High peaks and a Maya sanctuary

My working hours at the hostel in Xela were regulated and for every four days I worked, I had four consecutive days off. This gave me the time to do various excursions around Xela and to other parts of Guatemala. On my first break, I did two hikes near Xela.

My first destination was the highest peak in Central America, the Tajumulco Volcano. It is about two and a half hours away from Xela, and the summit is 4,220 meters above sea level. I decided to book a tour through the hostel, which included a guide and private transportation from the hostel. With four young women (all guests at the hostel), we boarded the minibus at 4 a.m., which was supposed to take us to the starting point of the hiking trail at around 3,000 meters. The seats in the bus were comfortable, and after a few minutes, we were all asleep again (except for the driver, of course).

We reached the trail at 6 a.m. The path started with a gentle incline, but the beautiful weather allowed a glimpse of the summit, and the final stretch did not look flat at all. In addition, the destination of our hike seemed infinitely far away. Based on my previous volcano ascent, I expected the worst...

To my delight, the hike was much less strenuous than on Volcán Barú. The path was also more diverse. It led through grasslands and pine forests, and there was a great view of the surrounding peaks almost all the time.

The last part of the trail (about the last half hour out of three) was actually a bit steeper and rockier, but all the effort was rewarded at the summit! We had a beautiful view of the volcano crater, and there was a white layer of clouds all around, contrasting against the blue sky. We enjoyed this view while devouring the snacks we had brought. After a total of five and a half hours of hiking, we arrived back at our minibus, which took us back to Xela.

The second major excursion I took from Xela was to Laguna Chicabal. It is a crater lake and a sacred site of the Maya. They offer flower offerings there, and ceremonies take place at the lake regularly. This time, I went on the excursion with three other hostel guests on our own. Again, we set out early in the morning to have a good view of the lagoon, as clouds often roll in during the rainy season.

We took a 'colectivo' (a type of shared taxi) from Xela to San Martín, and from there, we walked to the park where the lagoon is located. We got off in the downtown area of the small town and quickly got a coffee from the market - or something that the locals there might call coffee: brown-colored sugar water with a few coffee beans floating in it. But better than nothing...

The ascent to the park and the viewpoint above the lagoon was challenging! Maybe the previous hike was still in my bones, but I found the route much more demanding than the one to Tajumulco. It took two hours uphill on roads, cobblestone paths, and sandy trails.

But once again, the ascent and the early wake-up were worth it. We had a perfect view of the circular lagoon and the calm water within it. A few minutes after our arrival, we witnessed an interesting spectacle as clouds slowly covered the lake. After a while, we descended from the viewpoint to the lagoon.

It is an incredibly peaceful place. You hear nothing but nature, and the water, which you should not touch, lies almost motionless in front of you. We sat by the shore for a while in awe before making our way back. Unfortunately, we did not see any Maya ceremonies, but we got a sense of why this place is so sacred to them.