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Our plan: was to splash Aeeshah at the beginning of October and then travel with our friends Diana and Lane to Semuc Champey on Sunday October 9th. The beginning of the month came and still we had the rudder to be adjusted and returned to the boat, the new boot lines had to be painted and the sides seen to.

 

 

 

 

Work was progressing slowly; I was feeling a bit frantic and frustrated. Then on the 3rd and 4th the lines got sanded, by the 5th the rudder was adjusted and affixed to the hull, the name redone and the painting of the of the boot lines completed. We made it back into the water by the 7th, moved out of India – the cabana and back on Aeeshah with a day to spare.

Aeeshah looks fabulous! We are both very happy with the work and workers at RAM. By far the best we’ve ever had and much less expensive that anywhere else. Plus staying at India was a real luxury.

 

Semuc Champey

When doing research of Guatemala, I saw what looked to me one of the most beautiful of rivers. The waters were turquoise and the rapids in a series of natural steps. This was a must see and experience place! However there was very little information about the area, other than it was a remote park of great natural beauty, with many adventurous expeditions available, but the down side was it was very challenging to get there. After speaking to Lane and Diana we agreed to try to travel there together. Lane had found a hostel called Utopia that was in the immediate area, looked great and had an option for transport. John and I were still in RAM working on Aeeshah so Lane and Diana kindly made the arrangements for all of us. We were set to leave on Sunday 9th, October.

Semuc Champey consists of a natural 300m limestone bridge, under which passes the Cahabon River. On top of the natural bridge is a series of stepped, turquoise pools that are fed pure water from the limestone cliffs that flank them. The whole area is reputed for its natural beauty. There are also many caves in this area due to the limestone; some are cave systems that are many miles long.

Getting there:

Diana, Lane, John and I left Catamaran on the launcha – Sledge Hammer – around noon and had an excellent lunch at Sundog. The mini bus that runs to Semac Champey area arrives between 1:00 and 2:00; well for us it arrived just after 2:00pm.

We climbed aboard with 2 other travelers and set off for Semuc Champey. The driver took the route that headed towards El Estor at the end of Lake Isabal. This stretch of 20 odd miles was really quite comfortable and we began to wonder why previous travelers had complained of such an uncomfortable, wild journey.

 

 

The driver turned off onto a track and headed up a steep uphill. From then on it was one of the roughest rides imaginable. The track was a rocky, bolder strewn lane that wound its way uphill for miles. There was really only enough width for one vehicle, but we still met large trucks and other vehicles coming the other way.

However the countryside and views were stunning. The entire journey on this track up and through the mountains took just over 5 hours, with 1 stop to use the loo in the wild outdoor banjos. I must say it was an exciting journey but the best was yet to come.

 

We arrived in Lanquin after dark, off loaded and had a short wait for our next stage of the journey. What arrived was a small open truck with the bars across the top for an awning, but in our case they were there to hang onto. Off into the night we went steeply up and downhill. It really was a very bumpy roller coaster ride along the tracks leading to Utopia our hostel/hotel. After an hour we succeeded in arriving. We all piled into the bar and restaurant area in much need of a few drinks and a meal.

 

Utopia:

 

Utopia is a wonderful hostel/hotel hidden away in the national forest where Semuc Champey is located. It is a place where free spirits feel at home. It has a vegetarian family meal every evening, but if necessary one can order from the menu. We were very happy to sit, enjoy our alcoholic beverages and the family style meal.

 

 

 

All the folks there were much younger than our group. Guessing I’d say they were all in their twenties, maybe early thirties, but we felt well at home chatting with them.

Utopia is located above the Cahabon River looking out over the river and the mountain slopes opposite; it is a very lovely location. The main building is an open large veranda with a bar, relaxation area, seating in the form if hammocks and swings, plus a few long tables. One table had a planter of herbs, (some of which is “herb”) growing down the center.

 

 

 

A very casual and relaxed atmosphere is the norm there. The hostel area was above while the cabanas were throughout the property. The gardens have many flower-bordered paths that lead to the cabanas. Our cabanas were above the river, and rustically but adequately furnished. We were shattered from our full day of travel and by the time we got to bed we needed our sleep.

Day one:

Caving, swinging into the river, bridge jumping, hiking, Semuc Champey and tubing down the river were our activities.

We set off in the “truck”, all 14 of us, plus backpacks hanging onto the crossbars. The area we went to is only 8 miles away, but it is a wild ride up and down very steep rough tracks.

 

Arriving at a yellow bridge we unloaded and followed our guide along the banks of the Cahabon River to where we were going caving in the K’anba Caves. We were all prepared, wearing bathing suits and shorts with good outdoor shoes. Our guide distributed candles, as lights, (yes home-made candles) and led us to the entrance, which was up the cliffside. Once there we had our candles lit and proceeded in a line to enter the cave.

 

This cave system is not a dry one, a river runs through the cave, and it is not a slow moving river, it is rapid and in areas disappears underground, yes, dangerous. In the beginning the guide allowed us to look over a ledge down to where the river disappeared deep into the earth. We had to swim holding our candles above our heads, there were guidelines, which you could grasp, but as most of our group were grasping them they were not very effective. The affect of following a line of candles underground in a river was thrilling! Our guide used dark mud from along the cave’s side, mixed I suspect with bat poops and painted our faces with crazy designs.

The water depth ranged from quite shallow to deep, we wove around rocks and navigated the dark tunnel. When we reached the waterfall we climbed up some rocks out of the river. At the waterfall one had to climb up it and the cliff it while the river was crashing down.

The next part of the journey was drier and wound around large boulders and up steep metal ladders. There was an area where you could jump off a cliff into the dark for a 15 foot drop into the river.

 

At the top, and end of the journey, the guide directed us to sit where there was only a hole and where the river was shooting down. He then basically lets you go …. down, down you fall, under and under you go in the river.

I was thinking I’d never get to the surface when I started to rise. Another guide handed me a lit candle. John who followed me and was really disorientated he came up nearly under the cliff with no light he was completely lost. As we were behind in the group we followed a couple towards where we thought our group had gone. We climbed up a ladder instead of remaining in the river. At the top we had to squeeze through a small gap and then walk around and over some deep holes. That was when we heard our guides calling us. John quickly about faced and promptly fell hard, into one of the deep holes! I was so scared he was badly hurt and here we were deep underground, hours and hours from any help. He staggered to his feet, climbed out and I helped him to get moving again. He felt really busted up and was worried about his ribs and hip. As it turned out he most likely did crack ribs and deeply bruised his back, upper and lower back. John suffered for weeks with the results of that fall.

Back with the group we carefully made our way out of the cave system. It had been a thrilling and exciting journey underground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our guide then took us to where a swing had been rigged to swing out over the river. There we could swing 45 odd degrees over the river then drop into the river about 15 foot below and swim to shore. Only a few of the group tried, I was tempted as I love swings, but after seeing John’s accident I declined the opportunity.

 

 

From the riverbank we went to the bridge where we were shown how we could jump off the bridge into the river way down below. This time the fall was a good 20-foot. Again we just watched while others took up the challenge, jumped and swam to the shore.

 

 

Then it was lunchtime. So off we hiked uphill to a small eatery run by locals. Many of our group bought the lunch, but the four of us had brought a packed lunch. John was in much pain and really finding it difficult to get comfortable. Luckily some of the group had Advil, which he happily took.

Off we headed to see Semuc Champey the real attraction of the area. We hiked along a path which then broke off uphill steeply. Much of the path was straight up a cliff via wooden stairs; it was a tough, hot climb. I was very pleased with my effort and was not last to the top although being one of the oldest. At the top the path led through the rain forest to an out look over the Cahabon River and Semuc Champey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Semuc Champey consists of turquoise river pools. It must be one of the most beautiful sites in the world. The river gorge is steeply sided, the Cahabon River flows aggressivly down, and then disappears underground to reappear as a series of waterfalls some 300 odd meters away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above the Cahabon River are the turquoise rock pools that are fed from the cliff walls. Thus you have a river bridge, a river over a river. The pools are turquoise due to the water being fed from the limestone cliff and due to the algae living in them. An amazing area. We all enjoyed the award of the climb, the stunning view.

Then it was down by another route to the river pools below. There we had a closer look of the river disappearing under the river bridge, of the pools and the river emerging from the other end.

The whole group took to the pools to swim. We all ended up following each other from the top 

pools and down the series of pools above the river. We swam, slid down the channels, climbed out and slid down again until we had enjoyed every pool and many natural slides. The water was very refreshing, just wonderful!!

By then it was time to hike back to the bridge and go tubing.

 

 

Tubing to me was to plonk oneself in a tube, relax and slowly drift down the river. Not so, here we were helped into our tubes, with our beers we had purchased from the persistent local venders. Then we were off down a quickly moving river. Before long we were faced with rapids!

Yes, rapids where we were told to lift our bums in order to avoid getting smashed by the rocks below. Now the rapids were not for the faint of heart. I consider myself very fortunate, as I did not get smashed; others were not so fortunate some even crashed into the shore! The wild river tubing ride lasted an hour the end stop being Utopia. It really was great fun and an exhilarating ride. Unfortunately, taking pictures was not an option.

Again the evening we were exhausted, but enjoyed drinks, vegetarian dinner and the company of each other.

Day 2:

Diana and Lane opted to do the Chocolate tour, which consisted of learning the whole process from the growth to the actual making of chocolate. They really had a great time with the owner of Utopia who owns the coca “farm” and they learned a tremendous amount about chocolate. Plus we got to sample their results, which were delicious.

John and I revisited Semuc Champey.

We took a packed lunch, got a ride in the back of the truck and set out to explore further. The truck ride was as rough as before, but I was getting the hang of how to hang on by then.

 

 

Once there we walked up the river leading to the pools, but branched off on a walk that went down river. There you could see the waterfalls from the pools dropping into the river and joining the main river. We walked down river a short way and enjoyed the scenery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After which we walked back up river to where the river pools were I went swimming while John 

read, resting his injured back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For lunch we walked to where the bridge starts and found a lovely place, which was by the side of the pools for our lunch. By the time we had lunch and walked towards the yellow bridge we were told the truck would be leaving shortly. So we enjoyed a slow walk back and piled into the truck back to Utopia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back at Utopia we set out to walk the surrounding lanes and countryside.

 

 

 

 

The views were beautiful! The slopes are seriously steep, so you get a good cardio workout too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our last evening was again lovely, good food, great company and wonderful surroundings at Utopia.

Back to Rio Dulce

The next morning we again climbed into the back of the truck with our gear and set off to get our collective from Lanquin.

 

 

 

The day was a cloudy one, but the scenery was stunning. This time around the driver took the rough, rough route about halfway, then headed northward to join the northern road leading back to the Rio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the driver hit the smooth tarmac his foot hit the metal and we went like a bat out of hell all the way back.

 

 It was an amazing few days spent at Semuc Champey and Utopia!

 

The purpose of life, after all, is to love it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience – Eleanor Roosevelt

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” –  Anaïs Nin