Flores
We cross the border from Belize and make our way to Flores, Guatemala. This is going to be our base for the next 10 days. Our plan is to first trek through the jungle to the ancient city of El-Mirador and then on our return take a day trip to Tikal.
Flores itself is built in the middle of the lake Lago Petén Itzá and was the last stronghold of the Maya, it being the last place to fall to the Spanish. Nowadays it’s a tourist hotspot with most visitors heading to nearby Tikal.
Tikal
As the mini buses enters the Tikal national park the tour guide stands at the front and won’t shut up, his enthusiasm knows no bounds. We didn’t pay for a tour guide but it appears we have one anyway. While the rest of the passengers listen intently we sneak off down the lonely jungle path towards temple 4 on the way we pass the national tree of Guatamala the ceiba.
Tikal is set amongst dense jungle with huge ancient temples and an abundance of wildlife. It is often regarded as the greatest of all Maya sites and we have deliberately saved this site for last.
We make our way to the Great Plaza through the shaded jungle path, birds and insects fill the air with sound and all around ancient buildings lie crumbled and lifeless, swallowed by jungle many years ago. There is clearance in the trees and we are welcomed by the site of a huge temple standing upright and reaching for the sky.
As we walk around the corner the sight is spectacular. It’s easy to see why this is thought of as the greatest Mayan site, the Grand Plaza is monumental in size, surrounded by temples and ancient structures this really feels like the heart of an ancient world.
The temple we saw first is Temple 1 also known as The Temple Of the Great Jaguar, this is actually a tomb for the great king Jasaw Chan K'awil.
To the north of the plaza is the North Acropolis complex, this was the final resting place of numerous Mayan rulers.
Temple 2 also known as the Temple of the Mask faces Temple 1 directly at the opposite side of the plaza, there is a stair case that allows you to climb it for good views of the plaza complex.
To the south of the plaza is the Central Acropolis a great palatial building that was amazing to walk and climb around.
We visited several other sites including the grand pyramid, the oldest building on the site, dating from 300bc.
Temple 5 is well excavated and huge and we were the only ones there.
There are 1000’s of building at Tikal many we did not have time to visit and many more which are only now beginning to be excavated.
The final site of note is the tallest structure on the site and known as temple 5. The top is a perfect place to witness fantastic views of the temples and pyramids poking through the jungle canopy.
During our time here we spotted several bird species, spider monkeys, howler monkeys, a tarantula, a wild fox and a strange raccoon like animal.
Tikal is definitely the best Mayan site we have visited and we have seen a lot over the past 2 months, its remote location in Guatemala means it does not have the huge crowds of tourists like those of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, the jungle surroundings are fantastic and magical, the buildings are by far the best we have seen so far and the size of the site is monumental.
This is one of the best ancient sites in the world!
