Travelers must have: a Passport, immunizations for Hepatitis A and B and a Tetanus-Diphtheria booster if one has not been received in the last ten years. Cholera shot is not necessary unless a stay of 3 months or more is considered. Malaria tablets should be considered, but we will be in the mountains where malaria shouldn’t be a threat.
Safety: Guatemala, as in other developing countries traveling is not without risk. To better understand these risks, we request all travelers read the U.S. State Department’s consular information sheet and any relevant public announcements concerning Guatemala. (Links to these documents are provided below.)
These advisories give valuable information and suggest precautions visitors may take to mitigate risks. Since many travelers have not previously traveled to Guatemala, they often find it difficult to put these risks into context. The following statistics may help:
- Approximately 227,000 tourists visit Guatemala from North America each year (Source: Guatemalan Immigration, 2003)..
- In a one year period, less than one tenth of one percent of these tourists (approximately 220 out of 227,000) were involved in crimes serious enough to be reported to the U.S. Embassy (http://usembassy.gov/guatemala/).
- Based on the above statistics, an individual’s chances of being involved in serious crime are roughly 1 in 1,000.
We consider the risk of traveling to Guatemala comparable to that of spending time in high-crime areas within major U.S. cities. While traveling to any crime-ridden area can be at times unsafe—and one must acknowledge and accept the risks involved—it is our judgment that if appropriate precautions are taken, traveling to Guatemala is a reasonable risk to take. FM AM Rotary and Vista Hermosa Rotary make every reasonable effort to assure the safety of its travelers.
Trip participants can also lessen their own chances of being targets of crime by:
- Leaving valuables (jewelry, watches) at home.
- Avoiding carrying large sums of cash, There are ATM's in larger cities and currency is onverted from $'s to Q's
- Not discussing your travel itinerary with strangers.
- Staying in groups during free time.
Overall, we believe that your experience in Guatemala will be a positive and memorable one, as it has been for the over 100 travelers to our projects that have come before you.
The consular information sheet can be found at http://travel.state.gov/travel/guatemala.html
-The FAA suitcase/duffle bag weight limit is 50 lbs per suitcase and each traveler is allowed 2 suitcases and 1 carry-on bag. In addition to personal items, members usually fill their suitcases with school supplies, clothing, toys, candy, vitamins, Band-Aids, medical supplies and other items that will be given to the adults and children of the village we are working in. When returning to the USA, we will fill our suitcases with coffee to sell. This has been a much sought after item and is a great fund raiser for our projects.
Members of previous mission trips to Guatemala are often asked if they enjoyed the experience. Click here to find out!
If you are interested in participating in a trip to Guatemala. Fill out a 2010 Applicaton (Word)