Hey Guatemala… we’re back! Last time in 2018 we saw all the big attractions… Antigua, Atitlan, Semuc Champey, Tikal… yardy, yardy, yardy. This time we thought we’d check out a few hidden gems of Guatemala. These are some very cool-looking places in the far corner of Huehuetenango province. They’re more remote, less ‘international tourism’ and much harder to get to than the usual Top-Ticks. We found that sometimes they’re gems, sometimes they’re not. But first we had to do the border stuff…
It’s difficult to put Guatemala into a pigeon hole unless, of course, you have a hole for an unfeasibly large pigeon… then it might fit. It’s a small country, but its variety of cultures, regions, climates and experiences is way too big for your average pigeon hole. There’s no shortage of things to see and do. Descending from the cool highlands to the heat of Guatemala lowlands we find great kayaking in the Tarzan jungle, a hot water fall, a cacophony of vuvuzelas, some stacks of ancient Mayan stones… and a scary man with a gun!
Surprise! Central America isn’t all low, flat, hot, humid and jungly! Until we came here, we never really thought of it as having a ‘highlands’, but blow me down with a feather… it does! Some parts are well over 2,000m amsl and it’s a fabulous climate up there: warm, sunny days and cool clear nights. It’s one of the reasons we’ve lingered so long in these places. Most tourists in Guatemala take in some highlands, maybe Guatemala City, definitely Antigua and Lake Atitlan. Fewer visitors explore the more remote Guatemala highlands. One reason is possibly because the media-machine of touristic publicity for these parts has yet to reach, shall we say… peak efficiency. Another reason is that the high roads are often just downright dreadful.
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Guilty as charged. We have been down-right lazy recently and haven’t done a blog for a while. Truth is… we haven’t been doing much adventuring. We have been, as the cool kids say, ‘chilling-out’ in and around the beautiful town of Antigua. But we do have one little piece of exciting news to report…. kayaking lake atitlan
Boaty’s maiden voyage
Ladies and Gentlemen… (dramatic drumroll)… please be up-standing and raise your glasses to toast the newest member of the Tucks’ Truck Team… Mr Boaty McBoatface!!! Continue reading
Some countries come highly recommended by fellow overlanders and Guatemala is one such country. What should we expect? Well… apparently, we’ll find a beautiful country, friendly people, pretty town plazas, lots to see and do, reasonable prices, but bad roads. And volcanos. Lots of volcanos. These are very scenic, but they do have a tendency to be rather active here. So active in fact, that Volcán Fuego catastrophically erupted just a few weeks ago with a tragic loss of life in surrounding villages that has reached hundreds. Travelling Guatemala, we (briefly) encounter a new kind of fear and a sobering reality-check to respect nature.
