In this blog, I tell you about our experiences with Semuc Champey and why we wouldn’t recommend you to travel to this place.
Why I don’t think Semuc Champey in Guatemala is worth it!
After three days in Antigua, a hike to the volcanoes Acatenango and Fuego, and a few days relaxing in San Marcos on Lake Atitlan, we travel to Lanquin and Semuc Champey. To get here we have to travel a considerable distance by bus, meaning hours and hours of bumpy roads. When I speak with other travellers, they tell me the distance to travel to Semuc Champey is worth it since it’s so nice… But to be honest, after making this trip, I don’t agree with them. I think Semuc Champey and Lanquin are a bit overrated, and I wouldn’t say it is worth the long travel time.
Travelling from Lake Atitlan to Lanquin.
We sit, still a bit sleepy, in the small boat that transports us from San Marcos to Panajachel. From there, the shuttle bus will take us to Lanquin in ten hours. When we arrive in Panajachel, we meet Stef and Matthias, and together, we eat a quick breakfast before we hop into the bus.
It is a long but fun bus ride. We meet Linda, also Dutch, and play with the five of us games like ‘who is it’, church bingo (self-invented game), and a music quiz. As we progress, the road becomes worse and very bumpy. It is almost five o’clock when we arrive at the MacDonalds in Coban. From here, it is two hours to Laquin, but we first have an hour’s break. Several Big Macs and fries later, we enter the bus again. It is now completely dark, and it starts to rain slowly.
Rain in Lanquin
When we arrived in Lanquin at around 8 pm, it rained cats and dogs. Fortunately, our hotel pick-up, a big van, is awaiting us. When we get out of the shuttle bus, we see the van is in real life, a tuk-tuk, which is a way to small to fit four big Europeans and backpacks. The driver doesn’t know what to do and decides to try it anyway. Have you ever seen that movie of those clowns trying to fit into a tiny car? Well, that’s us! I’m halfway on the driver’s lap, and in the back, Ries, Matthias, and Stef are sitting on top of each other.
Slowly, the tuk-tuk starts to move, and then after 500 meters, it stops again. The drivers tell us that we have to get off, and so we escape the tiny tuk-tuk. After waiting for five minutes, a real van arrives, which brings us to the hostel. Once there, I argue with the receptionist (she wants me to hand in my passport for the next three days, I indicate that’s illegal to do), but I eventually cut my losses, and a few minutes later, we enter our room and lay down on our bed.
Curious about which hotels we dó recommend in Lanquin? Read all about them in our hotel guide for Guatemala!
Mating rituals in our hostel in Lanquin
But the evening is not over yet. After a lovely shower, we walk towards the bar and order four Cuba Libre’s (rum colas). Most of the other guests are already a few drinks ahead of us and are half-drunk, trying to dance or hit on each other. There are also whole mating rituals in progress, as if we are watching a nature program. And so we end the evening with the four of us playing cards and in the meantime looking around as if we are anthropologists.
The Caves of Semuc Champey
Our hotel is located just outside of the village Lanquin, but the reason we are here is Semuc Champey. This is a nature reserve area that is known for its beautiful blue pools. Semuc Champey is an hour away, in the middle of the jungle. When we drive there, it starts to rain softly again, and that adds to the ‘rainforest feeling’ that prevails. Once we arrive at the parking lot, we are also reunited with Linda from the bus yesterday.
A cave tour in Semuc Champey
Today, we have planned a cave tour, followed by a visit to the famous pools. When we arrive at the caves, we have to leave all of our stuff behind and change our shoes for Crocs. Hmm, I feel like I haven’t fully read into this activity. In the past, we visited caves more often, but we never got wet. At most of splashing water from the boat, we were touring through the caves. Well, this is a different thing. As soon as we walk into the cave, we get a burning candle from our guide, a completely absurd gesture since we have to enter the water.
Yes, there is water in this cave, and the ‘fun’ of this cave tour is that you swim through the water, clamber, and walk under waterfalls. This is not my thing. It is cold, my candle constantly blows out, and I have to wade through dark water without seeing what is beneath me.
I am not the only one who feels this, but the most dramatic, witness the giggles from the rest of the group. Oh well, I can see the fun of it. Here we walk, shivering from the cold, without helmets or flashlights with a guide who finds everything hilarious. Remember, those Thai guys in that cave … well, we are thinking about that too ;-).
The results after an hour and a half in the caves of Semuc Champey:
An hour and a half later, with only two scratches and a bulge above my eye (my head did not win from a rock wall), we walk out of the cave, and I am relieved. We shiver a little and unfortunately see that it’s raining very hard now. The next activity on the schedule is a big swing with which you can jump into the river. It looks nice until Matthias jumps off the swing into the water and falls flat on his stomach. Completely red, he stumbles out of the water. Later, we heard that there is sometimes a crocodile in the river, so everything is at your own risk.
The turquoise pools
It is finally time for the highlight, the turquoise pools that we have already seen in many beautiful pictures. These pools are made of limestone and lie on top of an underground river. They fall into each other step by step, which creates small waterfalls between the different pools. Not only can you swim in the various pools, but you can also hike up to a viewing point from where you have an amazing view over them. And that image, that’s exactly what we came for.
It is a short walk, but on our way, our guide tells us that we won’t go to the viewpoint. Since it’s completely covered in clouds, we won’t see anything from there. Too bad, that’s what we came for! We, therefore, walk directly to the pools themselves to take a swim. There are small fish in them, nibbling your toes and knees, which is a funny and weird feeling. And despite the grey weather, the environment with blue water surrounded by green plants is very beautiful. Nevertheless, it’s a bit disappointing and super cold, so after an hour, everyone is ready to go back to our hostel.
Just in time for happy hour, the four of us arrive there. We are going to take advantage of this, and we will immediately order a few Cuba Libre’s, and that’s how we end our last night in Semuc Champey. Tomorrow, we will travel to Flores, a small city from where we will go to the ancient Mayan temples in Tikal.
All you need to know about Semuc Champey
Useful information for when you visit Lanquin and Semuc Champey!
Where do you stay: in Lanquin or Semuc Champey?
Lanquin is a small village about an hour’s drive from Semuc Champey. Here are most hostels located. We stayed in the hostel Zypher, just outside of Lanquin. Not recommended, the staff was unfriendly, the food not good and the prices high. It did have a nice pool and a beautiful view, though.
The caves and pools are located in Semuc Champey. There are also some hostels here. The advantage of staying in Semuc Champey is that you can visit the pools before all the tourists come. The disadvantage is that after you arrive in Lanquin, you will still have to travel for an hour.
We have not visited other hotels but have heard good stories about Greengo’s (in Semuc Champey) and Utopia Eco Hotel. I recommend choosing a location based on your hostel. It does not matter that much (also in terms of transport costs). Click here for an overview of all hotels in the area of Lanquin and Semuc Champey.
How to travel to Lanquin:
Note: When you want to go to Semuc Champey, you always travel to Lanquin, where you are dropped off by the shuttle bus. Lanquin is close by Semuc Champey. According to the travel agencies, this trip always takes a lot shorter than the actual travel time. For example, it was indicated that it would take 8 hours from Lake Atitlan, while in reality, we were travelling for 10 hours.
- Lake Atitlan to Lanquin: 10 am (please note, don’t catch the bus from 2 pm from Lake Atitlan; it’s a scam)
- Antigua to Lanquin: 6 hours
- Guatemala City to Lanquin: 5 hours
- Flores to Lanquin: 8 hours
You will be deposited in the middle of the village. Most ho(s)tels have a pickup service, so someone is waiting for you. If your bus is delayed, you will arrive late at night. It is then useful to inform your ho(s)tel, especially if it is outside Lanquin. There is a chance that they will not come to pick you up otherwise.
Click here for the ultimate Guatemala itinerary for a three-week trip!
Do you need a tour of Semuc Champey?
You don’t need a tour to visit Semuc Champey. When you only visit the pools and the viewpoint, you just pay the entrance fee and possibly transport.
We paid 170Q per person for our tour (after negotiation). This included transport, a guide, and entrance. We booked this at the same local office where we also booked our bus tickets. You can book these tours both in your hostel and in Lanquin. Transport from Lanquin to Semuc Champey is about 20Q per person, and the entrance fee for the park is 50Q.
Want to book a tour in advance? Check out this overview of different tours in Semuc Champey.
What to pack for Semuc Champey?
As little as possible! Water shoes/Crocs are handy (and a must when you enter the caves), but also bring sports/hiking shoes. You can rent Crocs for Q25. You can also bring lunch, or buy it for 50Q in places (rice, vegetables and meat). It’s smart to bring water and sunscreen, just like a bikini or swimming trunks, a bath towel, and possibly a GoPro / water camera.
That is all that you will need. Do not take too much with you, there are no lockable lockers.
Is Guatemala an expensive holiday destination? Read here all you need to know about a Guatemala budget, prices, and costs of a trip in Guatemala!
Is Semuc Champey worth it?
No, I don’t think Semuc Champey is worth it. This blog may sound very negative, and normally I am very positive, but I think it’s important to be honest. And if I’m very honest, I did not think Semuc Champey was worth the hassle. You lose two days that you could spend in the bus because of the location. Those two days I would rather have spent longer at Lake Atitlan or perhaps on one of the surf beaches.
In addition, I found the pools nice, but I certainly have seen much nicer things in Guatemala. Maybe it was also because we had bad weather and it would have been more fun with the sun. When we were there, it was not crowded in terms of tourists, but it still felt like this place was created for tourists only. And well, caves are not my thing at all, which also plays a role in my dislike of Semuc Champey
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I'm heading to Semuc Champey in a few days and I found your blog while reading up on it. I'm a bit nervous about the long shuttle ride (I'm coming from Xela so I think it's about 12 hours) and I really hope it ends up being worth it!
Ooo I'm super curious about your experience! Don't forget, what had a big impact for us as well was the circumstance in which we had rain, people trying to scam us and more. So perhaps (I hope), you wil have an amazing experience! Hopefully the ride went well?
Let us know!
Following up to say I really enjoyed myself! Of course, I had great weather and luckily no scams. I’m sorry you didn’t have ideal conditions when you came! But nonetheless thanks for the helpful article, it’s always good to hear the positives and negatives of a place before you go :)
Dale! Ooo I am so happy to hear you had such a wonderful time at Semuc Champey! Exactly, we always try to be as honest and transparent as possible, and sometimes that does mean sharing the not so nice things. Enjoy the rest of your travels in Guatemala!
Thank you for the interesting article. I thought that Semuc Champey was spectacular. It really depends on expectations and your experience there. I do agree that it's overrun by backpackers looking to hook up, more than to learn and connect, who stay at places like Zephyr. However, if you take it with a grain of salt, and if you get sun instead of constant rain, then your experience can be very rewarding.
Hi Michael!
I am so happy that your experience was so different! As you say, with just a bit of different circumstances, it might have been so special. However sometimes having a less positive experience also teaches me to appreciate the other experiences even more!
Kind regards,
Charlotte
incorrect...
That place is ultra amazing!
Oooh! I am so happy you had a different experience! Have a good trip!
Hi, I am heading to Guatemala for 5 days in the end of Feb and trying to choose one destination between Semuc Champey and Tikal. I was leaning towards Semuc Champey, but now I am not so sure. Because of time constraints I cannot visit both. Could you provide short for and against arguments for both locations. Thank you!
Hi Fred,
Sorry but they are not comparable at all. Do read my artikel on Tikal as well. In the articles itself is written what is nice about the locations and is information which might help you decide what your personal preference is. A " for and against" list wouldn't do them justice and is so dependent on personal preferences.
Kind regards,
Charlotte
This place is off the hook. You need to stop drinking and enjoy nature a bit more. I don't like caves but getting inside Lanquin was a different experience and as for Semuc Champey what a marvelous place in the middle of the jungle. Something different to see than in the States. I had a great time.
First of all, I am very happy you had such a good time! However, I doubt if you red the article... Since I think you comment is a bit strange... I love nature, I don't live in the States and I think the whole party thing was exactly what I didn't like about Semuc Champey.. and so I didn't participate in that... But perhaps you mean something else?
Hi Charlotte,
You are looking at this all wrong.
Your journey to get there, should have placed you in a more Zen like relaxed state.
The best journeys sometimes take the most hardship, for you to get there and then enjoy it.
Never worry about bad circumstances and issues, they come and go. Enjoy life.
I sometimes love for my Bike to Breakdown, Then I meet the most helpful strangers to assist in my bike recovery.
Love, Live and Laugh. everything else is just noise!
Cheers, Cormac
Perhaps you should have stayed with us. We are only 350 meters from Semuc Champey, and the only non-party place around.
You will love our famous treehouse.
B'antiox Guesthouse Private Reserve and Sanctuary
WhatsApp:502/3399/6840
Yes, perhaps that would have been better... oh well, next time!
Thank you for this advice, as me and my family want to go here this summer maybe still is look if there is nothing else better/
Hi there,
Please take a look at us before you make a decision.
We are B'antiox Guesthouse Private Reserve and Sanctuary-located just 350 meters from Semuc Champey. We are the only non-party hosts and Five Star rating on Airbnb in the area.
Brian
Good morning.
After replying to your page about Semuc Champey not worth it many months ago, I replied to you stating that you should have stayed with us at B'antiox Guesthouse which is 350 meters from Semuc Champey for a Five Star Experience.
You replied to me quickly saying something like, "I should have".
I want to thank you for your critique of Semuc because many of our guests have told us they read your piece and decided to look at us, and after reading about how we are the only non-party hosts and a Private Reserve and Sanctuary, decided to stay with us.
If you are to ever come back, please come and visit and see why and how we are different from the other choices.
Brian
B'antiox Guesthouse Private Reserve and Sanctuary
To those who were hesitant about going to Semuc, I 1000% recommend it.
I too was hesitant since I was in Guatemala during the rainy season in June. My wife and I only had a week of travel and we were not sure we’d have time to visit Semuc after doing Antigua, Tikal and the lake. So I did some research online and saw this blog about Semuc not being worth it but I absolutely disagree.
I think one of the main factors that the blogger didn’t have a good time was the rain. Like the Germans say, there is not bad weather only bad clothing.. Second, I think they were affected by the 10hr bus ride. We rented a car and our drive from Panajachel to Lanquin was just 7hours. And the best part of the drive was that we get to see and discover the real rural Guatemala along the way.
Once we arrived to Lanquin it did rain cats and dogs but we embraced it. We had proper clothing and the sound of rainfall at night in the jungle was magical. We made our way to Semuc the next day early on our own hitching a local bus that costs us 25Q. Didn’t take a guide and make our way there since it was pretty simple. Didn’t do any cave tours or none of that. Semuc alone was a beautiful and magical place even on a cloudy day with occasional showers.
That said, if you were in Guatemala and had doubts about Semuc, don’t be. It’s one of the more beautiful places I’ve been to in this planet.
Hi Michael,
Thanks for your elaborate response. I am so happy that your experience was very different and thankful that you share your experience here so we can together give a full perspective on Semuc Champey.
Haha I like your comment about the Germans, especially since being Dutch, we are very used to rain and bad weather. However, in this case clothing wasn't the problem (or solution). When the weather is bad, the pools really look way less beautiful then what you often see on the pictures of sunny days. Especially with clouds hanging low so you cannot see the pools from up high or have a good overview of them.
But again, happy to have another perspective here and I hope others too will share their positive or less positive experiences!
Kind regards,
Charlotte
I just visited Semuc Champey and really enjoyed it, but we did a few things differently. 1) We stayed 3 nights so we had more time to relax and also two days to pick from for visiting Semuc Champey to get the best weather. 2) We didn’t visit the caves after reading so many descriptions like this! 3) Our shuttle looked way more comfortable than yours and got in at 5 pm, in the daylight. We’ve been booking all our transportation through Adrenalina tours and have been pretty happy with it. 4) We stayed in a really beautiful place outside of Lanquin. It’s called the Mountain Nest, it’s a bit of an adventure to get here but it’s been so nice! It’s not a hostel and not the cheapest option, but it made the trip here worth it. I know there are also some other places closer to Semuc Champey that are nice and more affordable.
I think those differences really change the calculation of whether it’s worth it or not. I appreciate this post as it helped us figure out how we could plan a more enjoyable visit.
Hi Jen,
I am so happy to hear you really had a different experience!!! And indeed I thinks these four things made a huge difference indeed! Hopefully many other travelers read this and will have a good experience as well!
Kind regards,
Charlotte
Thank you for sharing your honest experience with Semuc Champey! I appreciate how candid you were about the challenges you faced, from the long bus ride to the less-than-ideal weather conditions. It's really helpful to hear your perspective, especially since many travel blogs tend to focus on only the positives. I can understand why the long journey and the weather may have impacted your experience, and I agree that a place's appeal can really depend on the conditions and personal preferences. Your detailed review of the caves and the pools gives a well-rounded view of what to expect, and I’m sure it will help other travelers make an informed decision. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!
Dear Charlotte,
maybe you should have rented a car as we did back in 2018, the trip was amazing. I highly disagree with your opinion about Semuc Champey, I only understand that a bad choice of transport can ruin your trip completely, and this is the reason why we never rely on anybody else and we rent a car everywhere where it is possible and where reliable public transport is sparse.
Hi Petra,
Yes, that could have made a big difference. And to be honest, not every trip or destination feels amazing, sometimes because of transport, bad experiences, and other things. We are very happy to read that other travellers have different experiences with Semuc Champey. Still, we also want to be honest and not be the travel blog that is only super cheerful but isn't transparent about disappointments or not-so-fun experiences.
On the other hand, we have had the most amazing experiences when traveling with public transport, whether it ran smoothly or not. So, to never use public transport is not our preferred choice. Next to the fact that sometimes renting a car is more (or too) expensive for travelers.
However, I am very happy that you had such a positive experience in Semuc Champey and that you share those here too!
Kind regards,
Charlotte
We loved Semuc Champney and Lanquin and recommend without hesitation. We are two middle aged husband and wife travellers from England. My wife a Peruvian native speaker and myself basic Spanish. We travelled from Flores on a tourist bus. Great journey so much to see along the way 8 or so hours. Located in Lanquin in vista Verde hostel although not really a hostel if you can't keep, cook and consume your own food. However minor gripe are the prices for their own food and drink. Semuc Champney in a local collectivo is 30 minutes away or a hugely entertaining tuk tuk will cost about 40q or £4 for two. You have to haggle !! For every price there is a lower price. Don't bother with the caves, pay you're 50q each entry to the park do the hike to the Mirador and head to the pools slowly looking out for monkeys and all the wildlife. The pools are stunning and it's as beautiful a place as I have seen on this planet.
Tuk tuk back to Lanquin and then a stroll around the local market and a beer in a roadside shop cum bar and a chat to the locals who warm greatly to us strange foreigners.
We had good weather thankfully. Doubtless this helped.
Simon
So you planned poorly and blame Semuc Champey?? Next time do your research
I think it’s so refreshing to read a sincere report of your travel experience. I’m fed up with blogs that describe everything as amazing or “a must-do,” or where the photos make a place look 1000x better than it actually is.
I found your post because I’m considering a trip to Guatemala and was wondering if it would be worth the hassle. I don’t have much time, so I really have to choose what I want to see. Thanks again for being honest. You also explained your reasons — which could happen to anyone — like the bad weather, not being into caves, and the uncomfortable trip. It’s not like you’re blaming Semuc Champey.
I habe been to semuc and strongly disagree. On the date I was there, the weather was good. The mirador, I hardly remember, can't have been that good. The pools were stunning and the fish nibbling on your skin as you lazed was pleasing. There were a few potential cliff jumps into the stunning pools, which is an unusual feature. The energy of the pools was everything. I recall the caves were disappointing (aren't all caves) and finally jumped off some bridges into the river. Over all a high adrenaline memorable day. would do again.
We are in Lanquin right now. Wish I could get these 3 days of my life back! The place is so overhyped. We thought we'd break up the trip from the lake to Flores. In retrospect, wish we'd just flown in and out of Flores. The 10 hour shuttle to Lanquin is brutal. Not looking forward to the shuttle tomorrow to Flores. Semuc Champey is pretty but very small with very short trails. The people who find this place "magical" must never have seen a waterfall or turquoise pools before. I chose not to do that cave trip and maybe people should Google the health repercussions of having bat guano wiped on their face. Couldn't do the Mirador because of rain last night, the steps were dangerously slippery. Oh well, live and learn!
The tuk-tuk scene genuinely made me laugh — there's something about that kind of chaotic arrival that can color your whole impression of a place before you've even seen it. Do you think you'd feel differently about Semuc Champey if the journey there had gone more smoothly?
Hi Charlotte! Thanks for such an honest review. It’s so refreshing to read a realistic perspective instead of the usual "Instagram vs. Reality" hype, especially after that brutal 10-hour bus ride! Safe travels!
You should have all stayed with us. We are the highest rated in all of Lanquin and Semuc. The top three percent in all of Guatemala and the top ten percent highest rated on the world plat form AIRBNB:
I am sorry you stayed somewhere else that gave you a poor experience of our community.
I thought Lanquin and Semuc Champey were awesome.! I think more adventurous people would like it better .I am sure it has changed ,probably not for the better,since I went there in 2005.I can't remember where I came from ,Antigua or Guatemala ,to get there.Don't remember the long bus ride to Coban,so it must not have been that bad,I have been on some excruciatingly long chicken bus trips like Flores to Guat.City on a Saturday [market day ] where the bus stopped a gazillion times to pick up farmers taking their wares to town. Anyway,. I stayed at an excellent inexpensive place called El Retiro right on the edge of Lanquin .They had very good food and a lively bar where you could meet many friendly other international travelers,but not a rowdy hook up place.It was close enough to town [ cool and authentic but with just enough tourist amenities for going to attractions] that you could walk to dirt cheap comedors .What I do remember is one of the best active days of my life
You rode out to Semuc Champey standing up in the back of a pick up truck with a rack to hold onto.Everything was very cheap I think Kam Ba cave ,which was just beces in that part of the world ginning to give tours, was equivalent to Us $3.You had the hike to the Mirador, the pools for their beauty and swimming, checking out the gnarly river rapids flowing directly into the top of the cave/land bridge,cliff jumping then swimming and climbing up into the bottom of the cave/land bridge [spectacular world of percolating and dripping water ], jumping off the road bridge,Kam Ba ,and the scenic ride back to a great meal .
Other attractions near Lanquin -Grutas de Lanquin -whitewater kayaking and rafting...some other places in that part of the world that are phenomenal are; Agua Azul and Palenque,the Mountain Pine Ridge in Belize,Tikal for ruins and nature, Copan Ruinas area, and the Toledo district of Belize for nature ,authentic Maya villages ,and Kayaking the Moho River !
Glad you like riding on public transportation,I have taken chicken bushes all over southeastern Mexico and northern Central America many times.I think it is one the most interesting things to see how people in less developed countries really live. Finally,if someone is going from Coban to Flores/tTikal they might want to break up the trip at Las Conchas or Rio Dulce. Sayaxche kind of sucks but there interesting things in the area.