Semuc Champey

By Jaimy de Vries

We left our stuff in Antigua and went on a 3-day trip to Lanquin, a city close to Semuc Champey. Semuc Champey is located in central Guatemala in the middle of nowhere and was about a 7 hour drive away from Antigua, but it was worth the long drive. We had an amazing time here. On a full day trip we drove through small farms, explored the natural pools, went into a cave with only a candle light and jumped off a swing. It was one of the most fun days we had during our long trip. It was beautiful, adventurous and fun at the same time.

We went to Lanquin by a shuttle bus. We paid 225 quetzales per person (28 euro). It was quite a luxurious bus. I heard quite some horror stories about busses in Guatemala. But again, amazed by how modern it is. The ride was bumpy though. Don’t try to read something, you’ll definitely get car sick.

The nature is pretty. Lots and lots of mountains and we saw quite some volcanos along the way. It’s really green with different biodiversity, we went from pine trees and cloud forest to a tropical jungle. That’s were Guatemala is known for. Central America serves as a bridge between North and South America and Guatemala is the first country that connects both continents. Therefore it has a rich biodiversity and holds many terrestrial species. You can see cloud and spiny forests, tropical jungle, savannas, volcanic sand beaches and mangrove swamps.

After a 7 hour drive we arrived in Lanquin. A small town in the center of Guatemala. Here it looks different than in Antigua. People and children stuffed on the back of a pick- up car or even stranger…

people hanging on trucks as a way of transportation. Chickens, cows and dogs walking on the street and lots of people in traditional clothing. You can see this place is less developed and poorer. Once we arrived they told us its better to stay at our hostel and don’t wonder of in town because of robberies. I read this before and that’s why we picked an accommodation with a restaurant. We went to El Retiro that I can highly recommend. The accommodation has some cute cabins, surrounded by gardens, good food and we were located on the Lanquin river what was kinda cool. We came to Lanquin for a tour to Semuc Champey and the Kamba cave. They offer it as a full day tour.

A bumpy ride

The next morning we were picked up at 9, we drove on a 4×4 pick up car and we’re standing in the back. First we waited a long time in Lanquin, apparently we were waiting for two other tourist. And this is how it goes in countries like this, everything goes a bit different. It’s good to adjust your expectations that probably they’ll arrive later and things didn’t always go as planned. Once you do this, just go with the flow and enjoy your adventure. Eventually it all works out.

Once our team was complete we set off and enjoyed an adventurous bumpy ride on the truck. It was so much fun. The roads were crazy sometimes, at one time you have a concrete road, then it suddenly ends and you’re on a very bumpy dirt road, then again a small concrete road. We were driving into the jungle, crossed many small farms and communities. You could see they are poor here. But they’re really kind, saying hello and waving. Mostly the kids.

Kamba cave

After we arrived we started with our cave tour: Kamba cave. We were the only ones of the group who dared to enter the cave. It’s quite an adventurous thrilling cave. I’m 100% sure this will be forbidden in Europe because its too dangerous. But in Guatemala everything is still possible. I saw a sign in front of the cave: “enter on own risk” and then I saw the entrance, a dark cave filled with water till your knees. Oeh adventure!! We had a very good guide and we were the only two. We got a candlelight and started walking into the cave. We needed to take precautious steps…because we couldn’t see what’s in the water and how deep it was. There are ropes in the cave that leads the trail and where you can hang on. We didn’t feel unsafe. But it was so cool and exciting. Several times the water was so deep we couldn’t stand, so we needed to swim with a

At the entrance of the cave

candlelight above our heads. We also needed to climb ladders and enter smaller holes. In the cave our guide made some black paint, we think it was black soot. I said make something fun, he made me a cat haha.

At the end of the trail there was a waterfall where we went through. You could feel how powerful the water is. Our guide pointed that we need to continue to the ladder and was pointing to a rope along the water. He said something to us loudly but we couldn’t hear him and he went the other way. There was a big group there and they screamed “jump!”. I hesitated and didn’t want to. But I couldn’t get what the guide was saying and the others were still screaming: “jump jump!“. I’m brave so I did it. But I took a verry precautious baby jump…you don’t know what’s in the water….and it was a good thing I did, many rocks in the water! The guide actually said: don’t jump! Well because of my baby jump I hit the rocks soft…but I did got hurt on my leg. But I was fine, luckily just a wound. We were just smiling the whole tour in the cave, it was so cool and exciting. I will do it all over again!

At the entrance of the cave

Fall on a rock

Swing

The jump in the cave was not the only one. It was the first of many. Afterwards we went on a big swing into the river. Once you go on the swing you must get off once above the river…you can’t swing back otherwise you hurt yourself. It was quite scarry. It was so high! I tried to hold on the swing with my arm for a short while and then I let go. Once in the water you need to swim back quick or the river stream takes you. After a refreshing plunge we walked to a waterfall for a picture and then we went tubinng…I love tubing! But it was a short drift. The funny thing that happened is that 2 Guatemalan boys jumped in the water trying to sell drinks. They surely give it an effort. It turns out this is a Guatemalan thing to do. No matter where you are they try to sell you drinks, snacks, souvenirs. If it’s along the road or in the river they’ll come to you. The weird thing is what I don’t understand, is that all sellers that are competing to sell something are always on the same spot. How do you earn money then?

Jumping off the swing

Tubing

Posing at the waterfall

The natural pools

In the afternoon we went to Semuc Champey, a natural preserve with very beautiful turquoise natural springs. A must to see when in Guatemala. First we climbed up for 45 minutes to “El Mirador”. A beautiful viewpoint over the natural springs. We took some nice photo’s on the top and once we wanted to walk down it started to rain. Aigh, we climbed up on flip-flops but going doing while its wet and slippery was challenging. But we arrived down without slipping once.

Once down it stopped raining. Yes! We changed and took a plunge in the natural pool. Our first one, and many followed. You could jump from one natural pool to the other. It was so much fun and so beautiful. Laying in turquoise crystal blue water surrounded by jungle, waterfalls and steep mountains. It was a perfect day, and worth 2 times a bus drive from and to Antigua of 8 hours.