Rio Dulce Guatemala
7-day trip
Rio Dulce is the striking entrance to the Guatemalan Caribbean and the connection between Lake Izabal and the Atlantic Ocean. Due to its essential role as a biological corridor and the extensive biodiversity it protects, it has been declared a National Park.
The banks of this river are a spectacular landscape of exuberant tropical forests, ideal for bird-watching and kayaking tours. All of this incredible natural beauty is a taste of what you will find when reaching Livingston, the colorful home of the Garifunas.
San Felipe
Castle
Great Canyon
Rio Dulce
Boat excursions
Rio Dulce
Playa Blanca
Livingston
Highlights
-Swim in the dazzling waterfall and hot springs of Finca Paraiso.
-Visit the San Felipe castle, known for its eras of pirate battles and worthy of any adventure film.
-Join the adventure of discovering the excellent Rio Dulce by boat or kayak.
-Live the Caribbean vibe in Livingston
-Appreciate the impressive stelae in the Mayan Ruins of Quirigua.
-Travel in time to experience colonial art and Mayan History in Guatemala City.
Itinerary
Upon your arrival in Guatemala City, one of our representatives will meet you outside the airport and take you to your hotel.
If your flight arrives early, you’ll have a city tour. Guatemala City is a contemporary and cultured city. It is the ideal city for organizing conferences and conventions, visiting museums, doing medical check-ups, and visiting craft markets, among other activities.
The Historical Center is more than 200 years old, and its churches, museums, and symbolic buildings are a great sample of the historical transformation of Guatemala. Entertainment and distraction sites are also available in Guatemala City; for example, the ‘Live Zone,’ where its select hotels, restaurants, and nightclubs raise the city.
This escorted tour of Guatemala City will guide you through a wealth of information, artifacts, sites, and cultural pieces throughout the city. You will enjoy visiting six of the most history-packed places in the capital city of Guatemala.
Throughout the tour, you will visit the Ixchel Museum of the Mayan Costume, Popol Vuh Museum, National Palace, Metropolitan Cathedral, National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, and Relief Map.
Today, early in the morning, we’ll take you to Rio Dulce and continue for 45 minutes more until we reach Finca Paraiso (Paradise Farm). A large farm located in Lake Izabal. Here you will find a river of hot springs and a giant waterfall. It is a unique waterfall and one of Guatemala’s hidden gems. It has a river of cool water running through the jungle, stopped at a point by a twelve-meter-tall waterfall that has the temperature of an excellent steam-inducing shower.
Standing underneath the waterfall gives your shoulders and back a regular hot-water massage while swimming away from it just a meter or two allows your muscles instant cooling relief. Above the waterfall, there are natural hot springs and caves surrounding it, and it is such a paradisiacal place.
Later, we’ll drive back to Rio Dulce, where you’ll take a boat to your hotel.
After breakfast, we’ll go by boat to the Castle of San Felipe de Lara. Enjoy the scenery until you reach the mouth of the biggest Lake in the country, Lake Izabal. The boats will surround the castle, giving you the best view from all angles. Admire it in all its splendor and be able to take the best photographs.
During the tour, guides will briefly explain how the fort worked in ancient times and the purpose of each environment. Enter its towers and balconies, passing through the entire defense. See the area used as artillery, the war cannons with which the fort faced pirates. Also, visit the site used as a dungeon to hold the captured.
It will undoubtedly remind you of the Medieval Era when you spot it in the distance. It’s a stone fortress that links Lake Izabal with Rio Dulce. Since it is located precisely at the mouth of both, it provides stunning views.
Afterward, we’ll continue by boat to El Golfete, a long narrow lake at sea level and linked by the Rio Dulce draining to the Bay of Amatique in the Caribbean Ocean. Here, you’ll have the option to continue by kayak.
You’ll start exploring the Biotopo Chocon Machacas, a natural manatee reserve. One of the last nests of the Caribbean Manatee is in this reserve. The preserve is full of exotic birds, streams of water, and wildlife. Kayaking through this nature preserve is a remarkable experience.
Afterward, we’ll stop at natural hot springs for a healthy mineral bath. Then, you’ll go through the small river Tatin until you arrive at the dock of your eco-lodge, which is in the middle of an abundant jungle.
Today, you’ll go from Rio Dulce to the Caribbean Sea. We’ll go to the river between an incredible canyon (for those adventure-lovers, you can make this journey by kayak) This canyon gives a spectacular view of beauty exclusive to its many exotic birds and tropical vegetation. The steep canyon’s walls of limestone rock with dense flora make the expedition -by boat or kayak- a real adventure. The canyon is the most breathtaking spot on the river.
Once we reach the Caribbean, we’ll find the charming town of Livingston. Livingston is one of the most secluded towns in Guatemala; there are no roads connecting this town with anything else in the country. To get to Livingston, one must take a boat or a kayak like we’ll do today, which is part of the attraction.
You can see the appeal of Livingston in its cultural heritage and Caribbean warmth. You’ll need a brief walk through the streets of Livingston to recognize this town’s multiple cultures – Garifunas, Mayas, Latinos, and foreigners.
Today, you’ll have a boat excursion to the waterfalls of Siete Altares (Seven Altars) and Playa Blanca. Siete Altares has seven freshwater waterfalls and pools in the middle of dense rainforests. These waterfalls are notably enjoyable during the rainy season, May to October.
Afterward, we’ll go to Playa Blanca, an idyllic white-sand beach. It is a beach off-the-beaten path with no permanent restaurants or hotels. It is a place to relax and escape from everything, and you’ll have enough time to rest and relax.
Today, we’ll take a boat through Rio Dulce. You’ll have one more boat ride to enjoy the magnificent views of this river and its rainforest. Then we’ll drive to the Mayan ruins of Quirigua. This archaeological park safeguards the majestic remains of what once was a powerful Mayan city. It has the highest and best-conserved stelae in the Mayan region, well known for its exquisite carvings.
Later, we’ll drive back to Guatemala City.
Today, you’ll return to the international airport for your flight home.
map, expenses & price
Rio Dulce Guatemala
Expenses included:
-All private transportation.
-Six nights of hotel accommodations.
-Boat transfers.
-Tours and excursions as listed.
-All park entrance fees.
-Professional local guides.
-Daily breakfast.
