October 8-24 2011 Guatemala Journey To El Mirador | Tikal & Sacred Temples
Join us for a 15 Day Sacred Journey into the Heart Of The Mayan Land. Included is all entry fees, 3 meals a day, all transportation and Healing Ceremonies by Mayan Shamans. Airfare is not included.
The area is home to some of the largest pyramids in the world and the largest ancient freeway system in the Western hemisphere, and it’s the cradle of Mayan civilization. The basin contains dozens of pre-classic Mayan cities — the oldest in existence — most of which remain unexcavated.
Rediscovering the Mayan civilization
Popular tourist destinations for Mayan ruins include Palenque in Mexico, Copan in Honduras and Tikal in Guatemala. These cities date back to the classic period (250 AD to 900 AD). But the oldest, largest and most sophisticated Mayan cities (from the middle pre-classic period starting somewhere around 1,000 BC) are hidden in the jungles of Peten in northern Guatemala.
The Mirador Basin is a piece of land shaped like an inverted pyramid, covering 2,169 square kilometres and covered with low-lying swamps, called bajos – there’s no source of fresh water, which is why it’s basically uninhabited by humans today.
El Mirador is the largest city, followed by Tintal — both of which dwarf Tikal. There are 45 sites in the Mirador Basin that have been mapped and excavated, nine of which are as large as or larger than Tikal; in total, it’s estimated there are 200 ancient cities located here, 26 of which are considered to have had major populations.
Despite these historical riches, unless you’re an archeologist or a member of The National Geographic Society, you’ve probably never heard of the place. The Mirador Basin sees fewer than 100 foreign tourists a month. Compare that with Machu Picchu in Peru — the Lost City of the Incas — that attracts 2,500 tourists in a single day.
The Mirador Basin is a piece of land shaped like an inverted pyramid, covering 2,169 square kilometres and covered with low-lying swamps, called bajos – there’s no source of fresh water, which is why it’s basically uninhabited by humans today.
El Mirador is the largest city, followed by Tintal — both of which dwarf Tikal. There are 45 sites in the Mirador Basin that have been mapped and excavated, nine of which are as large as or larger than Tikal; in total, it’s estimated there are 200 ancient cities located here, 26 of which are considered to have had major populations.