San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta

San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta is a busy agricultural town in San Marcos department of western Guatemala, set amongst coffee plantations.

  • Refugio del Quetzal. Nature reserve set among cloud forest, with nature trails and small waterfalls. Sightings of the resplendent quetzal are still regularly reported as of early 2016.

  • La Igualdad. Nature trail and waterfall - take transport to San Pablo, then microbus to La Igualdad, then ask locally for directions to the nature trail, through cloud forest. The waterfall is spectacular.

  • Mercado. The central market has all the normal products sold in Guatemalan markets, including clothes, pharmacy, fresh meat and vegetables etc.