🇬🇹Guatemala

Guatemala, nestled between Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, blends highland mystique with lush lowland tropics, making it a focal point of Central American culture and history.

The nation straddles the Sierra Madre mountain range, boasting an impressive 19 active volcanoes—more than any other Central American country—and the crater lake of Atitlán, while its northern lowlands flood with tropical jungles and the Zapote and Motagua rivers carve the landscape.

A vibrant tapestry of Maya traditions, colonial Spanish influence, and indigenous artistry defines Guatemala; its colorful textiles, ritual music, and cuisine—especially chocolate-cored tamales and pepian stew—celebrate the legacy of its 21 Mayan languages.

The same lands that cradle the ancient ruins of Tikal and Quiriguá witnessed the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, culminating in Guatemala’s independence in 1821 and the founding of its first university, the University of San Carlos, in 1676.