It is a beautiful place in the middle of nowhere Guatemala. There are these beautiful limestone pools in which you can swim and have fun in. Truly it is an amazing place to put on your Guatemala bucket list.
Finding out about Semuc Champey:
Going to a foreign country, Sarah and I have always looked up what things you can do in a place. Going to Guatemala, we had looked up a place that is called Semuc Champey. Now, Semuc Champey is not just an ordinary place. It is a place with beautiful limestone pools in which you can swim in, which totally interested us.
The Bus Ride
Get ready for a ride. Bring a book, kindle, music, and be ready to have a 9-10 hour ride along the rough roads of Guatemala. We had probably one stop that involved getting lunch, but for most of the ride we were in bus with 15-20 other tourists on our way in Lanquin, Guatemala.
The day will be full of driving. You are heading to the little Mayan town of Lanquin. This is where the buses drop off tourists for Semuc Champey. The ride will be long, tedious, bumpy, and there will probably be like two to three stops for restrooms and lunch. Please remember to listen to the bus driver on how much time you may have for the stop. They may say it in Spanish, but listen carefully they will leave you. I saw a couple left at a stop because they didn’t hear the correct time.
To your Hostel or Hotel
Most of the other hotels and hostels are in and around Lanquin, which there is not much of anything. They would have to ride the next day on the rough roads hanging to dear life for that 45 minutes as well to Semuc Champey.
Once you get to your hostel get settled in, get acquainted for the next two nights, and relax. The next day will be full of excitement, adventure, and some pretty good sights.
The Hike:
There is a lovely 30-45 minute hike up the mountain to get an aerial view of Semuc Champey. It can be slippery due to possible rain from the night before so be careful. The hike itself is not too difficult. There are steps guiding your way to the overlook destination.
At this point, you will have the opportunity to take as many photos as time permits. The other tourist will be arriving soon and crowding the entire place.
The Limestone pools:
There will be multiple spots to jump from high distances into the clear waters of the pools. The fish in the pools may snack on the dead skin of your feet or knees. If the fish annoy you, just swim away.
You will have the opportunity to make multiple photos and enjoy the feel of the cool water in the Guatemalan humidity.
Lunch:
Other Activities
There is the guided cave tour, which is near the river. The tour will give you candles in your hand to light your way as you go through this cave to reach your destination. People have mixed reviews of this activity, but it is an adventure.
You will also have the opportunity to go tubing down the river. The guides will be drop you off at one spot, and you float down the rushing river. There will be locals that will try to sell beer and other drinks as you float on. It is quite interesting to watch the locals literally throw a beer or even run and jump into the water to help cater to their new clients floating in tubes. Now that is what I call service.
The Rest of the Afternoon
During the summer time, it rains a lot during the afternoon. If you get there early and have as much fun as you can, you can then leave and get back to the place you stay and rest of an afternoon nap.
