A jewel in the jungle
El Mirador.... Wow! It is the second time that I am going up to this amazing ruins all in the north of Guatemala. It`s truly a jewel in the heart of the Mayan Biospehere Reserve.
Sunset from El Tigre... An amazing view!
The last time I went to El Mirador was 2 years ago. I heard that there are big archeology projects going on so I wanted to see what has changed in these years. And I realize that this site is not always gonna be as pristine and abandoned as it is now. Plans are on the way to build a hotel with a restaurant at El Mirador and there are even serious plans of having an electric train going up there. Of course this will greatly affect the magical and pure ambience that the place still has.
I wanted to go back to see for myself what had changed over the years!
Another reason for me visiting this place is that we organize these tours from the hostel and it`s always nice to get to know the guides and see how the service provided is and to actually know what you`re talking about! :-)
What is El Mirador exactly?
First I`ll give you some background information about El Mirador. El Mirador are ruins near the Mexican border all up north in Guatemala. They are remotely located in the middle of the jungle in the so called Mayan Biosphere reserve. The edge of the civilized world is a little village called ¨La Carmelita¨.The Mirador ruins are very valuable and interesting because the city of EL Mirador was the oldest and the biggest Mayan city of the whole Mayan empire. El Mirador is the largest known site of the preclassic era. Dating from 300 BC to 200 AD this city is one of the most important and monumental sites ever build in mayan history. The largest architectural works of the entire pre-classic period are found here. The biggest temple at the site ¨La Danta¨ is one of the worlds biggest temples and only it`s base is measured at 600 meters wide.
El Mirador had an urban centre of over 20 square kilometers. It was a complex society ruled by a powerfull elite.
Archeologists often call El Mirador the cradle of the Mayan civilization. This is where it all began. It`s the Jerusalem of the Mayans.
The existence of ancient cities at El Mirador was first discovered in the 1920`s. Archeological studies started in 1978.
The Fall of El Mirador
Between 150 AD en 250 AD the pre-classic cities of El Mirador were abandoned. Some archeologists give as possible causes drought or a change in their trading patterns.. Others, like Richard Hansen, the leader of the archeology project up at El Mirador states that their decline was self inflicted by a growing need of lime plaster. Every building of El Mirador was coated in a thick layer of this lime plaster. This plaster used up huge amounts of wood. It is calculated that almost 1000 acres of rain forest were needed for one big structure at El Mirador. It is likely that the ever increasing desire for grandeur was the very cause for their fall.
Grupo La Danta, one of the structures of El MiradorIt`s kind of a familiar situation. Only now we`re going at a much faster rate. According to the World Wildlife Fund the Maya Biosphere has lost as much as 70 % of all its forest only in the last 10 years. It`s a sad story because El Mirador is one of the last sections of forests in Central America that can give home to native animals and plants. El Mirador is under threat of destruction by uncontrolled logging, burning, looting and poaching. These are lawless and uncontrolled areas. Of course the cause lies in the poverty that people in surrounded areas live in. Because of lack of opportunities they feel forced to slash and burn agriculture and other destructive activities.
Many believe that the societal collapse of El Mirador may offer the world insight into the great maya collapse of 900 AD. It is possible that El Mirador holds the key to understanding the demise of late classic Mayan civilization.
Practical Information:
Though this place has such an enormous historical importance, the amount of visitors is relatively small. We`re talking about a 1000 tourists a year. The reason for this is that it takes a 67 kilometer hike to get there. This hike is regularly done in 5 or 6 days going up and down. The tour as we offer it in the hostel, and as I would definitely recommend it, is guided by an experienced Guatemalan guide who is a resident of the village ¨La Carmelita¨. These guys have grown up with the jungle as their backyard and they know perfectly how to survive and live in there. Our guide was the 53 years old Jeronimo, a former chiclero. This were the guys who would live in simple camps in the heart of the jungle for 4 months in a row and get the `gum` of the trees, which later is being processed into chewing gum.
Apart from the guide there always goes the so called arriero, this is the man that is responsable for taking the mules on this rough trip. Regularly when you do this tour you walk and all your equipment and clothes are carried by mules and horses. A lot of mules are needed because they also have to carry all the purified water and all the food for the 5 or 6 days.If you are not sure if you are in good enough shape or just in case you can always arrange an extra horse for riding on. We arranged an extra horse in between our whole group. In the end this was an excellent decision because one of us was not feeling well and she could then get some rest riding this horse.
We rented an extra horse in between all of us! Great idea. And you can see much more of the jungle... Be carefull for trees hanging over the path though!
If the group consists of 4 persons or more there will be a third person going which is the guide`s assistant. This assistant mostly helps to cook the food.
What to bring?
Although all food, water and accommodation in tents is provided there are certain things that can make the trip a little easier for you.
The food is basic because of the simple reason that there doesn`t grow fridges on temples and trees :-) It is wise to bring some energy boosters like granola bars or cookies or other yummy stuff you can imagine craving for after 5 days of sweating an stinking in the jungle! Chocolate can be kinda nice!Especially in the dry hot season (which runs from april to july) it can be a good idea to buy a bunch of so called sueros, these are bags of dehydration powder which are available at any self respecting pharmacy!
It is also a good idea to have a good mosquito spray... We sell OFF in the hostel which is one of the strongest available to human kind at this stage of our evolution . -)
Another wise thing to bring is a pair of binoculars. You won`t regret it once you`re on top of la Danta and you can have a close glance of monkeys, toucans and parrots.
Also you might wanna bring good hiking shoes and just a pair of simple slippers. It`s nice and comfortable once you arrive at the camps at night.
Often hikers get blisters. Be sure to bring some cream and plasters and hansaplast. Also bring pills against headache or nausea if you have it. Just in case no?
Bring something for blisters!
If you have a heart for animals you could buy a special powder called Volador. This is a big bag of powder against ticks. The mules and horses are often full of ticks and you`ll help them our a bit of you bring this powder. Besides the thicks won`t be so likely to try out their luck on one of your bodies!What else should you bring? I don`t drink myself but a little shot of rum or tequila around the campfire out in the wild can have its charm. Alcohol or herbs are not provided and you have to get that on your own in advance.
If you have a sleeping bag, bring it. You`ll sleep in tents and the mats are kinda thin... I was wishing I would have brought my sleeping bag!Also bring your camera, a flash light and a good book!
Be aware, it`s no pick nick!
The tour is rough. The best time to go is from January to June because then it`s the dry season. I went within these months twice and I found the whole tour hard enough! The disadvantage of going during the dry season is that it`s extremely hot...But still, it`s way easier as the rain season. I have seen countless pictures of our guests who had to walk through muddy paths and that had to cross rivers up to their waist, who were in the jungle during hurricanes or thunder and storms... Of course afterward these are the best stories and the real adventure IS in the end what we`re all looking for. But still, be aware that it is no pick nick. You are in the middle of the jungle and you should always be aware that unexpected stuff can happen out there and this is on your own risk.
What does this whole trip cost?
Price for 5 days:
1 person $ 350 USD p.p
2 persons $ 270 USD p.p
3 persons $ 230 USD p.p
4 persons $ 215 USD p.p
5 persons or more $ 190 USD p.p
Price for 6 days:
1 person $ 390 USD p.p
2 persons $ 295 USD p.p
3 persons $ 255 USD p.p
4 persons $ 240 USD p.p
5 persons or more $ 215 USD p.p
What is the difference between doing a 5 days tour and a 6 days tour?
5 days:
Doing the 5 days tour you`ll start out at the town of La Carmelita (3 hours distance from Flores) and on day 1 you`ll head out to the camp of El Tintal. Here is where you will spend the first night at the camp. The first day you`ll walk more or less 25 kilometers which under normal conditions should take you 5 hours. (I heard that in the hardcore rain season it took groups up to 9 hours to walk this distance, but that is really and exeption.
On day 2 you`ll continue walking to El Mirador. This is a longer walk which under normal conditions should take you approximately 7 hours. You will spend the night at the camp of El Mirador.
Doing some stretching before the days hike!
On day 3 you`ll have the whole day to explore the ruins of El Mirador... You`ll spend another night at the camp of El Mirador. This is a fairly relaxed and easy going day. How much you wanna walk depends upto you. How much of the site do you wanna see? But you`ll easily walk around 15 kilometers up and down to la Danta and other temples. (don`t forget, we`re talking about the biggest mayan city ever here)
On day 4 you`ll walk back to La Tintal. (another 7 hours under normal conditions)
On day 5 you`ll walk back from La Tintal to La Carmelita. (5 hours under normal conditions) And then another 3 hours back to Flores where you`ll arribe between 16.00 and 18.00.
6 days:
Day one you`ll head out to Carmelita and then start hiking to El Tintal. (again: 5 hours under normal conditions)
Day 1: starting the hike up to El Mirador
Day 2 you`ll walk from El Tintal to El Mirador. (7 hours hike under normal conditions)
Day 3 you`ll spend at El Mirador exploring the site. You`ll spend 2 nights at the camp of El Mirador.
So far the tour is exactly the same as doing the 5 days tour. The difference starts here. Instead of going back the same way, now you`ll continue visiting two new mayan cities. On day 4 you`ll walk for about 5 more hours to Nakbe. (another pre-classic mayan site)
You`ll spend the night at the camp of Nakbe and on day 5 you`ll have to make the longest and hardest hike of all. The hike of all hikes .-0 You`ll have to do the full 40 kilometers through the jungle. Under normal conditions this should be like 9 hours of hiking!
This is the hike from Nakbe to La Florida. You`ll spend the night at La Florida and on day 6 you`ll walk only for 4 more hours (in dry season) back to la Carmelita and then back to Flores.The first time, 2 years ago, I did the six days hike and now in may of 2008 I did the 5 days tour. The advantage of the 6 days is that you`ll go in a circle and don`t go back exactly the same way and that you`ll see two new mayan sites. The disadvantage is that it`s a harder tour. Especially this fifth day.
Flora and fauna:
Mirador is home to a very diversified and exotic flora and fauna. Mirador is home to 5 of the 6 species of cats found in Guatemala and is the largest Jaguar preserve in Central America with an estimate of 500 to 600 jaguars living in the dense forests.
El Mirador is known to posses between 7 and 10 % of all known forms of live and 17 % of all terrestrial species. The region is among the most biologically diverse on the planet.
Trees:
In the jungle of Guatemala you can find among others the following tree types:
Strangler fig, Spanish Cedar, Mahogany (Caoba) , Breadnut (Ramon) ,Copal Tree, Gumbo Limbo, Ceiba and Allspice (Pimienta)
Reptiles, spiders and snakes
The jungle is home to the following animals among many others:
Tarantula, Black widow, Brown recluse, Slenderbrown scorpion, Stingless bee, Morpho butterfly, , Leaf cutting ant, Yellow bearded snake (barba amarilla), coral snake,and these birds: Rainbow billed Toucan, Collared Aracari, Scarlet Macaw and the Oscillated Turkey.
And the following mammals:
Vampire bat, brocket deer, White tailed deer, Pacas Tayra, Agoutis, Gray fox Kinkajou
Tapir, black howler monkey, Spider monkey, Jaguarundi, Jaguar, Puma, Margay Cat, Ocelot and pisotes.
Which animals do you actually see on the tour?
Likely to see are the jaguar. No just kidding. Our guide has been in the jungle for 27 years and he only saw the jaguar twice. The guardian at El Mirador, Patrocinio, once saw a mother jaguar that was learning her two little babies to hunt near the top of the highest pyramid ¨La Danta¨.But back to us... you`re likely to spot the Spider Monkey, Howler Monkey, Toucan, Parrot, Gray Fox, Deer, Vampire bat, some cats, the pisote, the turkey, the tarantula spider, a scorpion, beautiful butterflies, ants and if you`re lucky or unlucky a snake or two. One of the travelers in our group, (I won`t put any names or pictures .-) was taking a pee near some dead branches and just a meter in front of this person a snake crawled out.
A spider monkey is teasing us and throwing branches at us. There is a whole group playing in the trees high above us.
The adventure begins:
We`ve just arrived at La Carmelita. An older gray man, Jeronimo, who is gonna be our guide, immediately starts packing up all the water and the food and water on the backs of the 5 mules that have been patiently waiting for us under the shade of a nearby tree.
We sit down in front of the simple wooden hut. This is the residents of the Machucas.. 5 brothers that are all working as guides for the tours to El Mirador...After half an hour, Jeronimo, our guide, starts walking over the dusty dry path that leads into the virgin jungle: our home for the next 5 days.
It`s hot. Well over 30 degrees. Bageley, my dog, runs in between the front man of the group and the arriero who is walking with the mules at the back. He easily runs twice the distance as we do. Bageley already did this tour twice. 2 years ago with me and the first time with the canadian writer Kevin who was his original owner.
Our group consists of 7 persons. Ina and Michael from Denmark, the Australian couple Stan and Daisy, Sean from the US, the Belgium Allan and me. Being together out here is a great way to really get to know someone.
The sun has gotten to us... Allan and me are joking around in the jungle! In this video I am reporting Santa Claus who is passing through on his way to El Mirador.
We stop in the shade for some lunch. White bread with mermelade, cheese or tuna... And a mango... Everything tastes so much better in nature...Two more hours to walk. Bageley is running less and less. We stop often to give him more water. As we get near to the camp we notice that the dog is getting exhausted. He stops and lies down every 10 minutes... Luckily enough we`re close now.
As we reach the first camp, at El Tintal, our guide Jeronimo, immediately starts making a camp fire and unpacking the sacks of the mules.
I walk down a small path with Stan and Bageley to a nearby swamp where they build a little platform where one can bath. The cold water feels sooo good... I pull Bageley in the water so he can cool off a bit. He hasn`t moved a bit since we arrived and doesn`t even touch his dog candy bones. I realize that he has become older. He now has to pay the price of the good hostel life and all the fat left overs of the restaurant he so happily eats! I start realizing that I will have to leave him behind in this first camp untill we come back past here in 3 days.Bageley has gotten older over the years. I have to leave him behind at the first camp.
After bathing we climb the ruins of La Danta to see the sun go down. We`re right on time and a bright orange balls dissolves with the clouds in the distance. The guardian shows to a little peak in the far distance that rises out of the green carpet in front of us: El Mirador, our main destination.
We walk back right before darkness. Jeronimo already has finished our meal. It`s vegetables with pasta and seperately some chicken. The old man is a hard worker. This is now his third tour in a row... He has been going up and down without stopping for 3 weeks he tells me. I wonder, how do they do it. Just surrender like that without any complaints... Taking full joy it seems in serving others. If you would look up the word humble in the dictionary you would probably find a picture of Jeronimo...He just stands aside and waits patiently for us to finish our food. We repeatedly ask him to join us, but he kindly refuses. ¨You eat first, don`t worry about me, I`ll take what is left¨. There is nothing we can do to change his mind. This guy is working 3 times as hard as us and only sees that we are fine.
At night Allan opens a bottle of whiskey he brought... The flames dance happily before our eyes...
Early in the morning. I shared my tent with Allan. It`s quite small tents. The mats are very thin and I feel my back ache. I don`t dare complaining however because our guide has been up already for hours. The eggs and frijoles are ready and he even picked pimiento (allspice) leaves and made tea for us.
Having dinner at La Tintal
Today we will have to walk 7 hours. Approximately 35 kilometers. We fill our bottles and start walking. It`s hard to really look into the jungle. The narrow path is covered with branches and stumps and one needs full concentration for walking here.
The path is covered with roots and stumps. Here I just saw this beautiful naked woman walking in front of me. I caught her on video!
After a couple of hours the walking becomes like a meditation, like a rhythm or a flow. You just keep going. The trick is really in the mind. Once you set your mind to the idea that you`re tired and once you start craving for the destination, you pull yourself out of this flow and start suffering! It`s like this with all of life. The key is just to surrender to what is here! I often look at our guide Jeronimo. Living in the jungle for almost 30 years in hardcore conditions he knows all about it!After a while the walking becomes like a flow. You just keep going!
45 more minutes to go. We see a sign ¨El Mirador¨. From here on everything is already part of the city of El Mirador. We see little mountains of stone covered by trees and earth. Each of this mountains has a tunnel dug out in it. This is the reality for all of the mayan temples. They all have been exploited by looters in the search for Jade, pottery and other sculptures.
Our group taking a bath
I spoke to a Polish Archeologist a month ago and he told me that 98 % of all Mayan artifacts are stolen by looters. Even if they get recovered later, the damage has already been done. He explained me that the most important aspect for an archeologist is not the artefact itself but the context it is found in. This is what makes you understand a culture.
Soon we see a beautifull temple complex, La Muerta. It looks so mysterious, all hidden there in the jungle. There is a little tunnel leading into this ruins to underground chambers. Allan and I head in. Creepy large spiders, according to Jeronimo these are family of the tarantula, are stuck to the walls. I freak out when a bath starts flying up and down... And I even scream when a grey rat climbs up at the end of this dark hall to a little window... We all run back to the exit as the rat jumps on the ground and heads in our direction.
Allan at Grupo La Muerta
Allan coming out of the underground tunnel at La Muerta
The last kilometers. We come across dozens of these little hills. Most of them are covered by earth but it doesn`t take a genius to guess that these are all ruins!
We reach the camp... A big grass field with two simple houses on it. This is were the guardians of the sites live. The stay out at El Mirador for 40 days and then rest for 10 days...
Having fun taking pictures with my glasses
This is the result! He looks like a complete dork! haha
And Jeronimo looks like Larry King!
Again we head down to a swamp near the camp and throw the cold water over our overheated bodies. It`s getting late and we want to see the sunset at El Tigre, the second most high temples of El Mirador. La Danta is about an hour walk and we`re tired.. El Tigre is just 15 minutes distance from our camp.
We set up the tents and make the climb up to the Tigre, which must be like 65 meters high!
What a libertating view. What a freedom to just look 360 degrees around and see nothing but green vivid trees way down below! We hear the howler monkeys in the distance and parrots happily scream as they fly over. On a death branch at 50 distance a Toucan follows our example and watches the sun set!
Michael is climbing the last steps up to the pyramid of El Tigre
We watch the sunset from El Tigre. It`s crowded because another group has just arrived at El Mirador.
I close my eyes and just meditate for a while... Try to feel this place, to be absorbed by it, to extend my senses and truly see and hear the magic of it!
The next morning we explore El Mirador. Patrocinio, one of the guardians of the place, takes us around. Though he has no diploma, after having worked out here in El Mirador for over 30 years, he is a true expert on the site and knows all about the archeology. He reads the glyphs on the estellas and shows us all the secrets of the place! This is really the guy you need to talk to when you arrive at the camp. Patrocinio. He`ll be happy to show you around because the mayan culture is truly his passion.
Patrocinio, this is the guy you need to see when you reach El Mirador
We walk on a large mayan calzada. (path build by the mayan) We come across a long long hill, which (as Patrocinio explains to us) was the wall that separated the city in two parts.. The western complex and the eastern complex. We`re following the long calzada to the east to La Danta...
Groups of spidermonkeys are observing us on our way to La Danta
Archeologists have cleared away a part of the first steps to the platform. The base of La Danta is 600 meters long. If you would see it uncovered it would have big red stairs all around it leading up to the next platforms.
When we reach the third platform we start climbing La Danta. I can see that the archeologists have done an amazing job in the past two years. New parts of La Danta are uncovered, huge masks are visible and new strong wooden stairs have been build which make the climb to the top easier.
The view is incredible. The height of La Danta is according to many books 72 meters high but recently archeologists remeasured the building and they measured the pyramid to be 78 meters high.
The view from La Danta is amazing.
A fresh breeze careses our faces and the female energies among us, Ina and Daisy, start playing and building their own mini mayan civilisation...
Soon a whole new civilisation is born... But it is not ment to last very long... A huge rock destroys the mini-mayas and leaves nothing but a happy memory behind... Just like this place where we`re sitting now...
The girls build a new civilisation, the mini-mayas
Only the mayan spirits would know the incredible story that must have taken place here. Wheter you believe in spirits or not... strange things happen out here in El Mirador and basically at all Mayan sites.
The last time I went up here two people of our group heard a voice and strange sounds as they descended the temples. They entered the camp white and with goose bumps. (is that the right word?)
We asked Jeronimo about it and he started telling a funny story about a Japanese guy who slept by himself on top of El Tigre and in the middle of the night he came running down from the temple and stated that someone had been throwing small rocks on him. Three times...
When we asked Patrocinio and his mates about these strange stories they said that this is a completely normal situation for them. They very often hear the echos of the mayas (as they call them) that are according to them stored in the stones.
Interesting is that I have done a little survey in mayan sites like Yaxha, Tikal, Tintal, Nakbe and others and that all the guardians who are out in the jungle for longer times say the same thing and have had similar experiences. In Nakbe for example they regularly see a small green light moving up and down near the ruins.In Yaxha, the guides who bring you after dark to the Island of Topochten don`t come along because they don`t want to disturb the spirits, as they believe.
Well... Everyone needs to decide for themselves what they believe in... There is no hard proof but listening to those stories up at El Mirador for sure makes the place extra mysterious and magical... Again... Patrocinio is the guy you wanna talk to. He`s been up there for over 30 years!
Later that day we visit the ruins of La Pava, El Templo de los monos and again El Tigre for sunset.
Back in camp Jeronimo has prepared another feast and we enjoy his famous pasta with flower tortilla. The rest of the group decides to sleep on top of El Tigre but I decide to stay down at the camp with Umberto and Jeronimo. I slept there 2 years ago and the rocks can be very hard and I want to be fit for the way back!
One of the guys, sleeping on top of the temple!
The rest of the group spend the night on top of El Tigre
Jeronimo, Umberto and me are sitting around the fire and they share their wild jungle adventures with me.
The next morning we have pancakes. Our guides got up at 2.00 am to prepare them. Incredible...
Now we can head back to El Tintal and meet Bageley again. For 2 persons in our group it`s gonna be a though day. Michael and Sean are not feeling to well. Michael decides to ride the horse for this day... This can be like a torture because after 2 hours of riding on the back of a horse it starts hurting terribly. But he doesn`t have much of a choice. He`s drained of all his energy.
We reach La Tintal around 16.00. It was a tough day. Bageley coms running out of the jungle and is crying out of happyness to see us. Thank God, he looks much better.
Daisy is riding the mule
The last day... Only 5 more hours to go back to La Carmelita. Ina is feeling very sick... She`ll have to ride the horse all day now. Michael is better.
Since we used up most of our supplies there is an extra horse free. I go mounted for most of the day. The horse is kinda wild and crazy... I click my heels and it gallops out at full speed through the jungle. It`s going like crazy.
The guide tells me to be carefull because the horse could trip and fall on me. I should have taken him more seriously. After galloping for a while I feel quite a cowboy and suddenly the horse starts making kicks in the air and I jump up and down from it. I can barely hold on...
My crazy wild horse
After I calm down I try to take it easy but the horse is probably still in the mood and starts galloping again. We approach some branches and it trips and I am convinced it will fall on top of me. But in the last second the horse stops and arises...
The last day! Just a few more hours to go...
We continue slowly the last part. Ina is getting worse and worse and riding a horse for so long is really painful.
Ina is not feeling to well. She`s even looking a bit green .-)
We`re lucky however. 15 kilometers from La Carmelita there are two 4 by 4 pick ups that are checking the jungle for fires.... They have space for Ina. I walk to the other car and luckily me and Bageley can go in the back of the pickup with 5 other local guys.
Bageley had gotten exhausted again and we had to stop every 5 minutes to give him water. I am sure he wouldn`t have made it much longer...
We pass the rest of the group that was about 5 kilometers ahead of us. Daisy is also tired and comes with us! The rest of the guys wanna finish the tour Rambo style and are determined to walk the last 10 kilometers!
We`re sitting with a cold coke and a bag of chips at the porch of the machuca family and after an hour 3 stinking, sweating guys come walking towards us on the same dusty path where this whole adventure had begun!
Back in Flores, the group has a ice cold beer in the lake at sunset!
