Day 9: Semuc Champey - Lanquín - Río Dulce (How to get from Semuc Champey to Río Dulce)
Today's alarm clock has been the sound of the awakening of nature and the first lights of the day, making its way through the curtains of the window of our cabin, warning us that the time has come to get going and start picking up the backpacks to start with the transfer of Semuc Champey to Río Dulce, which will be our last destination of the trip to Guatemala before leaving for Honduras.
Breakfast starts at 6 in the morning and our shared van from Semuc Champey to Rio Dulce leaves at 7, so we do not hesitate to go soon and we have to say that the Portal de Semuc Champey is an accommodation of 10, but Speed is not your thing, so it is worth getting up a little earlier and not risk staying without breakfast and less a day like today when the forecast is to be a long trip.
We ordered a couple of pancake dishes with coffees and we charged energy for a day that we know is hard, with a new 6-hour transfer that will take us from Semuc Champey to Rio Dulce.
Breakfast at the Semuc Champey Portal
It is 7:15 when our 4 × 4 arrives in which today against the 4 that came the day we arrived at Semuc Champey from Flores, we have to put more than 12 people, standing at the back, to travel the roads muddy of the 9 kilometers there from Semuc Champey to Lanquín.
The 4 × 4 van that will take us from Semuc Champey to Lanquín
But since not everything could be so perfect, it doesn't take more than 5 minutes for the heaven start to cry and we have to do the 9 kilometers in the rain, since they have not put the canvas, getting wet and feeling the nature in its maximum splendor.
We arrived in Lanquín at 8:10 in the morning, where we have to wait for our shared van to take us from Semuc Champey to Rio Dulce, which will be our stop these last two days in Guatemala, before leaving for Honduras.
In Guatemala, although it may seem a lie, there is also the pole pole that we met on our trip to Kenya and Tanzania, so much so that we have to wait from 8 to 9, for the shared van to start, making us anticipate a somewhat longer journey than we initially thought.
Shared van from Lanquín to Río Dulce
Shared van from Semuc Champey to Río Dulce
More practical information to prepare your trip to Guatemala
- 10 essential places to visit in Guatemala
- 10 essential tips for traveling to Guatemala
It's 12 in the morning, that is 3 hours later of our departure from Lanquín, when we finally left the "highway"of sand and stones in which we have traveled a little more 40 kilometers giving boats, accompanied at all times by a drizzle that seems not to want to leave us either in the sun or in the shade. Luck of the impressive landscapes that we are going through, that make This trip alone is worth it, and it seems that we are in the middle of the jungle, passing every few kilometers through small villages of no more than 5 small houses, where we can see local life at the wheel, a speed so reduced, that at times it seems that we are walking.
Finally, after 3 hours, we just reached the paved road
Seeing how the weather is, we can only think about the luck we have, not coinciding today with the visit to Semuc Champey, since the day was very rainy and as we are checking, the predictions are being fulfilled and go up to the viewpoint or enjoy the pools, it would not have been an easy task at all.
There are a few minutes to 1 noon when we finally take a paved road, which we could almost qualify as normal, when our driver decides to stop at a gas station where we can go to the bathroom, eat, review that the canvas covers the luggage well and take the opportunity to connect to the available Wi-Fi or take advantage of the Movistar signal that has reappeared as if by magic after two days without seeing her or glancing.
Technical stop at the gas station
Seeing that we still have a few hours to reach Sweet River, we also take the opportunity to eat, ordering some fajitas and some tacos, by the way very good, more coke and beer for 77 quetzals, which make us recharge our energies to continue our way to the next point of our trip.
Eating at a gas station on the way to Río Dulce
Not long after giving the last drink to coffee, we return to the van to continue our way, perceiving as as we get closer to the Caribbean coast, the sun starts to shine and accompany us the rest of the way.
We finally arrived Semuc Champey to Rio Dulce at 15:00 in the afternoon, 8 hours later since we left Semuc Champey, despite the fact that the hotel had told us that the journey would be about 6 hours, although we must tell that between one thing and another we left Lanquín at 9 in the morning and the rain has also delayed us a lot.
Jetty of Rio Dulce
The shared van, this time does not leave us in our accommodation, but leaves us in a street of Sweet River, next to one of the piers, offering us a boat to reach the Marine Yatch, our accommodation in Río Dulce, or a taxi for 40 quetzales. We opted for this last option, although we know that they are charging us 3 times the real price, but we really want to get to the hotel and rest and we do not feel like getting back into the boat, as it sparkles again.
It did not take more than 10 minutes to reach the area of Puerto Barrios, where our hotel is, by the way with very bad opinions on both Tripadvisor and Booking, something that we really do not understand according to our later experience, which has been really great.
It must be said that the Marine Yatch is not only a hotel, since it also includes a restaurant and a local jetty, so the reception is a bit a "all in one", being the least similar to a hotel you can imagine.
After check in, we cross the part of the jetty, accompanied by a beautiful rainbow that seems to want to welcome us to Rio Dulce, seeing numerous boats docked there, also passing very close to the restaurant area, which is located between the reception and the rooms.
A rainbow welcomes us to Río Dulce
Right next to our room we have the pool and a small bar that we will surely enjoy tomorrow, since today we want to rest for a while in the room and then go to the restaurant, where there is free Wi-Fi, to be able to update the blog a bit and work for a while after these last days totally disconnected.
Pier views from the restaurant
It's 7:30 in the afternoon when we order dinner: a special fish burger, plus some nachos accompanied by beer, coke and a coffee for 250 quetzales. We have to admit that it is expensive, comparing it with the rest of the places we have been so far, but the truth is that everything is great, against the opinions we read, and the treatment is phenomenal, so, no We can complain.
Dinner at Marina Yatch
Here we are until 10 at night when it is time to pick up and rest, to enjoy tomorrow the last stage of the trip to Guatemala: Livingston, place where the Garifuna ethnic group lives.
Day 10: Río Dulce - Livingston, the Caribbean of Guatemala - Río Dulce
