eSIM for Guatemala

Viasimo's Guatemala eSIM starts at $1.59 for 100 MB over 7 days, running on Claro with 4G LTE where available. Plans last 1 to 180 days, arrive by email in minutes and install from your phone's settings, with no app.

Works everywhere in Guatemala

Alta Verapaz
Baja Verapaz
Chimaltenango
Chiquimula
El Progreso
Escuintla
Guatemala

Select your planIn stock

Duration

Quantity

Unlimited data · 3 Days$21.99

Unlimited data · 3 Days ×1

$21.99

Going to more than one country? See regional plans

Does my phone take an eSIM? Check now

Dial *#06# on your phone. If you see an EID number, your phone takes an eSIM. Most phones sold since 2019 do.

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Network

Which networks does the Guatemala eSIM use?

Host networks: Claro

Your eSIM picks one automatically; you do not choose or switch between them.

Data: 100 MB – 20 GB or unlimited
Validity: 1–180 days
Speed: 4G LTE
Hotspot / tethering: Supported on most devices
Activation: Automatic on arrival
Speed management: Roughly 2-3 GB per day at full speed, sometimes less depending on the local carrier, then reduced
Top-ups: Add more data from your account, before the plan expires
Text messages (SMS): Data only: use an app for verification codes
Connects via: Belgium
Unused validity: 180 days before it must be installed

Setting up Buy, scan the QR code we email you, and switch on the travel line when you land. How it works

Choosing a plan

How much data do you need?

The allowances below are our sizing recommendations, not measurements. The plan beside each one is the cheapest option on this page that covers it.

Recommended data allowances matched to the plans sold for this destination
You are	Plan for	Cheapest plan that covers it
LightMaps, messaging and the occasional lookup	About 1 GB a week	$4.001 GB, 7 days
TypicalMaps, social, photos and some browsing	About 3 to 7 GB a week	$16.005 GB, 30 days
HeavyVideo streaming, video calls and uploads	10 GB a week or more	$28.9910 GB, 30 days
Working or sharingTethering a laptop, calls and cloud sync	20 GB a week or more	$47.99Unlimited, 7 days

Work it out from your own habits

What a week abroad costs

eSIM, local SIM or roaming?

Charged per day

Your carrier roaming

Queue and plastic

A SIM at the airport

$1.59

Viasimo, one bundle

Only the Viasimo figure is a price: it comes from today’s live catalog. The other two rows are directional, not quoted rates.

About this eSIM

Guatemala runs on WhatsApp. Shuttle drivers, hostels, volcano guides, boat captains on Lake Atitlán and the guy who is meant to meet you at the Antigua bus stop all coordinate by message, which means a phone with working data is not a convenience here, it is how the trip functions. The country is also mountainous and unevenly developed, so the same plan that feels instant in the capital will crawl in a highland village an hour later.

Getting online when you land

Set the profile up before departure, while you have stable wifi and the patience for it. Most arrivals come through La Aurora in the capital, and immigration into a shuttle to Antigua is a fast handover that goes much better if your phone is already alive. If you are flying straight to Flores for Tikal, the same applies at the smaller airport there.

On landing, enable the travel line and let it register. Check the roaming switch on that line specifically, because it defaults off on many handsets and produces the classic symptom of full bars and dead data.

Then message ahead. Shuttle companies reconfirm pickups the same day, and being reachable on data from the moment you leave the terminal removes the most common arrival mess: a driver who cannot find you and no way to say so.

The networks you'll be on

Service comes from whichever of Claro or movistar has the better signal: Claro runs 4G LTE, and movistar adds 5G where it has been rolled out. Realistically, 4G is what you will live on, with 5G appearing in the larger urban areas and 3G being what you fall back to in the highlands and the jungle. That fallback is fine for messaging and worth remembering before you try to upload a video from a mountain town.

There is no manual setup involved: the phone finds a network and stays on it. If data stops moving after a long bus day, flip airplane mode on and off to force a clean re-attach before you assume anything is broken.

Where coverage holds, and where it thins

The dependable band runs through Guatemala City, Antigua, Chimaltenango and the Pan-American corridor, plus Quetzaltenango and the larger department capitals. Around Lake Atitlán, service is decent in Panajachel and reasonable in the bigger lakeside villages, but it varies boat stop by boat stop; San Marcos and the smaller western shore settlements are weaker than Panajachel, and the lake crossing itself is inconsistent.

Altitude and terrain do most of the damage. Volcano hikes are the clearest case: you will have signal at the trailhead outside Antigua, lose it in the forest on the way up Acatenango, and get an unexpected bar or two at a high camp with a clear line of sight. Do not plan around either outcome.

The Verapaces are the real gap. Semuc Champey and the road into Lanquín are famously offline, and travellers routinely arrive to find the only connectivity is whatever the hostel has arranged. Petén outside Flores, the tracks around Tikal, the Río Dulce corridor and Livingston, which you can only reach by boat, all range from patchy to nothing. Remote highland villages in the western departments follow the same pattern: fine in the market town, gone in the hamlets above it.

What you'll actually use data for here

Transport coordination, first and always. Shuttles between Antigua, Atitlán, Lanquín and Flores are booked and reconfirmed by message, times move, and pickups get reshuffled the night before.

After that: ride-hailing in the capital and Antigua, which many travellers prefer for the fixed fare; translating when your Spanish thins out; and looking up whether a volcano is currently active enough to change a hiking plan, which is a real and changing question here. Currency conversion, market prices and bank locations come up constantly. Photo uploads from Antigua and the lake are the single biggest chunk of data most people burn.

Language schools, homestays and guides all coordinate by chat, so if you are studying Spanish for a week, expect your phone to be the scheduling tool for everything.

Before you fly

Confirm eSIM support and that your handset is unlocked, and install the profile at home. Download offline maps covering the highlands, Petén and the Atitlán basin, not just the capital, because the offline layer is what carries you through Lanquín and the mountain roads.

Screenshot your accommodation addresses in Spanish, your shuttle confirmations and your onward bus times. Guides and drivers will ask to see them, and a screenshot works when the network does not.

Keep your home number active for banking codes. Carry cash in small notes, since rural buses, market stalls and village comedores rarely take cards and there are stretches with no working machine. Bring a power bank: long shuttle days, constant navigation, cold nights on volcano hikes and unreliable sockets in older buildings all eat battery, and you will want the phone alive for the descent.

Unlimited runs at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continues slower.

Before you buy

Important to know

This is a data-only eSIM. It carries no calls or SMS on its own number.
Your existing number stays on your primary SIM, so calls and verification texts keep working.
Your phone must support eSIM, and some carrier-locked phones cannot install one.
Signal varies with location, terrain, congestion and your handset. Dense urban areas are consistently better served than remote ones.
The eSIM selects a host network automatically. You cannot pick or switch between them.
Unlimited plans run at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continue at a reduced speed. Read the fair usage policy

Looking for more information?

Frequently asked questions

Does an eSIM work in Guatemala?

Yes. Your Guatemala eSIM connects automatically the moment you arrive, with no roaming fees and nothing to set up at the airport. The host networks it can use are Claro. Coverage runs on 4G LTE. There is no 5G on our host network in Guatemala yet.

Do I get 5G in Guatemala?

No. Claro do not yet offer 5G to visitors in Guatemala, so your eSIM connects over 4G LTE or slower. Anyone claiming 5G for this destination is quoting a spec sheet, not the network you will actually get.

Does Movistar still exist in Guatemala?

No. Telefónica sold its Guatemalan operation to América Móvil, and it was merged into Claro, so Movistar no longer runs as a separate network. Guatemala's two main operators are now Claro and Tigo. This eSIM connects through Claro, so if your plan still mentions movistar, that refers to the network now operated by Claro.

What is the tourist emergency number in Guatemala?

Dial 1500 for PROATUR, INGUAT's 24-hour tourist assistance service. It can help after a crime and accompany you back to your hotel. The other numbers are 110 for police, 122 for the fire brigade and 123 for medical emergencies. Operators may not speak English. The eSIM is data only, so you'll need your home SIM for calls.

Is it safe to climb Acatenango while Fuego is erupting?

Only if the authorities allow it and you go with a reputable guide. Check INSIVUMEH and CONRED for restrictions on the day you go. The UK warns that tour organisers can underestimate the risks, that people have died, and that Guatemala has no mountain rescue service. Phone signal is unreliable above the forest line.

Can volcanic ash affect my flight from Guatemala City?

Yes. La Aurora International Airport can close at short notice when ash from active volcanoes such as Fuego or Pacaya drifts over the city. If there's an eruption close to your departure date, keep checking your airline's app and the news, and leave yourself a buffer before any connecting international flights.

Should I use Uber or a taxi in Guatemala City?

Use a ride-hailing app or a taxi arranged by your hotel. UK and Australian advice warns that express kidnappings often begin with taxis hailed on the street or taken from ranks. A booked ride records your driver and route. You'll need mobile data, so have your eSIM working before you leave La Aurora airport.

How much data do I need for 7 days in Guatemala?

For 7 days in Guatemala, Viasimo sells 100 MB for $1.59, 1 GB for $4.00, and unlimited data for $47.99. Our sizing recommendation, not a measurement: maps, messaging and the occasional lookup, about 1 GB a week; maps, social, photos and some browsing, about 3 to 7 GB a week. The data calculator on this site works it out from how you actually use your phone.

Installing, keeping your number, topping up and hotspot work the same everywhere: see how it works →

Know before you go

Guatemala: what to know before you land

Guatemala now has two main mobile networks, Claro and Tigo, since Movistar's local business was absorbed into Claro. This eSIM uses Claro. Before you go, save the 24-hour PROATUR tourist assistance number, 1500, and check volcano alerts before climbing Acatenango or Pacaya, because ash from Fuego can close La Aurora airport at short notice.

Emergency: 1500 PROATUR tourist assistance
110 police
122 fire
123 medical
Plugs: AB 120V
Currency: Guatemalan quetzal (GTQ)

Main airports

GUA La Aurora International Airport, Guatemala City
FRS Mundo Maya International Airport, Flores

Apps worth having WhatsAppUberGoogle MapsWazeGoogle Translate

Claro, Tigo and the end of Movistar in Guatemala

Older guides list three mobile networks in Guatemala: Claro, Tigo and Movistar. That is out of date. Telefónica sold its Guatemalan business to América Móvil, the owner of Claro, and the two were merged. Movistar no longer operates as a separate network in Guatemala, so you'll see Claro on your phone.

That leaves two large networks, Claro and Tigo (owned by Millicom). Your eSIM connects through Claro and does not use Tigo. Where Claro has switched on 5G and your phone supports it, you'll use it. Elsewhere you'll be on 4G, falling back to 3G in the highlands and Petén.

In practice, if a guide or shuttle driver on Tigo has a signal in a village where you don't, that is the reason. Ask them to send messages for you or share their hotspot. If your plan lists "movistar" as one of its networks, treat it as part of Claro.

Fuego, Pacaya and Acatenango: check INSIVUMEH and CONRED first

Volcán de Fuego, Pacaya and Santiaguito are all very active, and activity can increase without warning. Before any hike, the UK Foreign Office recommends checking INSIVUMEH, the national meteorology and volcanology institute, and CONRED, the disaster agency, for access restrictions and current recommendations. Do this on the morning you set off, not when you booked.

The UK says local tour operators may underestimate the risks, deaths have occurred on volcano hikes, and there is no mountain rescue service. Once you're above the forest on Acatenango, you may not have a signal, so tell someone at your accommodation when you expect to be back.

Ash can also affect your flights. La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City can close at short notice because of volcanic ash, so if Fuego is erupting near your departure date, keep checking your airline's app. If ash is falling, Australian advice is to wear a disposable mask, goggles and long clothing, and people with respiratory conditions should take particular care.

PROATUR 1500 and the emergency numbers to save

Guatemala uses several emergency numbers, so save these before you arrive:

1500: PROATUR, the 24-hour tourist assistance service run by INGUAT. It can also escort victims of crime back to their hotel or another safe place. Its email address is proatur@inguat.gob.gt.
110: National Police.
122: Fire brigade, also for rescue.
123: Medical emergencies, and an alternative fire brigade number.
1520: PROVIAL roadside assistance, although patrols are infrequent.

Emergency operators may not speak English. Keep a few Spanish phrases and your accommodation's address saved in your translation app so you can read them out. Your eSIM is data only, so to make calls use your home SIM (roaming charges may apply), or use WhatsApp to contact your hotel or tour company and ask them to call for you. PROATUR's email is a useful backup if you have data but can't get through by phone.

Ride-hailing, ATMs and keeping your phone safe in Guatemala City

Australian and UK advice both recommend using a ride-hailing app in Guatemala City and Antigua instead of hailing a taxi on the street or picking one up at a rank. Express kidnappings, where victims are driven around and forced to withdraw cash, often begin in a taxi flagged down on the street. A booked ride means your driver, car and route are recorded on your phone. Book in advance if you're travelling after dark.

Keep your phone out of sight in public. Phone snatching is common at ATMs, petrol stations, bus terminals, shopping centres and the airport. Use ATMs inside banks or hotels, check them for tampering, and withdraw modest amounts. You can't bring quetzales into or out of Guatemala, and US dollars are the only foreign currency you can exchange, so bring dollars as a backup.

Avoid public wifi and Bluetooth for banking, and use your eSIM data instead. If you're taking a boat on the Río Dulce or to Livingston, ask about security first, as boats there have been targeted by criminals. Be careful what you post on social media too, as people have been arrested over online posts.

Researched October 2026 · 5 sources

gov.uk Guatemala travel advice: safety and security (GOV.UK)
smartraveller.gov.au Guatemala travel advice (Smartraveller)
en.wikipedia.org Movistar (Wikipedia)
en.wikipedia.org Telecommunications in Guatemala (Wikipedia)
worldstandards.eu Plug, socket and voltage by country (World Standards)

7-day itinerary

Seven days in Guatemala: Antigua, Lake Atitlán, Chichicastenango and Tikal

The classic first week in Guatemala: colonial Antigua under its volcanoes, the Maya villages around Lake Atitlán, the market at Chichicastenango, then a flight north to Flores for the jungle ruins of Yaxhá and Tikal.

Length: 7 days
Bases: 4

When to go November to April is the dry season and the easiest time for volcano views and Tikal; Semana Santa in Antigua is spectacular but very busy, and May to October brings afternoon rain.

Day 1 Antigua Guatemala

Antigua: arches, churches and Cerro de la Cruz

La Aurora Airport to Antigua is about 45 km, 1 to 1 hour 30 minutes by pre-booked shuttle or ride-hailing app depending on traffic.

Transfer from the airport to Antigua, the UNESCO-listed former capital. Walk the cobbled grid from the Parque Central past the cathedral to the Santa Catalina Arch, with Volcán de Agua framed behind it, and on to the yellow church of La Merced. In the late afternoon, climb the stairs to Cerro de la Cruz for the view over the town, going with others or a tourist police escort.

Signal Claro 4G covers Guatemala City and Antigua well, with 5G in parts of the capital. Keep your phone out of sight on the street, where snatching is common.
Day 2 Antigua Guatemala

Pacaya volcano and Antigua's ruins

Pacaya trailhead at San Francisco de Sales is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Antigua by tour shuttle.

Check INSIVUMEH and CONRED for restrictions, then take a morning guided hike up Pacaya, an active volcano with lava fields about 1 hour 30 minutes from Antigua. Back in town, explore the earthquake-damaged colonial buildings: the Capuchinas convent with its circular cloister, the church of San Francisco el Grande, and the ruined cathedral behind the facade on the square. If Pacaya is closed, visit a coffee farm on the slopes of Agua instead.

Signal 4G is usually available on the lower slopes of Pacaya and at the trailhead, but can drop higher up. In Antigua, thick colonial walls weaken it indoors.
Day 3 Panajachel

To Lake Atitlán

Antigua to Panajachel is about 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours by tourist shuttle.

Take a shuttle west through the highlands to Panajachel on the shore of Lake Atitlán, a large crater lake ringed by the San Pedro, Tolimán and Atitlán volcanoes. In the afternoon, take a public boat across to Santa Cruz La Laguna and walk the steep lanes for views back across the water. Return to Panajachel and walk Calle Santander, the main street down to the lake.

Signal 4G along most of the Inter-American Highway, with gaps on the descent to Sololá. Panajachel has good Claro coverage; it is weaker on the water and in Santa Cruz.
Day 4 Panajachel

San Juan, San Pedro and Santiago Atitlán

Public lanchas link the villages every 30 minutes or so in daylight; each crossing takes 15 to 30 minutes.

Spend the day hopping by lancha between lake villages. Start in San Juan La Laguna to visit the women's weaving cooperatives, which dye cotton with natural plants, then walk to neighbouring San Pedro La Laguna. Cross to Santiago Atitlán, the largest Tz'utujil Maya town, to see its colonial church and visit the house shrine of Maximón, a folk saint, with a local guide. Take the last boats back well before dusk.

Signal The larger villages have 4G or 3G, but signal comes and goes on the boats and below the steep shores. Save the boat times and your accommodation's WhatsApp number.
Day 5 Guatemala City

Chichicastenango market

Panajachel to Chichicastenango is about 1 hour 30 minutes; Chichicastenango to Guatemala City is about 3 hours by shuttle.

Go on a Thursday or Sunday to the market at Chichicastenango, where traders from the highlands fill the streets with textiles, masks and produce. Visit the church of Santo Tomás, where K'iche' Maya ritual and Catholic worship meet on the steps, and the hilltop shrine of Pascual Abaj if a guide is available. In the afternoon, travel on to Guatemala City to be ready for tomorrow's flight north.

Signal 4G in Chichicastenango, though the market crowds slow data. The mountain roads between towns have patchy coverage.
Day 6 Flores

Fly to Flores and sunset at Yaxhá

Guatemala City to Flores is about a 1-hour flight. Yaxhá is around 1 hour 30 minutes from Flores by road.

Take a morning flight to Flores in Petén. Walk the small island town of Flores on Lake Petén Itzá, joined to the mainland by a causeway. In the afternoon, take a tour to Yaxhá, a large Maya city between two lagoons that sees far fewer visitors than Tikal, and climb Temple 216 for sunset over the forest. Return to Flores after dark with your guide.

Signal 4G in Flores and Santa Elena. At Yaxhá there is little or no signal, so download your tour details and offline maps first.
Day 7 Flores

Tikal at dawn

Tikal is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Flores by shuttle or tour.

Leave very early for Tikal National Park, a UNESCO site where temples rise above the rainforest canopy. Walk the Gran Plaza between Temples I and II, climb the wooden stairs to the top of Temple IV, and visit the Mundo Perdido complex. Listen for howler monkeys and look for toucans and coatis along the trails. Return to Flores airport for an afternoon flight back to Guatemala City.

Signal Expect a weak signal near the visitor centre and none deep in the park. Download the site map and arrange a meeting time with your driver in advance.

Staying connected on this route

Your eSIM uses Claro only; Movistar has merged into Claro, and Tigo is not used, so a Tigo user may have signal where you do not.
Check INSIVUMEH and CONRED on the morning of any volcano hike, and watch your airline app if Fuego is erupting near your flight.
Save PROATUR, the 24-hour tourist assistance line on 1500, and remember the eSIM is data only: call from your home SIM or ask your hotel via WhatsApp.
Use a ride-hailing app or hotel taxi in Guatemala City and Antigua rather than hailing one on the street.

Itinerary sources · 6

gov.uk GOV.UK foreign travel advice: Guatemala warnings and insurance
gov.uk GOV.UK: Guatemala safety and security
whc.unesco.org UNESCO World Heritage: Antigua Guatemala
whc.unesco.org UNESCO World Heritage: Tikal National Park
insivumeh.gob.gt INSIVUMEH: volcanology bulletins
smartraveller.gov.au Smartraveller: Guatemala

Where this comes from

Information and verification

Each block below says what was checked and when. Anything we cannot date, we do not claim.

Prices and plans: Every price and allowance on this page is read from the live catalog, not typed in.; Verified October 30, 2026
Host networks: The operator list comes from the network partner that carries this eSIM.; Verified October 30, 2026