for a compulsively disorganized airline, solo travellers in Guatemala will spend considerable time on buses.
There are three types, a] posh/1st class/Pullman b] chicken buses, as seen above c] minibuses.
Pullman buses are not frequent, expensive and only run on major tourist routes, but are generally comfortable, fast and safe.
Chicken buses are local buses that stop to pick up everyone and everything, including chickens. They are very cheap and entertaining, with no shortage of sights to see and friends to make, but could well be cramped, uncomfortable and driven by a lunatic. Big baggage will be stored on the roof and should be safe as, theoretically, only the driver's mate can go up there.
Minibuses will be operated by tour companies and may include a guide. They take travellers from/to their hotels and are consequently convenient, quick and safe, though dull and the most expensive of all three bus types.
Guatemala is a country with a petty crime problem, no more so than at bus stations and on chicken buses, so keep valuables well hidden from pickpockets and check what happens to your luggage.
Beware offers of drink and food from strangers, drugged produce is not unknown in this part of the world.
If you think you may fall asleep on the bus ensure that things are VERY secure before you doze off. Avoid night buses. The bugcrew has been robbed of valuables in this very situation!

Buen viaje!

Guatemala Travel Pictures © Denzil Watson