All activities / Whitewater Kayaking / Rafting / Rio Cahabon
Whitewater Kayaking / Rafting in Rio Cahabon
The Rio Cahabon runs through the jungle canyons of Alta Verapaz in central Guatemala, past the town of Lanquin and the limestone pools of Semuc Champey, and is the country's premier whitewater river, rafted on multi-day trips through Class III and IV rapids with camps on remote beaches.
Why here
The Cahabon is Guatemala's great river trip. It cuts through the cloud-forested canyons of Alta Verapaz below Lanquin, dropping over warm, jungle-lined Class III and IV rapids with names earned over decades of descents. What sets it apart is the setting and the length: this is remote, multi-day rafting where you camp on white sand beaches, soak in riverside thermal springs where hot water meets the cold current, and paddle past waterfalls and caves with no road in sight. The water is warm, the rapids are continuous but forgiving enough for fit first-timers with a good guide, and the trip pairs naturally with the turquoise pools of Semuc Champey nearby. It is the best whitewater in the country and one of the finest jungle river runs in Central America.
Best months
The river runs year round, but water levels are highest and the rapids biggest in the rainy season from June to October; the drier months from November to April give warmer, slightly lower and more forgiving water. Rapids are graded Class III to IV, and operators set a minimum age of about twelve. Nights on the river are warm and humid. Flash rises after heavy upstream rain are the main hazard, which is why local guiding matters.
Getting there & around
The Cahabon is run on organised multi-day expeditions, not as a walk-up, so you book ahead with an operator who supplies rafts, helmets, guides and camping kit. Access is through Lanquin in Alta Verapaz, roughly five to six hours by road from Guatemala City or Antigua, often combined with a visit to Semuc Champey. Trips run from a single day up to five days with three days on the water. Bring quick-dry clothes, river shoes and sun protection, and expect to be off-grid for the duration.
Skill levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (1)
Maya Expeditions
OutfitterMaya Expeditions pioneered commercial whitewater rafting in Guatemala in 1987 and is still the main operator on the Rio Cahabon in Alta Verapaz. It runs multi-day descents of the Cahabon's Class III and IV rapids through jungle canyons and past thermal springs, on trips of one to five days with a minimum age of twelve. The company camps on remote river beaches, supplies guides, helmets and rafts, and also leads expeditions to Maya archaeological sites across the country.