Road Conditions in Guate Semuc>Rio Dulce>Flores

[ThirtyOne]

I'm headed back to Guate this summer, this time with a pillion to show her around. I've ridden southern/western Guate (Xela, Huehue, Atitlan, Antigua) recently but haven't been out to the Peten area since 2006.

Google maps is saying:

Guate - Semuc Champey - 177 / 6 h 42m

Semuc - Rio Dulce - 102mi / 5h 5m

Rio Dulce - Flores - 151mi / 4h11m

Anyone ridden any of these routes recently? Do these times make sense? 5 hours to go 102 miles from Semuc to Rio Dulce? Roads that bad?

Any insight appreciated.

[Snakeboy]

Google maps are often quite correct about time spent on stretches.

Rio Dulce - Flores 206 kms, 4h 11m - I think it sounds about right, maybe a tad optimistic. It depends how eager you are overtaking slow moving trucks in front of you.

Guate - Semuc Champey 287 kms 5h 5m - I spent almost 2 hours riding from Coban to Lanquin which is 63 kms. The stretch from Lanquin to Semuc C is absolutely horrible, but I havent ridden Guate to Coban so I dont know that stretch - but 5h 5m it sounds a bit optimistic to me...

Semuc C to Rio Dulce - I havent ridden that but according to several notes on iOverlander the stretch on R5 is absolutely horrible.

I rode Lanquin to Chichicastenango the other day, 245 kms and I spent almost 8 hours on it with a coffeebreak for 15-20 mintues and a couple of short photostops.
Its not only the road condition, its the slow moving traffic and in every little town there is a complete chaos in the streets, and all those damned topes as well.

But still love Guate though...

[ThirtyOne]

Originally Posted by Snakeboy

Google maps are often quite correct about time spent on stretches.

Rio Dulce - Flores 206 kms, 4h 11m - I think it sounds about right, maybe a tad optimistic. It depends how eager you are overtaking slow moving trucks in front of you.

Guate - Semuc Champey 287 kms 5h 5m - I spent almost 2 hours riding from Coban to Lanquin which is 63 kms. The stretch from Lanquin to Semuc C is absolutely horrible, but I havent ridden Guate to Coban so I dont know that stretch - but 5h 5m it sounds a bit optimistic to me...

Semuc C to Rio Dulce - I havent ridden that but according to several notes on iOverlander the stretch on R5 is absolutely horrible.

I rode Lanquin to Chichicastenango the other day, 245 kms and I spent almost 8 hours on it with a coffeebreak for 15-20 mintues and a couple of short photostops.
Its not only the road condition, its the slow moving traffic and in every little town there is a complete chaos in the streets, and all those damned topes as well.

But still love Guate though...

Thanks for the feedback. When I rode into Xela from MX last time I remember the road went through the center of every little town, topes and all of that fun stuff. Definitely slow going. It looks like that's a theme throughout the country.

In western Guate the roads that connect the more major towns and cities seem to be in much better condition than where I'm planning to go this time around.

How long ago where you traveling there?

[Snakeboy]

Originally Posted by ThirtyOne

Thanks for the feedback. When I rode into Xela from MX last time I remember the road went through the center of every little town, topes and all of that fun stuff. Definitely slow going. It looks like that's a theme throughout the country.

In western Guate the roads that connect the more major towns and cities seem to be in much better condition than where I'm planning to go this time around.

How long ago where you traveling there?

Im in Guate now, Lago Atitlan. I also had a quick run through the country in the beginning of december last year, from El Salvador Las Chinamas via Antigua and up to Flores and exited to Belize.

Roads are not that bad from the El Salvador border and up and past Guate city, its heavy traffic, slow moving trucks, topes etc that takes time imo.

[Sjoerd Bakker]

The main highways through the Peten are all pretty good pavement . I have never yet set a foot near Semuc because I gave up after 20 minutes rattling my brains while on the GS 1100 on the crappy road there about in 2010 .seems things have not improved . There are lots of nicer roads to ride ( and im not interested in trying to drown meself in cave rivers. )The highway down through the border of El Ceibo is great and so is its connection north to Flores & Tikal and south through Sayaxche to Coban the CA 9 to GT City .Tha stretchof the Peten is particularly notorious for having the Mayan villages expressing their open disdainfor the hurried life style .They will run street markets right ON the highway and you better slow to a walking pace or take the backstreets around .

I never use the google time estimates as they are useless for tourist riding values .
I refuse to try riding to their tempo .For instance Cobanand environs are a shame to rush through and the vista over the valley of Salama should induce you to take the time to ride down into there to explore . I go as far as whatever at MY pace - and stop for the night. Next day repeat.

[ThirtyOne]

Originally Posted by Snakeboy

Im in Guate now, Lago Atitlan. I also had a quick run through the country in the beginning of december last year, from El Salvador Las Chinamas via Antigua and up to Flores and exited to Belize.

Roads are not that bad from the El Salvador border and up and past Guate city, its heavy traffic, slow moving trucks, topes etc that takes time imo.

Good to hear. If you're headed south, I'm in Tegucigalpa. Feel free to let me know when you're in the area.

Originally Posted by Sjoerd Bakker

The main highways through the Peten are all pretty good pavement . I have never yet set a foot near Semuc because I gave up after 20 minutes rattling my brains while on the GS 1100 on the crappy road there about in 2010 .seems things have not improved . There are lots of nicer roads to ride ( and im not interested in trying to drown meself in cave rivers. )The highway down through the border of El Ceibo is great and so is its connection north to Flores & Tikal and south through Sayaxche to Coban the CA 9 to GT City .Tha stretchof the Peten is particularly notorious for having the Mayan villages expressing their open disdainfor the hurried life style .They will run street markets right ON the highway and you better slow to a walking pace or take the backstreets around .

I never use the google time estimates as they are useless for tourist riding values .
I refuse to try riding to their tempo .For instance Cobanand environs are a shame to rush through and the vista over the valley of Salama should induce you to take the time to ride down into there to explore . I go as far as whatever at MY pace - and stop for the night. Next day repeat.

I know what you mean about pace. My friend is only in Guate for 15 days and we're going to try to do a relaxed loop, but I'm trying to get an idea of the roads so we can plan our pace. I've used Google Maps for a lot of route planning over they years and it's been fairly accurate for me. In this case, some days we will need to get from A to B, so having an idea of how long the day will be in the saddle will help us plan accordingly.

I was in Semuc back in 2006 before it was well known. There was one little hostel there that had some cabanas and ran a gas generator until 8pm. After that lights out. I've heard that it's a lot more developed these days (and touristy).

In truth, I have already done most of this route, again, back in 2006, and it was via chicken bus. I've toured western and southern Guate in the past few years, so no concerns there. Having lived in Honduras for nearly a decade, I've seen areas develop, new roads come in, etc. I was wondering if Guate had any new developments.

Your advice is appreciated

[Snakeboy]

If you are going to do a loop maybe consider doing Guate city to Rio Dulce on CA9 and then Rio Dulce to Flores on CA13. Return from Flores via Sayaxhe on Pet11 then the Av9 from Xuctzul which looks tiny on Google maps but are a decent paved road through the mountains down to Coban. That last leg instead of the R5 which looks like a major road on Google maps but are really bad according to iOverlander notes and I was told the same by a US rider I met in Mexico. (I didnt ride that stretch myself so I dont have first hand info)
Or do the loop opposite of course...

Lanquin seem to be the place to stay while visiting Semuc Champey, there where dozens of resorts and hotels to stay in. There were at least 3-4 resorts and similar in Semuc too.