DOS PILAS - EL
DUENDE - ARROYO DE PIEDRA - CEIBAL - aguateca - PUNTA DE CHIMINO
SEASON:ALL YEAR ROUND
CLASS: Advance
MIN. AGE: 10 years
Star Wars CODE: DOS4
Sites Visited: Dos Pilas, Arroyo de Piedra, El Duende, Ceibal, Aguateca,
Punta de Chimino
No. Days Places visited Where stay
1 Flight Flores/ Sayaxche / Aguateca Islas de Chimino
2 Arroyo de Piedra/Dos Pilas/El duende Camp
3 Dos Pilas / Punta de Chimino Islas de Chimino
4 Ceibal / Flores / Guatemala
Known as the Star Wars of the Maya, the sites in
the Lake Petexbatún region have brought fascinating new light
to the ways of the Maya and possible reasons for the great civilizations
collapse. As the Venus glyph combined with a hatchet reads war;
we can picture the warring cities closely tying their auspicious
wars with the alignment of the stars and planets.
You travel to the trading town of Sayaxche, a starting
point for this adventure. We then transfer and go by boat through
La Pasion River, visiting the First stop at the majestic site of
Aguateca, where you begin to hear the howler monkeys, even though
it sounds like they are only a few feet away, they can be as far
as one mile away, and they sound like roaring tigers.
Overnight in an Eco-lodge on Petexbatun Lake. The
next morning you visit three recently excavated sites, Arroyo de
Piedra, Dos Pilas, and El Duende. Camp overnight right inside the
ruins. The jungle completely surrounds our tents.
The following morning you walk back to the lodge
where you can fish, swim or simply relax the afternoon away.
After Breakfast, board boat for our visit to the
mysterious site of Ceibal, navigate through Petexbatun Lake for
this thrilling and mysterious adventure. The afternoon finds us
to our return to Flores to finish this unique trip.
Combine this adventure with the remoteness of the
sites of Piedras
Negras and Yaxchilan, set deep within the rainforest as part
of the Maya Biosphere Reserve.
Piedras Negras is now being restored by a team
of archaeologists in a five year project.
Petexbatun Area: Dos Pilas, Ceibal, Aguateca and
Punta de Chimino
Detailed Itinerary:
DAY 1 GUATEMALA / SAYAXCHE / aguateca / PETEXBATUN
Breakfast on your own, 6:00 am transfer to airport to board short
air flight to Santa Elena, Petén. Transfer overland to the
frontier town of Sayaxche, on the banks of the río Pasión.
Board outboard boat for short trip to the Lake Petexbatun to explore
the intriguing ruins of Aguateca. Lunch en route. All afternoon
to walk in the protected jungle, visit the plazas and experience
the natural cliff boundaries that eventually lead to it's demise.
Return to boat for short trip to jungle lodge and dinner.
DAY 2 PETEXBATUN /ARROYO DE PIEDRA / DOS PILAS
/ EL DUENDE
Breakfast, board native cayuco for short trip to the disembarkation
to the ruins of Dos Pilas.* Trek through the jungle to reach this
remote site, (approx: 4 hours; - horses available upon request-
$10.00 extra), exploring the adjacent site of Arroyo de Piedra on
the way. Time permitting we will visit the farther ruins of Tamarindito.
Our pace is leisurely, to ensure the complete appreciation of the
lush and wild surroundings. After a refreshing bath in what gives
this ruin its name, we have lunch and begin our exploration. All
afternoon devoted to studying the, as yet un restored, important
sites of Dos Pilas and neighboring, El Duende. Dinner and camp within
the ruins.
Day 3 DOS PILAS / PETEXBATUN
Early breakfast, and further exploration of the ruins. 11 AM departure
for hike back to awaiting cayuco. Return to previous accommodations
on Lake Petexbatun and lunch. Afternoon visit of the newly discovered
site of Punta de Chimino. Dinner and accommodations on the lake's
shore.
Day 4 PETEXBATUN / CEIBAL / FLORES / GUATEMALA
Breakfast, board boat for upstream travel to the site of Ceibal.
All morning at the site to study the unusual stelae and experience
the surrounding rainforest's flora and fauna. Return to Sayaxche
for overland transfer to Flores for afternoon flight to Guatemala
City. Lunch en route. |