Los Encuentros

The road diverting to El Quiché department is found at this junction and, about one kilometer farther down, is the turnoff for the road to Lake Atitlán. The Pan-American Highway (also known as the Interamericana) continues west to Quetzaltenango [1] and Huehuetenango [2] through lovely alpine scenery.

West of Los Encuentros at Km. 145 of the Pan-American Highway, Corazón del Bosque (tel. 7723-4140 or 5299-6915, www.corazondelbosque.com [3], $0.65 admission) is a community tourism initiative consisting of rustic wooden cabins, a temascal (Mayan sauna), plant nursery, and nature trails. There’s also a restaurant/bar serving typical Guatemalan fare and highland Mayan alcoholic concoctions such as kusha. The quaint wooden cabins ($27 d) are well furnished and have nice views in addition to private wooden patios. True to its name, meaning “Heart of the Forest,” it enjoys a sublime setting amid pine forests.

The site is just 15 minutes from Los Encuentros, 45 minutes from Panajachel, and 1.5 hours from Quetzaltenango [1].