Panda, the man who runs this hostel, treated me so rudely. I had a horrible and strange experience at Chi Bocol, and I had to leave early. I do not recommend camping here. When I arrived at Chi Bocol, Panda asked me to step aside from the other guests. The other guests were renting rooms and cabins, while I had made a reservation to camp at the hostel. Panda told me that because I was camping, I had to pay 100Q extra for the truck that had brought us from Lanquín. He told me that no one else had to pay, except me, because the cost of pick up was included for the rooms, but not for anyone camping. I found this ridiculous. For one thing, it says on the hostel website that transportation from Lanquín is provided by the hostel. If you check the other reviews, you'll see that other people mention that transportation to the hostel was free for them. Also, why was I asked to pay for the other guests? He didn't even ask the other people who arrived with me to split the costs - he wanted me to pay for the whole truck. Panda refused to let me go to the campsite for more than one hour. He kept me in the lobby, as the night fell, and he screamed at me in front of all the other guests when I refused to pay. He threatened to not let me stay, which would have meant that I would have had to walk through the jungle by myself at night to find another place to camp. Finally, after over an hour of standing in the entrance, he let me camp. Later that night, after I was in my tent, Panda found me and apologized to me. But I felt so uncomfortable that I left early the next morning. I was sad to leave before getting to spend some time around the river, which looked beautiful. But I didn't feel comfortable staying there. I think that you can have a good experience here - it seems like most people do. But Panda decided to take his anger out on me, and, as a single female traveler, he put me through an awful and exhausting ordeal. I was genuinely afraid I wouldn't have a place to sleep at night. With his made-up, extra transportation fee, Panda wanted to charge me 140Q to camp, whereas he charged the other guests 125Q to sleep in private rooms. Why was he charging me more to camp than to stay inside, and why was he trying to force me to pay for the costs for the other guests? Under no circumstances do I recommend going to this hostel to camp, especially as a woman.

It's different then any other hostel I have ever been to. It's remoteness and small number of beds make it special here. As long as you are good with a 25 to 30 minute hike with all your stuff (or ask Mike to arrange for a guide or assistant) you will find the most lovely place built all along a steep hillside bordering a tranquil river with a superb waterfall and a killer view. I actually volunteered here for 17 days. Got to work with locals. Mike is supporting the local community and you get to interact with people whose first language is actually a Mayan language. My favorite place to hang on the property (second to one of the many hamocks spread throughout the property) is the bodega which sits on top of the hill. It's magic. Thanks Mike and Lia and Luisa for memories I will tap back into when I am back living the crazy fast life. Don't come here expecting a resort vibe! What you get here is truly a chill remote community hostel with people working together that is slowly being developed by a team of rotating volunteers and locals.

The location is amazing, the owners are super nice and helpful and overall staying in Chi Bocol is a fantastic experience for the adventourus backpacker. But, and that‘s a big ‚but‘: Me and two other guests there had massive problems with our stomachs after 2 days. We think it was because of the food we were eating there - since we felt well in the beginning and ate nothing but their food. 7 from 10 guests did not have anything, for us it became really bad. Because of that I would not go there again since I think there is a problem with the hygiene when cooking their food. Which is sad, because all the rest was absolutely fantastic and a very special experience.

Me and my friend had an amazing time at Chi Bocol! ♡ I would always always always always come again and I don't think there's a better place to stay in the area! It's really well integrated into nature and the tours are amazing as you get in touch with the locals (I made lunch with a local family). If you have the chance, please go!! Don't be afraid of the hike to get there :) the staff is really friendly and picks you up! Make sure to bring enough cash tho!

There is nothing else like this in Guatemala. Located in one of the most beautiful locations right in the jungle, this community hostel offers everything from inexpensive hammock sleeps to very reasonably priced private cabins with a stellar view. There has been so much love put into its creation from people all over the world including the local Maya community who work in conjunction with Mike to bring this dream to reality. It's an adventure to get there and once you arrive you know why you did it. Welcoming staff, a communal kitchen, direct fresh water access, gardens, an amazing cook, and overall just a really fun vibe. You can learn how to make chocolate right from the cacao, tube down the river after a day at Semuc to return to the hostel, or just chill out in the lovely communal area.

I was looking for a nice relaxing remote hostel and that’s exactly what i found here. There is nothing around beside a beautiful river, the jungle, the amazing staff and other chilled backpackers. My favourite place was the Joga platform with an amazing fiew over the jungle and to some mountains. The food they make is really delicious and not expensive at all for such a remote place where it’s pretty hard to bring all the things. The 30 min hike is worth it :) I really loved my week at this place and can recommend it to everybody, who wants a chilled place close to Semuc Champey.

Easily a 5 star. Beautiful space! The food was INCREDIBLE!!! My partner and I spent 3 nights here and loved every second. Waking up in the jungle, surrounded by morning dew felt like a fantasy. We had a private cabin which was very comfy. No mosquitoes when we were there so that was an added bonus . Would highly recommend. Amber & Mike

Yeah, it’s true, the hike to the camp, especially at night can be difficult if you’re not prepared. Having good hiking shoes to trek through the mud, a head lamp (if you’re arriving at night) and having backpacks and not luggage on wheels are really going to make the journey easier. They have a new manager, Adonai, he’s a sweetheart and a great cook. His coworker Esteban also made amazing meals. He was super friendly and made me laugh all the time. In his white robe and pink slippers, I swear he could be a movie character. It’s hard to believe that a place like this exists in the middle of the jungle. The views are stunning and it’s a great place to get away, escape and just relax. We walked through the jungle, ran into locals living there and even had lunch with a family. Semuc Champey is about an hour hike away and worth the scenic adventure. This hostel was the highlight of our 2 week trip in Guatemala.

Beautiful Hostel in the nature. 30 Minute walk through the jungle from the street. They manage to pick you up at Lanquín and bring you at the entrance to the jungle walk. Awesome staff, very friendly and helpful.

After a beautiful 30 minutes hike through the jungle I arrived at this peaceful place. I immediately extended my stay to a total of 4 nights. The owners really inspired me, beautiful nice people with good stories. If you wanna spend some time away from civilization with a familiar environment you definitely should go there. What I loved is that you can also do a 1 hour hike to semuc champey and tube back to the hostel.

Chi Bocol is a fantastic sanctuary that makes you feel as though you've left the world behind. Mike goes out of his way to help everyone out and ensure they have the best stay possible. There is a great chill vibe and the walk to get there sure makes for a good adventure! I can't recommend Chi Bocol enough, I guarantee you've never stayed a hostel quite like it.

This place is correct, but nothing special. I was expecting more from the magic hostel in the middle of the jungle - this place is missing a true backpackers soul. If you wanna get there, prepare yourself for 45 minutes on the back of a super jumpy track and then 30 min hike in the slippery mud at night - with the big backpack it's quite difficult. Really, I am not a spoiled princess and I have to say it was quite annoying for me, especially after 8 hours in the shuttle. The food and drinks are very basic and also quite pricey compared to prices in the town. Together with my friends, we paid 400 Q for participating in a special local ritual, in practice, it was only super disappointing sitting next to the fire. Then we saw that guy from reception paid the local shaman only 90 Q, so they kept more than 80% for them - in my opinion, it's the exploitation of the local people. They also asked us to pay 75Q for the car to come back to Lanquin - nobody told us before that only a car in one direction is included in the price of the room. Toilets and showers are located quite far away from the rooms - for me, it was around 5 minutes of walking the high stairs.

Isolated hostel in the middle of the jungle. You have to take a pick-up truck to where someone will then guide you on a walk through the jungle. The walk will be around 25min, could be longer if you are in a large group. The path is not difficult, but if wet is very slippery. This transport is included when you check in, but for the check out I had to pay for the pick up truck back to Lanquin. The private bedrooms still have a shared bathroom facility, all outside. The hostel is the middle of the jungle, so expect mosquitoes, insects and toads and frogs. There are 2 dogs on the property, friendly. Panda, the host, is absolutely brilliant! Very nice and accommodating. I didn't it have breakfast there, but he will cook you a nice filling dinner, for a very affordable price. He takes into consideration your taste and any restrictions. You'll have a lovely meal together. The important thing is location: it is impossible to get to Lanquin by yourself. Even if you do the jungle walk alone, you then need to get on a pick up (which you pay for like a taxi) to get you into town. Getting to semuc on foot is doable, but far and I think a bit complicated to do without a guide. Overall, great spot to relax and be in nature, maybe do some painting, reading or jewellery course with Panda, but not really the best option for exploring semuc and Lanquin.

My time at Ch’i Bocol was a dream! The hostel is completely open you’re living right in the jungle while you’re here. The staff are so warm and friendly and will help you whatever you need. I recommend taking the hike they offer because it’s very nice to see the surrounding villages and how the people live. It was a special cultural experience. The vegan dinners are also AMAZING!! I could stay here for a week.

Nice place by the river. There's some really nice swim spots near the hostel and beautiful nature all around. There's a really well equipped kitchen which is a major plus! I stayed in a tent, which was super cheap, but they also have dorms and cabins. Really nice and cheap. The place tends to really attract the hippy crowd (not really my thing), but as far as the hostel goes, 5 stars for sure.

Really nice place by the river. The Owner is chill but seem to not care much about everything. Chill vibe, unfortunately there were no Yoga classes. It was nice but not organised. Transport back was not included and you have to pay for the use of the kitchen

I really enjoyed my stay at Ch’i Bocol! The hostel was rustic and exciting, with a beautiful river a minutes walk from the hostel for swimming. New starlink internet allowed me to present in a zoom meeting from the common area. Carlos gave an unparalleled tour of all of the highlights of Semuc Champey. Candy and Maria cooked up fantastic, but healthy food in hearty portions. The chocolate tour was really special as well! Locals were friendly and helpful. Toilets and showers functioned well. Filtered water from a spigot was available for free. Make sure to bring plenty of cash as the closest ATM is in Lanquin. Daniel was helpful in organizing shuttles and personnel. Would recommend Ch’i Bocol as phenomenal place to enjoy food, nature, and friendship, and to learn about Mayan culture, as well as a few words of Quekchil. Thank you Ch’i Bocol for a wonderful experience! :)

Female travellers should be aware of this place as it’s unsafe. Daniel, the manager, offers nude photo sessions within a few minutes of arrival, talks about inappropriate topics, offers massages to females (not being a massage therapist) and drinks alcohol. I felt unsafe, uncomfortable, and left the place with two other girls earlier, who also had a bad experience. Please read some comments on other platforms as well- like e.g Hostelworld, where many other travellers had similar experiences. Scroll down the comment and notice that there is a bunch of positive comments posted on the same day, which doesn’t seem authentic… It was a shame to experience that as the place and its location was beautiful with stunning nature.

It's located in a lovely place in the jungle. There are a lot of issues with water, electricity not working. The main problem is that whilst there these inconveniences, the staff charges you a lot for every coffee/ use of kitchen or whatever and isnt willing to compensate at all. They have a menu with cocktails and other drink/food, half of which they dont have available. The main person in charge at the place seems very indifferent to these things. There are some very friendly volunteers though

Beautiful located in the middle of the jungle, 30 min walking to the main road but definetly worth it! Private room suprised me also, its very nice. Do recommend the tubing back to the hostel, saves you a lot of walking also. About 1hour walk away from semuc champey but you walk in a beautiful scenery.

Perfectly located on a small hill in the jungle, 50mins down the river from Semuc in a tube (one of the great activities offered here), and 40mins hike from the next road. Nice staff and volunteers. Services are a bit rustic, camping-like, but nothing to complain about if you know would to expect. Kitchen can be used for Q.10 p.p./night, otherwise breakfast is Q.40, lunch Q.45 and dinner Q.60, all are delicious. Yoga classes 2 times per day are free. Would 100% recommend staying here. :)

A piece of paradise in the jungle. If you want a special experience in Semuc champey then come and stay here.

First of all I wanna give this place 10 stars just for the two Daniels that run the place. They created a very welcoming atmosphere and make it worth a visit alone. Vegan food was waiting for us upon our late evening arrival and was delicious (still dreaming of that pico the Gallo!). I recommend staying at least 2 nights but better 3 as you usually arrive late and transports leave really early. Wear good shoes and bring a headlight for the hike to the hostel. It is sooo beautifully located. The guys organize everything for you and even offer some pretty cool Tours. I have to subtract one star because of my meeting with Tanja the Tarantula on the toilet- it really gave me the creeps but is noones fault and just what happens in the Jungle I guess. Anyway removing the spider webs at the bathroom and putting up some Art in the rooms could be nice too ;)

Lovely location, friendly staff, good tours. The hike to Semuc is a bit muddy and can be cold so be prepared! Great kitchen/spices etc but there is a daily charge to use it.

Really cool location, exactly what we were looking for over Christmas! Really friendly staff, who were very kind when I was ill over Christmas. Food really good and very well stocked kitchen. Showers are cold and tubing back from Semuc can be a bit chilly but you’re definitely worth it just make sure to have a jumper after! We really enjoyed our stay!

This is a lovely hostel in the middle of the jungle - waking up and falling asleep to the sounds of birds and wildlife is so magical, as well as seeing all the wildlife nearby. It’s well worth the little hike to get here, and a fun journey riding in the truck to get to the trailhead. I ended up adding an extra night’s stay because I wanted to spend more time here. The staff are super kind, fun, and welcoming, and having dinner together with everyone at the hostel is a great way to get to know everyone. Walls in the dorm are a bit thin, so you can bring ear plugs or headphones, but the noise didn’t bother me. Stay here!!!!

I was so happy to walk in to this slice of paradise in the jungle. There is a wonderful yoga space that overlooks the river that you can swim in if you follow the path for about 30 seconds. I felt instantly welcomed by the team as I walked in and it feels like you are instantly a part of their little family amongst the trees and flowers. I love staying in remote locations like this to appreciate the natural beauty of the area. It’s definitely not luxury as it’s in the jungle (no hot showers and wifi can cut out - due to running on solar), so prepare yourself to be immersed in nature - toucans, frogs, bugs and other reptiles can be regularly seen. They also arrange tours and transport for you as well so you don’t need to worry about a thing when you stay.

We loved our stay! Well worth the trek and we enjoyed the open truck drive. Super chilled and friendly vibes and a truly unique location. The tour was incredible and the caves are indescribable, was great to have a chilled day after splashing around in the river and hanging in the hammocks. Great food and Daniel can sort out any tours/transport you need.

We stayed for over a week here and loved the location, staff are lovely and a good laugh. River surrounding was perfect and a great place for hammock chills. Adonhay is a G. Wholesome family vibes with tasty meals - very social and warming place.