Guatemala - Tikal, Rio Dulce and Semuc Chapney Cascades

Tikal UNESCO world heritage site is arguably the most important Maya site in Americas, build right in the middle of the jungle. Ruins are spread over the large area, only about 20% are opened to visitors. Most of them are in the process of restoration. I arrived in early afternoon. I learned, if I buy my ticket after 4pm I can use it the next day. After 4pm I hardly met any visitors, instead I saw a lot of silver foxes playing between the ruins, Spider Monkeys swinging between the trees and Howler Monkeys giving this incredible noise mixed with distant sounder storm. The majesty of this place is incredible. For me, by far the most favorite ruins in Central America. I decided to come back the next morning and do it all over again.

Tikal Jaguar Temple Rises 47 meters high.

Tikal Temples as seen in Star Wars

Next, lake Peten Itza and Flores. Instead of staying in Flores I decided to stay at El Remate. I stayed at ‘Mon Ami’ hotel and restaurant. This place is owned by Santiago, French expatriate. I met there  Victor and Pauline from Guatemala City. They gave me a lot of local information.
Victor rides motorcycle too. We will meet later in my journey.

Around the lake Peten Itza:

The movie clip.

And Flores:

The movie clip

Pauline and Victor helped me to plan my trip in Guatemala to avoid busy roads and topes. Rio Dulce and Livingstone are only 3 hours away from El Remate. This is my next target.

Rio Dulce and Lake Izabel became a Mecca for many sailors. There is a large number expat sailors from USA. The place is beautiful and being in Guatemala pretty cheap. The mooring cost only $150 per month, this includes all amenities.

As all tourists do, I took boat ride to Livingstone.

We are on our way.

You can't beat this smile.

Passing by some villages.

Livingstone is very special. Drastically different from the rest of Guatemala with its distinctive Caribbean lifestyle. In many ways similar to Belize and islands off the Belize coast. The difference, spoken language is Spanish. Livingstone is mostly occupied by Garifuana people which are decedents of African slaves mixed with indigenous in 17^th century. 

 Main street in Livingstone.

What the hell is this?

Any ideas?

Boat ride from Rio Dulce to Livingstone:

The Movie clip.

My next destination Candelaria Caves only about 170km away. I was too lazy to load the route to my GPS and overshooted the turn off by ~50km. As a result I had to ride through heavy rain.
Road number 5 started as dirt road and continued for another 50km before turning into freshly laid bitumen.

A lot of traditional villages on the way.

I reached Candelaria late afternoon. I wanted to book a tour for the next day. Unfortunately, water level in caves was too high. Well, there is always another time.

Scenery in Candelaria area

Next Lanquin a gateaway to Semuc Chapney Cascades, arguable the best natural wonder in Central America. The road started as a beautiful mountain road, then changed to graded road and finally changed to a single track. On the map this was the same road and appeared to be quite major?? 

In the following clip watch out for the wrong turn I took and arrived in the middle of the local markets.

The movie clip.

I stayed at backpackers hangouts El Retiro; busy place and good selection of tours for very reasonable price. I decided on all day long adventure tour for 165 Quetzals, about $20.

We started on the back of the truck.

Then we walked/swam/climb through the cave. We did tubing in the river. We jump from the bridge and more.

The giant swing.

Finally we visited Semuc Chapney Cascades. The water before the cascades is brown and murky than through cascades it clears and after the cascades becomes brown and murky again. The phenomenon can be easily explained. Only small part of the river actually goes over the cascades. Most water flows in the underground cave and then surfaces again mixing with water from the cascades. The water is rich with minerals, mainly calcium.

Having a lunch before the climb.

View of Semuc Chapney Cascades from the mirador high above..

 The water is crystal clear.

Our guide and below him the cave entrance, where water flows beneath the cascades.

 No comments.

When I was preparing to jump from the bridge I suddenly saw two riders approaching; Dean from Melbourne Australia on his Ural motorcycle with the sidecar; he was in his seventh year of travel around the world and Martin from my home town Brisbane. He was on BMW 1200GS.
Both guys met in Cartagena Colombia, since then they ride together heading north.

Who doesn’t know Ural motorcycles; these are Russian made classic motorcycles originally based on 2^nd world war era BMW R71 motorcycle.

Sorry no pics. In this section I relied on someone else's pictures. My new camera is on its way.
I will collect it in Guatemala City soon.