Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting There & Away
You can get buses to Momostenango from Quetzaltenango's Terminal Minerva (Q9, 1½
hours) or from San Francisco El Alto (45 minutes). Buses run about every 15 minutes,
with the last one back to Quetzaltenango normally leaving Momostenango at 4:30pm.
Laguna Chicabal
This magical lake is nestled in the crater of Volcán Chicabal (2712m) on the edge of a
cloud forest. Considered a cosmic convergence point by the Mam and K'iche' Maya, it is
a sacred place and a hotbed of ceremonial activity. There are Maya altars at each of the
four cardinal points along its sandy shores, and Maya and worshippers come from far and
wide to perform ceremonies and make offerings here. Forty days after Easter Sunday is
the observance of 13 Qanil, when faithful farmers flock here to pray for rain. By ob-
serving the level of the lagoon and seeing if the roots of surrounding trees are submerged,
they can judge whether to plant. Because the lake and grounds have great ceremonial sig-
nificance, campers and hikers are asked to treat them with the utmost respect.
Adding to the atmosphere of mystery, a veil of fog dances over the water, alternately re-
vealing and hiding the lake's placid contours. Bird-watchers might spot quetzals, horned
guan and pink headed warblers.
Access to Laguna Chicabal is via the community of
Toj Mech
, southwest of the town of
San Martín Sacatepéquez (also known as Chile Verde) along the road to Colomba. Micro-
buses from Xela (Q5) depart every 20 minutes, Monday to Saturday, from 15a Av and 6a
Calle in Zona 3. These vehicles drop you at a parking lot in Toj Mech. From here, a cheer-
ful fellow named Juan can take you up the steep, deeply rutted road to the park's
visitor cen-
ter
( 4349-6870;
www.lagunadechicabal.com
; admission Q15; 7am-3pm)
in his red pickup truck
(Q60, 15 minutes). A trail leads another 3km uphill to the site. About two-thirds of the
way up you'll reach a fork, where you can bear right to go directly to the lagoon, or left up
to a
mirador
(observation post) and then a whopping 615 steep steps down to the edge of
the lake. Start early for best visibility.
There are good accommodations at the visitor center managed by the local Mam com-
munity, including a pair of six-sided bungalows with four bunks each (Q40 per person)
sharing a cold-water bath house, and a two-level log cabin with private bathrooms (double
Q75 per person).
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