San Francisco El Alto animal market is the most authentic market in Guatemala – find out why it’s definitely worth a Friday day trip from Quetzaltenango!
- San Francisco El Alto Animal Market
- What Else is There at the Market
- Food at San Francisco El Alto
- Is it Safe to Visit
- How to Get to San Francisco El Alto
- Just for Fun…
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If you only have time for one market in Guatemala, make it San Francisco El Alto.
Chichicastenango may be the biggest in Central America but they cater almost exclusively to tourists.
The real Guatemala Highlands can only be discovered Friday mornings as the animal market gets underway in San Francisco El Alto.
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San Francisco El Alto Animal Market
If you are in Quetzaltenango on a Friday, get up early and make your way to San Francisco El Alto. If you’re anything like us, you won’t regret going.
In fact, we were so amazed by both the quantity and variety of animals available for purchase at the animal market we made two laps to make sure we saw everything.
So let’s take a look at what animals you’ll find…
1. Livestock
The perimeter wall was lined with tied-up cows waiting for inspection.
I don’t think the leashes were required though.
Most buyers had a difficult time trying to get their new four-legged friends to leave the ‘party’.
Something tells me this Guatemalan lady has no issues getting her cows to do what she wants.
The entire place was like a farm. A moo moo here. An oink oink there.
These little piggies that went to the market didn’t need to be anchored to the ground. They managed to immobilize themselves just fine on their own.
A simple rope collar can quickly turn into a spider web when each piglet tries to move independently.
This large pig, on the other hand, needs a handful of nooses.
Thankfully, bad-ass grandma is in control. She might just bring him to the market to eat scraps. He literally could eat you out of house and home.
The most skittish of the animals were the sheep.
You need to keep a tight leash on them, or else they will run away, or the rams may try to mate.
We’re surprised they didn’t shave the sheep for the wool before attempting to sell them.
Maybe their strategy is to make the scrawny sheep appear bigger.
One new creature we came across was the four-horned goat.
Who knew they existed?
2. Fowl
There is a whole section of fowl at the San Francisco El Alto animal market.
They included chickens, turkeys, pigeons, pheasants, and other local birds of all sizes.
The smallest were chicks that were housed in a yellow plastic container by the hundreds.
The largest birds were turkeys.
Their legs were tied together to prevent wandering off, and were surprisingly calm sitting in a basket all day.
3. Pets
Most striking were newborn kittens that were tied to a peg, and sitting on top of each other to keep warm.
We haven’t seen many families with cats in Guatemala, so hopefully these were able to find a good home.
Hidden among the leaves and garbage were two cuddling puppies.
We almost stepped on them as they blended in so well.
What Else is There at the Market?
The weekly Friday San Francisco El Alto animal market isn’t just about animals. Vendors sell normal items as well.
You can find vegetables, second-hand clothes from America, kitchenware, fabric, hats, toys, shoes, and many other items as well.
With so many vendors, San Francisco El Alto swells on Fridays. The typically deserted main plaza gets overtaken by tents that hide stalls and goods.
If you are feeling claustrophobic, then climb up the gazebo in the center for a bird’s eye view and some fresh air.
The church overlooking the plaza is simple, but well decorated. The focal point is the altar where numerous faithful can be seen praying.
We saw a few men, but at this time the church was mostly filled with women.
Getting into the market is never hard. It is getting out that is the challenge. The streets are packed with vendors that line both sides and the middle making movement difficult.
Trying to remember which section you covered is also a problem as all the tarp-covered streets look alike. Good luck finding your way, and enjoy!
Food at San Francisco El Alto
Unfortunately, most of the Guatemalan street food can be found around the San Francisco El Alto animal market.
For us, this was not the most appetizing environment so we decided to forego a hearty breakfast.
Hygiene is another top concern when you put food mere steps away from a field of various animals.
Is it Safe to Visit?
As with any congested place, keep an eye on your belongings. It is very easy for a pickpocket to take something without you even knowing.
We recommend wearing a money belt with RFID blocking and traveling with an anti-theft daypack which you should wear on the front.
It’s also essential to purchase travel insurance before any trip to Guatemala. We’ve been using World Nomads in our travels through 80+ countries over the past 12 years. It’s the best-value provider we’ve found in terms of price and coverage and we haven’t had any issues when we’ve had to make (fortunately) minor claims.
For more details check out our World Nomads review here.
How to Get to San Francisco El Alto Animal Market
Getting to San Francisco El Alto is easy from Quetzaltenango.
Simply grab a ‘chicken’ bus – Q7 / $0.90, 1 hour – that departs from the Rotunda on the east side of Quetzaltenango (Xela).
Just for Fun… 10 Excessive Products at San Francisco El Alto Market
People always say the USA is excessive – we say that Guatemala is the land of excess! Just look at how much you can find at the San Francisco El Alto market!
10. Vegetables are excessive.
9. Avocados are excessive.
8. Kernels of corn are excessive.
7. Dish sets are excessive.
6. Fabric is excessive.
5. Hats are excessive.
4. Second-hand clothes are excessive.
3. Shoes are excessive.
2. Random toy parts are excessive.
1. Eggs are excessive.
*** The Final Word – San Francisco El Alto is the best market to visit in Guatemala ***
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links which means that we receive a small commission if you click on a link and purchase something that we’ve recommended, at no extra cost to you.
Visited in August 2016
Updated in February 2020
Comments
Your pose says: “We now bring you our foreign place-you never-heard-of correspondent Sheena”
Haha! #showmethemoney
Everything looks very congested and the clothes are just thrown in piles. It must take the people the entire day to shop.