| Mayan Ruins: Tikal tips and photos posted by real travelers and Belize locals.
Guatemala
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 View of Temple I (the
Great Jaguar) from Temple
II by Bwana_Brown,
2 more photos
The next morning we headed out early to get across the border and it all worked out fantastically well (my 'Tikal National Park' page has the full story)! We had a great time taking in as many of the sights as we could during our two half-days there. Temple I (the Great Jaguar) and the surrounding complexes are the most impressive structures, but there was so much to see it was hard to believe. We certainly got our exercise in as we trudged up and down hills and temples in the boiling heat. The Park is set in the middle of the jungle all by itself - power goes off at night, with lights out from 10 PM to 6 AM!
We also succeeded in having a 'sunset' experience while at Tikal. After first scouting out where in the park the best viewing spot would be, we made the half-hour trek there from our hotel to one of the smaller temples - Mundo Perdido. It is located at the western edge of the complex of structures, a perfect spot for looking eastward toward the other large temples as the west-setting sun bathed them with soft light.
We joined a small crowd atop Mundo Perdido and it was great to be perched above the jungle canopy, with only the huge main temples and very large Ceiba trees managing to poke themselves through the canopy. We sat there in the fresh breeze and listened to the sounds of the jungle while different kinds of tropical birds flitted from tree to tree in the soft light. Once the sun finally does go down in the tropics, the light does not last long, so everyone quickly descended and hit the trails leading back to the hotel area before it was totally dark! Leave a Comment Phone: (415) 762-3996Directions: Cross the border to Guatemala (see map in my 'General' tip)Website: http://www.tikalpark.com/
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 by Aliseeya
Bring lots of water and be prepared for a grueling day. I was quite sore the next day from going up and down so many steps! You can choose to make this excursion less active by opting out of hiking up the ruins, but you'll truly miss out. Leave a Comment
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 Can you spot the toucan? by Aliseeya
I was excited to see a toucan - in fact, we saw several during our trip. We also saw these birds that nest in whats looks like HUGE hairy balls hanging from trees. Very amusing. Leave a Comment
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 by AliseeyaLeave a Comment
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 by Aliseeya
Random tip: Climbing to the top of this ruin is very grueling and strenous, and to be frank, it doesn't even give you the best view. Unless you are up for a great workout, I would save your energy and climb some of the smaller ruins. They will give you better views and won't tire you out for the remainder of your visit! Leave a Comment
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 by AliseeyaLeave a Comment
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 Mommy and baby monkey! by AliseeyaLeave a Comment
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 Center of Tikal, where
sacrifices were offered. by MeredithRLeave a Comment Directions: Cayo District
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 by Aliseeya
All of the steps up to the temple were VERY high and steep. The Mayans purposely built it this way; the tall steps forced people to bow as they climbed them.
So be prepared for a bit of a workout! I climbed 5 or 6 ruins and was very, very sore the next day. Leave a Comment
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 "Alligator Island" by AliseeyaLeave a Comment
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