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Published: October 12th 2002
Semuc Champey some say is the most beautiful area in Guatemala, I think this claim may be true, though it is hard to give the accolade to just one area when there are so many so beautiful. Both guide books (Rough Guide and Lonely Planet) included information on Semuc Champey, including the general advice that it is better to take a tour. Tours all cost $35, way too much for a savvy budget traveller such as I. The Rough Guide goes as far as to mention that some guy called Fernandez in an unnamed green shop near the main plaza will take you for only $10. What kind of advice is that? We wandered around the plaza several times without seeing any unnamed green shops... the general consensus from the tour companies was that it also was impossible to do this within a day so after accomplishing this feat I feel compelled to share the route of our success.
How to Get to Semuc Champey for less than $10 from Coban.
1. Get up at 4.30am.
2. Wait for the 5am bus to Lanquin on the corner of 3a Avendia and 1a Calle.
3. 6am the 5am bus arrives.
4. 2 1/2 hours of Chicken Bus ride to Lanquin. (12Q)
5. On arrival in Lanquin, many people will offer you pickups to Semuc Champey, 25Q round trip. Take one, arrange a return time.
6. Return to Lanquin for 1.30pm, the departure time of the only return bus.
7. If you miss this bus apparently other pickups will take you to the next town where buses run until 5pm.
Obviously check for changes in times and locations when you get here, things change, but its fairly easy to make this trip, though I was treated to one of the most crowded chicken bus rides back to Coban, standing for 2 1/2 hours.
So back to the rambling mess that my journal has become: Semuc Champey, the 2 1/2 hour journey to Lanquin took us through some of the spectacular scenery, with the light of dawn and the slight mist in the air I could have won competitions with photographs that I could have taken. Unfortunately I was stuck on a chicken bus, and couldn't get any photos at all.
On arrival in Lanquin we were offered pickup rides to Semuc Champey for 25Q round trip. Lanquin is
basically a small village in the highlands, has one or two hotels/hostels, and basically serves as a base for trips to Semuc Champey and the nearby caves (which we didn't go to).
We arrived in Semuc Champey at about 10.30am arranged a return time of just before 1pm. Semuc Champey is a 300m limestone bridge with cool clear pools of mountain stream water on it. Under the bridge the Rio Cahabon thrashes and spins down a terrifying tunnel, luckily for those how might otherwise have wished to try swimming down the tunnel a sign warns all of the danger.
So instead of swimming down the tunnel our Guatemalan guides engaged in other dangerous activities, namely climbing the cliff alongside the pools, and diving in. After the cliff proved to be just too tame, they climbed another 15ft up a tree overhanging the water and dove from there. I had to prove myself by jumping from the cliff, about 30ft, enough time falling to think, "OK... shouldn't I have hit the water by now?". Relaxing in the pool allowed small fish to swim up and nibble at my toes, not piranhas and smaller than my toes. An interesting sensation
as they picked off the little bits of dead skin.
We met some Glaswegians at the pools, three Scottish people in one pickup truck in Central America, Sharon was no longer without compatriots - no longer such a novelty.
The journey back from Lanquin had to rate as one of the most uncomfortable journeys of my time in Guatemala, and this is the capital of uncomfortable buses, but I took the best photo of a crowded bus so far. We arrived back in Coban slightly earlier than expected, leapt off the bus. Walked down what seemed to be a familiar street back to the hotel, realised that something wasn't quite right and found ourselves in Carcha, the near identical church and municipal buildings had completely thrown us.
Walking down the road towards Coban we decided to ask how far it might be, 8kms... flagged down a taxi and paid 8Q to get dropped off outside the hotel, fortunately it was a cheap mistake, about 60 pence of mistake.
(Twelve Quetzal equals one British Pound - at this time)
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anonymous
non-member comment
very nice
I like how you wrote your story of your trip to Semuc Champey. I'm originally from Guatemala, I went there myself with my parents. I'll try that cheap way to travel to Semuc Champey in my next visit. Thank you!:) (josemunozarias@yahoo.com) - Jose Munoz