Central Guatemala: Cultural and Scenic Beauty

Lanquin, a small mountain village 9k from the famed Semuc Champey, took me by surprise and became a temporary home for four weeks. After meeting a local American guy working on a start-up NGO and needing additional help, it seemed the perfect time and place to take advantage of such an opportunity. Unusual for me as I typically seek coastal destinations to plant for a bit, but the local people, the mountains, and the surrounding Mayan (in this region Qek'chi) culture offered more than I was initially expecting. With such a helpful community it was a great way to get immersion into the rural life of Guatemalecos and the Indeginous. Most travelers quickly speed through Lanquin, but the area surrounding it is full of little treasures including waterfalls, rivers and caves. For those who spend a little more time here, the rewards are plentiful.

A full truck; Beautiful view of the mountains surrounding Lanquin; Brother and sister help haul wood back to the house; Wooden boats in the nearby river; Setsol Caves near Las Conchas waterfalls; The Las Conchas waterfalls