In this blog post, I will give you all the information about what to expect, price comparison, photos, and things to know about doing the Semuc Champey Tour.

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE TOUR

In the morning after meeting in Lanquin village, you will then head out by truck on this full-day adventure to Kanba Cave and Semuc Champey Park.

At Kanba your guide will take you inside the underground river caves for around 1,000 meters. You’ll scramble over rocks, wade through pools, climb up waterfalls, and swim through narrow channels. 

Next, you’ll go on a half-hour tubing experience on the Kahabon River.

Afterward, you’ll go on a walk-in Semuc Champey National Park. The monument comprises a natural stone bridge that’s 300 meters long. Natural pools of different sizes have formed above the bridge, where you can relax and soak in the turquoise pools. I can honestly say this was one of the better tours I did while backpacking through Guatemala.

THE SEMUC CHAMPEY TOUR EXPERIENCE

Our first stop was Semuc Champey National Park. Semuc Champey means underground river and you wouldn’t know why without closer inspection.

After arriving at Semuc Champey, we trekked for thirty minutes up the stairs and steep path through the jungle. Along the way spotting huge butterflies and iguanas. With little airflow and extreme humidity in within the trees, it was a sweat fest. When we finally reached the top I was dripping, but relieved to find a family selling mangoes and watermelon. Ain’t nothing better.

I walked out to the viewing platform and was blown away by what I saw. The cascading natural pools had carved their way in between huge mountains on either side of the gorge. Water tipped from one pool to the next before finally crashing down a huge waterfall, which is out of sight from the viewpoint. At this point, I was more than amazed by Semuc Champey but still didn’t understand what the underground river meaning was all about.

We trekked down another thirty minutes and arrived at the cascading pools. I was ready to jump in. However, our guide told us to head to the left. We followed him trusting his local knowledge and this is when I finally found out where and what the underground river was and why the area had the name Semuc Champey.

It was to date, one of the most incredible natural forms I had seen. Underneath the pools I had expected would be solid ground but there is actually a 300 meter long raging river. From this point, we could see the beginning of the underground river before it flowed directly beneath us.

BEST INSURANCE FOR TRAVELERS

Don’t wait for an accident to happen… get insured! My travel insurance is HeyMondo which offers low-cost travel & medical insurance. That’s me on the left with three teeth knocked out after a motorbike crash in Bali!

You can click to read my Full Review of the Best Travel Insurance.

I’ve made several successful claims with HeyMondo and find their customer service very quick and helpful. Click the button below to get a 5% DISCOUNT

Get a Free Quote

For the next two hours of the Semuc Champey Tour, I explored the cascading pools, which had underwater caves, places to jump from, and warm crystal clear water. It is the kind of spot you bring a lunch to and spend the whole day!

We left the park and headed to the Semuc Champey caves known as the Kanba Caves. I’ve been to a lot of caves, especially in Southeast Asia. Some of these tours are average some are great so I didn’t know what to expect. Before we entered the cave our guide handed me a candle. This was going to be interesting.

Before I knew it I was neck-deep in the water, holding my candle above my head trying to swim in the darkness. We clambered up ladders, through holes, and swam in the pitch dark until we reached the end of the cave after twenty minutes.

We didn’t just turn around and head back. In the deepest part of the cave is a little 5-meter jump. Normally no problems for most but the darkness and weird atmosphere in the cave even had me slightly tentative. Nevertheless, I jumped and survived and had such an adrenaline rush during the whole cave experience.

That was our second adventure for the day we still had three to go! Up next we headed down to the river to enjoy a pretty epic rope swing. It is actually a normal swing with a seat but you are able to launch yourself into a flip at the end. Once again, you could hang out at this spot all day.

Onto our next adventure, we grabbed a tube and started floating down the river. You can do a tubing experience that runs for several hours and you get beer holders in your tube. However, as part of, the full-day tour, we just did a 30-minute cruise down the river.

Young boys jump into the river on tubes to sell you ice-cold beers if you are looking for a refreshment. Along the river we passed families washing, bathing, and hanging out by the banks of the river. It must be a crazy place to grow up in such a natural setting.

We got out of tubes and walked back alongside the river as trucks full of kids on their way to soccer practice zoomed past screaming at us. Our fifth and last adventure for the day was an optional bridge jump. The bridge was about 13 meters high and I told myself I was going to backflip from it and I hate backing out.

My legs were shaking profusely as I stood on the rails and then I just went for it. Landing perfect, no dramas. It was a great end to a long day of awesome adventures. I felt so full, so many good vibes flowed throughout myself and our group as we walked back to Greengo’s to recover over a good dinner of Shwarma.

I hope you enjoyed my review of the Semuc Champey Tour in Guatemala and have a great adventure yourself!

MY GUATEMALA BACKPACKING ITINERARY FOR 2 WEEKS

• Guatemala City: 1 day
• Antigua: 4 days
• San Marcos: 3 days
• Coban/Semuc Champey: 2 days
• Flores: 2 days
• Exit Guatemala to Belize

You might be wondering why the total is only 12 days. Several of the transit days between the towns are full days riding in a minivan. It is inevitable and just something you have to deal with while backpacking in Guatemala. I met tons of cool people on the minivans and you get to see lots of interesting parts of the country while driving. This is the main ‘cheap’ way to get around.

My Guatemala Backpacking Route

Below I’ve created a small diagram showing my Guatemala backpacking route. As you can see, I landed in Guatemala City and then took a bus to Antigua. After that, I headed to San Marcos (Lake Atitlan). Then I continued to Coban and finally to Flores. I then caught a bus out of Guatemala to Belize.

IS BACKPACKING IN GUATEMALA SAFE

I asked myself this question quite a lot during my travels. I’m no expert on the issue let me put that out there nice and early. I can just tell you about my experience and the conversations I had with plenty of other travelers, both male and female, throughout my trip. I landed in Guatemala City and it was tense. Guards with machine guns stood outside of Domino’s Pizza joints. I couldn’t walk more than a couple of minutes without seeing a machine gun. I didn’t personally see any crime, but it does happen often and there’s a reason so many guards watch over regular shops and establishments.

I had multiple people tell me to watch my back while I walk. Having said that I walked through the suburbs for two days with my backpack. It’s no ordinary backpack it has my MacBook, hard drives, a camera, two lenses, passport, and pretty much everything that is worth anything. My streak of good luck continued and I only met friendly Guatemalans.

Once out of Guatemala City and on the tourist trail in Antigua, Semuc Champey, and Flores there was still a slight nervousness about crime as locals often brought it up. However, the tense feeling had left and I felt as if I was back in Asia. It seemed as though I needed to be vigilant but not scared.

There are ways to minimize your risks (I didn’t follow all of these suggestions and survived):

• Travel in a group or at least not solo.
• Ride in shuttles or minivans and not on the local ‘chicken bus’
• Don’t walk around the neighborhood after dark
• Don’t use your phone or camera in public if possible

BEST INSURANCE FOR TRAVELERS

Don’t wait for an accident to happen… get insured! My travel insurance is HeyMondo which offers low-cost travel & medical insurance. That’s me on the left with three teeth knocked out after a motorbike crash in Bali!

You can click to read my Full Review of the Best Travel Insurance.

I’ve made several successful claims with HeyMondo and find their customer service very quick and helpful. Click the button below to get a 5% DISCOUNT

Get a Free Quote

Guatemala Backpacking Budget

Guatemala prices were a bit of a shock at first after coming straight from India but it is very backpacker-friendly on the wallet compared to most places in the western world. I did lots of tours, took many buses, and went on tons of adventures and my two-week total was still just under $500 USD. I stayed in dormitory rooms at hostels, ate cheap local food, and didn’t drink much alcohol. You could definitely do it cheaper but you could also spend an entire $500 in one night on a hotel.

An example below is regular prices throughout Guatemala although this can vary from town to town and also depends on where you choose to eat and sleep.

• Hostels: $8-15
• Street food: $2-4
• Restaurant meal: $4-20
• Transport: 8hr minivan shuttle was $18
• Laundry: $1 per pound

TWO-WEEK GUATEMALA BACKPACKING ITINERARY

Okay, now that I have written about the safety and logistics it’s time to discover the raw beauty of Guatemala. In addition to the places, I visited and will detail if you have more time I suggest visiting Xela, Quetzaltenango.

ANTIGUA

If you are making the journey through Guatemala from south to north, it’s likely that Antigua will be one of your first places to visit while backpacking through Guatemala.  I took a $1 chicken bus from Guatemala City, which I was later told was pretty dangerous but it worked out fine for me and was cheaper than the $8 shuttle bus.

Cobblestone streets and vintage facades send travelers back in time as they wander the streets of Antigua. There were a number of ruins throughout the streets of Antigua, which was the most picturesque, historic town of my Guatemala backpacking route.

Many people use Antigua as a base for their volcanic hiking expeditions. I didn’t do any overnight treks but the owner of my hostel took me and a few other guys up Pacaya Volcano for sunrise. Flaming hot lava spat from the volcano as we hiked up the opposing ridge. Walking over hardened lava from previous explosions, we arrived at the top of a ridge looking across the valleys at several other active volcanoes as the sun crept over the horizon. This was an amazing morning and you can read more about it by clicking below.

BEST TOURS IN ANTIGUA: 

Best cheap volcano hiking tour: Pacaya Volcano Tour

Best Overall Adventure: Overnight Volcano Acatenango 2-Day Hiking Adventure

San Marcos/Lake Atitlan

From Antigua, I again went with the chicken bus option. However, this time it saved me only $2 compared to the shuttle and I had to transfer five times and take a boat before arriving in San Marcos. I would suggest the shuttle to San Marcos unless you are up for the adventure out of pure enjoyment. I didn’t book anything online because there were few options but I just walked up to the first decent-looking spot and found a room for $8 pretty easily. There were plenty of open rooms throughout the town.

I had heard of a little cliff jumping spot in San Marcos and managed to find it. A really nice deck with an easy way to climb up made for an awesome chill spot with two girls I had met at the hostel. The view across the lake was phenomenal and incredibly peaceful. That was how Guatemala felt the whole trip, not too touristy. Quiet enough to really enjoy the places you went without battling too many crowds. Along with Semuc Champey, this was one of my favorite places along my Guatemala backpacking route.

The other adventure I highly suggest in San Marcos is waking early to catch the sunrise from the Indian Nose Hike.

At something crazy like 3:30 am, I woke up and was joined by another girl from the hostel for the hike. It was far shorter than we anticipated only taking half an hour to the summit. However, most of the ascent had been done in the tuk-tuk so we had amazing views from way above the clouds.

There are several other towns around the lake you can stay at, each known for something a little different. San Marcos was a hippy town. Cacao ceremonies, dreadlocks, and yoga classes were the norm. San Pedro was touted as the louder, crazier option for those looking to party. Can’t really go wrong when you are staying next to Lake Atitlan.

Coban/Semuc Champey

Finally, I gave up on the chicken buses. I caught a shuttle back to Antigua for the night and then the next morning headed on another shuttle to Coban/Semuc Champey. It was a pretty long two days. 7 hours to Antigua and 11 hours to Semuc Champey. That is par for the course for backpacking in Guatemala and it is just how you make a tight itinerary work if you want to see a lot of places. Make the most of it and hopefully, you meet a few cool people on your bus.

I stayed at a pretty sweet hostel in Semuc Champey called Greengos. There were others in the area known for partying and had a different crowd but Greengos had nature and the vibes I was looking for. A river ran through the hostel, which was so far into the jungle there was no wifi.

I only stayed for one full day in Semuc Champey but I packed it full from dawn til dusk. I booked a full day tour for $20 and it was a really great value considering entry to several of the locations added up to almost $20 anyway.

In my opinion, the best and cheapest way to do the Semuc Champey Tour is to just arrive in town, stay a couple of nights and book the tour at a local office or from your hostel. However, if you like to book things in advance so your plans are secure, the top-rated tour, which you can book online before you arrive, includes Semuc Champey, Tubing in the river and Kanba Cave. It is the tour I did and an awesome way to tick off lots of the things to do in the Coban region in just one day. The tour is also pretty cheap so it is affordable for backpackers and families.

Book the tour: Semuc Champey and Kanba Cave

Our first stop was Semuc Champey National Park. Semuc Champey means underground river and you wouldn’t know why without closer inspection.

After arriving at Semuc Champey, we trekked for thirty minutes up the stairs and steep path through the jungle. Along the way spotting huge butterflies and iguanas. I walked out to the viewing platform and was blown away by what I saw.

For the next two hours, I explored the cascading pools of Semuc Champey, which had underwater caves, places to jump from, and warm crystal clear water. It is the kind of spot you bring lunch to and spend the whole day!

After Semuc Champey our tour continued with a caving adventure and even some cliff jumping action at the river.

Our fifth and last adventure for the day was an optional bridge jump. The bridge was about 13 meters high and I told myself I was going to backflip from it and I hate backing out. My legs were shaking profusely as I stood on the rails and then I just went for it. Landing perfect, no dramas. It was a great end to a long day of awesome adventures. I wrote a full blog post about this awesome day and my favorite place to visit in Guatemala. You can check it out by clicking below.

Flores

Another long bus ride and 9 hours later I arrived at the small island town of Flores. I was pretty tired from all of the buses and exploring but had two more adventures left in me. I stayed at a popular hostel called Los Amigos, which had good vibes, decent wifi, and friendly staff. The first adventure I hit was exploring the ancient

The first adventure I hit was exploring the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal. I was lucky enough to get a great guide who taught us a lot about the ruins but also plenty of weird facts and stories we would have never learned had we explored without a guide. This was the most expensive ticket of the trip. However, it was one of those places you just have to visit so you pull out the wallet and enjoy it. I highly recommend going for the sunrise or morning tour, the afternoon tour was boiling hot and full of tourists.

Book your tour: Ancient Mayan Ruins Tikal Guided Tour (with lunch)

My last day in Guatemala was spent at Jorge’s rope swing. This is a legendary spot. I originally tried to find it on google maps and asked a few people. They told me just ask for the rope swing. That’s how small Flores is. A boat will take you across to the swing and back for $5 give or take and once you are there a $1.50 entrance fee is all you will pay. Endless rope swings, backflips, and diving board mishaps await.

Other popular places to visit in Guatemala:

• Xela
• Rio Dulche
• Finca Ixobel
• Chicitenango

I heard cool stories about all four of these spots from other backpackers while traveling about, but with just two weeks there were always going to be some Guatemala backpacking hotspots that I missed. If you have been to any of these four spots leave a comment below if they are regions you think travelers simply can’t miss!

And just like that my two-week backpacking itinerary in Guatemala was over. I boarded a bus to Belize, crossed the border, and said my farewells to Guatemala. I hope this recount of my experience while backpacking through Guatemala was helpful for the planning of your trip.

PACAYA VOLCANO HIKE ELEVATION GAIN

The total elevation gain for the hike is 1,496ft or 455 meters. It was pretty steep at times and the terrain was a little slippery so, over such a short distance, this hike will feel quite steep and be a challenge for many hikers.

PACAYA VOLCANO HIKE DISTANCE

The total distance of the hike is 3.2 miles round-trip. It’s an out-and-back route so you head up for 1.6 miles and then back down the same way.

PACAYA VOLCANO HIKE DIFFICULTY

This is a short and sharp hike. For some, it will be a good little challenge and for others, it will be the hardest thing they do all year. The main reason it is a difficult hike is due to the intense incline. Over just 1.6 miles, you will climb almost 500m of incline. This is very steep and will catch a lot of people out while testing their fitness. The terrain also isn’t perfect but the main factor to consider is the angle of the incline.

BEST INSURANCE FOR TRAVELERS

Don’t wait for an accident to happen… get insured! My travel insurance is HeyMondo which offers low-cost travel & medical insurance. That’s me on the left with three teeth knocked out after a motorbike crash in Bali!

You can click to read my Full Review of the Best Travel Insurance.

I’ve made several successful claims with HeyMondo and find their customer service very quick and helpful. Click the button below to get a 5% DISCOUNT

Get a Free Quote

PACAYA VOLCANO HIKE ERUPTIONS

Pacaya Volcano is an active complex volcano, first erupting 23,000 years ago. It has erupted approximately 23 times since recording began after the Spanish conquest of Guatemala. It has a peak of 2,552 meters. The volcano was dormant for 70 years but began aggressive eruptions in 1961. It’s common to see lava spitting from the volcano today with live eruptions becoming normality.

TOP-RATED PACAYA VOLCANO TOUR

There are a few tours available but I found this one to be the most value for money. It includes pick-up and drop-off from your hotel in Antigua and an English-speaking tour guide for the entire trip.

Best cheap volcano hiking tour: Pacaya Volcano Tour

MY EXPERIENCE ON THE PACAYA VOLCANO HIKE

I’ve stayed in a ton of hostels, some great some terrible. However, in Antigua, I managed to pick a winner.  Jorge the hostel owner invited me to join a trip with him and two hostel volunteers from the hostel for a sunrise mission on the Pacaya Volcano hike.

At 3 am in the morning, Jorge brewed us a pot of coffee to take to the summit of the Pacaya Volcano as we waited beside his car on the empty street. I have no pants or a jacket as I am usually in tropical locations so I shivered waiting to get into the backseat before we headed off for the Pacaya Volcano hike.

We drove for almost 1.5 hours through neighborhoods and along highways. Jorge set a few records and we even went airborne on one occasion, catapulted by a hidden speed bump.

We arrived at the parking lot in darkness, the moon our only guidance. That was until the ever-prepared Jorge mounted his headlamp.

I managed to snap one photo of the lava but it was still in complete darkness and this is the best I could manage in an incredibly low light situation without a tripod.

Pacaya Volcano is active. Real active. After sleeping quietly for more than a century, it violently blew its lid in 1965. The Pacaya Volcano last erupted in 2010 and erupts roughly every 4-6 years. The remnants of the last eruption are spread far and wide. As you reach the base during the Pacaya Volcano hike, you are walking on lava rock. During the eruptions, this was a river of lava flowing into the valley at the foot of the volcano.

We kept a good pace as we clambered up the soft trail, which wound around the mountain next to Pacaya Volcano. You can trek up Pacaya Volcano but Jorge said it would be a stupid move and most people just hike the opposite peak and observe the volcano from that safe point.

After thirty minutes of hiking, we reached a clearing. It was still relatively dark, but I could tell we were walking over a valley of lava rock. When the volcano erupts every six years or so it creates a river of lava that leaves behind a field of black lava rock. It was pretty crazy to think we were standing in an area that was a river of lava.

One last incline before we reached the views we had come for. Back where we had come from we could look out over the entire lava river valley. We could also watch the red lava spitting from the volcano before the sun rose. I highly suggest doing the Pacaya Volcano hike for sunrise. It would still be great during the day before sunrise you get to see the fiery lava, which isn’t visible once the sun is out.

To the other side of the peak, several other volcanoes loomed in the distance. However, it was the blanket clouds, slowly rolling over the hills, which caught my attention. The clouds seemed to shape around the hills, mimicking their formation as they blew through the valley beneath us.

Finally, it was time for a cup of coffee. We had each shared turns carrying up a big ceramic pot and know got to enjoy the fruits of our labor. A warm cup of coffee as the sun rose over the mountains, finally gave us some warmth as we marveled at Pacaya Volcano.

Normally the walk down from a hike is a bit of a pain but the descent took us only 8 minutes. Jorge knew a shortcut that had us sliding and leaping our way down the winding gravel trail. It was definitely the most fun I have had descending a hike other than maybe the day we went tropical skiing down Mt Olympus on Oahu.

At the bottom, the ticket office had just opened and unfortunately, we had to pay 50 Quetzales which is equal to about $7 Usd. No worries, the hike was well worth it and we had been lucky enough to have Jorge drive us and guide us. This expedition was nothing to do with the hostel, it was just Jorge being an incredibly generous host and a volcano enthusiast. It isn’t often the hostel owner is the type of person who makes you feel not only welcome at their accommodation, but makes you feel like one of his long-time friends even though he knows you will be in town for two days.

I hope you enjoyed this guide to the Pacaya Volcano Hike near Antigua, Guatemala

INDIAN NOSE SUNRISE HIKE

INDIAN NOSE HIKE DISTANCE

The total distance of the Indian Nose hike is just 3 kilometers in total distance, which is just under 2 miles

INDIAN NOSE HIKE ELEVATION GAIN

The total elevation gain for the sunrise hike to the summit of the Indian Nose hike is just 290 meters or 951 feet. It works out to about 150m of incline per kilometer, which is a pretty steep ascent to reach the summit, which is 2,236m.

INDIAN NOSE HIKE DIFFICULTY

This hike is very short and sharp so you can expect to be at the summit within 40 minutes. While it is relatively steep, the pain will be short-lived as your adrenaline takes over as the summit nears. I would say this hike is possible for kids, families, travelers, and those with moderate fitness.

MY INDIAN NOSE HIKE TOUR EXPERIENCE

In the early hours of the morning, I didn’t want to take the chance of getting lost and missing the sunrise with my one and only chance to attempt the Indian Nose hike. Also, I don’t think it would be easy to get a tuk-tuk at four in the morning so I organized a tour through the hostel.

So, my tour guide picked up my new friend from Germany, who I met at the Circle Cafe hostel I was staying at. It was four in the morning and the drive to the start of the Indian Nose hike was about 30 minutes along a steep and incredibly bumpy road.

Our guide lead us up the path for the first fifteen minutes and then after we had made the last turn told us to go ahead as he helped some other slower members of the group. We made good time along the dirt trail, which was only moderate in difficulty.

We reached the first viewpoint well before sunrise. It was still an amazing view, which we shared with 10 others who had arrived earlier. We took in the views and spotted San Marcos in the distance before heading up to the higher viewpoint. It was only another five minutes hiking before we had reached the Indian Nose summit.

We explored the area while patiently waiting for the sun to rise and add some color and light to the spectacular scene before us. I had seen photos before hiking Indian Nose of rolling clouds but on the day we hiked the sky was clear.

The sun broke through and lit up Lake Atitlan and the small collection of towns that are situated beside the lake. Indian Nose hike was up there in my top ten sunrise views so far and there are quite a few to compare it to. I also did the Pacaya Volcano hike in Antigua, while backpacking in Guatemala, which you should check out if you are in the area.

On the way down we stopped again at the lower viewpoint to take some photos now that the lighting was giving the lake a beautiful shimmer and sending orange and pink tones throughout the landscape.

The walk down took us less than 20 minutes before our guide drove us back along the scenic and bumpy route, which was more potholes than road.

If you are staying near Lake Atitlan, Indian Nose has got to be on your bucket list. It’s a cheap, short adventure with epic views and a great way to kick-start your day of adventures in the area.

I hope this article about the Indian Nose Hike was a helpful guide and prepared you for an adventure of your own.

BEST INSURANCE FOR TRAVELERS

Don’t wait for an accident to happen… get insured! My travel insurance is HeyMondo which offers low-cost travel & medical insurance. That’s me on the left with three teeth knocked out after a motorbike crash in Bali!

You can click to read my Full Review of the Best Travel Insurance.

I’ve made several successful claims with HeyMondo and find their customer service very quick and helpful. Click the button below to get a 5% DISCOUNT

Get a Free Quote

After my two weeks in Guatemala I am stoked about the decision I made and had an absolute blast in Guatemala. Even though I was following a tourist trail, every day seemed like I was taking the road less traveled. Guatemala is raw, it is unlike the tourist traps of Southeast Asia. Even the big-ticket tourist destinations were not crowded.

These Guatemala photos are memories I will never forget and I hope they inspire you to get yourself over to Guatemala and experience the volcanoes, the nature, and the history of this beautiful country.

These first few photos are from Pacaya Volcano Hike.

This is how you are going to get around if you are adventurous! Otherwise, you will be with all the tourists on the shuttles.

Lake Atitlan from San Marcos.

Indian Nose Hike from San Marcos

A hostel in Guatemala is usually around $10. This was Greengo’s in Semuc Champey.

Semuc Champey National Park 

More adventuring in the Semuc Champey region.

Exploring the Tikal Ruins of the Mayans

Jorge’s rope swing in Flores

Flores is a small island in the North of Guatemala. The buildings have been painted a variety of bright colors and the cobblestone roads made me feel like I was back in Antigua or even somewhere in Europe. It was the last stop on my two-week Guatemala backpacking route.

Most people come to Flores as a base for their exploration of the Mayan ruins at Tikal. However, aside from the good vibes and fun at Los Amigos Hostel, there is another awesome adventure in the area known as Jorge’s Rope Swing.

HOW TO GET TO JORGE’S ROPE SWING

Pay one of the boatmen waiting by the lake 25 Quetzal or $4 USD and he will ferry you across the lake to the rope swing. I had heard about the swing and wasn’t quite sure what to expect having seen no photos or videos.

ARRIVING TO JORGE’S ROPE SWING

When we arrived, I laid my eyes on an adventurer’s playground. A 6-meter wooden diving board and an epic rope swing were the main attractions. A thatched hut with chairs, hammocks were set up the side for the ultimate chill spot. The family who lives here charges just 10 Quetzal for entry. Not more, not less if you jump a million times or just one. I loved that because I was planning to jump a lot and some tourist spots charge you per activity.

The family also whipped up some great nachos and offers drinks, beers, and other snacks for order throughout the day. Jorge the owner is a friendly guy who wanted a photo with me when I left. I think it was the beard connection.

I met a crazy Dutch guy called Sander. We pushed the limits of the rope swing, launching from high up on the hill and the release point must have been at least 10-meters in the air at some points! I threw down a few backflips from the board and Sander took it to the next level as I snapped a few photos.

BEST INSURANCE FOR TRAVELERS

Don’t wait for an accident to happen… get insured! My travel insurance is HeyMondo which offers low-cost travel & medical insurance. That’s me on the left with three teeth knocked out after a motorbike crash in Bali!

You can click to read my Full Review of the Best Travel Insurance.

I’ve made several successful claims with HeyMondo and find their customer service very quick and helpful. Click the button below to get a 5% DISCOUNT

Get a Free Quote

If you aren’t in a rush to just see Tikal before leaving Flores immediately, this is for sure a spot you have to check out. It’s inexpensive and such a great to hang out with a group of friends or to meet new ones like me!

The sunset cruise back wasn’t too bad either…

I hope you enjoyed this short guide about Jorge’s Rope Swing spot in Flores, Guatemala

#1 The origin of chewing gum

The first Tikal fact is that this location is one of the main sources of gum used by Wrigleys to create the products we chew on all around the world. Our guide pulled a Sapodilla fruit off the tree and cracked it open. Inside he showed us the white gum, which was clinging to his finger.

#2 The second loudest animal in the world

Howler Monkeys roam throughout the Tikal ruins and they are the second loudest animal in the world. Second only the elephant! We watched the monkeys swinging from vine to vine and they were particularly active as it was mating season. We also saw toucans, iguanas, and small wild cats throughout the jungle.

#3 How to turn a clap into a bird

We learned that the Mayans were far smarter than the average architect in Tikal fact number three. They designed their structures to face the sun with perfect precision. However, the most remarkable design feature of the temples is how they generate certain sounds. We stood facing one of the temples and our guide clapped. However, it wasn’t a normal sound that he created. The shape of the temple transformed the clap into the sound of the national bird, which is the Quetzal. The Quetzal is also the name of the currency. I was blown away when the sound came out felt like I was witnessing some kind of magic trick.

#4 The Mayans only sacrificed the best

The Mayans were extremely religious. So much so they sacrificed not just animals like some civilizations and societies but people. You might expect an average citizen to be the unlucky person to be chosen as the sacrifice or even a criminal or a witch. However, the Mayans had so much respect for the gods they only wanted to sacrifice the best blood. This meant that the royals who had the ‘purest’ blood were often volunteered as sacrifice. The Mayans also played a ball game to choose who to sacrifice. Once again, I suspected it would be the loser who was the sacrifice sent to the gods. However, the winner was deemed to have the best blood and be the best sacrifice so their reward for winning was to be killed. They believed that as a sacrifice to the gods they would enter a new life as a pure form such as a jaguar or another animal. This is a deep respect and faith in god.

#5 Mayans had a simple number system

A simple numeric system was created by the Mayans, which enabled them to record dates, trade, and other necessary dealings. Our guide showed us some hieroglyphs and explained to us who they could be deciphered now that the number system was understood. A line = 5, a cacao bean = 0 (The first civilization to use a zero) and a circle = 1. They used this system in conjunction with a value chart to record dates, which had now been deciphered on various artifacts throughout the Tikal ruins so that historians could clearly see the date a king was killed for example.

#6 Termites taste like carrots

While we were exploring the Tikal ruins, our guide went all Bear Grylls on us. He found a termite mound on a tree, which was crawling with the little bugs. After he told us they were a great source of protein he picked a few up and ate them. I stepped up to the plate and tried a couple of live termites and true to his word they did, in fact, taste like a raw carrot.

#7 Mayans made it hard for themselves

The Mayans were short people. Even in Guatemala today the majority of the population is quite short. So why did they make the stairs on their temples so big? They were so big that even I, a 6-foot tall guy with long legs, had trouble clambering up them. They built the stairs so large to make the journey to the top of the temple hard on purpose because the top of the temple was sacred and by making the journey up challenging it showed their faith in the god. The Mayans would walk up in a winding route like a serpent.

#8 The temples have stood the test of time

The temples weren’t built any time recently. In fact, many of the structures at Tikal were being built almost 3000 years ago in 900 B.C. That is truly phenomenal. It’s remarkable not only because that is such a long time ago, but because the structures are detailed, incredibly big, accurate, and have some unique designs such as the sound features I mentioned earlier.

#9 There is still a huge mystery about the departure of the Mayans

Why did the Mayans leave their extensive city of Tikal suddenly in 900 A.D.? Despite being able to discover many of the Mayan secrets and traditions, this important piece of history still remains a huge mystery. This mystery added to the intrigue as we walked around marveling at how life would’ve been in Tikal all those years ago.

#10 There were 32 kings in Tikal

Throughout history, 32 kings ruled over Tikal. Many of the king’s burial sites have been found and the story about the first king is probably the most interesting as I will mention below

#11 The crocodile king

The tenth king of Tikal was installed to the throne at only 13 years of age and his name was Yax Nuun Ayiin I, which translates to ‘First Crocodile’. He reigned for 47 years and when his body was found by archaeologists, they made an interesting discovery. He was buried next to a crocodile.

I hope you enjoyed those Tikal Facts and learned something useful. Tikal was the last adventure for my as part of my Guatemala Backpacking trip and a great way to finish.

I had a total of 14 days in Guatemala and after beginning in Guatemala City I traveled to Antigua, San Marcos, Semuc Champey and Flores before catching a bus to Caye Caulker on Belize. I am currently writing this in my island hostel after enjoying a swim in the hot sun.

Last week I wrote about the Pacaya Volcano Hike I did with the awesome crew from my hostel Wicho & Charlies in Antigua. From the historic town of Antigua, I traveled via shuttle to San Marcos. It’s a small town on the edge of Lake Atitlan. I’m normally a pretty easy-going traveler but I struggled to find my way in this town. A clan of hippies has slowly turned the town into a vegan, yoga, cacao ceremony hub. The local population lives alongside this influx of free spirits in an odd combination. 

However, it wasn’t the hippies that had me struggling. For only the second time in a year, I got sick. Only for 40 hours but it was debilitating. Not sure if it was the street food or who knows but it got me.

I didn’t let it stop the adventures on either side of my sickness, I managed to get out and explore two really awesome spots. The first was a little 10m cliff jump in a nature park only a 10-minute walk from the hostel. I threw down a few backflips but it was quite cold so it was a short stint.

The second spot, which was an incredible morning adventure was Indian Nose hike. I met a German girl at the hostel and together at four in the morning we made the short trek to the summit to take in a phenomenal sunrise over Lake Atitlan. Despite my days struggling with sickness, I felt energized after this hike to keep exploring Guatemala.

I took the bus back to Antigua, stayed one night and then endured a 12-hour mini-van journey to Semuc Champey. My hostel was in the middle of nowhere. The road to get to Greengo’s Hotel from the town center was 5km, yet it took us over an hour to reach if that gives you an idea of the road conditions and its isolation.

However, once there it was a great little break for me. The hostel had an outdoor gym, good food and no wi-fi, which let me totally switch off involuntarily for a few days. Greengo’s was my base for adventuring and my favorite day in Guatemala came at Semuc Champey.

An Israeli couple joined me on an all-day tour of the area for $20. We began by making the 30-minute trek up to the Semuc Champey viewpoint. Semuc Champey translates to the underground river and beneath the pools you see in this photo is a 300m river, raging beneath the calmness of the pools. It was comparable in grandeur to El Nido in the Philippines in my opinion.

After we hung out all morning exploring the Semuc Champey National Monument or the park region, we headed into the Kanba Caves. I had been into tons of caves throughout Asia and was hoping this wasn’t the classic dark, dull experience I had participated in the past. 

Our guide gave us a candle before we entered the cave and before I knew it I was neck deep in water. Dull? Not at all! We swam, walked and climbed ladders while making our way to the end of the cave. After 20 minutes of cave exploring we reached the end of the system and there was a little 5m cave jump, you could attempt into the darkness. This was the best cave experience I have ever had. This was the best cave experience I have ever had and was an adrenaline rush the whole way through.

We then hit up an awesome rope swing, went tubing down the river and then we jumped from the big yellow bridge. I sent my biggest ever backflip of what I think was close to 13m.

The week was only half done! I headed on an 8-hour bus to Flores the next day and arrived tired but not tired enough to turn down a game of soccer on a basketball court after a healthy filling of tacos. The game was awesome but I ruined my shoes. Back to the fun game of finding size 12 shoes!

The next morning I boarded a bus at four in the morning headed to the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal. It was a mindblowing experience walking through intact ruins, some of which were built almost 3000 years ago in 900 B.C. I’m not a history or religion buff and wasn’t sure if it would be my thing. However, after debating the $35 ticket price I am so glad I went for it. The experiences of the day made me feel like an insignificant blip on an incredibly large timeline of human existence.

The tour went for three hours and as well as climbing the ruins we ran into lots of local wildlife including toucans, howler monkeys, and some small wild cats. We also had a little Bear Grylls action eating some termites. Believe it or not, they tasted like carrots. You learn something every day.

My last day in Flores had arrived and it was also my last day in Guatemala. I caught a boat for a few dollars across the lake in visiting the local hotspot ‘The rope swing”. I expected it to be busy and an average rope swing.

When I arrived at the dock I find a 6-meter springboard made of wood and a giant, giant rope swing. I arrived at 11 am and for the first hour had the entire place to myself, not even the owners were watching. I just ran around swinging and jumping till my ears hurt.

Finally, some crew arrived and we spent the entire day trying tricks and games on the swings and boards until our boat came back just before sunset to pick us up. 

The next morning I caught a bus across the border to Belize City and then a water taxi to Caye Caulker, which is where I am for the next four days. Snorkeling, sun and fresh fruits are on the agenda. Oh, maybe a few hours of work squeezed in there too!

Hope you all had a smashing week. Hit me up in the comments, email or Instagram DM if you have anything you want to chat about.