Tajmulco at 4220 metres is the highest peak in Central America and Silke and I tackle it on an overnight jaunt. We set out from Xela on the chicken bus (more on that later) and start up the mountain.
We camp close to the top of the mountain in the company of a few other hikers. [...]
One of the reasons for coming to Xela is its proximity to two of Guatemala’s highest mountains. Santa Maria looms over the town at 3771 metres and Tajumulco, Central America’s highest peak at 4220 metres, is not far away. I am keen to climb both of them.
After stocking up on some warm cloths at Xela’s [...]
We arrive in Xela early enough in the day to have ample time to find somewhere to stay and then address myself to the task of finding a good restaurant where I can celebrate my birthday in style.
After an extremely satisfactory birthday dinner, Silke and I start to walk towards the guesthouse where we are [...]
As soon as my bike is back together, I set off from Panajachel towards Quetzaltenango, Guatemala’s second biggest city – more commonly known as Xela, its name in the local indigenous language. Nancy and Matthew have given me information about a dirt road that goes over the mountains to Totonicapan and as the alternative [...]
Also tagged guatemalaWe finally hit paved road in San Martin Jilotepeque, a sizable town with a great market.
Also tagged guatemalaAfter visiting the Quetzal Sanctuary, we search out a route over the hills towards Panajachel on Lake Atitlan, where I hope to find a box of parts awaiting for me in order to ease my bike’s woes. We leave the highway and climb into the hills on a narrow dirt road.
After a couple of hours [...]
After Semuc Champey, my next Guatemalan mission is to catch a glimpse of the Resplendant Quetzal, the country’s national bird at the Quetzal Sanctuary, a small patch of protected cloud forest near the city of Coban. Eschewing the paved option, Silke and I continue on the road that passes Semuc Champey and runs straight over [...]
Also tagged guatemalaWe head into some pretty remote territory. Isolated mountain aldeias of a couple of houses are punctuated by occasional larger settlements with bustling markets. The other traffic we encounter is most commonly women on foot, generally burdened by large bundles carried on their heads. Every now and then a heavily overloaded pickup truck or mini-bus [...]
Also tagged gautemala, waterWhen I finally set off from Finca Ixobal, it is to meet with Silke, a German woman who is also touring solo, about 70 kilometres down the highway towards Rio Dulce. From there we intend to strike out on dirt roads over the mountains towards Semuc Champey, which is reputed to be one of the [...]
Also tagged guatemalaAfter traversing the hot flat plains of Vera Cruz and Tabasco I enter Chiapas and mountains rise again before me. It is still extremely hot and the going is tough but landscape offers greater consolation.
My map is fairly inadequate and so my route is based on the vague information it provides, supplemented by the advice [...]