TRAVEL ADVENTURE TREKKING BACKPAKING
Mayan Ruins in Guatemala are a living testimony to a culture that once flourished between 700 BC to 900 AD. The most prominent Mayan Ruins can be found in the Tikal area and across the Honduran border in Copan. Smaller remains of Mayan buildings can be seen all over Guatemala.
Day 3: I leave Antigua with an itch to see something more rustic and real. I came to see Guatemala, not a façade, and that’s exactly what I find in Chichicastanango. Disclaimer: The route to Chichi from Antigua is not easy. If you’re not up for a daylong adventure involving three bus rides, the first of which departs at 6 am, find an alternate route. I literally have to run alongside the bus and toss my bag up to the driver’s assistant (a common feature on all Guate busses), then grab his hand so he can pull me up. For me, this is fun. Once in Chichi, I explore the incense-cloud-doused, culturally thrilling market, which is a maze of food stalls, textile stands and jewelry hawkers. I buy a jade necklace and the seller’s wife directs me to the best food stand in the market.
Mayan Ruins are the truly astounding evidence of a long lasting, dynamic cultural tradition. The monuments paid tribute to the rulers of the past, and inscriptions inside are concerned with dynasties and conquests, alliance and raids. Some 10 square miles of central Tikal have been mapped revealing over 3000 separate constructions: Huge stones brought down by the rivers of the south coast served as the raw material for the carving of gigantic sculptures that have been found in this region.
Day 4: I’m on my way to Guatemala City from Chichi, where I’ll catch an overnight bus up to the northern border of Guatemala. I arrive in Guate, as locals fondly know the capitol, around twilight, so I am extra careful to stay in public places near families or couples. I grab a plate of carne asada, rice, plantains and tortillas for dinner before my bus ride. Warning: the Fronteras del Norte bus station in Gaute is sketchy and dangerous. Carry some form of protection (i.e. pepper spray) and be smart.
Days 5-6: I wake up at 5 am when the bus arrives in Flores, one of the northernmost cities in the country. The friendly employees at the bus station direct me toward the shuttle leaving in an hour for Tikal. The hour-long ride to Tikal National Park is scenic, and I open the window to drink in the fresh air. The road is dotted with small towns and horse farms. I arrive at Tikal and book a room for two nights in the cheapest (yet still very nice) hotel in the park, Jaguar Inn. I enjoy a breakfast (recommended) and café con leche and then lace up my hiking boots to explore the ruins!
The ruins can all be seen within one day’s time, but I chose to spend two days in Tikal because of my acute interest in the history of the site. Maps are provided, and tours are available, but I chose to explore on my own. The ruins were awe-inspiring and everything I’d hoped for!
Stay tuned for Days 7-9 of my trip, which took me over the border to Belize (and to more amazing ruins!)
Mayan Ruins are the truly astounding evidence of a long lasting, dynamic cultural tradition. The monuments paid tribute to the rulers of the past, and inscriptions inside are concerned with dynasties and conquests, alliance and raids. Some 10 square miles of central Tikal have been mapped revealing over 3000 separate constructions: Huge stones brought down by the rivers of the south coast served as the raw material for the carving of gigantic sculptures that have been found in this region.
Day 4: I’m on my way to Guatemala City from Chichi, where I’ll catch an overnight bus up to the northern border of Guatemala. I arrive in Guate, as locals fondly know the capitol, around twilight, so I am extra careful to stay in public places near families or couples. I grab a plate of carne asada, rice, plantains and tortillas for dinner before my bus ride. Warning: the Fronteras del Norte bus station in Gaute is sketchy and dangerous. Carry some form of protection (i.e. pepper spray) and be smart.
Days 5-6: I wake up at 5 am when the bus arrives in Flores, one of the northernmost cities in the country. The friendly employees at the bus station direct me toward the shuttle leaving in an hour for Tikal. The hour-long ride to Tikal National Park is scenic, and I open the window to drink in the fresh air. The road is dotted with small towns and horse farms. I arrive at Tikal and book a room for two nights in the cheapest (yet still very nice) hotel in the park, Jaguar Inn. I enjoy a breakfast (recommended) and café con leche and then lace up my hiking boots to explore the ruins!
The ruins can all be seen within one day’s time, but I chose to spend two days in Tikal because of my acute interest in the history of the site. Maps are provided, and tours are available, but I chose to explore on my own. The ruins were awe-inspiring and everything I’d hoped for!
Stay tuned for Days 7-9 of my trip, which took me over the border to Belize (and to more amazing ruins!)
