#traveelling

Caumasee - Flims - Switzerland (by Anna Jewels (@earthpeek)) 

Semuc Champey is a natural monument, the beautiful and breathtaking cascading turquoise pools located in the lush mountain valley in the department of Alta Verapaz, near the town of Lanquín. It is a 300m long natural limestone bridge that is also a famous tourist attraction in Guatemala. Semuc Champey is a tourist spot that is included in DO's in Guatemala and in every list of "places must to visit in Guatemala". Knowing that it is such a famous attraction and a must visit, you can reserve your flights from different places to Guatemala, for example- cheap flights from Chicago to Guatemala and from other diverse places. This place is often referred to as a paradise on earth and here is a Guide to Semuc Champey to know everything you need to know. 

Activities

Being a famous attraction, it not only offers the views of the cascades but a lot of activities to do and experience. Some of the activities offered here are:

Swim and Relax in Limestone pools- This paradise offers clear pools of water to swim in. There are different large pools that can accommodate 100 people at once. You can swim and dive in the turquoise water pools. 

Go Tubing- You can also try on the tubing experience offered near the bridge at very affordable prices. Your experience can go from a few minutes to hours of tubing depending on the water level. You can even use the tubes to travel to your hotel.

Visit KanBa cave- KanBa Cave, the most popular cave in Semuc Champey, is also known as the “Candlelight Cave”. It is called so because you are handed over a candle as soon as you enter the cave in order to make your path through the cave. In order to avoid the crowd, try going a bit later in the day to experience something you haven’t experienced ever before.

Hike to "El Mirador" (The viewpoint of Semuc Champey)- The most preferred activity to go for that offers an uphill walk to the lookout point. Your trip to Semuc Champey will be incomplete without a visit to “El Mirador”. This is a half an hour walk that is worth the visit because it offers unspoilt views of the turquoise water pools.   

How to reach?

It is easy to reach Semuc Champey from nearby locations and also if you travel from a far place by booking your cheap flights. The nearby tourist places and the distance from their to Semuc Champey is as follows:

Lanquín- A 2.5 hour scenic walk from the lush green or a 30 minutes drive in a local taxi.

Antigua- Travel agencies also offer 2 shuttle services, one at 8 a.m. and the other at 2 p.m. It is preferred to take the shuttle that takes you at 8 a.m. because it will take 8 hours to reach Lanquín.

Guatemala City- You'll have to take a bus from Guatemala City to Coban that will take around 5 hours and from Coban, you can take a bus or a local taxi to Lanquín that will take around 2-3 hours.

Coban- You can take a bus departing from 'mercado la terminal' which will take 2-3 hours.

If you are travelling from far away places then you can plan your travel accordingly by first travelling to the above-mentioned places or directly from your preferred place.

Places to stay in Semuc Champey

Semuc Champey also has accommodations for easy travel and a wonderful comfortable experience for the travellers. You can prefer to stay in the town of Lanquin as well as in the middle of the Jungle. Some of the places to stay are:

Aruma Eco-Hostal  

Hostal El Portal de Champey  

Ch'i Bocol Community Hostel  

Hotel Casa Jose Coban  

Park Hotel  

Guayaha  

Conclusion

You can travel to Semuc Champey individually, on your own or with your friends. But, you can also travel with a tour that will guide you from the beginning to the end. The cost may vary while you travel alone and while you travel with a tour but the experience that you'll be offered is worth the visit. This guide to Semuc Champey will help you to explore this paradise to its fullest and is written to provide you with all the necessary details.