Guatemala: Tikal

Everyone raved about it and said it was not be missed, but I was still surprised by the rush that occurred when I visited the ruins of Tikal. The flight from Guatemala to Flores in a small plane was an adventure itself, with spectacular views and sudden turbulence. After checking in to the adjacent Jungle Lodge, I was escorted on a walking tour of the ruins which included climbing a number of the pyramids. I wish that I had read more before arriving to more completely absorb the significance of each structure. A number of exotic animals were easy to spot, including toucans and brightly colored parrots. The howler monkeys were quite audible, sounding remarkably like large cats. The highlight of the trip was watching the sunrise from atop Temple Four. The unescorted trek through the pitch black forest to arrive in time was also something that I won't soon forget.

Quick Tips:

Make sure to stay overnight and catch the sunrise from atop the pyramids. It's not cheap or easy, but it was definitely the highlight of my trip to Guatemala.

Best Way To Get Around:

Make sure to fly to Flores rather than enduring the difficult 20 hour journey by chicken bus. It's not that expensive to fly round trip, and you'll want to save your energy for hiking up and down countless pyramids and ruins.

Sleeping in a spartan bungalow away from the main lodge seemed exciting when booking a room at the Jungle Lodge days in advance, but it didn't do much to settle my uneasiness about being alone in the dense and entirely dark jungle when nighttime arrived. Having seen and heard wild animals during the day, spotted rather large and unidentifiable bugs in the bathroom, and developed an unreasonable fear of contracting malaria from the plentiful mosquitoes, I slightly panicked when the electricity was shut off at 10PM and did not enjoy a restful sleep. In hindsight, I think it added to the excitement of waking up at 4AM to navigate the pitch black nightfall and catch the sunrise above the pyramids. But as for the hotel, you might want to consider one of the more luxurious (and more expensive) rooms over at the Tikal Inn, or in the Jungle Lodge''s main building.

challenged for one reason or another. This hole in the wall is pretty much identical to its next door neighbors, all offering the most basic of meals for low, low prices. I have to admit that I was pretty hesitant to sample their food based on the apparent lack of cleanliness throughout the open cooking area and dining room. But when you are stuck in the jungle you can't exactly be choosey. I'm happy to report that everything went down just fine, but the next day I was gastrointestinally challenged for one reason or another.

On my first day at Tikal, my guide led me up the steep face of Temple IV early on so as to enjoy the beautiful views across the thick canopy of trees. I was really impressed, and had no idea that the views afforded to me wouldn't even compare to what I would see the next morning at daybreak. The difficult part about watching the sunrise atop Temple IV was first getting there.

My guide had assured me that I would find plenty of locals who would be happy to help navigate my way through the dark for a small fee, but in the morning time I found myself alone at the pitch black entrance to the grounds. The loud howler monkeys that sounded like big cats and the near total lack of visibility almost had me turn around and head back to the bungalow. But I eventually made my way with a flashlight and arrived just in time to catch the beginning of the most spectacular sunrise I have ever seen. The pictures below can't even begin to capture the magic of watching the sun crest over the horizon and see small stirrings in the tree tops of waking birds and animals. If you are planning a trip to Guatemala, do not hesitate to spend the night in Tikal and witness this amazing sight.

Since the imposing Temple I is off limits to climbers, many tourists congregated atop Temple II, which is situated directly across the plaza. It made for great picture taking and a chance to strike up conversations with other tourists. But my most vivid memory of Temple II is of the fearless coatamundis, which are similar to raccoons. These sweet looking animals would approach all calm and quiet, looking for a handout. But if you didn't keep your belongings close to you they would swipe your bag and hurry down the pyramid, hoping to get a larger portion of whatever food you had hidden inside.

These stony ruins situated between Temple I and Temple II don't look like much compared to the awesome pyramids that loom above. But beneath the craggy exterior lies at least ten levels deep of excavated ruins. Near the ground level of the jungle floor is a hole, sheltered by a thatched hut, that leads down to some well preserved stone carvings. It might be a little dark and earthy for some folks, but the stonework is in amazing shape.