The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Semuc Champey in Guatemala

Last updated on April 23rd, 2025

Semuc Champey is one of the most beautiful destinations in Guatemala. We’re sharing everything to know before you visit, plus if we think it’s worth the trek!

Nestled in the mountainous jungle lies Semuc Champey, an absolute paradise in Guatemala! The name “Semuc Champey” translates to “where the river hides beneath the earth” in the Mayan Q’eqchi’ language. And it’s home to a 300 meter long (984 foot) natural limestone bridge, which the majority of the Cahabón River runs under. While on top, you’ll find a series of turquoise pools and small waterfalls.

It’s the ultimate destination for travelers looking for a mix of adventure, nature, and relaxation! Here you can swim in crystal clear water, float on the river, experience a wild (and pretty exhilarating) cave, and catch a glimpse of Maya life in Guatemala. We spent two full days in this area, right at the end of our two weeks in Guatemala, and it was the perfect grand finale for our trip!

However, getting here is quite the trek and there is a lot to know before visiting. But our goal is to make planning your time in Semuc Champey, Guatemala a breeze! In this guide we’re sharing all of the best things to do, helpful planning logistics, and our personal tips for visiting Semuc Champey. Plus, if we think it’s worth visiting!

Looking for more Guatemala resources?

Table of Contents

[show]

How to get to Semuc Champey, Guatemala

Located in central Guatemala, Semuc Champey is very remote, with the nearest larger city (Coban) being a 2 hour drive one way.

To get here, you’re looking at a minimum 7.5 hour shuttle ride, depending on where you’re starting from. Plus additional transportation to the park itself. Because of this, visiting is at least a 3 day effort (although we think 4 days is better!) between all of the traveling and actually exploring.

Here’s a rundown of how to get to Semuc Champey, step by step!

Shuttle to Lanquín

The first step in getting to Semuc Champey is to take a shared tourist shuttle to San Agustín Lanquín (Lanquín for short), the closest town to Semuc Champey. Here’s how long the ride typically is from the most common starting points:

Guatemala City: 7.5 hours
Antigua: 9 hours
Flores (gateway to Tikal): 9 hours
Panajachel (Lake Atitlán): 10.5 hours

Keep in mind that these times are one way and it may take longer! We lucked out that our shuttle arrived early to Lanquín from Antigua. But other guests at our lodging had the opposite experience and arrived over 2 hours late.

How to book a shuttle

To book a shuttle to Lanquín you have a few options. In any of the destinations above you can find tour offices that can arrange it for you. But if you’re like us and prefer to plan further in advance, you can book a shuttle online in advance.

One common way to do this is through GuateGo, a transportation booking website for Guatemala. We ultimately booked ours through Due South Travels, another website that coordinates shuttles and transportation across the country. Either option is great!

Cost of the shuttle

We paid $40 USD per person (one way) for our shuttle to and from Lanquín. Prices may vary depending on your starting and ending destinations!

Note: You could take a private shuttle, but because of the long ride this will be incredibly expensive.

The types of shuttles

On our ride to Lanquín we were in a van, which wasn’t full, so we had some space to spread out. This was especially nice because our bags were able to go on the floor or in an empty seat. However, on the ride back from Lanquín, we were on a bus. And it was JAM packed! Every single seat was taken and there was zero space for our bags…except for on our laps. Having our heavy backpacks, with our laptops and camera gear, on our laps for 8 hours was honestly pretty brutal.

Regardless of which type of vehicle you’re in, your larger bag will go on the roof (secured and typically covered with a tarp), while your smaller bag will stay with you inside. So keep this in mind when packing for Guatemala!

What to expect on the ride

Since the ride is so long, we were curious beforehand how often we’d stop for breaks along the way. During both of our rides we stopped two times to use the restroom and get food. On the way to Lanquín we stopped at two very nice McDonalds (one in Guatemala City and one in Coban).

However, on the way back, most of us on the bus assumed we’d stop at the same McDonald’s in Coban for breakfast. But the driver took us to a gas station instead. While we were grateful for a stop, eating Pringles instead of a hot hashbrown or egg McMuffin just didn’t do the trick. Thankfully we stopped at a McDonald’s for our second stop and were able to get a proper meal.

Overall, the ride wasn’t bad at all! The scenery was beautiful and we passed the time by reading, listening to podcasts, and watching movies.

Arriving in Lanquín

Once arriving in Lanquín you are dropped off at the bus terminal. Even if you’re staying in Lanquín, you will likely have to take additional transportation to your lodging.

Some hostels, like Greengos, will have one of their trucks waiting to pick you up. It seemed like most of the people on our shuttle got picked up by their lodging. But since we stayed in an Airbnb, we got a ride with a local driver. We had no issues getting a driver, as our shuttle driver had sent out a message to the local drivers before we arrived. So they were expecting us!

Lanquín to Semuc Champey

Although Lanquín is the closest town to Semuc Champey, it’s still about 10 km (30 minute ride) to the pools and cave. They recently built a new, paved road that goes the majority of the way, which has made most of this ride a lot smoother.

To get from Lanquín to Semuc Champey you have two options: a tuk tuk or a camioneta. If you’ve been traveling around Guatemala already, you’re likely familiar with the small tuk tuks. But a camioneta is essentially a truck where you stand or sit in the truck bed. It was our favorite transportation method in Guatemala!

If you hop into a shared camioneta from Lanquín, you will pay around Q30 (~$4 USD) per person for the ride. And it will likely be PACKED with people and bags. It’s quite the experience!

But if you’re like us and have to take a private one to Semuc Champey, expect to pay about Q150 total (~$19 USD). If you’re the only person you can just sit in the truck cab, but we think standing in the back is much more fun!

For those staying in Lanquín and wondering how to get back after exploring Semuc Champey, don’t worry. There are TONS of locals who will offer you a ride!

The best things to do in Semuc Champey

Now that you know how to get to Semuc Champey, it’s time to dive into the fun activities you can expect once you get there! But before we do, it’s important to understand how the area is laid out and what is considered to be “Semuc Champey.”

When people say Semuc Champey, they are usually referring to both a general area and a Natural Monument. The Natural Monument is where you’ll find El Mirador, El Sumidero, and the pools. While the area right around it (also referred to as Semuc Champey) is where you’ll find the caves and tubing. These two activities are technically located outside of the Natural Monument and have different fees.

On the map above, we breakdown the different areas, to give you a better idea of where everything is located.

Hike to El Mirador

El Mirador at Semuc Champey in Guatemala

Semuc Champey draws in visitors with its striking blue pools and one of the best ways to see them is to hike up El Mirador!

The start of this hike is not too far after entering the park and according to the sign at the beginning, it’s only 500 meters (0.3 miles). But despite the short distance, the hike takes about 30 minutes, as it is all uphill. Along the hike you will walk on both stone and wooden steps, which were very slick due to an overnight torrential downpour. So wear shoes with good tread!

After huffing and puffing for about 30 minutes, you will arrive at a wooden platform that overlooks the stunning pools and surrounding mountains. The view was just as beautiful as the many photos we had seen beforehand. It took our breath away!

We had heard that there was an alternate trail to go down after visiting the viewpoint, but it was blocked off during our visit. If it is open, we’d suggest taking that, as it’ll drop you off closer to the pools.

A+K Tip: We recommend doing El Mirador first thing for a couple reasons:

The earlier you go, the less busy it will be! Mid-day there can be a long wait to get a photo on the platform.
With the humid and warmer climate, this uphill hike will break a sweat! And swimming in the pools will feel even better afterwards.

Swim in Semuc Champey’s pools

The best part of Semuc Champey is swimming in its crystal clear pools!

There are quite a few pools to swim in, split up among a lower and upper area. To get to the pools, you will want to go left after coming down from El Mirador (if you go down the same way you went up). Shortly after going down the path you will come across toilets and a changing area. And just down the steps for these is access to the lower pools!

For the upper pools, you will want to continue up the wooden steps on your left and along some wooden boardwalks. You will eventually reach the lockers and just past that is the access to the upper pools.

We suggest hopping between as many pools as possible. Some of the pools are huge, while others are smaller and more hidden. And some are shallow, while others we could not stand in. There are even some with small natural water slides! They are all the perfect temperature for swimming, but be warned, there are tons of small fish that love to nibble on your legs and feet. It tickles!

See El Sumidero

As we mentioned, Semuc Champey is known for its limestone bridge, which the Cahabón River runs under. And to see where the river vanishes under the bridge, head to El Sumidero!

It is wild to see the raging river cutting through a gorge and then suddenly vanish right below your feet. Combine this unique geologic phenomenon with the lush scenery around it and it’s truly a magical spot.

To get to this area, you will want to go to where the lockers are, by the upper pools. You will see a pathway that continues straight with signage that says “El Sumidero.”

Logistics for visiting Semuc Champey

All three of the spots above, El Mirador, the pools, and El Sumidero are part of the Semuc Champey Natural Monument. Below is important information to know about visiting this specific park!

Cost: Q50 (~$6.50 USD) per person for foreigners. Cash only! You do get a receipt when you pay and according to our Airbnb host, you can leave and re-enter the same day.

Hours: The park is open from 8 AM-4 PM every day. We highly suggest arriving right when they open for solitude! Tours start showing up around 9:30 AM-11:00 AM.

Amenities: There are toilets, changing rooms, and lockers at Semuc Champey. The toilets and changing rooms are close to the lower pools, while the lockers are close to the upper pools. But the walk between them isn’t too far!

You will need to bring your own lock for the lockers. And some lockers did not have a spot for a lock. We’d also suggest bringing toilet paper in case they are out.

Tour K’anba Cave

For the adventurous, one of the craziest things to do in Semuc Champey is tour K’anba Cave. On this tour you will go about 1 km (0.6 miles) back into a cave with only a CANDLE as your lightsource. Oh, and the cave is filled with water, which means you will be going through water the entire time. Including swimming (with a rope to hold onto), as it gets deep!

This tour is dark, very wet (and kind of cold), and unlike anything we have done before. And we have toured some epic caves! Along the tour you will be required to climb up and down both ladders and rockier sections.

Plus you have the chance to partake in optional activities, like climbing up a waterfall, jumping off the cave wall, and dropping down a narrow hole (we skipped this one). And this is all done without any safety measures, like helmets or harnesses. 😅 The entire time we kept saying “this would never be legal in the US!”

While this tour is not for everyone, if you’re up for an adventure, we’d definitely suggest it. For us it was the perfect mix of adrenaline pumping, fun, and terrifying. We never once felt in danger and our guide helped ensure we knew what to do!

Important things to know: To get to the cave from Semuc Champey, you will want to cross the yellow bridge and turn left. There are bins to store your belongings for both the cave tour and tubing. Make sure to bring your own lock!

Entering K’anba Cave costs Q60 (~$7.80 USD) per person and guides are required. You can easily find a guide on the street, but to make sure you’re getting a credible one, we’d ask your lodging for their recommendation. We booked a tour with a local named Rudy for Q90 each (~$11.70 USD) for both the cave and tubing.

Float on the river

Tubing is a must while at Semuc Champey! Getting to float down the river after a thrilling cave tour was the perfect way to end the day at Semuc Champey.

Tubing is often included in most cave tours and after finishing the cave, we headed down the river to a beautiful set of waterfalls. This waterfall is where the Cahabón re-emerges after going under Semuc Champey’s limestone bridge, which is very cool to see! We had the option to jump in here, but the current was too intense for our comfort level.

You enter the river shortly after this section and minus a small rapids section at the beginning, it’s very calm and relaxing.

We did the shorter tubing option and ended not too far after the yellow bridge, which allowed us to walk back to our stuff that was locked up by the cave. But there are longer options you can do as well, where you’ll hop into a camioneta back to the start afterwards.

Learn how to make chocolate

Semuc Champey is home to a primarily Maya Q’eqchi’ community. And one very neat experience we got to have was visiting one of their homes to learn how to make chocolate.

Our Airbnb host set us up with his neighbor to learn the traditional Maya way to make chocolate. This included roasting the cacao over the fire, peeling it by hand, and grinding it (plus sugar and our flavor choice) on a metate.

While it was a very quiet tour, as no English was spoken, we still learned so much and even got to help! And let’s just say it is a LOT harder than it looks. The woman who was making the chocolate was using so much strength and energy to turn the chocolate from a powder, to the consistency of brownie batter, to more liquidy. It was very impressive to see!

And in the end, we each left with ½ pound of chocolate with our flavor of choice (we did chili and cardamom)! It was definitely more of a bitter dark chocolate and had a different texture due to the method, but it truly doesn’t get much fresher or handmade than this!

Chocolate tour: Since our Airbnb host set this up for us, using his personal relationships with the locals, we don’t have a way to share our exact tour. But you can book a tour with Tuqtuquilal in Lanquín.

Do you have to visit Semuc Champey on a tour?

Yes and no! To visit any of the sights in the Semuc Champey Natural Monument (El Mirador and the pools), you do NOT need a guide. And we’d actually recommend against having a guide, as it’s easy to explore and we enjoyed being able to do it on our own schedule.

But you DO need a guide for both the caves and tubes. For the best deal, book a guide to take you to both, versus booking them individually.

You can easily find a guide on the street, but we’d suggest asking your lodging if they have a preferred local guide. Our Airbnb set us up with our guide Rudy and we paid Q90 each (~$11.70 USD) for a caving and tubing tour, which from what we hear, was a pretty good deal.

If you decide to book a tour for all three activities, you can easily do this through most lodging. There are options to book in advance, but we hear that it’s cheaper to book it once you’re there.

Where to eat in Semuc Champey

Where to eat at Semuc Champey, Guatemala

There is nowhere to eat inside Semuc Champey Natural Monument, minus some locals selling coconuts. But as soon as you exit the park, you will find locals selling fruit, drinks, and snacks (Q10 for a whole mango), persistent kids selling delicious chocolates (2 for Q5), and stands grilling up meat.

We ate lunch at these stands both days and for Q35 (~$4.50 USD) each we got a plate with grilled chicken, spaghetti, corn tortillas, beans, salad, and rice. There are also stands that offer more of a “buffet” for a higher price. But we thought the cheaper option was filling enough!

We suggest doing lunch at one of these stands, but having your breakfast and dinner at your accommodation. If you’re staying in Lanquín, you will also have access to restaurants for those meals. One good option in Lanquín is Aragoncito Bistro al Carbón!

Important to know: You will get bombarded by locals (including kids) asking you if you want to buy food and drinks, or see if you need transportation. This is the only area of Guatemala where people were pretty persistent in trying to get us to buy things. So be prepared!

When to visit Semuc Champey

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Semuc Champey in Guatemala

Semuc Champey can be visited year-round, but the best time to visit is during the dry season (November-April). During this time you’ll have better weather and there is much less risk of flooding. However, gloomier weather is still possible in the dry season. It rained twice during our visit in March and we had one cloudier day. But even with the clouds, Semuc Champey was still beautiful!

In terms of crowds, we had read beforehand to not visit on a weekend, as it can be mega crowded. But our visit to Semuc Champey fell on a Friday and Saturday. We visited the pools both days and even on Saturday, we found there was plenty of space to spread out. Especially in the lower pools, which were less busy. We even had some pools to ourselves for a bit!

Where to stay in Semuc Champey

There are two main areas to stay when visiting Semuc Champey: Lanquín or in Semuc Champey itself. We’ll share the pros and cons to each below, as well as where we personally stayed.

But regardless of which you choose, keep in mind that this is the remote jungle. Air conditioning is not common and you may see a couple bugs!

Lanquín

Lanquín is the most common place to stay to visit Semuc Champey, as it has more options to choose from. You’ll find more amenities here, like restaurants and convenient stores, but it does come with some drawbacks (in our opinion).

First, it’s pretty busy and not nearly as nature-y as Semuc Champey. When we drove through Lanquín to get to our shuttle, the streets were very busy and it definitely had more of a town feel than a jungle paradise feel.

Also, it’s about a 30-35 minute ride to Semuc Champey itself. So if you plan to visit the pools twice, it will cost more to get back and forth.

If you do decide to stay here, there are some good options that have amazing views and are a bit away from the hustle and bustle:

Zephyr River Lodge: While not on the river, they have an amazing pool with a view. They also coordinate tours to Semuc Champey!
El Retiro Lodge: This spot is located right on the river, so you can enjoy some of the perks of the area, without having to head to Semuc Champey.

Semuc Champey

We personally stayed in Semuc Champey and were VERY happy with that decision! Not only is it less busy and quieter than Lanquín, but you’re also just a short walk away from the pools, cave, and river. Since we spent two full days in Semuc Champey, being able to walk to the park easily every day was such a perk! We were able to arrive right when they opened and enjoy lots of solitude.

The downside of this area is that there really isn’t anywhere to eat, besides the stands grilling meat, so you’ll be reliant on your lodging for breakfast and dinner. And you’ll have to take additional transportation immediately after getting off the 8+ hour shuttle. But neither of those cons were a big deal to us!

During our visit we stayed at B’antiox Guesthouse and we couldn’t recommend it more! The property is so lush, the hosts were so friendly and helpful, the family style meals were all delicious (shoutout to Paulina!), and they have the cutest rescue pups. And since it’s not a hostel, like most places in the area, it’s very peaceful and relaxed.

We booked their observatory treehouse and it was amazing! It has three walls of windows to admire the scenery, the bed was super comfortable, the stone bathroom was beautiful, and we loved the mountain views from our patio. It is off-grid, so there are no outlets, but the solar powered battery bank worked great for us. Bring your own portable battery just in case, though!

If B’antiox Guesthouse is booked or you’re looking for more of the hostel vibe, check out:

Greengo’s: This spot is walking distance to the park and has a pool on site as well!
Utopia Eco Hotel: While a bit further from Semuc Champey, it is on the river and you can float back to the lodge from the park area!

How much time do you need in Semuc Champey?

Since the trek to get to Semuc Champey is so long, we suggest spending three nights, which will give you two full days in the area.

While there isn’t that much to do in Semuc Champey, having more time will allow you to visit the pools more than once, relax at your lodging, and rest a bit before and after the long journey. Here’s our exact itinerary!

Day 1

We ate breakfast and had coffee at our lodging.
Arrived at Semuc Champey right at 8 AM and immediately went to El Mirador.
Swam in the pools at Semuc Champey for a couple hours.
Grabbed lunch at one of the stands.
Went on our cave and tubing tour.
Spent the rest of the day relaxing at our Airbnb and eating dinner.

Day 2

We ate breakfast and had coffee at our lodging.
Swam in the pools at Semuc Champey and read by the water for a few hours.
Grabbed lunch at one of the stands.
Spent most of the afternoon reading on our patio.
Went to a local’s house for our chocolate tour.
Enjoyed a final dinner at our Airbnb.

What to bring to Semuc Champey

Cash

One very important thing to know about visiting Semuc Champey is that the area is basically cash only. While Lanquín does have an ATM, we hear it’s often broken. So make sure to get cash in advance!

For us, this was our final stop in Guatemala, before heading to Guatemala City to fly home. So we tried very hard to not bring too much cash, as we didn’t want to convert any back to USD. We ultimately spent around Q1,400 total during our stay, including all meals, tours, entrance fees, and transportation. This does not include lodging, which we paid through Airbnb, using a credit card.

Lock

If you want to secure your belongings while swimming at Semuc Champey or on your cave and tubing tour, make sure to bring a lock! Both the pools and cave area have free lockers, but locks are not provided.

Dry bag/phone protection

While you can lock up your belongings, you may want to keep some items with you. And to keep those items safe we suggest a dry bag, as well as a waterproof phone pouch.

Sun protection

The sun can be pretty intense in Semuc Champey! We definitely got a tad sunburnt from forgetting to sunscreen our legs. 😩 Make sure to bring a hat, sunglasses, a sun hoodie, and sunscreen. If you plan to put on sunscreen before going into the pools, make sure it’s reef safe sunscreen, so you have as little impact on the ecosystem as possible.

Bug spray

Being in the jungle, there are quite a few bugs around Semuc Champey. While they weren’t horrible, we did get a few bites. So make sure to pack some bug spray!

Swimsuit

You will want a swimsuit for both swimming in the pools and in the cave (that’s all we wore in the cave). Don’t forget to bring one!

Towel

While you could bring a towel from your lodging, it may get dirty. So we’d suggest bringing a small travel towel.

What to bring to Semuc Champey, Guatemala

Hiking sandals

We highly recommend wearing hiking sandals, like Chacos, while at Semuc Champey. These will not only have good grip for the slick hike up to El Mirador, but also be really helpful in the pools (they are slippery!) and in the cave.

GoPro

Having some sort of waterproof action camera will be very helpful for getting photos and videos in the pools, cave, and while tubing. We personally brought our GoPro and it worked great!

Headlamp

If you want to take better photos in the cave, we suggest bringing a headlamp! While it’s much more fun to use the candles as your light source, this will make your photos MUCH better than the candles alone. Plus, it’s good to have a backup in case your candles burn out.

Snacks

Make sure to pack some snacks for the shuttle ride! While you do stop a couple times, it is nice to have some items on hand in case hunger strikes outside of those time periods.

Downloaded entertainment

Before the shuttle ride, make sure to download podcasts, music, books, and Netflix to keep you entertained! And don’t forget headphones if you’re going to listen to something.

Is Semuc Champey worth it?

Before visiting Semuc Champey we had read some mixed reviews if it was worth it. While it’s undeniably beautiful, some people think that the ride is too long for the experience. Especially if it’s the only thing you’re doing in this region of Guatemala. But we wholeheartedly disagree.

For us, Semuc Champey was 1000% worth it. As soon as we got closer to the area on the shuttle and saw its scenery, we were happy to have made the trek. The scenery was so different from everywhere else we visited in Guatemala and we had SO much fun swimming, cave exploring, tubing, and just relaxing here. It was the exact kind of adventure we love in our travels!

However, we’d only recommend it if you have at least two weeks in Guatemala OR if it’s your second trip. As it is far and takes quite a bit of time to visit!