Hotel and Restaurant Ram Tzul

Overview

Description

Ram Tzul means "Spirit of the Mountain," for the name of the god that protects nature and life who lives where there are waterfalls. Our sanctuary is dedicated to nature's creations. It is located in Sierra de las Minas, the heart of the cloud forest found in Purulhá Baja Verapaz on the route to las Verapaces, where quetzals live. Our sanctuary unites the Quetzal biotope with Cerro Verde and the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve. Geographically, we are part of a flyway corridor for migratory birds, a marvelous spectacle.

We have four waterfalls located in virgin forest. There are trails made especially for our clients to the 197-foot high Lluvia de Estrellas or Shower of Stars waterfall, nationally and internationally renowned for its beauty and natural pools. The trail passes through pine, bamboo, encino pine, coffee, and broadleaf forests, bordering the Cafetal River and its pretty natural pools.

We are distinguished for being a different concept in the area, offering direct contact with nature and we are internationally recognized as an ideal energy portal for meditation, relaxation, stress release, and recharging positive energy to find inner equilibrium and harmony in a comfortable setting.

Ram Tzul is only 98 miles (158 km) from Guatemala City, strategically located between Alta and Baja Verapaz. From here you can reach places such as the Trapiche Museum (the first sugar mill in Central America); Rabinal (famous for its folklore and pottery in Baja Verapaz or Cobán), the imperial city of Carlos V; Semuc Champey; the headwaters of the Cahabón River; grottoes; and other tourist destinations.

Rooms

14, all with a panoramic view and surrounded by nature.

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 8

Percentage of local employees: 100%

The National Commission of Protected Areas (CONAP) declared Ram Tzul a private nature reserve. We protect the region's fauna and flora, and conserve forests and river basins - we have reforested 59 acres (24 hectares) with encino pine, coffee, and bamboo forests and are protecting the river that passes through the reserve.

We create jobs and use local materials and labor. We provide training in making handicrafts and bamboo furniture, and we also train other interested parties in tourism and hotel management. We also give talks on environmental conservation in Purulhá. We work with the tourism union of Baja Verapaz, the local community development councils, and the Cloud Forest Association (Asociación del Bosque Nuboso) to strengthen community and tourism programs. To help create more job options, we are working on a plan with the tourism union to create a tourism school for waiters, guides, and others.

With the National Commission of Protected Areas, we carry out efforts to protect water from contamination, and with the local community development councils we are raising awareness among farmers about the dangers of using chemical fertilizers and fumigating with poisonous pesticides.

Getting There

Nearest international airport: Guatemala City (GUA)

Nearest local/national airport: Salamá (MRSL) or Cobán (CBV)

We are 48 km from the Salamá airport and 56 km from the Cobán airport.

Additional Information

Additional Web sites

• www.guatemalaenvivo.com/lasverapaces/hotel.php?id_c=183&id_h=100 (available in Spanish). Brief description of the hotel on Guatemala en Vivo's Web site.
• www.corredorbiologico.org/ramtzul.htm#hotel (available in Spanish). Information about the Ram Tzul Ecological Reserve is available on the Corredor Biológico Bosque Nuboso site.

Date This Information Was Provided

June 2009.

Photo courtesy of Hotel and Restaurant Ram Tzul, Guatemala, for SustainableTrip.org.