Complete Guide to Semuc Champey: Everything You Need To Know Before You Go (2024)

Semuc Champey: Guatemala’s Natural Playground

Nestled amongst the lush Guatemalan Rainforest, crystalline pools, the Semuc Champey national monument is a hidden gem that travelers often skip. The name “Semuc Champey” means “where the river hides under the earth”. The natural limestone bridge that creates these gorgeous turquoise pools is not to be missed. The river flows both above ground and below these beautiful pools, and you’ll be able to enjoy both sites. Join us as we delve into the enchanting landscapes and cultural richness that make Semuc Champey a must-visit destination for every avid traveler. This guide to Semuc Champey will cover the best things to do while there, where to stay, and other tips for your visit!

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Best Things to Do in Semuc Champey

Exploring the K’anba Caves

This was the most unique cave experience we’ve had, and we’ve been to TONS of caves. (Check out some of the caves we visited on this thrilling Laos adventure!) To take on the K’anba Caves, you’ll be armed with a candle and wade through the often neck-deep water, going 100 meters deep into the cave, climbing ladders, jumping off small cliffs into the “pools”, rock climbing through a pouring waterfall (optional), and hanging out with other travelers with amazing energy.

Kanba Caves Semuc Champey — Climbing Down a Slippery Ladder

You can buy water shoes for 35 Quetzales from locals, or rent them for cheaper. I used flip flops but regret not going barefoot or just renting water shoes.

Hike Up to El Mirador (Viewpoint)

This hike is 350 meters up, is mostly stairs, and takes around 45 minutes. This might suck when it’s warm out, but it is 100% worth it. There are a few people who sell fruit and refreshing drinks along the way and at the top. This hike forms a loop, starting about a 10 minute walk from the park entrance and the ending at the pools.

Tubing

This is a quick 20-30 minute experience where you’ll float down the (somewhat freezing) waters. On your way to the tubing start point you can jump off a rope swing, which we highly recommend doing.

There’s a guy selling beers while you tube and he’ll jump in, fully clothed, with a tube and cooler to give to you. You can enjoy the beer on the river and pay later!

Enjoying the Pools

Last but certainly not least, the pools. There are a bunch of pools where you can relax and bask in the sun. However, your guide can take you from the top pools to the bottom pool, going down natural water slides, cliff jumping as high as 20 meters up, and swimming through air pockets. These are all optional, but we highly recommend going through the pools this way!

While swimming in the pools, we just left our bags alongside the pools, but you can also rent lockers here.

How to Get to Semuc Champey

Shared Shuttles are the most common ways to get to Lanquín, and then you take a $1 Rickshaw for a 45 minute drive to Semuc Champey. If you’re staying in Semuc Champey, there’s a high probability that your accommodations will provide the transportation from Lanquín to your accommodations for free. These are the prices for shared shuttles:

250 GTQ from Antigua ($31 USD)
300 GTQ from Atitlan ($37.5 USD)
250 GTQ from Flores ($31 USD)

Renting a car will give you the most flexibility, although if you want to go all the way to Semuc Champey, you should definitely rent a car with 4-wheel drive.

The cheapest option is taking the public buses. They will be around half the cost of the shared shuttles but much less comfortable. To do this, you’ll take one or more buses to get to Cobán, and then take the bus from Cobán to Lanquín.

Should I Stay in Semuc Champey or Lanquín?

If you plan on staying 2 nights, you should stay in Lanquín, so you are closer to the transportation to your next destination. If you are staying 3 nights, you should stay in Semuc Champey, so you are closer to the park and don’t have to rely on transportation to visit the park. Lanquín will have more food options, convenience stores and is easier to get to; however, Semuc Champey is more peaceful and you’ll have an easier time getting to all of the activities.

Where to Stay in Semuc Champey

Semuc Champey Accommodations

BUDGET

Pachamaya River Hostel

Where to Stay in Lanquín

Lanquín Accommodations

Where (and What) to Eat in Semuc Champey

You should completely avoid the meat in Semuc Champey. This is because they lose/turn off electricity for 8+ hours everyday, so there’s no way that the meat is being preserved correctly. We both got food poisoning here and talked to many other people who did as well. All the hotels in the area have restaurants and will offer vegetarian options. The hotels mostly offer similar dishes, so it doesn’t matter too much where you eat! Make sure to bring lots of snacks if you think you’ll get bored of the vegetarian options!

How Much Does Semuc Champey Cost?

We paid 200 GTQ (about $25 USD) each for all of the activities mentioned and an amazing guide.

If you did this on your own, these would be the fees:

Cave Entry Fee + Guide: 60 GTQ or $8
Tubing: 50 GTQ or $6
Semuc Champey Park Entrance Fee, which gives you access to the pools and hike: 50Q or $6

Because the tours include all of the entrance/activity fees, you’re really only paying an extra 40 GTQ or $5 USD for a guide.

Do I Need a Guide for Semuc Champey?

While you don’t need a guide to visit Semuc Champey’s pools, we highly recommend hiring a guide and doing the day tour. Our tour guide was amazing and showed us all the cool things we would have never been able to see without a guide. They cover all the bases – the pools, the cave, tubing down the river, and hiking to the famous viewpoint – which is perfect if you only have one full day at Semuc Champey. They keep you safe and will share cool stories and information. I would have never done the cliff jumping and swimming through the air pockets without a guide. Note that while you can enter the Semuc Champey park and visit the pools without a guide, you cannot explore the K’anba Caves without a guide. You can hire one just for that, but at that point you may as well do the full day tour because the prices are not that different (as noted above). There are also many all-inclusive tours that takes the stress out of planning your vacation, which we would have done if we weren’t on a backpacker’s budget.

How Many Days to Spend in Semuc Champey?

You really only need one full day to explore Semuc Champey. However, if you want to rest between travel days, you can definitely spend more time here.

Is Semuc Champey Worth Visiting?

Semuc Champey is absolutely worth visiting. The view from above makes the entire trip worth it, but luckily there is so much more! While it may be hard to get to, spending a day at Semuc Champey is a memory you’ll cherish forever.

When is the Best Time to Visit Semuc Champey?

The best time to visit Semuc Champey is from November to April, which is Guatemala’s dry season. During the wet season, it often floods which turns the water brown and the currents are too strong for you to swim in the pools. Occasionally, this happens in the dry season as well. If there is a massive rainstorm a few days before your trip, it may be worth skipping. Semuc Champey is open every day (except holidays) from 8 am to 4 pm.

Keep Exploring Guatemala…

Our Favorite Travel Resources

Accommodations: We use Booking.com for hotels and HostelWorld for hostels. We also use VRBO or TrustedHousesitters for longer stays.

Flights: We recommend using Skyscanner to find the cheapest and best flights.

Ground Transport: We use 12Go and Omio for buses and private transfers, and rentalcars.com and Discover Cars for rental cars.

Activities: GetYourGuide and Viator are the best websites for booking organized tours.

International Medical Insurance: We highly recommend SafetyWing for Digital Nomads and HeyMondo for those not traveling full-time, or who frequently engage in higher-risk adventure activities.

eSIM: We recommend Airalo or Holafly for getting data internationally.

Check out our Travel Resources Page for more of our favorite travel-related products and services!

Complete Guide to Semuc Champey: Everything You Need To Know Before You Go