Budgeting for Guatemala - Gardner Tours

PERSONAL BUDGET

Although most everything will be included, depending on your booked tour, we recommend mapping out a personal budget for your lunches, alcoholic drinks, and souvenirs before departure. Even if you bring a debit or credit card, to be safe, we recommend you plan on preparing to use cash in most locations, as many local artisans and street vendors will only accept cash. If you plan for cash, spending money will be a breeze for you. Nonetheless, please budget according to your spending habits. You are free to bring as much cash money as you please. We recommend exchanging currency with your home bank before departure or at any airport, including upon your arrival at the airport in Guatemala.

Remember, you will not need to budget for anything in the “Included” section of your booked tour description, nor the transportation to any of those experiences/excursions. You will only need to budget for the items found below that are not included in your tour.

International Flight

$130-$450 from Canada & USA
€425-€675 from Europe

Lunch & Drinks

Restaurants: $6-$15 per meal
Water: $1 per 1.5 liter bottle
Alcoholic Drinks: $3-$5 per drink on average

Extra Tours / Entertainment

Cooking Class or Food Experiences: $50-$90 per person
Bean to Bar Chocolate Workshop: $26 per person
Volcano Excursions: $15 to $100 per person
Entry to Museums & Galleries: FREE to $15 per person
Bike Rentals / Tours: $10-$35 per person

In-Country Transport

Airport Pickup / Drop-off: INCLUDED IN TOUR COST
In-Town Taxi: $3-$5 per trip (if you desire to explore on your own)
Tuk-Tuk Taxi: $2-$5 per trip (if you desire to explore on your own)

Souvenirs

Coffee: $10-$15 per pound
Rum: $20-$50 on average per bottle
Jade Jewelry: $3 for small items to thousands for fine jewelry
Table Runners & Other Textiles: $10-$30
Wood Carvings & Masks: $5-$35
T-Shirts: $5-$12
Postcards: $1 or less

Tips

We always recommend, as an encouragement to those serving you, that if you believe that those persons went out of their way to make your experience over-the-top, feel free to tip them. It is not required, but it is a good encouragement for them to continue to give 110% for their travelers. The amount of your tips depend on the combination of your budget/generosity and how well you feel they served you. If you have any questions regarding tipping or anything else, feel free to reach out to us before your departure.

Gardner Tours Guide
BnB Host / Butler: $5-$10 per day
Restaurants: usually 10% of total cost
Drivers: $5-$10 for long journeys
Experience Guides (Special Tour/Experience Guides): $5-$10