Coffee Origin Trips to Guatemala

Parts of Guatemala, such as some areas of Guatemala City and towns on the border with Mexico do struggle with high levels of violence. Rest assured, the communities and towns we will be visiting (San Miguel Escobar, Santa Anita and San Lucas Toliman) are perfectly safe. Antigua is the most popular tourist destination  in Guatemala and is safe to wander, we encourage you to do just that.

Just like you would in any new place, please always be mindful of your surroundings and keep an eye out for petty theft.

Feel free to bring a laptop or any other electronics you may need. In San Miguel Escobar and San Lucas Toliman (but not Santa Anita), our accommodations have WiFi. Many cafes and restaurants in Antigua and Lake Atitlán have internet as well. If you have a roaming cell plan, cellular data coverage is widespread and connectivity good.

Guatemala uses the same electrical outlets as the U.S. with a voltage between 110-120V.

Most meals eaten with farmers and in restaurants will be a combination of rice, sauce (not spicy!), meat, and tortillas. In Antigua, restaurants and cafés provide a wide variety of options.

We can accommodate dietary restrictions, but it does require some planning ahead! Let us know if you have any dietary restrictions.

Those who will be preparing food during our trip have taken a food safety and hygiene course and understand the extra steps necessary to cook for visitors who may be less accustomed to the local food. Additionally, any beverage you’re served will have been prepared with purified water.

Do not drink water from the faucet or use it to brush your teeth, rather use purified water, which will be available throughout the trip. If you prepare any food yourself you should use purified water.

Traveling and eating new foods always increases your risk of getting sick, but we take precautions to minimize this possibility. We will have access to pharmacies throughout the trip for over the counter medicine and encourage you to tell us how you’re feeling throughout the trip so we can help you get the right medicine, fluids, rest, etc. you need to start feeling better! Some people find starting on probiotics before traveling helps them avoid getting sick.

We suggest that you review THIS WEBSITE to stay up to date regarding immunization recommendations for traveling to Central America.

Please note that we highly recommend getting the COVID-19 vaccine. 

• We recommend preordering Guatemalan currency, either sent to your home or picked up at your bank. This is a service offered with various banks so we suggest you look into this option with your bank to avoid the hassle once you’re here

• Also recommended is to withdraw from an ATM. To use an ATM, you will need a 4-digit PIN. If yours is more than 4 digits, please change it prior to coming to Guatemala. The withdrawal limit is usually Q2000 per day. Let your bank and credit card company know you will be withdrawing in Guatemala.

• You can exchange dollars at the airport (not recommended due to very poor rates) or at banks in Antigua. The banks in Guatemala are very particular about what dollars bills/what amounts they will exchange. Any tear, mark, or stain will be rejected and this can be quite a time consuming process. The daily exchange limit is $120 and the monthly limit is $500, and bills of only $20 and above are accepted.

Please note: 

1 USD is approximately 7.6 Guatemalan quetzals

Dry season is generally from November to May—the weather is pleasant, around 75 to 80 degrees (F) year round with temperatures falling to 55-65 degrees (F) at night. The temperatures are similar in the rainy season which is from May through August. Expect daily showers and even some heavy rains, which makes the air feel much cooler. In September and October it is common to have rain all day, every day.

You will have an interpreter with you for all group activities and travel during the trip. It’s always appreciated if you attempt to speak Spanish, even if it is the basics (hola, buenos días, gracias), and you will want to review the Spanish words and phrases document that we will provide.

If you have a passport from the U.S., Canada, and most European countries, you will receive a 90 day tourist visa upon arrival. You don’t have to do anything prior to your trip for this tourist visa. If you hold a passport from another country please check THIS WEBSITE.

The group size is 5-10 people.

Yes, but if you want private accommodations, let us know. Please note that there will be an additional fee for private rooms.

No. Minors (under 18) must travel with an adult. Families are welcome!

In the coffee world, the word “trade” usually means buying and selling beans. But for producers, it’s about something much bigger: stability, dignity, and fairness. Too often, the price of coffee is set far away from the fields, with little connection to the real cost of producing it. This leaves farmers vulnerable to a market they can’t control.

That’s where relationship-based trade comes in. De La Gente’s origin trips let you see firsthand how direct relationships — between farmers, roasters, and even everyday coffee drinkers — can shift the balance. When buyers know the people behind the beans, they can negotiate in ways that respect the work, skill, and livelihoods of producers. And when coffee lovers meet those producers, they understand why fairer prices and long-term partnerships matter.

It’s not just about paying more; it’s about paying right — recognizing the value in every hand that touches your cup.

Guatemala was the first country in the world to introduce a system for classifying its eight coffee-growing regions. Although it is a small country, its microclimates and topography give way to exceptionally distinct coffees.

Within Guatemala, there are approximately 125,000 coffee farmers, 97% of whom are small-scale producers that account for nearly 45% of the country’s production. Large-scale plantations, which account for only 3% of Guatemala’s farmers, produce more than half of the country's coffee. Small-scale producers like those with whom De La Gente work, despite intergenerational experience and expertise in the industry, continue to be more susceptible to price fluctuations, climate change, and exploitative supply chains.

These are only two reasons why Guatemala is an excellent country to learn about coffee production. De La Gente’s coffee origin trips will take you to three producing regions and meet small-scale coffee producers from four cooperatives, where you will get the chance to interact and learn from them, as well as understand how different each group works and the challenges they face.