Text : Francisco Enriquez
Discover the real Mayan culture in an isolated village in the depth of the rainforest, just a few minutes from the Caribbean Sea.
Plan Grande Quehueche is a small rural traditional village 8 Km. from Livingston, the nearest town, famous for being the only Afro-Caribbean town in Guatemala. The village is in the middle of the jungle of the Sarstún River Special Protection Reserve, rich in biodiversity, such as mahogany and orchids, or jaguar and crocodile.
Most of the Guatemalan rural population lives in poverty conditions, and Plan Grande Quehueche is not an exception. They live from basic agriculture and have not access to health or education, reasons why, in year 2001 a group of 19 families from the village, decided to start their own eco-lodge, with the support from Ak’ Tenamit Association. They have now a comfortable accommodation at a guest house, with 4 double and enormous bedrooms, which can become triple ones if required, showers and bathrooms with all the necessary equipment to provide the visitor with a nice stay, and be gentle with the environment, trying not to cause any negative impact.
Getting to Livingston needs a trip by bus from Guatemala City to Puerto Barrios, and from here, crossing the Caribbean Sea by motor-boat is the next step, in our way to Livingston. From the boat, crystalline ocean water, swimming dolphins and pelicans can be watched, and the white sand beach is the gate to the wild and well conserved jungle.
We can overnight in one of the several hotels in Livingston and enjoy some Garifuna dance and music, at the same time that we enjoy a Caribbean slighted spicy dinner.
Next day, the village guides will pick us up and help us with our luggage, to start early in the morning, before the tropical sun is too hot. We need to trek an easy but long way in the jungle : 8 kilometers of flat and wild rainforest. During our trek, the guides will let us know about the flora and fauna, and about their traditions.
Once in the village, after an about 2 hours trek, we will be welcomed by the Mayan kids and adults, a real charming welcome, cooled by a chilly natural cocoa drink, well deserved after our trek. They will show us our clean and comfortable accommodation, and give us as much time as we need to feel totally recovered, before the different activities start. There are two big groups of activities we can enjoy : nature and culture, but we decide which ones we want to take part in, depending on how long we stay in the village, being 2 days the usual recommendation.
There are many spectacular and crystalline lagoons, waterfalls and rivers near the village, amazing views of the rainforest, endangered flora and fauna species, hard to watch in any other part of the country, deep and mysterious caves, and all the secrets the rainforest can hide.
Plan Grande Quehueche population is very proud of their Mayan-Q’eqchi’ culture, and also organize activities for the visitor, such us : traditional dance and music, Mayan stories told by their Mayan priest, handicrafts making and Mayan ceremonies (the visitor is welcomed to these ceremonies, but they are not organized as a tourist activity because their important and sacred meaning).
The community serves all the necessary meals to the visitors, of course under all the hygiene conditions, which are always abundant, varied and nice, with vegetarian options too.
It is fully recommended to bring a raincoat, insect repellent, comfortable mountain boots or shoes, cloths to get changed when too dump, and a hat, and in case some medicine must be taken, remember you are 2 hours trekking from the nearest town.
How to get to Plan Grande Quehueche village :
From Guatemala City, a Litegua bus must be caught to Puerto Barrios or Río Dulce in the following address : 15th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues, zone 1. Telephone number : 2251-7092.
Once in Puerto Barrios or Río Dulce, a “colectivo” motorboat must be taken to Livingston. It is possible to overnight in a hotel in Río Dulce, but it is not recommended in Puerto Barrios. The boat trip takes about 30 minutes from Puerto Barrios to Livington, and 50 minutes from Río Dulce. In the first case, the trip is over the Caribbean Sea, and in the second, over the Río Dulce, a spectacular river with a beautiful and amazing canyon.
Cultural and background information about the community :
The Q’eqchi’ population is one of the Maya groups in Guatemala and Belize. They still keep their ancestral traditions and, after centuries of discrimination and racism in the country, feel very proud of their culture and cosmovision. Originally, they are from the Alta Verapaz department in Guatemala, in the Highlands, but during the civil war, which lasted for over 30 years, they had to run away and hide in the deep jungle in Izabal, while their lands were stolen and many of their communities were exterminated.
The Q’eqchi’ cosmovision sees all the parts of the world in a perfect equilibrium which needs to be kept, so all the animals, plants, water, mountains, air, etc. have the same value for them, and the human being in not over them, they respect all their environment.
Contact :
Name of the person to be contacted : Guillermo Pérez.
Address : 11th “A” Avenue, 9-30, zone 2. Guatemala City.
Tel : (502) 2254-1560
Fax : (502) 2254-3346.
E-mail : gperez@aktenamit.org