Alta Verapaz Department

A land of cloud forests and karst landscapes, where the emerald pools of Semuc Champey and the Lanquín caves are must-sees for backpackers.

Alta Verapaz lies in the highlands of north-central Guatemala, with a humid, rainy climate and lush mountain forests. It is known for growing coffee and cardamom and has a strong Indigenous culture. The most popular attraction is Semuc Champey, where the Cahabón River forms tiers of turquoise pools over a natural limestone bridge, and at the nearby Lanquín caves you can see huge numbers of bats flying out at dusk. The departmental capital, Cobán, is the regional hub, with coffee plantations and orchid gardens nearby. Roads are in better condition in the dry season (roughly Nov–Apr), but rain is possible all year. Cobán and Lanquín are usually reached by long-distance bus from Guatemala City or Flores, on rough mountain roads.

Destinations

• Semuc Champey & Lanquín

Itineraries

• Guatemala Grand Loop: Volcanoes, Turquoise Pools & the Caribbean – A nationwide loop covering Antigua volcano camping, Lake Atitlan, Semuc Champey, Tikal, and Rio Dulce.