From a lookout perched on the edge of the mountain, we looked down upon one of the prettiest sites in Guatemala. Far below were tiers of limestone pools cascading down the tight gorge. The turquoise coloured water in the pools combined with the jungle setting makes Semuc Champey a magical site.
Thousands of years ago a ridge of limestone spanned this narrow gorge in the Cahabon River Valley. The limestone formation is called tufa and is formed in a similar way as travertine, except it occurs in cooler water. Calcium carbonate rich water releases carbon dioxide as it flows over cliffs or exits from springs. The resulting precipitate forms tufa, a porous limestone. In Semuc Champey the mineral rich water comes from mountain springs. Over time the rims slowly grew, shaping the pools. The result is the natural wonder of Semuc Champey.
The water from Cahabon River continues to travels all the way to Isabel Lake, which is where Rio Dulce begins. You can read about this area in our post Relaxing on Rio Dulce.
We have visited other travertine sites around the world. You can click on the links to read about out adventures in Hierve el Agua, Agua Azul, Pamukkale, and Kuang Si.
When we arrived at Semuc Champey Park we first hiked to a viewpoint to get the best view of these amazing, natural features. It was a hot, sweaty slog in the steamy jungle up to the viewpoint, 120 metres above. The reward though, was a bird’s eye view of the picture-perfect pools which more than made up for the discomfort. Below us were glistening, turquoise pools were cradled between steep jungle walls. It is another reminder of how incredible Mother Nature can be.
What’s unique about Semuc Champey is that Cahabon River river cut its way underneath the limestone, leaving a bridge above. Its Mayan name describes this quite well. Semuc Champey means ‘where the river hides under the earth’.
From the lookout we descended the steep slope to end up at the highest point of the bridge. From here you can see where the river flows under the limestone. When we were still at the lookout above, we saw how the final pool empties into the river in a waterfall.
There have been a few accidents where people fell into the river and were swept under the bridge. The river is apparently quite rough underneath and with no escape, they were trapped under the limestone bridge. Because of this there are ropes preventing anyone from getting too close to the edge, and safety officers patrolling at all times.
The walk between the pools can be done on a wooden boardwalk but we chose to pick our way across the uneven limestone floor. The tufa bridge has pockets and channels throughout, so sandals are the best option to avoid getting your shoes wet.
The main reason for coming to this site is to see the large, turquoise coloured pools rimmed with white tufa. The turquoise colour comes from minerals in the water and the limestone base. Since the bridge has a slight decline, water from each pool gently cascades into the one below in short, wide walls. Each pool has its own personality, shape and depth.
Most of the waterfalls are short, but in a couple of areas there is a higher drop between the tiers resulting in very pretty scenes.
You can swim in any of the pools. Some are shallow, up to a metre (3.3 ft) deep allowing you to stand on the bottom. Others are as deep as three meters (9.9 ft). We chose to swim in front of one of the cute waterfalls. The water was cool, but very refreshing after the hot hike.
We visited on a Sunday and so by mid day the pools were busy with local Guatemalans relaxing in the pools
There’s not really anything to do except relax by or in the refreshing pools and hike to the Mirador. But it is a great place to visit nature in Guatemala.
Lanquín
The small farming community of San Agustín Lanquín, commonly just called Lanquín, is the closest access to Semuc Champey. It has a beautiful setting in the middle of the green mountains. Life moves at a slow pace in the rural farm town. Every yard seems to have their own roosters, chickens and turkeys, including our hotel.
Even though it’s in the mountains, the town is only at a couple hundred meters in elevation so it was very hot and humid when we were there. Getting a room with air conditioning made it a lot easier to sleep.
On the drive to Lanquín we passed the rolling mountains of the Cuchumatanes Range. Covered in lush, green jungle, the mountain views were stunning.
Tips for visiting Semuc Champey
- You need a little patience to reach this amazing natural wonder. First you need to get to the town of Lanquín (see below).
- To reach the pools from Lanquín, passengers load in the back of pick-up trucks which act like collectivos. There are a couple of seats in the truck, but most of the riders stand in the back for the bumpy drive. Our hotel called one for us, but you can also just wave one down on the road. The drivers cruise around town in the morning looking for rides. 25Q ($3.25 USD) per person, each way.
- Once you reach Semuc Champey National Park, the path to reach the pools splits in two. You can either walk directly to the pools or hike up 120 m to the lookout. (20-30 min up, 20 min down). We recommend going to the lookout first. You only get 3 minutes at the lookout so use it wisely.
- Getting to the pools in the morning is best because by noon it is quite busy with families. We visited on a Sunday so it was likely busier than usual. 90% of the people there were locals not foreign tourists.
- If you want more adventure most of the hostels offer a day long tour that involves cave exploration, rope swings, river tubing and a trip to the Semuc Champey.
- Entrance fee – 50Q ($6.50 USD); Opening Hours – 8am to 4pm
Where to stay When Visiting Semuc Champey
The pools are located 10 kilometers from the town of Lanquín. This remote town takes most of the day to reach from other parts of Guatemala so you’ll likely have to spend a night or probably two in Lanquín. It is definitely not a tourist town, the homes and shops are very rugged, but there are a number of comfortable hotels and hostels with restaurants.
There are a few hostels/hotels near the entrance to Semuc Champey Park, but they are quite remote and you would need to arrange transportation to and from town.
Getting to Lanquín
You can reach Lanquín by tourist shuttle from Antigua (8 hrs), Flores (4 hrs) or Guatemala City (7 hrs). Tickets are sold at Green Monkey Hostel in Flores and Tropicana Hostel in Antigua. There may be a shuttle to Rio Dulce, but rumors are that it is on the back of a pickup truck.
Return buses to the above cities leave from the bottom of the hill below Puma Gas station.
The shuttle and bus stops are on the edge of town. It seemed like every hostel had a driver waiting at the stop offering free rides. We let our hotel know our arrival time in advance, so they were there to pick us up.
To read more of our adventures in Guatemala, click here.
Coming Next – Exploring Colonial Antigua
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