The Verapaces | Porta Hotels

The Verapaces

Heading North, climbing  a serpentine highway flanked by pines and cypress trees, chaparrals and crops, the road opens up to the territory of The Verapaces. These two departments (Alta and Baja Verapaz) well-known before the coming of the Spaniards as "Tesulutlán" (Earth of Blood in Qeq’chi’ Mayan language), was a territory that only the Dominican friars were able to conquer by means of their teachings, renaming it as it is known today: Verapaz, "The True Peace."   

The region enjoys a cold climate and is surrounded by cloudy forests, home of the Quetzal, National Bird of Guatemala, a sanctuary for birds and wild animals such as wild turkeys, jaguars, harpy eagles and otters, as well as other endangered species. The Sierra de las Minas Biosphere comprehends more than 500 watersheds and cascades of impressive beauty, beside fertile valleys with picturesque towns like Salamá, capital of Baja Verapaz;  Rabinal, celebrated for its ancestral dance, the Rabinal Achí; and Cobán, baptized as Imperial City by King Charles V of Spain, with its spectacular misty climate and mystic religious syncretism, all surrounded by the scent of cardamom and coffee of excellent quality.   

Both Alta and Baja Verapaz are excellent options for ecotourism or adventure trips. Among the most visited places are the Chilascó Cascade, the highest waterfall in Central America (146 m/479 f), which can be reached by horse or on foot, exploring onwards to the crevice of a majestic canyon forged by the force of the river. More to the north, in Alta Verapaz, you can choose from many other adventures, like a journey into the Rey Marcos or Lanquin grottos, or visit the mesmerizing Semuc Champey, with its twenty emerald pools sculpted in limestone, below which the Cahabón river flows and offers an exhilarating whitewater course that can reach fifth degree rapids, one of the sought after rafting journey in Central American for its beauty and rush of emotion.    

Alta Verapaz is one of the most visited departments by adventure tourists because most of its sites are located far away from large human conglomerates, a characteristic which transforms them into wildlife sanctuaries and ideal places to be in communion with nature. The picturesque towns, close to the enormous diversity of exotic places, offer excellent lodging options and facilities, as well as easy transportation to other department capitals and all forms of communication.