The Highlands - Guatemala - page 311

thanks to the recently installed Café del Cielo , you can now savor a cup of Huehuetenango's
fine coffee along with the views.
Any bus from Huehue heading for Todos Santos, Soloma or Barillas goes through Chi-
antla and past the turnoff for the Mirador.
Chancol
The Guatemalan- and French-run Unicornio Azul ( 5205-9328; www.unicornioazul.com ; s/d/tr incl
breakfast Q380/700/945) is a horseback-riding ranch at Chancol, about 25km by road northeast
of Huehuetenango. It offers riding through the Cuchumatanes along trails used only by
local inhabitants, camping out or staying in rural accommodations. Unicornio Azul also
functions as a posada rural , with 10 simple but comfortable rooms in the estate home or
a separate building.
Rides can range from one hour (Q130) to two, three or seven days (per person Q2300/
3400/9500 with a minimum four riders). Among the options is a two-day journey to La-
guna Magdalena , a turquoise lagoon nestled in the mountains, with massive boulders and an-
cient, gnarled trees scattered around. The seven-day option traverses the Cuchumatanes to
the Mexican border through a number of different climatic zones and four distinct ethnic
regions. The longer journeys are done only during the dry season (November to April).
There are also one-day trips (Q620) for those who'd rather sleep at the posada .
To get to Chancol, take any bus heading for Todos Santos or Barillas and get off in La
Capellanía; the owners will come pick you up (Q45).
Chiabal
High in the Sierra Cuchumatanes (3400m) amid a rocky plateau dotted with maguey
plants and sheep, Chiabal, 17km east of Todos Santos, welcomes visitors looking to ex-
perience rural life in a tiny Mam community ( 5381-0540; www.turismocuchumatanes.com ) . The vil-
lagers provide simple accommodations in four local houses and prepare hearty local fare
(Q130 for three meals and a night's stay). A community-built 2.5km interpretive trail
leads to the Piedra Cuache, an oddly shaped boulder at a 3666m-high lookout point.
Guides can take you to various sites in the 18,000-hectare Todos Santos Forest Reserve,
including the summit of La Torre. As compelling as the scenery is the chance to particip-
ate in community activities like herding llamas, weaving huipiles and planting potatoes
while getting to know the local inhabitants.