Finca Chijul is a private nature reserve at km 2.5 on the road from San Juan Chamelco to Santa Cruz, Alta Verapaz, which the finca puts 20 minutes from Cobán. A day visit costs Q100.00 per person (children under two free), parking is free, and the restaurant serves day visitors. The finca’s own pages give two different closing times for day visits, 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Every price, hour and rule on this page is from the finca’s website, fincachijul.com, read on 31 October 2026: the day-visit page, the FAQ, the activities page, the restaurant menu and the reservations page. Where two of its pages disagree, both figures are shown.
Quick summary
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Where | Km 2.5, carretera San Juan Chamelco - Santa Cruz, Alta Verapaz |
| From Cobán | 20 minutes, per the finca |
| Open | Every day (FAQ page) |
| Day-visit hours | 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (day-visit page) / 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (FAQ page) |
| Day visit | Q100.00 per person |
| Children | Under two years old do not pay |
| Parking | Free |
| Road in | All vehicle types; about 100 m (day-visit page) or 110 m (FAQ) of dirt road in good condition |
| Restaurant | 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., for guests and day visitors only |
| Camping | Temporarily suspended |
| Pets | Not allowed |
| Phone / WhatsApp | 7950-0274 / 3839-6023 |
| hotelchijul@gmail.com | |
| Where to sleep | San Juan Chamelco or Cobán (or at the finca’s own hotel) |
What you pay
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Day visit, per person | Q100.00 | The page lists no separate adult and child rates above age two |
| Child under two | Free | “menores de dos años no pagan” |
| Parking | Free | |
| Desayuno de la finca (breakfast) | Q50.00 | Eggs, beans, tomato sauce, cheese, cream, plantains, tortillas |
| Desayuno Chijul (breakfast) | Q60.00 | As above, on 4 oz of grilled beef |
| Lentils in pomodoro sauce (vegetarian) | Q50.00 | With spaghetti, parmesan, salad and bread or tortillas |
| Churrasco Chijul | Q70.00 | Grilled beef, beans, chirmol, cheese, tortillas |
| Kak’ik, caldo de pavo criollo | Q160.00 | Special menu: reserve at least a day ahead, prepaid and non-refundable, minimum two orders |
| Restaurant service charge | 10% added | 15% on room service and at Casa Ravensburg |
The breakfast section of the menu says breakfasts include coffee or green tea grown and processed at Finca Chijul, with refills, plus oatmeal and pan dulce.
What the day-visit page does and does not tell you
The day-visit page lists the price, hours, free parking and the road in, with buttons for activities and booking. It does not itemise which activities the Q100 covers or whether the kayak, rowboat or tubing carry a separate charge (read 31 October 2026). Ask on WhatsApp before you go.
| On the property, per the finca | Covered by the Q100? |
|---|---|
| River and clear-water pools for swimming | Not stated on the day-visit page |
| Tubing | Not stated |
| Kayak or rowboat | Not stated |
| Deer reserve | Not stated |
| Signposted trail circuits (three, in the page description) | Not stated |
| Hammock rest areas, orchid house, viewpoint | Not stated |
The finca describes the property as thirty-three manzanas of cloud forest. Its map page links to a map you can download.
Two closing times: which one applies
| Finca page | Day-visit hours |
|---|---|
| Visitas por día (day visits) | 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
| Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ) | 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., open every day |
Both pages were live on 31 October 2026. If you plan to arrive after lunch, ask which time is current; the restaurant’s own hours (7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.) run later than either.
Getting there
- Address: km 2.5 on the road from San Juan Chamelco to Santa Cruz, Alta Verapaz. Search Waze or Google Maps for Chijul Guatemala.
- From Cobán: 20 minutes, per the finca.
- The last stretch: the finca says all types of vehicle can get in, over about 100 m (or 110 m, on its FAQ page) of dirt road in good condition.
For the towns themselves, see San Juan Chamelco and Cobán.
Where to sleep: San Juan Chamelco or Cobán
The finca opens to day visitors at 7:00 a.m. and sits 20 minutes from Cobán, so a night in Cobán or San Juan Chamelco puts you at the gate for the morning. The finca also runs its own hotel, a cabin for two and a house on the same grounds if you would rather stay inside the reserve.
Live availability near San Juan Chamelco:
Where to stay in San Juan Chamelco
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A workable day
| Step | Time | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Drive from Cobán | About 20 minutes | Finca |
| Gate opens | 7:00 a.m. | Finca, both pages |
| Breakfast at the restaurant | From 7:00 a.m. | Restaurant menu |
| River, trails, deer reserve | Your choice | Finca activities page |
| Lunch (order Kak’ik a day ahead) | Midday | Restaurant menu |
| Day visit ends | 5:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. (confirm) | FAQ / day-visit page |
More around Cobán
- Hun Nal Ye, near Cobán: another Alta Verapaz day trip with its own fees.
- Birdwatching in Guatemala · all activities.
Sources
- Finca Chijul, Visitas por día: https://www.fincachijul.com/visitas-por-dia (read 31 October 2026)
- Finca Chijul, Preguntas frecuentes: https://www.fincachijul.com/preguntas-frecuentes (read 31 October 2026)
- Finca Chijul, Actividades, Restaurante and Reservas pages: https://www.fincachijul.com/actividades, https://www.fincachijul.com/restaurante, https://www.fincachijul.com/reservas (read 31 October 2026)
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- Faye: single-trip plans sold to residents of U.S. states (not U.S. territories); its FAQ lists emergency medical cover of up to $250K and emergency medical evacuation of up to $500K, and adventure and extreme activities need a paid add-on for medical cover.
Limits, prices and the altitude rules side by side: travel insurance for Guatemala · insurance for volcano hikes
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a day visit to Finca Chijul?
Q100.00 per person, and children under two do not pay, per the finca’s day-visit page (read 31 October 2026). Parking is free.
What time does Finca Chijul open and close for day visitors?
The finca’s two pages disagree. The day-visit page gives 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; the FAQ page says it is open every day and that day visits run from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (both read 31 October 2026). Confirm the closing time on WhatsApp before you plan a late afternoon.
What can you do at Finca Chijul?
The finca says its land is thirty-three manzanas of cloud forest with a river and clear pools where you can swim, go tubing, kayak or take a rowboat, plus a deer reserve, signposted trail circuits (three, in its page description), hammock rest areas, an orchid house and a viewpoint. The day-visit page does not say which of these the Q100 covers, so ask when you book.
Where is Finca Chijul?
At km 2.5 on the road from San Juan Chamelco to Santa Cruz, Alta Verapaz. The finca says it is 20 minutes from Cobán and is listed on Waze and Google Maps as Chijul Guatemala.
Can you eat at Finca Chijul on a day visit?
Yes. The finca says its restaurant is exclusively for hotel guests and day visitors, open 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Some dishes, such as Kak’ik, must be reserved at least a day ahead; the menu lists Kak’ik (turkey broth) at Q160.00 on its special menu, which is paid in advance (non-refundable) with a minimum of two orders. A 10% service charge is added in the restaurant.
Can you camp or bring a dog to Finca Chijul?
No to both, as of 31 October 2026. The finca says camping is temporarily suspended while a new camping area is prepared, and pets are not allowed.
