Semuc Chapey

With an early start we made it to the town of Lanquin by 8:45 am, ate a watermelon and turned our bikes towards Semuc Champey. We knew we had another steep climb ahead of us, but once again were humbled by Guatemalan road grades and intense heat at 9:30 am. It took us nearly 2 hours to do the last 9 km of the day. With brakes in tatters we arrived back to the Rio Cahabon and had a celebratory swim before eating and setting up the tent. Refreshed and re-energized we headed into Semuc Chapey to see what all the hype was about. We hiked up to the mirador to see the pozos, or pools, of turquoise water that cascade down the valley, while the river actually descends into a cave under the pools and re-emerges on the other side. The colours and the setting really are stunning. Swimming in and exploring the pools and caves made for a relaxing afternoon - a world apart from the tough ride to reach the site.Read more