Ram Tzul is a private cloud-forest reserve and eco-hotel at Km 158 on the highway to the Verapaces, in Purulhá, Baja Verapaz. Its trails are open 7:00 to 16:00, with the last start at 14:30 (reserve’s website, read 10 November 2026). Day entry is Q50 per person in two listings, the walk to the main waterfall takes about 3 hours there and back, and you can sleep there in cabins with breakfast included.
The reserve’s site does not print a day-entry price, so the Q50 comes from the Ministry of Culture’s directory (SIC), undated and checked 10 November 2026, and from a tour operator’s July 2026 trip listing. Call ahead.
In short: Km 158, Ruta a las Verapaces, Purulhá. Trails 7:00-16:00, last start 14:30. Entry Q50 per person (SIC; Feliz Viaje Guate, which adds Q30 for children under 10). Main walk about 3 hours return, to a waterfall given as 60 m high. Restaurant 7:00-19:00, mains Q50-Q99. Cabins: check-in 15:00, breakfast and trail access included, rates on request. Reception +502 5908 4066.
Entry fee and hours
| Item | What is published | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Trail hours | 7:00 to 16:00; last start for the walk 14:30 | Ram Tzul website, read 10 November 2026 |
| General opening | 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, every day | SIC (Ministry of Culture), undated, checked 10 November 2026 |
| Day entry (forest walk) | Q50.00 per person | SIC, undated, checked 10 November 2026 |
| Day entry | Q50 per person; children under 10, Q30 | Feliz Viaje Guate tour listing for 12 July 2026, not included in its tour price |
| Restaurant | 7:00 to 19:00, open to guests and visitors | Ram Tzul website |
| Reception / WhatsApp | +502 5908 4066 | Ram Tzul website |
| Reservations | +502 4522 5530 | Ram Tzul website |
The SIC directory’s 5:00 pm closing is later than the reserve’s own trail times. If you are coming to walk, the reserve’s 14:30 last start is the time that matters.
The walk: bamboo forest, waterfalls and a viewpoint
The reserve describes interpretive trails through its bamboo forest, the Rubel Chaím and Rizos de Plata waterfalls and the Mirador Saq Quej viewpoint. It says the trails are safe and well marked.
The most detailed description of the route comes from Feliz Viaje Guate, a tour operator whose trips leave from Guatemala City, in its itinerary for a day trip on 12 July 2026: a walk of about 3 hours there and back through the bamboo forest, past a small waterfall, a pool 4 m deep and a viewpoint, ending at a waterfall it gives as 60 m high. The Ministry of Culture’s directory, in a description it credits to CONAP’s tourism listing, also gives the Rubel Chaím waterfall as 60 m high and calls it Bajo la lluvia de estrellas.
Feliz Viaje’s itinerary scheduled the start of the walk for 9:00 and lunch for 14:00. A 14:30 start leaves 90 minutes before the trails close at 16:00, half the 3 hours Feliz Viaje gives for the return walk.
Swimming. Feliz Viaje says you can bathe at the waterfall, warns that the spring water is cold, and notes that there are no showers or toilets on the trail; only the restaurant area has toilets. It does not recommend the walk for people with high or low blood pressure.
What to wear. The reserve recommends long trousers, a waterproof jacket, a sweater for the evening and waterproof hiking boots with good grip, because mud is common. It gives daytime temperatures of 18 °C to 25 °C, says the driest months are February to May, and provides purified-water dispensers; bring a refillable bottle rather than drinking from taps or rivers.
Wildlife and the forest
The reserve describes the habitat of the quetzal, coatis (pizotes), brocket deer (corzuelas) and migratory birds, among white nun orchids (monja blanca), bromeliads and giant ferns. The SIC entry lists the reserve as a Reserva Natural Privada declared under Resolución SE-CONAP 109/2001, administered by the Asociación Corredor Biológico del Bosque Nuboso as private owner.
Sleeping at Ram Tzul
The eco-hotel has a limited number of cabins built of stone and local wood, with solar-heated water and natural ventilation, according to the reserve:
| Detail | What the reserve publishes |
|---|---|
| Check-in / check-out | 15:00 / 11:00 |
| Included | House breakfast and unlimited access to trails, viewpoints and waterfalls during your stay |
| Power and internet | Electricity in the cabins; Starlink satellite internet in the restaurant’s common areas, not in the rooms |
| Rates | Not published; book directly on +502 4522 5530 or WhatsApp +502 5908 4066 |
The SIC directory also lists a camping area, parking, an events hall, toilets and a restaurant. The reserve’s own pages do not mention camping, so ask before you bring a tent.
The reserve’s suggested two-night stay ends with a final walk to the Mirador Saq Quej or to the Biotopo del Quetzal, a separate reserve with its own fee. Retreats in silence zones, craft workshops and Maya thanksgiving ceremonies are offered by reservation.
The restaurant
The restaurant serves Verapaz dishes such as Kaq’ik and Saq’ik and vegetarian options, and states all prices in quetzales (Q), subject to change. Its menu, read 10 November 2026:
| Dish | Price |
|---|---|
| Desayuno Chapín (with bread or tortillas, coffee or tea) | Q45 |
| Desayuno De la finca | Q75 |
| Kaq’ik de gallina / de pavo | Q70 / Q80 |
| Churrasco | Q99 |
| Sopa del día | Q30 |
| Café / Chocolate | Q15 / Q20 |
Rules in the reserve
The reserve asks visitors to stay on the trails, respect the silence zones and not feed the animals. Smoking, including e-cigarettes, alcohol and drugs are not allowed, pets are not admitted, and drones need prior permission because of the birds. Feliz Viaje Guate adds that outside food and drink may not be taken in.
Where exactly is it?
The reserve gives its address as Km 158, Ruta a las Verapaces, Purulhá, Baja Verapaz, and Feliz Viaje Guate as Km 158.5 on the road to Cobán, Purulhá. The SIC directory places it on route 158 between Salamá and Purulhá, on the road to Cobán, and lists the municipality as Salamá; the reserve and the tour operator both say Purulhá. For the drive, see Guatemala City to Cobán.
Related
- The other cloud-forest reserve on this road: Biotopo del Quetzal.
- Another cloud-forest birding reserve: Chelemhá.
- More trips around Cobán: things to do in Cobán.
Sources
- Ram Tzul: Planifica (location, trail hours, code of conduct, FAQ) — read 10 November 2026.
- Ram Tzul: Hotel — read 10 November 2026.
- Ram Tzul: Restaurante — read 10 November 2026.
- Ram Tzul: Experiencias — read 10 November 2026.
- Ram Tzul: La Reserva — read 10 November 2026.
- Ram Tzul: home page — read 10 November 2026.
- SIC, Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes: Reserva Natural Privada Ram Tzul — undated, read 10 November 2026.
- Feliz Viaje Guate: RAM TZUL (Baja Verapaz), trip of 12 July 2026 — tour operator, read 10 November 2026.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Ram Tzul cloud-forest reserve on the Cobán road: what is the entry fee and what are the hours?
The reserve’s own site gives trail hours of 7:00 to 16:00, with the last start for the walk at 14:30. It does not print a day-entry fee. The Ministry of Culture’s directory lists Q50.00 per person for the forest walk (undated, checked 10 November 2026), and tour operator Feliz Viaje Guate listed entry at Q50 per person, Q30 for children under 10, for a trip on 12 July 2026. Call +502 5908 4066 to confirm.
How long is the walk to the waterfall?
Feliz Viaje Guate’s 12 July 2026 itinerary says the trail takes about 3 hours there and back, through bamboo forest, past a small waterfall, a 4 m deep pool and a viewpoint, ending at a waterfall it gives as 60 m high. The reserve names its waterfalls Rubel Chaím and Rizos de Plata but publishes no distance or walking time.
Can you swim at Ram Tzul?
Feliz Viaje Guate’s itinerary says you can bathe at the waterfall, that the spring water is cold, and that there are no showers or toilets along the trail; only the restaurant area has toilets. It tells its passengers to bring a swimsuit and towel.
Can you sleep at Ram Tzul?
Yes. The reserve runs an eco-hotel with a limited number of stone-and-wood cabins. Check-in is 15:00 and check-out 11:00, and a stay includes the house breakfast and unlimited access to trails, viewpoints and waterfalls. No room rates are published; book through reservations on +502 4522 5530. The Ministry of Culture directory also lists a camping area.
Can I bring food, pets or a drone?
Pets are not allowed, and drones need prior special permission from the management, according to the reserve. Feliz Viaje Guate says outside food and drink may not be taken into the reserve; the on-site restaurant is open 7:00 to 19:00.
Is Ram Tzul suitable for children?
The reserve welcomes families but recommends the trails for children over 5 because of the physical effort, always with an adult. Feliz Viaje Guate does not recommend its tour for people with high or low blood pressure.
