After three nights in Tikal under the jungle canopy, it was time to head inland Guatemala.
First we had to spend a night in Flores before we could catch the 6am shuttle to Rio Dulce. Flores was a charming colonial Spanish town surrounded by a lake which offered the most beautiful sunset. It was nice to have a more relaxed day after our time in Tikal!
The shuttle the next day thankfully didn't take too long and we made it to Rio Dulce mid morning, giving us time to settle into our room before jumping into a kayak to explore the mangroves around our hostel before heading into the lake. It was lovely and peaceful although we were surprised by the amount of fancy boats around us and wary of any river wildlife (Ali assured me there were no crocodiles but some signs suggested otherwise....)
Rio Dulche is situated on Lake Izabal, the largest lake in Guatemala. The following day we took a ferry across the lake back in the direction of the Caribbean sea, towards Livingston, a small town at the gateway to the lake that is only accessible by water. Livingstone was a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of Rio Dulce, bringing a welcome return to the Go Slow lifestyle we had become accustomed to in Belize. Here we wandered the colourful streets, and viewed the relics of what appeared to have been a once thriving seaside resort. We also had the most amazing banana bread, after reassuring Sarah that it “shouldn’t” make her ill.
Before leaving Rio Dulce we had time for a quick final kayak before heading back across the water for our ‘shuttle’ to Semuc Champey – a shuttle we almost didn't get as we needed four people to travel. Thankfully two others seemed to be doing the same route as us, meaning we were in luck and didn't need to change any plans! What greeted us was a 4x4 land cruiser, not quite what we were expecting.
An hour later this made complete sense as the road stopped and we were then on an unpaved, bumpy road for the next two hours. It was a welcome relief when we made it to Lanquin and jumped in the truck to take us to our hostel close to the entrance of Semuc Champey.
The Semuc Champey pools were what brought us to the region, and they did not disappoint – five or six crystal clear pools that formed a bridge over the river below. Our first point of call was the mirador, a viewing platform a 45 minute hike up above the pools and through the surrounding rainforest. Here we were able to witness the pools in their full glory, and take in the scale of the natural wonder.
Hot, and now very sweaty, we then hiked back down and spent almost three hours swimming, floating and climbing the layered pools to fully experience them. The cold water was a welcome relief and the perfect way to spend the afternoon.
Our next stop is Lake Atitlan and we're looking forward to being surrounded by volcanoes and spending more time on the water.