Antigua Guatemala is about 1,530 metres (5,020 feet) above sea level. SEGEPLAN publishes 1,530.17 m for the municipal seat. Guatemala City is about 1,510 m, the Lake Atitlán towns listed below about 1,580-1,690 m, and Quetzaltenango (Xela) about 2,350 m. Antigua is below the CDC’s 2,450 m sleeping-altitude risk line, but the CDC notes that altitude illness can occur lower.
This page gives one number per place and sets it against the CDC’s thresholds. It is not medical advice and does not cover medication or dosing: for that, see a doctor or travel clinic. For the hikes themselves, see our Acatenango and Tajumulco guides.
The CDC lines that matter
All from the CDC Yellow Book chapter High-Altitude Travel and Altitude Illness (read 28 October 2026):
| CDC threshold | What the CDC says |
|---|---|
| 2,450 m (8,000 ft) sleeping altitude | Any unacclimatized traveller sleeping at or above this height, “and sometimes lower”, is at risk for altitude illness. |
| 2,750 m (9,000 ft) in one day | Avoid going directly from low altitude (below 1,200 m / 4,000 ft) to a sleeping altitude above 2,750 m in one day. |
| Above 3,000 m (9,850 ft) | Move sleeping altitude by no more than 500 m (1,600 ft) per day, with an extra day of acclimatization for every additional 1,000 m. |
| Day trips | Day trips to high altitude with an evening return to a lower altitude are much less stressful on the body. |
| Descent | Acute mountain sickness improves rapidly with a descent of 300 m (1,000 ft) or more. |
| Colorado benchmark | Acute mountain sickness affects 25% of all visitors sleeping above 2,450 m (8,000 ft) in Colorado. |
The CDC also notes that fitness and training do not affect the risk, and that children are as susceptible as adults.
Elevation of Guatemala’s travel hubs
Town elevations are the digital elevation model value (SRTM3 or GTOPO30, as served by GeoNames) at each town’s point in the GeoNames gazetteer: an average over roughly a 90 m square (SRTM3) or a 900 m square (GTOPO30), rounded here to the nearest 10 m except below 10 m. Town feet values convert those displayed metres using metres × 3.28084, rounded to the nearest 10 ft except below 10 m; summit feet use the nearest foot. CDC thresholds retain the CDC’s published unit pairs. Treat these model values as approximate. Antigua is the exception: we use the municipal-seat altitude of 1,530.17 m published in SEGEPLAN’s development plan for the municipality, the elevation-model value at Antigua’s GeoNames point is about 1,580 m.
| Place | Elevation (m) | Elevation (ft) | Against the CDC 2,450 m sleeping line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Río Dulce | ~7 | ~23 | Far below |
| Monterrico (Pacific) | ~10 | ~30 | Far below |
| Flores | ~120 | ~390 | Far below |
| Tikal | ~240 | ~790 | Far below |
| Retalhuleu | ~240 | ~790 | Far below |
| Lanquín | ~350 | ~1,150 | Far below |
| Cobán | ~1,330 | ~4,360 | Below |
| Guatemala City | ~1,510 | ~4,950 | Below |
| Antigua Guatemala | ~1,530 | ~5,020 | Below |
| Panajachel | ~1,580 | ~5,180 | Below |
| San Marcos La Laguna | ~1,590 | ~5,220 | Below |
| San Pedro La Laguna | ~1,590 | ~5,220 | Below |
| Santiago Atitlán | ~1,600 | ~5,250 | Below |
| San Juan La Laguna | ~1,610 | ~5,280 | Below |
| Santa Cruz La Laguna | ~1,690 | ~5,540 | Below |
| Huehuetenango | ~1,910 | ~6,270 | Below |
| Nebaj | ~1,910 | ~6,270 | Below |
| Sololá | ~2,040 | ~6,690 | Below |
| Chichicastenango | ~2,080 | ~6,820 | Below |
| Comalapa | ~2,120 | ~6,960 | Below |
| Tecpán | ~2,290 | ~7,510 | Just below |
| Quetzaltenango (Xela) | ~2,350 | ~7,710 | Just below |
| Totonicapán | ~2,500 | ~8,200 | At or just above |
| Todos Santos Cuchumatán | ~2,500 | ~8,200 | At or just above |
Guatemala City’s gazetteer-point elevation is above the CDC’s 1,200 m “low altitude” starting point used in its one-day rule; it is not an airport elevation.
Antigua elevation: municipal figure and model value
SEGEPLAN’s municipal development plan gives Antigua’s altitude as 1,530.17 metres above sea level (read 28 October 2026). Its geographic description cites DGN, 1981. GeoNames supplies a separate elevation-model value at its gazetteer point; that model value does not replace the municipal figure.
| Place and reference | Published value in metres |
|---|---|
| Antigua, SEGEPLAN municipal figure | 1,530.17 |
| Antigua, GeoNames elevation-model field | 1583 |
| Guatemala City, GeoNames elevation-model field | 1508 |
Volcano summits
Summit heights are the GeoNames “elevation” field for each volcano (separate from the area-average dem field), except Agua, where we use the Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes’ figure of 3,766 m; GeoNames gives 3,760 m.
| Volcano | Summit (m) | Summit (ft) | Our guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacaya | 2,552 | 8,373 | Pacaya |
| San Pedro (Lake Atitlán) | 3,020 | 9,908 | San Pedro volcano |
| Tolimán | 3,158 | 10,361 | — |
| Atitlán | 3,535 | 11,598 | — |
| Agua | 3,766 | 12,356 | Volcán de Agua |
| Fuego | 3,763 | 12,346 | Fuego status |
| Santa María (near Xela) | 3,772 | 12,375 | Santa María |
| Acatenango | 3,976 | 13,045 | Acatenango |
| Tajumulco | 4,220 | 13,845 | Tajumulco |
How the CDC lines apply:
- Up and back in a day: the CDC says a day trip to high altitude with an evening return to a lower altitude is much less stressful on the body than sleeping high.
- Sleeping on the mountain: if you plan to camp, ask your operator for the camp’s elevation and compare it with the 2,450 m and 2,750 m lines. The summits of Acatenango and Tajumulco are 3,976 m and 4,220 m; those are not camp heights.
- Staging. The CDC’s own example of a protective step is spending at least 2-3 nights at about 2,450-2,750 m before going higher. Antigua (about 1,530 m) and Xela (about 2,350 m) are both below that band.
Symptoms and what the CDC says to do
- Symptoms (acute mountain sickness): the CDC says they are like those of an alcohol hangover, and that headache, the cardinal symptom, usually comes with one or more of loss of appetite, dizziness, fatigue, nausea or, occasionally, vomiting.
- Timing: the CDC says onset is usually 2-12 hours after arriving at altitude or after climbing higher, often during or after the first night, and that it generally resolves within 12-48 hours if you do not climb higher.
- Descent: improves rapidly with a descent of 300 m (1,000 ft) or more. If symptoms get worse at the same altitude despite treatment, the CDC says descent is mandatory.
- Other hazards on the same summits: the UK Foreign Office warns that some Guatemalan volcanoes have freezing night temperatures and that there is no mountain rescue service; the US State Department advises hiking volcanoes only with a qualified local guide.
Related
- Hiking volcanoes in Guatemala
- Acatenango overnight hike
- Best time to visit Guatemala, month by month
- Vaccines and health requirements for Guatemala
Sources
- CDC Yellow Book — High-Altitude Travel and Altitude Illness: https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/environmental-hazards-risks/high-altitude-travel-and-altitude-illness.html — read 2026-10-28.
- Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes, Sistema de Información Cultural — Volcán de Agua (3,766 m): https://www.sicultura.gob.gt/directory-directorio_c/listing/volcan-de-agua/ — read 2026-10-28.
- SEGEPLAN — Plan de Desarrollo Municipal, La Antigua Guatemala (altitude of the municipal seat, 1,530.17 m): https://portal.segeplan.gob.gt/segeplan/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/PDM_301.pdf — read 2026-10-28.
- GeoNames gazetteer, Guatemala extract (licence CC BY 4.0; the
demfield is SRTM3 or GTOPO30, SRTM processed by CGIAR/CIAT): https://download.geonames.org/export/dump/GT.zip — downloaded 2026-10-28. - UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — Guatemala: Safety and security (climbing volcanoes): https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/guatemala/safety-and-security — read 2026-10-28.
- US Department of State — Guatemala Travel Advisory: https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/guatemala.html — read 2026-10-28.
Contains GeoNames data (geonames.org), CC BY 4.0. This page is information, not medical advice. Information current as of 28 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Guatemala high altitude?
Parts of it. Guatemala City (about 1,510 m), Antigua (about 1,530 m) and the Lake Atitlán towns (about 1,580-1,690 m) are moderate altitude. Quetzaltenango (about 2,350 m), Totonicapán and Todos Santos Cuchumatán (about 2,500 m) are higher. Flores, Tikal, Lanquín, Río Dulce and Monterrico are near sea level or low. The volcano summits run from Pacaya (2,552 m) to Tajumulco (4,203 m, Smithsonian GVP). Town figures are satellite elevation-model values at the GeoNames gazetteer point for each town, except Antigua, which uses the municipal-seat altitude published by SEGEPLAN.
Can you get altitude sickness in Antigua Guatemala?
Antigua sits at about 1,530 m, below the 2,450 m sleeping altitude at which the CDC Yellow Book says any unacclimatized traveller is at risk of altitude illness. The CDC adds that risk exists sometimes lower, so the line is a guide, not a guarantee. Acatenango’s summit is much higher, at 3,976 m.
Can you get altitude sickness on Acatenango?
Yes, it is possible. Acatenango’s summit is 3,976 m. If your trip includes an overnight camp, check its elevation with your operator. The CDC Yellow Book says anyone sleeping at 2,450 m or higher without acclimatization is at risk, that symptoms usually start 2 to 12 hours after arrival at altitude, and that descending 300 m or more improves acute mountain sickness. Ask your operator for the camp’s elevation.
What are the symptoms of altitude sickness?
According to the CDC Yellow Book, acute mountain sickness feels like an alcohol hangover: headache is the main symptom, usually with one or more of loss of appetite, dizziness, fatigue, nausea or, occasionally, vomiting. The CDC says onset is usually 2 to 12 hours after arriving at altitude, often during or after the first night. It improves rapidly with descent of 300 m (1,000 ft) or more.
Should I take altitude sickness pills for Guatemala?
That is a question for a doctor or travel clinic before you go. The CDC Yellow Book’s guidance on preventive medication is written for healthcare professionals and depends on the sleeping altitude and how fast you climb. We do not give dosing advice.
Why do sources give different elevations for Antigua Guatemala?
SEGEPLAN gives 1,530.17 metres for Antigua. GeoNames gives 1583 in the elevation-model field at its gazetteer point. The model value is a separate reference and does not replace the municipal figure.
