Reason enough to come to Lívingston is the spectacular trip through the Río Dulce gorge, a roughly 30km journey that eventually brings you to Río Dulce Town. From Lívingston, the river passes through a system of gorges with sheer, 100m-high rock faces draped in tropical vegetation and cascading vines. The birdlife is exceptional with white herons, sea eagles and squawking parakeets among the stunning tropical scenery. If you’re very lucky you may even see a manatee – dawn is the best time.
Crafted with by local experts
Most people experience the Río Dulce as a fleeting glimpse from one of the public boats that zip between Río Dulce Town and Lívingston, but on 8-day Guatemala trips it is worth investing some time and taking it slow. As the most spectacular section is near Lívingston, it makes sense to begin a cruise there.
Day trips typically take in several attractions, including hot springs, swimming spots, jungle tributaries and Ak’Tenamit, but the real pleasure is simply enjoying the spectacular gorge itself, with time to soak up the idyllic scenery. This can be arranged through tour operators in Lívingston. Kayaking the gorge area and its jungle rivers from one of the nearby hotels is perhaps the perfect option.
Rough Guides combines destination expertise with tailor-made travel planned by vetted Guatemala local experts. You can use our city and regional guides as a starting point, then receive up to 3 personalized trip plans created from scratch around your preferred pace, experiences, and route through the country. The final itinerary is refined directly with the local travel agent instead of being selected from a fixed package.
written by
Rough Guides Editors
