Semuc Champey Caves & Emerald Pools: Everything Explained

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When I decided years ago to visit Guatemala, I always knew I wanted to visit Lake Atitlan and Antigua. These are two of the most popular spots in all of Central America and for good reason. Once I saw a picture, I knew I had to visit the Semuc Champey caves and its turquoise pools.

Getting there can seem tricky as it is almost in the middle of nowhere if you compare it to the more popular spots in Guatemala. Luckily, it’s a popular tourist attraction and we were able to find a shuttle from Antigua the day before.

Most people when visiting Guatemala either come south from Mexico or Belize. They visit Tikal and then head south towards Lanquin (the town closest to Semuc Champey). We did the opposite and decided to hike Acatenango first.

It is hard to say if this was the best way to do things but it was rewarding nonetheless.

Below I will give you the details about what to expect when visiting the Semuc Champey Caves & pools.

Table of Contents

How to Get to Lanquin to Visit the Semuc Champey Caves & Pools

As I previously stated, a lot of people tend to come from up north when visiting Semuc Champey caves and pools.

The town of Flores is where most tend to stay when visiting Tikal, the Guatemalan Pyramids. It is fairly easy to get here from there. Another popular location is Antigua.

Flores to Lanquin

Over the past few years, the roads to Lanquin have gotten better as more tourism started to flow in.

If you are staying in Flores then there are many tourism companies in town and especially on the island.

It is best to either go to one of them or to ask the employees wherever you’re staying. The cost should be no more than Q200 and should be even less than this.

Antigua to Lanquin

Same situation as when in Flores but there is always a cheaper option. Chicken buses can be viable and will save you at least Q100+.

When taking this many chicken buses, if you mess up towards the end of the day then it isn’t as cheap.

We went to a local tourism office around the corner from our hostel at Maya Papaya and we spent Q250 each. This is a long shuttle and will get there within 8 hours.

To view the full map click here and you can find it from different routes within Guatemala

What Does a Visit to Semuc Champey Include?

I was surprised by how many things were included in our price for the Semuc Champey tour. Even though they weren’t amazing, I still had a blast the entire day.

Some people say they don’t think it is worth coming here but it was one of my highlights during my time in Guatemala.

I would suggest booking the tour through your hotel/hostel but if you want to book the Semuc Champey Tour online beforehand then you can as well.

This tour started at 9 am from our hotel and we took a 45-minute pickup truck ride down to the park entrance. Started the adventure off right.

Tubing

Depending on when your tour arrives at the beginning then you will do the activities in a certain order. If other people are in the caves then you will likely do something else first.

We started with the tubing which was our least favorite part of the day. They gave us tubes and went down the river.

As we were flowing down for around 10-15 minutes, kids and adults were trying to sell us beers. If you want one, they will throw one at you while floating down the river.

River shoes are highly recommended!

Kanba Caves

Next on our list of things to do during the Semuc Champey tour was to enter the famous Kanba caves. We have heard about these for a while now and we were not going to miss this.

They tell you to leave everything at the entrance and hand you a lit candle as you are walking in.

We were immediately submerged in water and tried to hold the candle above our heads while holding onto a rope. Full-blown adventure during this time and I loved it.

We were then climbing up ladders and going to the end where the waterfall is, rope climbing up that and going back down.

It can be scary for some but we all loved it and it was our highlight of the whole Semuc Champey Tour.

If you’re feeling uncertain about venturing into these caves, here are some suggestions:

Only go if you’re a good swimmer
- Yes, you’re hanging onto a rope a lot of the time but not being afraid of swimming is almost essential
Explore the Caves with a Guide Only
- I’m not sure if you can visit the caves alone anyways but always go with a good guide.
Check the weather and don’t go when flash floods are possible

Exploring the kanba caves or the Semuc Champey caves with only a candle on us. It was extremely dark most of the time and we had to climb up walls while going through small crevices.

Jump Off a Swing into the River!

We kept hearing about this “swing” and that some people may have gotten hurt on it before. I didn’t think much of it. How big could this swing really be I thought?

Well, it was a lot bigger than I thought and it was amazing. The tour guides will tell you when to go and when to jump.

Make sure you jump when they tell you or you will swing back and hurt yourself. Everything here is at your own risk which is part of the adventure.

Semuc Champey Pools & Mirador

After the swing, we then went to look at what everyone came here to see, the turquoise pools. Let me tell you firsthand, that it lived up to the hype.

When you get inside the park, you will first go to the beginning of the steps that take you to the outlook.

If you don’t want to do this part, then you can go straight to the pools themselves. The hike is straight up and mostly a ton of stairs.

It took us around 15-20 minutes to reach the top, so not that bad but it could take some 30 minutes. The viewpoint from the top was spectacular.

After taking some photos we headed down to the pools and hung out in the water for another 1 or 2 hours before taking the truck back home.

Things to Know When Visiting the Semuc Champey Caves & Pools

When we saw videos of the caves and turquoise (or emerald) pools, we immediately booked a shuttle to Lanquin.

There wasn’t much research past that and decided to figure everything out along the way. True adventure style.

Semuc Champey Tour Cost

When we arrived at our hotel, we asked reception how much it would be. The cost was Q210 for everything besides lunch.

Our only option for food, when it was time to eat, was to pay an extra Q50 for a homecooked Guatemalan meal right at the bridge to the entrance of the pools.

They called it a buffet but then said we could only take 1 piece of chicken at a time, so hard to say.

Overall I think the tour was well worth the cost. We spent an extra Q60 for water shoes and I highly recommend these, especially for the caves.

Lanquin to Semuc Champey

If you’re not looking to do a tour and only want to swim in the pools, you can do that! Ask your accommodation about a ride down to the entrance to the pools.

The entrance fee is around 50Q to enter the park. This only includes the mirador and the pools.

If you want to explore the caves, you’ll have to book a guide. It should be easier to find a ride back up to Lanquin when you’re finished.

Simply ask around or listen for people yelling “Lanquin”.

Where to Stay When Visiting Semuc Champey

The town of Lanquin is where everyone suggests staying. Downtown is where a good amount of the hostels are at. You can also stay at other hostels that are closer to Semuc Champey itself and are deeper into the woods.

Below are some of the popular choices amongst backpackers and travelers alike:

Greengo’s: This is the most famous hostel in the area but is closer to Semuc Champey itself. It’s deep in the woods but has a lot of area and things to offer.
Zephyr: If you’re looking for the biggest party hostel in the town, this is it.
Vina’s: This is the hostel that we stayed at in the town of Lanquin. It’s very laidback and a good spot to get away from the noise of Zephyr.

There are a couple more hostels that I read about when doing my research but I can’t vouge for them.

You’re in the middle of the jungle, so expect rain and animals/bugs!

My Final Thoughts

Some things might have been a little unorganized at times and people are bugging you about buying something from them 24/7. Other than that I loved venturing out to this part of Guatemala. There were multiple adventures that everyone would have fun doing. We met someone who was in our tour group and she was 70 years old. She came specifically for the Kanba caves. These experiences are super unique and you might regret it one day if you don’t do the full tour. Everything about this place is magical and you haven’t seen Guatemala until you have seen this natural phenomenon. The river flows underground and that’s what creates what you see today amongst the limestone.

Semuc Champey Caves & Emerald Pools: Everything Explained