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Travel advice for Guatemala
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Guatemala
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written by Joanna Reeves
updated 4.09.2019
Semuc Champey is one of the most beautiful natural wonders in Guatemala. This incredible series of turquoise pools is set across a natural limestone bridge, hidden among dense jungle 12km southeast of Lanquín. You can work your way from the top of the rocky staircase to the bottom, bathing in the shallow pools fed by the Río Cahabón. Alternatively, head upstream and hike the slippery trail to the mirador for views across the whole of Parque Nacional Semuc Champey.
Semuc Champney's remote location kept this scenic pocket of Guatemala off the tourist path for many years. Today it’s a well-known stop on the tourist trail between Tikal and the western highlands. No longer Guatemala’s best-kept secret, Semuc Champey still manages to maintain its allure despite its popularity – you can usually find a tranquil corner fairly easily.
12 days / from6840 USD
Off the tourist trail and highlights of Guatemala and Belize
Meet school kids in Antigua and traders in Chichicastenango before learning ancient cookery and weaving skills and viewing a Mayan ceremony. This fascinating tour visits archaeological sites such as majestic Tikal before an idyllic private island stay off Belize’s Caribbean coast completes the trip.
customize ⤍12 days / from2820 USD
The Best Of Guatemala & Belize
Visit Antigua with the nearby Pacaya volcano before heading to Lake Atitlán and further to Tikal, once one of the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient Maya. Afterwards, cross the border to Belize to visit the Caracol ruins and enjoying some sun & sand on Ambergris Caye.
customize ⤍12 days / from1890 USD
Guatemala and Belize Family Adventure
Take a family-friendly adventure through Guatemala and Belize. Discover Lake Atitlan on kayaks, explore the active volcano Pacaya or play hide and seek in the large archaeological complex of Tikal before heading out to Belize for its fantastic underwater world and gorgeous beaches.
customize ⤍8 days / from1280 USD
The Best Of Guatemala
You will visit the most popular destinations including the Western Highlands, Tikal and Antigua Guatemala. Enjoy the different types of activities like exploring the Mayan pyramids in the middle of the virgin jungle or having one of the best cups of coffee surrounded by a unique landscape.
customize ⤍9 days / from2385 USD
Unparalleled Guatemala
Guatemala's culture and archaeology is one of the most fascinating ones in the world. On this trip, you will get to know the locals of several places: Mayan food in Antigua, the Quiché people in Chichicastenango, the Mayan ruins of Tikal and much more.
customize ⤍11 days / from1790 USD
A true Mayan expedition
This trip takes you all over Guatemala, from Antigua over Chichicastenango to Lake Atitlán. Take a day trip across the border to Honduras to visit the Mayan ruins of Copán before continuing to Guatemala's Caribbean coast: Rio Dulce awaits before you head to the ruins of Tikal.
customize ⤍8 days / from1450 USD
Guatemala Family Adventure Tour
This is the perfect family vacation taking you throughout Guatemala. Visit the active Pacaya volcano on an easy trek and watch the lava; enjoy a canopy ride through the middle of the rain forest and observe the nature just as the birds see it and enjoy Lake Atitlan by kayak.
customize ⤍The pools are strung along a natural rocky bridge at the base of a valley in Parque Nacional Semuc Champey, 12km from the Q’eqchi’ village of Lanquín in the centre of Guatemala. It’s a great spot for a day’s swimming and relaxing among nature.
Most visitors stay either in Coban, Lanquín or Semuc for a couple of nights, which allows enough time not just for the pools but also for Grutas de Lanquín – an impressive cave system from where the Río Lanquín emerges. Here you can go tubing down the emerald ribbon of water during the day or head to the riverbank at dusk to see thousands of flitting bats fly out of the caves to feed.
You can make your own way to the pools in a hire car or via shuttle bus from Antigua (two daily; 8hr) or Cobán (three daily; 2hr) to Lanquín – the jump-off point for the pools. The mountain town of Cobán is also a popular stopover en route to Semuc from Guatemala City (4hr 30min bus journey), due to its proximity to a vast network of stalactite caverns, freshwater swimming spots and subterranean rivers. To see the pools as part of a wider trip to Guatemala get in touch with us here at Rough Guides. We've partnered with a trusted local company in Guatemala who can plan a fully personalised itinerary taking in all the sites you want to see.
You can visit Semuc on your own, particularly if you pick a guesthouse close by, although most travellers choose to join a tour to avoid relying on infrequent public transport. Tours of Semuc Champey often include a visit to the bat-filled Kan’ba Caves, which are accessible with a guide only (not to be confused with Lanquín caves); some incorporate waterfall-climbing or cliff-jumping into a pool in near darkness.
Guatemala has one of the most pleasant climates in the world, with year-round warm days and mild evenings across much of the country. Some travellers avoid the rainy season – roughly from May to October – although the rain is usually confined to late afternoon downpours even at the height of the season (September and October). Peak tourist season runs between December and March, and again in July and August when the prime attractions are flooded with visitors. Try to visit in low season to avoid the crowds and higher hotel prices.
There is accommodation both in Lanquín and Cobán, as well as guesthouses dotted along the road between the two towns.
In Cobán, Park Hotel is comfortable and picturesque. There's a swimming pool, landscaped gardens and even a working watermill. The charming Casa Q’eqchi’ is one of the latest additions to the accommodation scene in Cobán. This intimate family-run guesthouse is home to just three double rooms and one suite with lovely cosy interiors – all exposed stone, hand-carved wooden furniture and local textiles.
Zephyr Lodge is the best of the bunch in Lanquín, just north of the town centre and with scenic views over the Lanquín river valley and Verapaz hills.
Top image: Semuc Champey © Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstock
written by Joanna Reeves
updated 4.09.2019
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