Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
For caving, bird-watching, hiking, horseback riding and orchid trips, get in touch with
EcoVerapaz
( 5722-9095; ecoverapaz@hotmail.com; 8a Av 7-12, Zona 1; 1-day tour per person Q350)
. Buses
leave Salama's downtown bus terminal frequently for Cobán (Q25, 1½ to two hours),
Guatemala City (Q35 to Q50, three hours) and neighboring villages.
Salamá also marks the starting point for a back-roads route to Guatemala City, passing
Rabinal, whose annual
fiesta of San Pedro
(January 19 to 25) is a beguiling mix of pre-Co-
lombian and Catholic traditions, and Cubulco where the
palo volador
(flying pole) tradi-
tion is still observed. There are basic, adequate
pensiones
(family-run guesthouses) in
both Rabinal and Cubulco.
From there it's 100km south to Guatemala City, passing the turn-off to
Mixco Viejo
, one
of the least-visited and most spectacularly sited Maya sites in the country. The former
Poqomam capital, it lies wedged between deep ravines with just one way in and one way
out; the Poqomam further fortified the site by constructing impressive rock walls around
the city. It took Pedro de Alvarado and his troops more than a month of concerted attacks
to conquer it. When they finally succeeded, they furiously laid waste to this city, which
scholars believe supported close to 10,000 people at its height. There are several temples
and two ball courts here.
COURTING THE QUETZAL
The resplendent quetzal, which gave its name to Guatemala's currency, was sacred to the Maya. Its feathers grace
the plumed serpent Quetzalcoatl and killing one was a capital offense. In modern times it has enjoyed no such
protection, and hunting (mostly for the male's long emerald-green tail feathers) and habitat loss have made the
bird a rarity in Guatemala. You may well stand a much better chance of seeing one in Costa Rica or Panama.
However, the best place to look for a quetzal in Guatemala is in the cloud forests of the Alta Verapaz, espe-
cially in the vicinity of the Biotopo del Quetzal. Look out for avocado and fruit trees as they are the preferred
food of the quetzal (along with insects, snails, frogs and lizards). But you'll have to look closely - the quetzal's
green plumage is dull unless it's in direct sunlight, providing perfect camouflage, and it often remains motionless
for hours.
The females lay two eggs per year, from March to June, and this is the best time to go looking, as the males'
tail feathers grow up to 75cm long during this period. Keep an ear out for their distinctive call - sharp cackles and
a low, burbling whistle:
keeeoo-keeeoo
.
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