Experience with Turix Activo

[red lobster]

I would like any opinions about Turix Activo's tour that goes to Las Escobas and Green Bay resort. Did you make reservations before your cruise, they emailed me saying they would meet our party at the pier with a sign and it would be a 10 minute boat ride to the resort, then a tour guide would take us to the springs (what used to be called a waterfall). I just wondered if anyone that has done this tour felt they were punctual and if it was worth doing? There will be 6 adults from ages 25 to 57 and one 3 yr. old. Some of our party may elect to just stay at the resort if it's nice while the others go on to the springs. Thank You all for you advice and opinions.

[World Gallery]

We used Turix Activo last year to do a custom tour to the waterfalls, iguana farm and the Hibscus museum/restaurant with a group of about 22, both children and adults. We thought they were great and will use them again in the future. They were very prompt in returning my emails and answering all of my questions. My sister has back problems and couldn't make it up the path at the waterfalls so one of the tour guides walked back to the van with her and stayed with her. We enjoyed the waterfalls but go prepared. If you plan to swim in them, bring watershoes for sure. It is rocky. Also, bring floaties/lifevest for children, even if they can swim because there was a bit of a current in one of the pools at the bottom of the waterfalls and the water is deep. My kids loved swimming in the waterfall pools and the tour guide knew which ones to go to to avoid crowds but I think that all children should have a life vest and watershoes. They will have more fun that way and you won't have to worry. Also, bring natural bug repellent (I don't think they will allow some types because they said it harms the enviroment). There weren't many bugs but one person in our group was bitten by something (not that bad though).

[amistad]

World Gallery, Great information on the tour you took. It seems kind of hard to find out much about what is available in Guatemala. How far was the walk to the falls? Is the water very cold? Last year when we went to Guatemala we took a tour down the river and in April it was really cool and raining.

[World Gallery]

Yes, I know it is harder to get info. I think one reason is because they don't get nearly as many ships as other ports.

As for the falls, you get there by driving up a small mountain (I guess that is what it would be considered. I am from Louisiana where is it flat). You get to see the "real Guatemala" where the people live, as you drive through their little village to get there. You actually drive up to the entrance. There is a little booth and a few tables set up with people selling things. That is where the path begins. There are little "off shoot paths" that lead to the waterfalls with the pools. Some are bigger areas with bigger falls than others. I think we visited two of these areas and swam in both. The water is cool but not too cold to where you can't get use to it. The path is on an incline but it wasn't that difficult to walk. I think I remember it being concrete. It has rails but there are ants on the rails, but I don't remember needed the rails at any point. My kids like it. They said it was a "cool" tour.

We did that river tour the year before in Feb and the weather was perfect. I guess it just depends on the indiv. day in regards to weather.

[trtllovr]

We were in Guatemala this past week and used Turix as our tour guides. Here's my review:

 

Finding them was a bit difficult. Their booth at the port is not marked with TURIX, instead it just highlights the tours they offer. In fact, I ran into Gus from Go with Gus, asked him and he pointed me in the right direction.

 

Once we were there we spoke with Elder (that's his name). He at first gave us a price of $35 per person. But once we all took out our money he upped it to $40 per person. Fine, whatever. So he told us, 15 minutes and we waited around. About 45 minutes past until he finally introduced us to our tour guide, Lorena, and she brought us out to wait for the water taxi. We waited about an additional 20 minutes to get a water taxi.

 

The water taxi was great. They went slow in some of the significant areas for Lorena to explain the significance to us. In about 5 minutes we arrived at Green Bay resort. This place is beautiful. My mom and I were awestruck at the beauty of this tropical resort. It's in the rain forest and the birds were everywhere. We were the only people at the resort that day (seriously, we never saw another guest the entire day). We waited around for about 15-20 minutes for the van to arrive.

 

The van ride took about 10 minutes up the mountain to Los Escabos Waterfalls. It turns out it rained, big time, the day before. The waterfalls were OVERFLOWING! The water was murky because of the velocity of the water, but it was going in between all the foliage and looked so neat. Lorena met the guide and they took us on the path up the hill. We past some elderly (approx. 70-75 year olds) who were breathing heavily on their way down and mentioned they couldn't wait to get back to the bus.

 

The rain forest is beautiful. So many species of wild orchids. Different plant species and bird calls. The bridges we crossed were made of a series logs (round, not flat) but didn't seem dangerous. We made it up to the swimming area where we went in but the current was quite extreme and you couldn't get too close to the falls.

 

We walked back down and grabbed lunch at the little hut offering hand-made flatbread with chicken and rice. It was delicious! They are building them a bigger restaurant across the street so that should help them quite a bit! The lunch was only $4.00 per person and we definitely filled up.

 

Back to the bus, we convinced our tour guide, and her boss, that we needed to spend more than 1/2 hour at Green Bay resort! So they gave us about 2 additional hours. We enjoyed the pool, the bar, the hammocks, everything. My mom and I walked around looking for the different species of birds. We had the place to ourselves.

 

Anyway, a quick water taxi ride back to the pier and did a little haggling at the pier for some souvenirs. Lorena gave everyone a Guatemalan worry doll, it was a sweet gift! She was a wonderful tour guide but that was actually her last tour! She's off to take the last of her tests to get her law degree!

 

We had a great day! Besides the confusion and long waiting times in the morning, I would definitely recommend this tour.

 

Feel free to check out my photos:

http://www.pbase.com/trtllovr/guatemala

[amistad]

Great review, last year we had a problem with waiting around for the water taxi for a different tour down the river and it was really aggrevating. The pictures you posted were really nice. I am just thinking this is a better tour for us then the Amatique resort for 64.00 each. Was the water at the resort warm? Did you also go to Belize and if so what did you do there?

[trtllovr]

The water at the resort was chilly at first (in the pool) but we got used to it over time. Thankfully the mugginess of being down in the tropics made it pleasant.

 

We did go to Belize, I wrote a detailed review with photos:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1113333

 

But in short, we did snorkeling & beach break with manatee tour using Coral Breeze. The men in our group went ziplining and cavetubing with Jaguar Paw. Fun time had for all!

[amistad]

Thanks for taking the time both of your reviews are well done, informative and have great pictures.

[Birdnutty]

Just to tag on to trtllovr's comments... I was amazed and delighted at the rainforest and the falls. they were much bigger than even our guide had seen them , so we were really lucky in catching them at the right time. I guess some times in the past they were little more than puddles. ANd were they beautiful! The water was cold, by tropical standards, but far from bone-chilling. I would guess in the lower 60's, temperature-wise.

 

Each turn brought another spectacle. The paths were dirt/graveled ( I think), and the bridges were made of the round logs that trtllovr mentioned. Very pretty, and secure feeling, but I used extra caution going across. Didn't want the toe of my sandal to get caught and make me trip. Trtl and I had had a discussion previously as to whether we thought there would be changing rooms. There are not. This is not a USA nat'l Park, and it is much more rustic than ours. It was not buggy when we went, altho we fully expected it to be. The ants on the handrail - they're fire ants! Big suckers too. Don't touch! I would gladly do this again - it's a beautiful place.

 

The resort was equally pretty, altho I felt funny about being the only ones there. Didn't feel unsafe - not at all. Just felt a little weird about having more staff there than guests to serve. The birdwatching was excellent, and I wish I had had someone there who could tell me what I was seeing.

 

They advise you not to swim in the waters of the Green Bay (I don't know if that's the real name of the bay or just the resort). I guess the water is not very clean, especially since it is quite close to the port where all the major ships of all types are. But the pool was inviting (I didn't go in). A beautiful place, and a great experience.

[amistad]

Great information, I really appreciate the help.