Tikal - Mayan Magic & Mystery
Many people who travel to Belize are repeat visitors.
Although each time they visit this diverse country
their taste for adventure is satiated, they are left
wanting more, and they are lured back to explore
more of what holds their heart captive, be it the
tropical beaches, the deep blue Caribbean waters
or jungles that harbor exotic creatures and nestle
the secrets of past civilizations. Belize has left them
spellbound…and they hunger for more.
For those who are intrigued by the Mayan mystic,
Belize and her neighbors cradle the archeological
remains of the ancient Mayan people. The Mundo
Maya covers a territory of over 5,000 square kilometers
which is now occupied by five southern
Mexico states, and the Central American countries
of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. In this
land of great contrasts, where rivers and mountains
intertwine with jungle and sea, the Mayan civilization
developed three thousand years ago. It is one of
the most outstanding cultures of ancient times.
Today, the massive temples and ceremonial centers
built by these people are impressive archeological
sites. But the Mayan culture does not belong
in a museum; it lives and breathes in the people who
populate the Mundo Maya and who adhere to ancient
customs through their art, religion and agriculture.
Tikal is the largest excavated site in the American continent, and is Guatemala’s most famous cultural and
natural preserve. |
The world of Maya has many faces; the steaming tropical jungles,
gently sloping farmlands and harsh savannah flatlands are as much a part of its
character as are the towering mountain ranges, soaring volcanic peaks, and sun
kissed Caribbean beaches. It is a utopia for divers, a haven for adventurous
travelers and a fertile source of biological and ethnic diversity for historian and
ecologists. Charming colonial towns appear at every turn, and ultramodern resorts
co-exist with tiny indigenous villages. To explore these lands is to take a
step back in time while walking with the very people who are of same Mayan
blood that first built these forgotten cities. These people still bear the family
resemblance of classic Mayan royalty, portrayed in their sculptured faces and
proud stature.
Stone pathways lead you through lush landscapes at the Hotel Jungle Lodge. |
Perhaps the most impressive of all Mayan ruins is Tikal, located at Tikal
National Park in the district of Petén, Guatemala. Tikal is the largest excavated
site in the American continent. It is Guatemala’s most famous cultural and
natural preserve. Tikal possesses a certain magic…like all puzzles without answers,
it fascinates everyone and is so enchanting that once you are there, you
will find yourself captivated by the mesmerizing culture and complex society of
this intriguing civilization.
Depending on what your time and budget allows, there are a variety of ways
that you can travel to Tikal. If you are staying in San Pedro you can either fly or
take the water taxi to Belize City. From there you can fly to Santa Elena, Guatemala, where you then travel by bus
for an hour to Tikal. From Belize City
you can also travel by road on a bus,
rent a car or charter ground transportation.
A maze of stairs leads you to a temple top. |
We have hired Menzies Tours
to transport us to Tikal, and Henry
Menzie awaits us at the municipal airport
in Belize City where we board a
very comfortable, brand new Toyota
passenger van complete with air conditioning
and satellite radio. This is traveling
in style, and we feel half guilty
that we are not traveling by “chicken
bus,” where you truly immerse yourself
in to the sights, sounds, smells and
characters that make up this Latin
American culture.
It is a four hour drive from Belize
City to Tikal, and the road trip allows
you to view the incredibly diverse terrain.
In Belize you travel through vast
savannahs, and as you gain elevation
rolling hills of farmland unfold and pine
forests give way to lush rain forests.
Wildlife abounds at Tikal National Park, including, clockwise from top, the
Collared Aracari Toucan, the Spider Monkeys, and the Crested Guan. |
Upon reaching the Belize – Guatemala
border Mr. Menzie is very helpful in
assisting you through customs and can
also serve as a translator if needed.
You are immediately approached by
“money exchangers” who will convert
your Belizean or US currency into
Guatemalan “quetzales”, and there is
no mistake, you are entering a new and
different country. Once on the road
again, you travel through the rustic and
raw village of Melchor. The bumpy dirt
road is shared with chickens, horses
and wandering pigs. Children dart about
on ruined bicycles or run ahead, barefoot
and full of life. As you pass sleepy
houses and modest wooden shacks you
notice villagers napping in hammocks,
colorful laundry drying on strands of
barbed wire fence and children busy
with the job of being a kid. Gently sloping
hills and pastures of verdant green
grass are dotted with huge coconut and palm trees, while creamy white
Braham cattle and their sweet calves
graze and grace the landscape. Caballeros
ride by on bony, worn-down
horses and are always accompanied by
a dog or two. This is a look at Guatemalan
life, and it is not hard to imagine
that indeed the Mayan lifeline is still
very much alive in these hardworking
and gentle country folk.
Once you enter the Tikal National
Park you cannot help but feel the excitement.
The jungle lined corridor
takes you deep into the forest and road
signs that warn “slow down for the critters”
are complete with jaguar, fox,
coatimundi and wild turkey symbols.
What ever you do, don’t try to see
all of Tikal in one day, even if you are
in excellent shape! To truly experience
all that Tikal has to offer you should
plan to spend at least two days exploring
the area. Again, depending on your
time and budget, there are many options.
Tikal is an endless network of impressive structures and courtyards. |
You may stay at nearby Santa
Elena or Flores, and travel daily by bus
to the ruins, or if you prefer to stay right in the park, there are two lodges
to choose from and a well equipped
camp ground. The Hotel Jaguar Inn
even offers “hammock” camping
where the hammocks are completely
enclosed with mosquito netting. We opt
for more civilized accommodations,
and are guests of the Hotel Jungle
Lodge. This lovely jungle lodge is surrounded
by pristine tropical forest and
is located just one kilometer from the
central plaza of Tikal. Stone-paved
paths lead you to quaint cabañas that
offer all the creature comforts you
need, plus a private porch and a symphony
courtesy of the jungle. Multicolored
Ocellated turkey’s and sly,
little gray foxes wander the grounds
while tropical birds of all sizes and
colors fly from tree top to tree top
above. The hotel has a large, inviting
lodge where you enjoy your meals, a
well stocked bar complete with big screen satellite TV and a cozy, relaxing
lounge area with comfy overstuffed
furniture. From their beautiful swimming
pool you can watch keel-billed
toucans and spider monkeys grooving
in the trees. The experience of slumbering
in the jungle is a rare one, and
alone it is worth the trip.
Park guides are full of helpful information and can lead you through the complex
grounds. |
Tikal is a fabulous spot for adventure,
and is a majestic archaeological
gem that is comprised of 222 square
miles of jungle all around the ceremonial
center. It took the University of
Pennsylvania 13 years to uncover about
10 square miles of structures at Tikal.
However, much of it is still left to be
unearthed. Tikal remained a mystery
for centuries, after being abruptly abandoned
by the Maya over 1,000 years
ago and overgrown by a relentless
jungle. Only a legend survived among
the Indians of a lost city, where their
ancestors had achieved a high cultural
development. In 1848 the legend faded,
giving way to an exciting era of discovery.
It was a serendipitous discovery
made by Ambrosio Tut, a gum collector
or chiclero. He saw the temple’s
roof combs in the distance. He ran to
tell Modesto Mendez, the Governor of
the Petén Province. When they arrived
at the site the impressive temples, the
open plazas and the several-story buildings, where priests and kings once
lived, stood in front of Governor
Mendez’ and Ambrosio Tut’s very
eyes. They visited the site with an artist
who recorded some of the carvings
at Tikal and their findings were published
by the Berlin Academy of Sciences in 1853. It was only a matter of
a few years before curious scholars
started traveling from the corners of
the world to see what had been discovered.
Having some information on what
you are looking at can make a world of
difference while exploring the ruins.
Local Mayan girls sell colorful corn husk dolls adorned with a variety of natural
materials.
|
Guidebooks may be purchased at the
local hotels and restaurants as well as
from park personnel at the entrance or
at the Sylvanus Morley Museum.
Coe’s guide to Tikal is popular as it is
concise and includes a map, and there
are several guides at the park who can
take you on walking tours of the area.
The paths travel through dense jungle
and tropical birds and noisy monkeys
top the forest canopy that envelops the
trails. Take plenty of water, mosquito
repellent and a good pair of walking
shoes. Be prepared to walk, and walk
and walk. There are mazes of trails to
explore, flights of wooden stairs to
climb and temples to mount. Your journey
will take you to courtyards and
temples of all sizes, and from the
temple tops the views are breathtaking.
Low lying clouds steam above the
jungle and the thick, warm air is alive
with the buzz of winged insects and the
roaring sound of nearby howler monkeys.
Large black vultures slowly
circle above you as you are transported
back in time to the “Mundo Perdido”
…the Lost World. If you are an early
riser, some of the tour guides offer sunrise hikes, where you greet the day from atop a temple. The warm colors of
the sunrise wash the morning sky, slowly waking the jungle creatures, who sing
in a chorus of animal song to the new day.
Tikal is Mayan magic, mystery and melody. All that you experience at Tikal
will forever remain in your heart, and like a favorite book, you will want to
relive your Tikal story again and again, remembering and savoring the tale of
Mayan magic, mystery and melody that you have memorized by heart, never to
be forgotten.
BELIZE and AMBERGRIS CAYE HISTORY LINKS
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Ambergris Caye History- In Depth |
Ambergris Museum
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Maya History
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Early History of Belize, Glyphs, Timeline
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150th Anniversary of San Pedro Town
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Field Guide to Ambergris Caye
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Angel Nuñez' column "25 Years Ago on Ambergris Caye"
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Herman Smith's column on Archaeology in Belize
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Maya History of the island
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Marco Gonzales
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Maya Sites in Belize
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Alternative Medicine in Belize
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Aztec Account of Spanish Conquest
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