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Guatemala🇬🇹 | festivalsDía de los MuertosTissue-paper kites, cemetery picnics, fiambre, November 1 | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Día de los Muertos
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 23, 2026

Years ago, Día de los Muertos in Guatemala was a quiet family affair, with relatives sweeping graves and eating fiambre at home, and few outsiders ever saw it. Today travelers cross the country for the kites. The festival, held on November 1, centers on Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez, in the highlands west of Guatemala City, with cemetery visits in towns like Antigua too. Expect crowds of families, photographers and backpackers, loud brass bands, smoke from food stalls and a sky full of paper. Entry to the kite grounds is cheap, and the day runs from morning to late afternoon. I bought a bowl of fiambre from a cemetery stall, sat on a curb and ate it with my fingers like everyone else, a move you can copy. Wind slapped tissue paper against bamboo frames as huge kites, some taller than a house, rattled on their ropes above the graves.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #99 festival in GuatemalaWhy visitors keep coming back

Día de los Muertos pulls backpackers into the Guatemalan highlands because the scale of the Sumpango giant kite festival has no real equivalent elsewhere in Central America. Some kites are over 15 meters across and carry painted messages about politics, grief and village life, built by teams who work for months. You are not watching a show staged for tourists. Families are there to talk to their dead, and you end up standing among them, which is a rare kind of cultural access.

The second reason is cost and logistics. Entry is cheap, local buses run from the capital and Antigua, and a full day costs far less than any comparable event in Mexico. Locals also share the fiambre, a cold salad of dozens of ingredients made only around November 1, and a plate is easy to find at stalls near the cemeteries. … read more 👉
Día de los Muertos pulls backpackers into the Guatemalan highlands because the scale of the Sumpango giant kite festival has no real equivalent elsewhere in Central America. Some kites are over 15 meters across and carry painted messages about politics, grief and village life, built by teams who work for months. You are not watching a show staged for tourists. Families are there to talk to their dead, and you end up standing among them, which is a rare kind of cultural access.

The second reason is cost and logistics. Entry is cheap, local buses run from the capital and Antigua, and a full day costs far less than any comparable event in Mexico. Locals also share the fiambre, a cold salad of dozens of ingredients made only around November 1, and a plate is easy to find at stalls near the cemeteries.

It also fits neatly into a longer route. Antigua, Lake Atitlán and Chichicastenango all sit within reach, so you can build the festival into a highlands loop without detours.

💡 HighlightsPlaces and moments you shouldn't skip

  1. Giant kites of Sumpango: The festival’s signature. Teams in the town of Sumpango raise enormous tissue-paper kites on bamboo frames, some larger than a house. Each carries a painted message, and watching crews haul them upright with ropes is half the spectacle.
  2. Santiago Sacatepéquez kite flying: Here the kites are smaller, round and meant to fly. You can watch crowds launch them from the hillside above the cemetery, and buy one to try yourself. The mood is looser and more family-driven than Sumpango.
  3. Fiambre: The cold salad of meats, cheeses, pickled vegetables and sausage, prepared only for this season. Families bring it to graves, and stalls sell plates to visitors. Try it at a cemetery stall rather than a restaurant.
  4. Cemetery visits in Antigua: Families repaint tombs, lay marigolds and gather
… read more 👉
  1. Giant kites of Sumpango: The festival’s signature. Teams in the town of Sumpango raise enormous tissue-paper kites on bamboo frames, some larger than a house. Each carries a painted message, and watching crews haul them upright with ropes is half the spectacle.
  2. Santiago Sacatepéquez kite flying: Here the kites are smaller, round and meant to fly. You can watch crowds launch them from the hillside above the cemetery, and buy one to try yourself. The mood is looser and more family-driven than Sumpango.
  3. Fiambre: The cold salad of meats, cheeses, pickled vegetables and sausage, prepared only for this season. Families bring it to graves, and stalls sell plates to visitors. Try it at a cemetery stall rather than a restaurant.
  4. Cemetery visits in Antigua: Families repaint tombs, lay marigolds and gather around graves on the day itself. It is quieter than the kite towns, and it suits a respectful walk rather than a photo hunt. Keep your camera low and ask before shooting.
  5. Kite and craft stalls: Around the grounds, vendors sell small paper kites, flower wreaths, candles and snacks like fruit in syrup. The prices are low, the colors are loud, and it is the best place to take home a souvenir that has a real connection to the day.
Start with the giant kites of Sumpango early in the morning, before the crowds thicken and while crews are still raising the biggest frames.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

🌤️ When to go?When is the celebration of Día de los Muertos?

Día de los Muertos in Guatemala runs from October 31 to November 2, with the kite festivals peaking on November 1 (All Saints’ Day), at Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango, about an hour west of Guatemala City.
  • Best day: November 1 is the main event, when giant kites (some over 15 meters across) go up at the Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez fields. Arrive by 9 a.m. for the best view before crowds thicken. November 2 is quieter, with families at cemetery graves.
  • Weather: Mornings are cool at 10 to 14°C (50 to 57°F), afternoons reach 20 to 24°C (68 to 75°F), and a late shower is possible. Bring a rain jacket, a fleece and sturdy shoes for muddy fields.
  • Booking: Reserve beds in Antigua or Guatemala City by early October. Rates often rise 20 to 40 percent around November 1.
  • Crowds and roads: Roads
… read more 👉
Día de los Muertos in Guatemala runs from October 31 to November 2, with the kite festivals peaking on November 1 (All Saints’ Day), at Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango, about an hour west of Guatemala City.
  • Best day: November 1 is the main event, when giant kites (some over 15 meters across) go up at the Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez fields. Arrive by 9 a.m. for the best view before crowds thicken. November 2 is quieter, with families at cemetery graves.
  • Weather: Mornings are cool at 10 to 14°C (50 to 57°F), afternoons reach 20 to 24°C (68 to 75°F), and a late shower is possible. Bring a rain jacket, a fleece and sturdy shoes for muddy fields.
  • Booking: Reserve beds in Antigua or Guatemala City by early October. Rates often rise 20 to 40 percent around November 1.
  • Crowds and roads: Roads to Sumpango jam badly by late morning. Leave early and plan to return before 4 p.m., or stay until traffic eases after dark.
Travel on October 31 to settle in, then head out at dawn on November 1.


source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: not recommended for travelingFEBFebruary: not recommended for travelingMARMarch: not recommended for travelingAPRApril: not recommended for travelingMAYMay: not recommended for travelingJUNJune: not recommended for travelingJULJuly: not recommended for travelingAUGAugust: not recommended for travelingSEPSeptember: not recommended for travelingOCTOctober: highly recommended for travelingNOVNovember: highly recommended for travelingDECDecember: not recommended for traveling

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🛏️ Where to stay?How to pick the right area

Antigua Guatemala is the best base for the kite festivals, with the most hostels, a strong solo-traveler scene and shuttles to Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez in roughly 45 to 60 minutes. The cobbled center is walkable and well patrolled at night, and rooftop terraces and common kitchens make it easy to find people to share a ride or a kite-field day with. Stay within a few blocks of Parque Central, or near La Merced, and you can walk home after dark along busy streets. This is the area most backpackers choose, so book early for the festival dates.
Guatemala City’s Zona 1 is the cheaper alternative, … read more 👉
Antigua Guatemala is the best base for the kite festivals, with the most hostels, a strong solo-traveler scene and shuttles to Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez in roughly 45 to 60 minutes. The cobbled center is walkable and well patrolled at night, and rooftop terraces and common kitchens make it easy to find people to share a ride or a kite-field day with. Stay within a few blocks of Parque Central, or near La Merced, and you can walk home after dark along busy streets. This is the area most backpackers choose, so book early for the festival dates.
Guatemala City’s Zona 1 is the cheaper alternative, but the area is unsafe after dark and I would skip it. Zona 4 (Cuatro Grados Norte) and Zona 10 are the safer pockets, with a few hostels and good restaurants. Zona 4 puts you close to the bus terminals for early departures.
Sumpango itself has very few beds and nothing aimed at backpackers, so treat it as a day destination. If Antigua is full, Ciudad Vieja and San Miguel Dueñas are quiet, smaller options a short ride away, though you will have a calmer, less social evening.
Best hostels in Guatemala


Best quality hotels in Guatemala

👛 Costs (as of 23 October 2026)Money, prices, and spending tips

Día de los Muertos in Guatemala costs about US$35 to 83 per day for an independent traveler in the festival days around November 1, with accommodation making up most of the spike.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Festival ticketsUS$0 to 3Cemetery visits are free. Sumpango’s kite field charges a small entry fee, often around US$1 to 3, paid in cash at the gate.
AccommodationUS$15 to 40Antigua dorms run US$10 to 15 normally and rise to US$15 to 25 around the festival. Private rooms reach US$35 to 60.
Local transportUS$4 to 12Chicken buses from Guatemala City cost under US$1 to 2 per leg. Antigua shuttles to the kite fields run about US$8 to 15 return, and tuk-tuks in town cost US$1 to 3.
Food & drinksUS$10 to 20Street snacks cost US$1 to 3. Fiambre plates run US$6 to 12 and sit-down meals US$5
… read more 👉
Día de los Muertos in Guatemala costs about US$35 to 83 per day for an independent traveler in the festival days around November 1, with accommodation making up most of the spike.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Festival ticketsUS$0 to 3Cemetery visits are free. Sumpango’s kite field charges a small entry fee, often around US$1 to 3, paid in cash at the gate.
AccommodationUS$15 to 40Antigua dorms run US$10 to 15 normally and rise to US$15 to 25 around the festival. Private rooms reach US$35 to 60.
Local transportUS$4 to 12Chicken buses from Guatemala City cost under US$1 to 2 per leg. Antigua shuttles to the kite fields run about US$8 to 15 return, and tuk-tuks in town cost US$1 to 3.
Food & drinksUS$10 to 20Street snacks cost US$1 to 3. Fiambre plates run US$6 to 12 and sit-down meals US$5 to 10.
Miscellaneous expensesUS$3 to 8Small kites to buy cost around US$2 to 10. Add budget for bottled water, a rain poncho and tips for guides.
Total Daily BudgetUS$35 to 83Midpoint around US$65 with a high-season dorm bed in Antigua.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

🍲 FoodLocal Flavors for Backpackers

Kite-field food in Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez is street food at plastic-table stalls: grilled corn, chuchitos (small tamales wrapped in corn husk), tostadas with guacamole, and fried plantains with beans and cream. Expect about US$1 to 3 a portion, so you can sample widely.
The dish to seek out is fiambre, a cold salad of cured meats, sausages, pickled vegetables and cheese, made only around November 1. Families serve it at cemeteries and homes, and some restaurants in Antigua and Guatemala City offer it for a few days. A plate runs roughly US$6 to 12. Share it if you can; portions are large and the flavors are salty, sharp and sweet at once.
For sweets, look for dulces típicos: candied squash, chickpeas and plantain in syrup. Sip ponche de frutas, a hot fruit punch that warms cold mornings, … read more 👉
Kite-field food in Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez is street food at plastic-table stalls: grilled corn, chuchitos (small tamales wrapped in corn husk), tostadas with guacamole, and fried plantains with beans and cream. Expect about US$1 to 3 a portion, so you can sample widely.
The dish to seek out is fiambre, a cold salad of cured meats, sausages, pickled vegetables and cheese, made only around November 1. Families serve it at cemeteries and homes, and some restaurants in Antigua and Guatemala City offer it for a few days. A plate runs roughly US$6 to 12. Share it if you can; portions are large and the flavors are salty, sharp and sweet at once.
For sweets, look for dulces típicos: candied squash, chickpeas and plantain in syrup. Sip ponche de frutas, a hot fruit punch that warms cold mornings, and atol de elote, a thick sweet corn drink. Beer and Quetzalteca aguardiente appear too, but fields are crowded, so go easy.
Carry cash in small bills, since stalls rarely take cards and breaking large notes at midday is a struggle. Lines move fast but get long around noon, so eat early or late. Drink only bottled or hot drinks, and pick busy stalls where food is cooked in front of you.

FAQCommon questions from travelers

Día de los Muertos in Guatemala falls on November 1 (All Saints’ Day) and November 2, with the main kite festivals held on November 1. Celebrations start around October 31 in the towns of Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez, both roughly 45 to 60 minutes west of Guatemala City. Cemetery gatherings continue through November 2, when it is quieter.
Attending Día de los Muertos costs very little to watch: cemetery visits are free, and kite-field entry is typically US$1 to 3. Most of your spending goes to a bed and transport, with Antigua dorms around US$15 to 25 during the festival and shuttles to the fields about US$8 to 15 return. Plan roughly US$35 to 83 per day including food and small extras.
Día de los Muertos does not require advance tickets for the cemeteries or the kite fields in Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez, where you pay a small cash fee at the gate. What you do need to book early is a bed in Antigua or Guatemala City, ideally by early October, plus a shuttle seat if you do not want to take chicken buses. Arrive before 9 a.m. on November 1 to beat the traffic.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other Guatemalan festivals near Día de los Muertos

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We 💚 feedbackWhat to keep in mind

Día de los Muertos rewards an early start. I would reach the kite grounds by mid-morning on November 1, when frames are still going up, then stay into the afternoon as the wind builds and the smaller kites fly. Skip the late bus back and bring cash in small bills.

✈️ When did I visit Guatemala?
Guatemala I visited during my half year trip through South and Central America back in 2003

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in Guatemala, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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