Guatemala and Peru split cleanly on three official facts: altitude, season and advisory level. Antigua Guatemala sits at 1,530.17 metres, according to its municipal development plan, while Cusco, the base for Machu Picchu, is at about 3,350 m by the CDC’s figure, above the 2,450 m sleeping altitude at which the CDC says unacclimatised travellers become at risk of altitude illness. The UK government gives the rainy season as May to November in Guatemala and November to May in Peru, so the two calendars run in opposite directions. On safety, the US State Department rates Peru Level 2 and Guatemala Level 3. Everything below was read on 4 November 2026 unless another date is given.

TL;DR: Travelling December to April, or worried about altitude? The official figures point to Guatemala. Travelling June to October, or giving the US advisory level the most weight? They point to Peru. November and May fall inside both rainy seasons.

Quick summary

GuatemalaPeru
Flagship siteTikal: Q150 foreign adult, Q100 more for sunrise or sunset (Ministry of Culture)Machu Picchu: online on the Ministry of Culture’s tuboleto platform, or up to 1,000 walk-up tickets a day in Machupicchu Pueblo
Altitude of the classic baseAntigua: 1,530.17 m (SEGEPLAN municipal plan)Cusco: about 3,350 m (CDC); Machu Picchu: 2,430 m (Ministry of Culture, Cusco)
Rainy season (UK FCDO)May to NovemberNovember to May
US State DepartmentLevel 3: Reconsider TravelLevel 2: Exercise Increased Caution
UK against-all-but-essential areasWithin 5 km of the Mexican border up to Gracias a Dios, and three Huehuetenango townsA 20 km strip south of the Putumayo River (Loreto), and the VRAEM valleys
Visa-free stay, UK passportUp to 90 days, one allowance shared with El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua; Honduras visa-free for Britons since 31 October 2026 (FCDO)90 days per 180-day window from first entry; 183 days per 365 at most
Airport charge (UK FCDO)US$30 departure tax, which the FCDO says is normally in the ticketLima’s TUUA airport-use fee for passengers transiting or connecting there from 7 December, which the FCDO says is not yet in airline tickets

Q150 is about US$19.64, C$27.47 or £15.31, and Q250 (Tikal with the sunrise tour) about US$32.74, C$45.78 or £25.51, at Banguat’s cross rates for 3 November 2026. Our exchange rates page has today’s quetzal rate.

Altitude: Antigua below the CDC line, Cusco above it

PlaceElevationSource
Antigua Guatemala1,530.17 mSEGEPLAN, La Antigua Guatemala municipal development plan
CDC risk line for sleeping altitude2,450 m (8,000 ft)CDC Yellow Book
Machu Picchu2,430 mDirección Desconcentrada de Cultura Cusco (Ministry of Culture)
CuscoAbout 3,350 m (11,000 ft)CDC Yellow Book

The CDC Yellow Book says any unacclimatised traveller who sleeps at 2,450 m or higher, and in some cases below that, risks altitude illness. Antigua is about 900 m under that line; Cusco is about 900 m over it. In its passage on destinations reached by a rapid ascent by air, the same CDC chapter gives Cusco as a case where travellers can sleep lower than the airport for one or two nights before going up. The UK FCDO flags altitude sickness as a serious danger in places including Cusco, Puno, Kuelap and the Colca Canyon.

One US-specific warning: the State Department tells US citizens to avoid coca tea, coca candy and other coca products: it says they are often sold as a cure for altitude symptoms, are treated as a controlled substance and may react with other medication.

Guatemala’s higher towns (Lake Atitlán, Chichicastenango, Xela) are compared with the CDC line on our altitude and elevation guide.

Seasons: two calendars running in opposite directions

MonthsGuatemala (UK FCDO)Peru (UK FCDO)
December to AprilOutside the rainy seasonRainy season
MayRainy season beginsLast month of the rainy season
June to OctoberRainy seasonOutside the rainy season
NovemberLast month of the rainy seasonRainy season begins
  • Peru. The FCDO says the rains bring heavy rain and snow to the Andes, including Cusco, and warns that snow, rockslides and mudslides can cut the ways into Machu Picchu, naming the Salkantay route and the alternative one through Santa María, Santa Teresa and the hydroelectric plant. It also expects the 2026-2027 El Niño to bring heavy rainfall, possible flooding and landslides from late 2026 to April 2027, especially on the northern and central coast.
  • Guatemala. The FCDO says the rainy season coincides with the Caribbean hurricane season, and that heavy rain causes frequent flooding and landslides. Month-by-month rain shares for the highlands, Petén and the Caribbean are on our best time to visit Guatemala page.

Tikal and Machu Picchu: tickets and rules

Tikal (Guatemala). The Ministry of Culture and Sports lists entry at Q150 for foreign tourists and Q100 more for the sunrise (04:00-06:00) or sunset (18:00-20:00) tour; the park opens 06:00-18:00, Monday to Sunday, and lies 63 km from Flores. The full ticket sheet, the national rate and how to pay are on our Tikal and Chichén Itzá fee comparison.

Machu Picchu (Peru). The Dirección Desconcentrada de Cultura Cusco, the Ministry of Culture’s office for the site, sells tickets two ways:

  • Online, through the state platform at tuboleto.cultura.pe/llaqta_machupicchu.
  • In person, up to 1,000 tickets a day at its ticket office in Machupicchu Pueblo. They must be bought personally, and an in-person ticket admits you the day after purchase. The office points buyers to a live availability count for those 1,000 tickets.

The office’s own pages, read on 4 November 2026, print no ticket price, so this page does not quote one; the price shows on the booking platform. Three FCDO warnings apply on the day: medical care at Machu Picchu is basic only; falls while climbing Huayna Picchu have killed or seriously injured several climbers; and protests sometimes suspend or disrupt the trains serving Machu Picchu.

Safety: what the US and UK say

GuatemalaPeru
US levelLevel 3, Reconsider Travel, for crime and terrorismLevel 2, Exercise Increased Caution, for crime, unrest, kidnapping and terrorism
US named areasTerrorism risk from cartels, gangs and criminal groups in San Marcos and Huehuetenango departments, Zone 18 of Guatemala City and Villa NuevaDo Not Travel: Loreto’s border area with Colombia; the VRAEM, including Vilcabamba; Abancay, Ayacucho, Huancavelica and Huancayo
US note on the tourist routePoints travellers to ASISTUR, the tourist assistance line (1500 from a Guatemalan phone)Says Cusco city and nearby sites such as Machu Picchu, the Inca Trail and the Sacred Valley are outside the affected area
UK against all but essential travelWithin 5 km of the border with Mexico, from the Pacific coast as far as the Gracias a Dios crossing (included); Santa Ana Huista, San Antonio Huista and La Democracia (Huehuetenango)Areas within 20 km south of the Putumayo River on the Colombian border (Loreto), with exceptions; the Apurímac, Ene and Mantaro river valleys (VRAEM)
Street crimeOur Guatemala safety page carries the homicide figures by departmentThe FCDO describes street crime, muggings included, as a significant problem in the big cities, naming Lima, Arequipa and Cusco

US levels as listed by the State Department on 4 November 2026; UK advice as updated 13 August 2026 (Guatemala) and 9 October 2026 (Peru). Canadians should also read Canada’s travel advice for each country before booking.

Entry rules side by side

RuleGuatemalaPeru
UK passport, visaNot needed for up to 90 days (FCDO)Not needed for tourism or short visits (FCDO)
Length of stay90 days, one clock shared with El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua that the FCDO says keeps running when you move between them; British citizens can visit Honduras without a visa since 31 October 2026 (FCDO)90 days per 180-day window, counted from first entry; a ceiling of 183 days per 365 for visitors (FCDO)
Passport validityCheck the FCDO’s Guatemala pageValid for 6 months or more beyond your arrival date (FCDO)
On arrivalMake sure the officer stamps your passport; the FCDO warns of a fine and delays at departure if notArrivals by air are registered digitally on the Tarjeta Andina de Migración; arrivals by land need a passport entry stamp, which the FCDO says you must make sure you get
Canadian passportTourist visa not required for up to 90 days (Canada)See Canada’s Peru advice

For US passports, the State Department keeps an entry page for Guatemala and Peru. How the shared 90 days work if you add El Salvador or Nicaragua (or Honduras, visa permitting) is on our CA-4 border run guide.

What a day costs

For Guatemala, our travel budget per day page adds up three example days in Antigua from dated prices: about US$34, US$52 and US$101 per person (roughly C$47, C$73 or C$141, and £26, £41 or £79), before transport and entry tickets. This site holds no dated price set for Peru, so this page gives no Peruvian daily cost rather than an estimate.

Choosing between them

  • Altitude is a concern (a heart or lung condition, children, or no days to acclimatise): Antigua sits about 900 m below the CDC’s 2,450 m sleeping line, while Cusco sits about 900 m above it.
  • Travelling December to April: Guatemala is outside its FCDO rainy season; Peru is inside its rainy season, which the FCDO says can disrupt the Machu Picchu routes.
  • Travelling June to October: the position reverses.
  • Giving the US advisory level the most weight: Peru is Level 2 and Guatemala Level 3.
  • Wanting more than one country: Guatemala connects overland to Belize, Mexico and the CA-4 countries; see how many days you need in Guatemala and our Guatemala or Belize comparison.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Guatemala or Peru better for a first trip?

It depends on three things the official sources settle. Altitude: Antigua Guatemala sits at 1,530.17 metres according to its municipal development plan, while Cusco is at about 3,350 m by the CDC’s figure, above the 2,450 m sleeping altitude at which the CDC says unacclimatised travellers are at risk of altitude illness. Season: the UK government gives the rainy season as May to November in Guatemala and November to May in Peru. Safety: the US State Department rates Peru Level 2 and Guatemala Level 3 (as read 4 November 2026).

Is Peru safer than Guatemala?

On the US scale, Peru is one level lower: Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, against Level 3, Reconsider Travel, for Guatemala (as read 4 November 2026). The State Department’s Peru advisory adds that Cusco city and nearby sites such as Machu Picchu, the Inca Trail and the Sacred Valley lie outside its Do Not Travel areas. The UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to border areas in both countries, listed by name in its advice.

How high is Cusco compared with Antigua Guatemala?

Cusco is at about 3,350 m (11,000 ft) according to the CDC Yellow Book; Antigua Guatemala is at 1,530.17 m according to its municipal development plan published by SEGEPLAN. Machu Picchu itself is lower than Cusco: Peru’s Ministry of Culture office in Cusco puts the site at 2,430 metres.

When is the rainy season in Peru and in Guatemala?

According to the UK FCDO, Peru’s rainy season runs from November to May, with heavy rain and snow in the Andes including Cusco, and Guatemala’s from May to November, which the FCDO says matches the Caribbean hurricane season. December to April falls outside Guatemala’s rains, and June to October outside Peru’s.

How much does it cost to enter Tikal and Machu Picchu?

Tikal costs Q150 for a foreign adult, plus Q100 for the sunrise or sunset tour, according to Guatemala’s Ministry of Culture (about US$19.64, C$27.47 or £15.31 for the Q150 ticket at Banguat’s 3 November 2026 cross rates). For Machu Picchu, Peru’s Ministry of Culture sells tickets online through its tuboleto platform and up to 1,000 a day in person at its Machupicchu Pueblo office, valid for entry the next day; the office’s own pages read on 4 November 2026 print no price, so check the platform.

Do I need a visa for Peru or Guatemala?

Not as a British tourist, according to the UK FCDO: Peru normally allows a stay of 90 days within any 180, counted from your first entry, and no more than 183 days in a 365-day year as a visitor, and Guatemala allows up to 90 days, one allowance shared with El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras (the fourth CA-4 country, which the FCDO says British citizens can visit without a visa since 31 October 2026). Canada says Canadians need no tourist visa for a Guatemala stay of 90 days or less. US citizens should check the State Department’s page for each country.