Coban-Lanquin-Semac Champey

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Having just returned to Antigua after my trip round Guatemala, I thought it was about time I should update my blog!

A couple of weeks ago I travelled with a few friends from Antigua to Coban, Lanquin and Semac Champey. We hooked up with a fantastic group of people for an unforgettable weekend. Lanquin is an uncomfortable 8 hour journey squished in a bus (hence I was lucky that the others were so fun!), but well worth the journey! Leaving Antigua at 2pm we arrived at a cool little hostel with a jungle setting at about 10:30pm, and wound down over a couple of cervazas. The next day we set out for the obligatory breakfast of eggs and frijoles (beans), then jumped into the back of a pick-up for a bumpy trek to Semac- Champey. Having had our faces painted with the fruit of a strange looking tree we hiked for an hour or so to an amazing view point looking out over turquoise pools. The trek was pretty humid, but yet again it's hard for the photos to do justice to beauty of the place. By now we were pretty keen to get down to the pools and cool off! Treking down we found ourselves in crystal clear water and were able to swim from one pool to the next sliding or jumping down small waterfalls as we made our way down the river.

After lunch we set out to go caving, this in itself was a totally unique and incredible experience. Heading into the dark of the caves, I guess we half expected to get given head torches... instead we lit candles and waded in to the icy cold water! Near the entrance you are met by bats which live in the roof, and incredible formations of rock hanging down. As the water gets deeper you find yourself swimming holding the candle above the water, looking back it's a totally surreal vision to see 12 other candles shimmering through the dark. At points you had to climb rope ladders holding on with one hand and at others, re-light peoples candles when they got wet! A slightly hairy part came when the guide climbed up a rope and lit a candle at the top, then we had to blow out our candles and carrying them in our teeth take it in turns to climb up a knotted rope up a waterfall (not entertaining the thought of slipping), before re-lightling them at the top. Jumping into deep pools as we made our way deeper into the tunnel of caves was made slightly more scary by the dark! At one point we had to slide through a small gap and lower ourselves down into the dark underneath. Since the guide only spoke spanish you wanted to make pretty sure you understood which foot and hand you were putting where even if you didn't quite catch what was at the bottom! As our candles got smaller and smaller and wetter and harder to light we climbed back down the waterfall and made our way back to the entrance.

Slightly cold by this point. We headed back to the river and launched ourselfs off the biggest rope swing I had ever seen in my life with 80% of us making elegant stinging belly or chest flops and pulling ourselves out totally winded! An experience only to be tried once. To get back we jumped in big inner-tubes and floated off down the river. I imagine this would have been a totally tranquil experience had the sun been shining and I'd been able to stop shivering. Instead it was just so cold we couldn't stop laughing! As we jumped back on the pick-up I was glad for the first time I'd lugged my jumper around all day!! Back at the hostel a freezing shower worked wonders at warming us up (cheers guys for using up all the hot water...you know who you are!), before dinner, salsa dancing, cervazas and chatting long into the night! This was a truely fabulous day (although a shame one of the guys ended up with food poisoning) which already seems slightly unreal, but definately won't be forgotten. .

I will hopefully add more photos once I get the link to the waterproof camera!

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Comments

[jen Beard]

sounds amazing
hey this sounds like an amazing trip, i shall be heading into guatamarla myself in a week and would be looking to do something similar, i love the idea of tubing and rope swings, even if its freezing! did you do this as part of a booked trip or did you all just do it independently? Also are there any hostels you would suggest staying in? any help would be great!. Thanks Jen x