All year round
All year round
When I lived in Xela (or Quetzaltenango), several of my French friends invited me to climb Santa Maria. It's not hard or long and the view from the top is stunning; you can also see the Santiaguito lava dome.
The climb starts in a little town called Llano de Pinal, a 30-minute bus ride from Xela. If you want to hire a guide, I can recommend Alliance Française (they speak English!). They may well recommend Edgard and Pablo, 2 official Guatemalan guides who are both really friendly and know their stuff! They can also lend you equipment - tents, warm clothes... Don't forget your headlamp! Night falls during the climb, so it's an essential piece of kit. Once at the top, after a good night's sleep, you'll wake up to a mind-blowing view!!!
If you come to Guatemala to go trekking, then Santa Maria, with its Santiaguito lava mound, is a great place to stop whilst you're visiting Quetzaltenango.