AT THE LAMANAI RUINS MASK TEMPLE ON THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 14, 2024, ORANGE WALK DISTRICT, BELIZE.

Belize:  A Birding and Mayan Ruins Trip

Prologue

There were times during the Summer of 2024, that I thought the Fall Birding trip with TOS I had booked in February of that year, was indeed, wishful thinking.   When I booked the trip, I had received the bad news that my prostate cancer had tripled in size and had to be dealt with.  Perhaps I knew in my subconscious mind that I needed something to look forward to.  Something that would help me get past the pain and misery that I experienced after my HIFU procedure in April, 2024.  Needless to say, I was delighted when I began to recover in late June of that year and was able to plan a hiking trip for late September and then go on the TOS birding trip in November.  Since I had always wanted to visit some of the Mayan ruins in Central America, I booked extra time after the TOS trip so I could do exactly that.  The birding trip itinerary had to be altered because of  Tropical Storm Sara, but, as you will read in the blog below, it all worked out well in the end. 

GETTING THERE


Getting to Belize was a piece of cake.  I flew out of Houston Hobby on Wednesday, November 13. 2024.  My flight left just before 11:00 a.m. and a little over two hours later we were landing in Belize.  Customs and immigration was a breeze, and in short order I was boading a comfortable van headed for the first leg of our journey to Lamanai Outpost Lodge.  We took the Northern Highway and arrived at the Lamanai Outpost Ecotours landing and dock a little after 3:00 p.m.  After a comfort break, we headed south on the New River, bound for the Lodge.

OUR MAIN GUIDE EDUARDO EXPLAINS OUR ROUTE ON THE NEW RIVER TO THE LODGE.
PREPARING TO BOARD OUR BOAT AND HEAD DOWN THE NEW RIVER TO THE LODGE.
YOURS TRULY, ENJOYING OUR BOAT RIDE TO THE LAMANAI OUTPOST LODGE.

We stopped often to bird watch and enjoyed a leisurely boatride.  As the sun was setting we arrived at Lamanai Outpost and by 6:00 p.m. I was comfortably resting in Cabin #4, my home for the next six nights.  

WE ENJOYED A BEAUTIFUL BELIZE SUNSET AS WE NEARED THE LODGE.
WE ARRIVE SAFELY AT THE LAMANAI OUTPOST LODGE DOCK.

MY BELIZE LODGES & HOTEL

Tropical Storm Sara Causes a Change in Plans…

Our original itinerary had us staying at the Lamanai Outpost Lodge for four nights (Wednesday, November 13, 2024 through Saturday night, November 16, 2024), then moving to Black Rock Lodge to spend the next three nights.  I had made arrangements to stay at Black Rock Lodge an additional three nights, hoping to see more Mayan Ruins (Tikal, Xunantunich, Caracol, and Cahal Pech).  Unfortunately, Tropical Storm Sara had other plans.  The storm dropped a huge amount of rainfall on the Cayo District, causing severe flooding in San Ignacio and surrounding areas.  The Mopan and Macal Rivers (Black Rock Lodge is right on this river) experienced extreme flooding and made it impossible for our group to make it to Black Rock Lodge as scheduled.  So we stayed an extra two nights at Lamanai, then traveled to Belize City on Tuesday November 19, 2024, where we spent the night at the Fort George Hotel.  The rest of our group flew home the next morning, while I traveled up to Black Rock Lodge where I spent the the next three nights before flying home on Saturday, November 23, 2024.  Following I hope to give you an idea of what each of the Lodges was like during my stay.  

Lamanai Outpost Lodge, Orange Walk District

 

Situated right next to the Lamanai Archaeological Reserve, the Lamanai Outpost Lodge occupies a hill overlooking the New River Lagoon.  There are certainly worse places on the planet to wait out a tropical storm!  My cabin was spacious, rustic, and quite comfortable.  The common areas of the Lodge were open aired and offered views of the lovely gardens and dense jungle habitat that surrounds the main building.  Lots of space to congregate as a group or just relax and watch the birds.  The staff was friendly, attentive, gracious, and seemed to genuinely care about the comfort of their guests.  The food was plentiful, and delicious.  Since I am in fact a grouchy old man, I can usually find plenty to complain about–  but that is not the case with this jewel in the jungle.  I would love to take my grandchildren there some day!

THE MAIN GATE AT LAMANAI OUTPOST LODGE SEPARATES THE GROUNDS FROM THE SMALL SETTLEMENT OF INDIAN CHURCH.
THE COMFORTABLE LOUNGE AND BAR AREA IS WHERE WE MET EACH NIGHT BEFORE DINNER TO GO OVER OUR BIRD SIGHTINGS FOR THE DAY.
THE COFFEE BAR WAS MY FIRST STOP EACH MORNING. THE STAFF ALSO PUT OUT MUFFINS EACH MORNING TO HOLD US OVER UNTIL BREAKFAST.
DINNER SERVED BY CANDLELIGHT WAS A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO END THE DAY (UNLESS WE WERE GOING OUT TO LOOK FOR NIGHT BIRDS!)
LOOKING OUT OVER THE GARDENS AT THE SUNSET OVER THE NEW RIVER LAGOON, AS SEEN FROM THE DINING AREA.
THE MENU AND A LIST OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE DAY WAS POSTED EACH MORNING NEAR THE RECEPTION AREA OF THE LODGE.
THE PATH LEADING TO MY CABIN, CABIN #4.
WE ENJOYED SOME BEAUTIFUL SUNSETS ONCE THE TROPICAL STORM WAS OUT OF THE WAY!

A Night in Belize City at Fort George, Belize District

On the morning of Tuesday, November 19, 2024, we said our good-byes to our friends at Lamanai Outpost Lodge and headed to Belize City, where we spent the night at the Fort George Hotel.  We returned to Belize City just like we got there–   a boatride from the Lodge, then a van ride heading south on the Northern Highway.  We stopped several times along the way to watch birds.  Perhaps the most memorable stop was near the Belikin Brewery (where we had lunch) on the northern outskirts of the city, where we watched a majestic Jabiru.  We also spent a couple of hours birding the ponds and waterways of  the Caribbean Shrimp Company organic shrimp farm.  

YOURS TRULY AT THE BELIKIN BREWERY, WHERE WE STOPPED FOR LUNCH ON THE WAY INTO BELIZE CITY.
THE JABIRU WE WATCHED ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF BELIZE CITY ON THE AFTERNOON OF NOVEMBER 19, 2024.

The Fort George Hotel was right downtown and quite nice, as you might expect from a hotel that for many years was a Radisson flagship property.  There were a surprizing number of birds just a short walk from the hotel, as well as an alley full of local arts and craft vendors.  We had our last dinner as a group in the hotel dining room and it was a wonderful meal!

MY SECOND FLOOR ROOM WAS REACHED BY A VERY FAST ELEVATOR, AND WAS QUITE SPACIOUS AND WELL APPOINTED.
MY ROOM AT FORT GEORGE OPENED ONTO A SPACIOUS BALCONY/DECK OVERLOOKING THE POOL AND THE NEARBY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE CARRIBEAN SEA WAS JUST A SHORT WALK FROM THE HOTEL. AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, LOTS OF GULLS AND SHOREBIRDS AROUND THIS AREA.
THERE WAS A SMALL FLOCK OF MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRDS CIRCLING NEAR THE HOTEL. THIS ONE WAS A MALE, AS YOU CAN SEE HE HAS A RED POUCH ON HIS THROAT. MAJESTIC BIRDS TO WATCH, AND A NEW BIRD FOR ME!

Black Rock Lodge, Cayo District


Roque, one of the guides from Black Rock Lodge, picked me up bright and early at the Fort George and we headed southwest on the George Price Highway toward San Ignacio in the Cayo District. We hadn’t gone very far before we spotted a new bird for me, a Short-tailed Hawk, perched on a tree a little distance from the roadway.   I took this as a good omen for the rest of my trip.  

I WAS QUITE PROUD TO HAVE SPOTTED THIS SHORT-TAILED HAWK FROM THE GEORGE PRICE HIGHWAY OUTSIDE OF BELIZE CITY. SEE THE BIRDS SECTION OF THIS BLOG FOR BETTER PHOTOS OF THIS BIRD.

I had made arrangements with the Lodge to stop in San Ignacio and visit the Cahal Pech Ruins on our drive out.  We reached the ruins a little after 10:00 a.m. and spent several hours there.  See the Ruins section of this blog for more details and photos of Cahal Pech.

ROQUE AT CAHAL PECH IN SAN IGNACIO. HE GREW UP MINUTES FROM THE SITE AND I COULD SENSE THAT THIS WAS INDEED A SACRED PLACE IN HIS LIFE. VERY MOVING TO VISIT THIS SPECIAL PLACE WITH THIS YOUNG MAN.

After our visit to Cahal Pech, Roque took me to his favorite little food stand for lunch…not real sure what it was, but it was delicious.  As we drove through San Ignacio, Roque pointed out the swollen rivers in general, and the the Mopan River in particular, and the closed ferry to the Xunantunich Mayan Ruins access road which still was not safe to operate.  We came to the turn off to the Lodge and the sign indicated there were seven more miles to go. 

ONLY SEVEN MORE MILES TO GO UNTIL WE GET TO THE LODGE.

For the next 5 miles we birded the fields, orchards, and woods along the road.  Soon we reached the part of the road that was still flooded and impassable.  To get to the Lodge we first parked and carried my luggage over a small suspension foot bridge that got us to the other side of a swollen, fast running creek.  We then walked through a citrus grove to a point where the main access road reappeared and was passable.  Roque handed me off to another Lodge employee who drove me the final two miles along the Macal River to the Lodge.  We passed a number of large waterfalls, one of which was actually falling on about half of the road–  an exciting adventure for this old man!

ROQUE AND HENRY TAKING MY LUGGAGE ACROSS THE SUSPENSION FOOT BRIDGE. THIS WAS THE ONLY WAY TO THE ROAD THAT LED TO THE LODGE.
YOURS TRULY, STANDING NEAR THE LARGEST OF THE WATERFALLS ON THE ACCESS ROAD TO BLACK ROCK LODGE. THIS PHOTO WAS ACTUALLY TAKEN TWO DAYS AFTER I FIRST PASSED THROUGH THIS AREA-- THE WATERFALLS AND RIVER WERE STILL RUNNING QUITE HIGH AND STRONG.

Here is a little video that I made one of the times that we drove through the largest of the waterfalls.  It is my hope that it will give you some sense of what it was like to traverse that road to get to the Lodge. 

Once safely at the Lodge, I got checked in and a very nice young lady named Kellie spent about fifteen minutes of “orientation”, which culminated in her taking me to Cabin #5, where I stayed for the next three nights.  My experiences at the Lodge and with the staff over the next few days left me with one conclusion–  this is best run facility of this type that I have ever had the good fortune to visit.  The staff was impeccably polite and attentive, and truly made me feel like I was the most important guest at the Lodge.  Although deep in the jungle and having just experienced Tropical Storm Sara, the facilities were sparkling clean and exceptional.  My photos don’t do this special place justice.  If you ever have the opportunity to stay at Black Rock Lodge, I would highly recommend that you do so!  

CABIN 5, HIDDEN IN THE JUNGLE, HIGH ABOVE THE MACAL RIVER-- PERFECT!
CABIN #5 WAS PERFECT FOR MY NEEDS.
SOMEONE PUT IN SOME SERIOUS EFFORT ON THIS BEAUTIFUL TOWEL SCULPTURE THAT GRACED MY BED.
HEADING UP TO THE MAIN LODGE BUILDING FROM THE TRAILS DOWN BY THE RIVER.
ONE OF A NUMBER OF FEEDERS NEAR THE MAIN LODGE BUILDING. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GO FAR TO BIRD WATCH!
WITH CAMERON BOYD, THE OWNER OF BLACK ROCK LODGE. THANK YOU CAMERON!

THE BIRDS I MET ON THIS TRIP

I met 22 new bird species on my Belize Trip.  As is usual on trips like this, I met quite a few new birds that I could not get a decent photo of —  I do not include these species on my life list.  And, as you might expect, I saw a number of birds that were already on my list, but still very exciting and gratifying to watch.  There is no doubt the bad weather associated with Tropical Storm Sara had a negative effect on our birding results.  There were many periods of heavy rain which caused the birds to hunker down and seek shelter.  And, there is no doubt in my mind that stronger than normal winds and unusual barometric pressures associated with the storm had a negative impact on our birding endeavors on this trip.  While Belize is quite small and lacks the diversity of  habitat found in countries like Costa Rica, it is still a treat to spend time there birding —  just don’t expect the variety and numbers that you may have experienced in larger, more diverse countries.  Here are the new birds I added to my life list, sorted by location.  Each new bird is linked to a gallery of my photos and information about the species on eBird.  

Lamanai Outpost, Orange Walk District

I experienced eight new bird species during this part of my trip to Belize, as follows:  Red-lored Amazon (Amazona autumnalis), Yellow-throated Euphonia (Euphonia hirundinacea); Yellow-backed Oriole (Icterus chrysater); Ivory-billed Woodcreeper (Xiphorhynchus flavigaster); Melodious Blackbird (Dives dives);  American Pygmy Kingfisher (Chloroceryle aenea); Yellow-winged Tanager (Thraupis abbas); and White-tailed Hawk (Geranoaetus albicaudatus). 

THE RED-LORED AMAZON WAS A COMMON BIRD TO SEE IN BELIZE, BUT THEY WERE USUALLY UP HIGH IN THE TOP OF TREES AND DIFFICULT TO PHOTOGRAPH.
ALWAYS HAPPY TO ADD A NEW ORIOLE TO MY LIFE LIST -- A YELLOW-BACKED ORIOLE AT LAMANAI OUTPOST LODGE.
THIS COLORFUL FEMALE AMERICAN PYGMY KINGFISHER THAT WE SAW ON THE NEW RIVER WAS A TREAT TO WATCH.
I FOUND THAT YELLOW-WINGED TANAGERS WERE VERY COMMON IN BELIZE. I CAUGHT THIS ONE RIGHT AFTER HE FOUND HIS LUNCH!

Fort George Hotel, Belize City


I saw two new bird species during my brief stay at the Fort George Hotel on the evening of November 19, 2024, as follows:  Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) and Cinnamon Hummingbird (Amazilia rutile).

THERE SEEMED TO BE A NEVER ENDING PARADE OF MAGNIFICENT FRIGATE BIRDS CIRCLING HIGH ABOVE MY HOTEL IN BELIZE CITY.

Black Rock Lodge, Cayo District

 

I experienced twelve new bird species during this portion of my trip, as follows: Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo brachyurus);  Dusky-capped Flycatcher (Myiarchus tuberculifer);  Scaly-breasted Hummingbird (Phaeochroa cuvierii); Short-billed Pigeon (Patagioenas nigrirostris); Wedge-billed Woodcreeper (Glyphorynchus spirurus); Northern Schiffornis (Schiffornis veraepacis);  Olivaceous Woodcreeper (Sittasomus griseicapillus); White-winged Becard (Pachyramphus polychopterus); Morelet’s Seedeater (Sporophila morelleti); Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle  (Spizaetus melanoleucus); Eye-ringed Flatbill (Rhynchocyclus brevirostris);  and King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa).

THIS SCALY-BREASTED HUMMINGBIRD WAS QUITE COOPERATIVE AND PROVIDED ME WITH A NUMBER OF GOOD LOOKS.
THIS WHITE-WINGED BECARD HAD JUST CAUGHT LUNCH WHEN I SPOTTED HIM AND TOOK THIS PHOTO.
I SAW THIS EYE-RINGED FLATBILL FLYCATCHER AT BLACK ROCK LODGE AND WAS DELIGHTED TO ADD IT TO MY LIFE LIST.
BLACK-AND-WHITE HAWK-EAGLE IN FLIGHT. THIS IS PROBABLY THE RAREST OF THE BIRDS I SAW ON MY TRIP TO BELIZE.
IT MADE MY DAY TO BE ABLE TO WATCH THIS KING VULTURE AT BLACK ROCK LODGE.

A few more bird photos from my trip.  None of these were new birds for me, but they are some of my favorite pics from this trip.

 

BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE IN COSTA RICA AND BRAZIL, I THOUGHT I WOULD SEE A LARGE VARIETY OF TOUCANS, BUT I DID NOT. THE KEEL-BILLED TOUCAN WAS THE ONLY SPECIES (OTHER THAN COLLARED ARACARI) THAT I SAW.
A COUPLE OF THE MANY COLLARED ARACARIS THAT I SAW DURING MY VISIT TO BLACK ROCK LODGE.
AT BLACK ROCK LODGE, SHORTLY AFTER THEY SET OUT FRUIT IN THE MORNING, LARGE GROUPS OF COLLARED ARACARIS WOULD SWOOP IN AND GO TO WORK. THESE THREE WERE PART OF ONE SUCH GROUP.
ONE OF THE STUNNING MALE GREEN HONEYCREEPERS I WATCHED AT BLACK ROCK LODGE IN BELIZE.
I ALWAYS ENJOY WATCHING LARGE, COLORFUL WOODPECKERS, LIKE THIS IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER ALONG THE NEW RIVER IN BELIZE.
ONE OF A NUMBER OF BLACK-COWLED ORIOLES THAT I WATCHED IN BELIZE.
A RED-LEGGED HONEYCREEPER IN BELIZE.
BROAD-WINGED HAWKS WERE COMMON IN BELIZE.
A YELLOW-THROATED EUPHONIA IN BELIZE.
AN OLIVE-BACKED EUPHONIA IN BELIZE.
A BEAUTIFUL GARTERED TROGON IN BELIZE.
A FEMALE SLATY-TAILED TROGON IN BELIZE.
I SAW A NUMBER OF LONG-BILLED HERMIT HUMMINGBIRDS AROUND THE BLACK ROCK LODGE.
I HAD FUN WATCHING THIS YELLOW WARBLER FORAGING IN SOME BUSHES BEHIND IN ARTISAN'S ALLEY IN DOWNTOWN BELIZE CITY.
A BEAUTIFUL BLACK-CHEEKED WOODPECKER AT BLACK ROCK LODGE IN BELIZE.
THE ONLY MOTMOT I SAW IN BELIZE WAS THIS LESSON'S MOTMOT NEAR THE ROAD TO BLACK ROCK LODGE IN BELIZE.
I SAW LOTS OF YELLOW-WINGED TANAGERS IN BELIZE, INCLUDING THIS LOVELY LITTLE BIRD AT THE FEEDER OFF THE MAIN DECK AT BLACK ROCK LODGE.

THE MAYAN RUINS

When I first planned this trip I had grand visions of visiting as many Mayan sites as possible.  Due to Tropical Storm Sara, I was only able to visit three sites:  Lamanai, Cahal Pech, and Tikal.  In retrospect, these three magical places were more than sufficient to give me a sense of the Mayan culture and present day remains of that culture.  Below is a brief discussion and some photos of each site.  Realistically, I doubt that I will ever visit another Mayan site, but the places I visited on this trip provided me with a glimpse into the Mayan world, and I am most grateful to have had that experience.  

LAMANAI, THE SUBMERGED CROCODILE


Our small group spent most of November 14, 2024, at the Lamanai site, just a short boat ride from our lodge.  Our visit began at the Museum, which was very nice, and provided an excellent overview of the history of the site and the people who built it and lived there for many generations.  From the museum, we navigated our way through the jungle  to the Mask Temple, which will forever be burned into my mind as the Mayan ruin that most vividly represents the remarkable Mayan culture.  The two monumental masks at the base of the structure were carved from limestone and were worth the effort and expense of this trip.  I will never forget the Mask Temple at Lamanai and the feelings that it inspired within me that day. 

WE DEPARTED OUR BOAT AND MADE OUR WAY ONTO THE BEAUTIFUL GROUNDS AT LAMANAI. OUR GUIDE EDUARDO WAS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT HIS ANCESTORS AND THE MONUMENTS THEY LEFT BEHIND.
THE LAMANAI MUSEUM WAS OUR FIRST STOP AND PROVIDED US WITH A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF THIS MEMORABLE MAYAN SITE.
YOURS TRULY, BRIGHT-EYED AND BUSHY-TAILED AT THE LAMANAI MUSEUM.
AFTER OUR VISIT TO THE MUSEUM EDUARDO GAVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THE CORE OF THE LAMANAI SITE AND THE TEMPLE STRUCTURES WE WOULD BE VISITING THAT DAY.

The first structure we visited at Lamanai was the Mask Temple, which was the most memorable and moving ruin that I would experience on this trip.  To stand in the shadow of the monumental limestone carvings at the base of the Temple was an experience that I will never forget. 

THE MASK TEMPLE AT LAMANAI IS NAMED FOR THE TWO LARGE CARVED MASKS THAT SIT AT EACH END OF THE TEMPLE BASE.
THE MASKS ARE STUNNING, AND IN REMARKABLE SHAPE.
A LITTLE CLOSER LOOK AT ONE OF THE MASKS AT LAMANAI.

Our next stop was the High Temple, which is the only structure that is visible from the New River Lagoon.  The size of this temple is impressive, as is the Ball Court that is associated with the structure.  

THE HIGH TEMPLE AT LAMANAI.
THE BALL COURT AT THE HIGH TEMPLE OF LAMANAI.

From the the High Temple we walked to Stela #9, a much smaller and more intimate temple. A “stela” at a Mayan site is a carved stone slab monument, usually depicting a ruler or other important figure in Mayan culture, often with hieroglyphic inscriptions. Stelas were typically erected in front of temples or plazas and around important structures to commemorate significant events like royal inaugurations, military victories, or religious rituals; essentially serving as a visual record of their history and power.  

STELA #9 IS THE SMALLEST OF THE TEMPLES AT LAMANAI, WITH THE STELA LOCATED IN A PROMINENT POSITION ON THE STRUCTURE.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE STELA AT THE STELA #9 SITE AT LAMANAI.

The final temple we visited at Lamanai was the Jaguar Temple, a large and stunning structure that has two abstract Jaguar faces, one at each end of the base.  Near the Jaguar Temple is an area identified as the Royal Quarters.  This area is built around a sunken plaza.  

THE ROYAL QUARTERS RUINS NEAR THE JAGUAR TEMPLE AT LAMANAI.
THE JAGUAR TEMPLE AT LAMANAI.
DETAIL OF ONE OF THE ABSTRACT IMAGES AT THE JAGUAR TEMPLE.

On a separate birding outing to Lamanai we entered the property by the gate near the rear entry to the Outpost Lodge and walked to the Spanish Church ruins and the Sugar Mill ruins.  

SPANISH CHURCH RUINS AT LAMANAI.
THE RUINS AND REMAINS OF THE OLD SUGAR MILL AT LAMANAI.
YOURS TRULY AT THE SUGAR MILL RUINS IN LAMANAI.

I enjoyed the time I spent at Lamanai Ruins and would certainly recommend you consider visiting this site if you find yourself in Belize.  For a more complete gallery of photos from Lamanai, look here. 

THE CAHAL PECH RUINS


I visited the Cahal Pech Ruins in San Ignacio, Belize, on the morning of Wednesday, November 20, 2024.  My guide that day was Roque, of Black Rock Lodge.  As it turned out, Roque grew up literally in the shadow of the ruins and used to play there often as a child.  We started out at the visitors center and the small museum area before walking the grounds at Cahal Pech.  I found Cahal Pech to be a much more intimate experience than I enjoyed at the Lamanai Ruins.  The Cahal Pech site covers just over 22 acres, compared with the much larger (over 800 acres) Lamanai site.  Roque’s unique connection to the site also made for an enjoyable experience, as he proudly pointed out many of the details of the structures at the site.  Below are a few photos from my visit that day.  For a more complete gallery of my photos from the Cahal Pech site, look here.  

WE ARRIVE AT CAHAL PECH.
ENTRY TO THE MUSEUM PORTION OF THE VISITOR CENTER AT CAHAL PECH.
SOME OF THE CERAMICS ON DISPLAY AT THE CAHAL PECH MUSEUM. THESE ARE EFFIGY POTS USED IN RITUALS.
YOURS TRULY, BESIDE A MAP OF THE CAHAL PECH SITE.
THE FIRST STRUCTURE YOU ENCOUNTER AT CAHAL PECH IS THIS BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE.
ROQUE LOOKING AT ONE OF THE SMALLER PLAZAS AT CAHAL PECH.
ROQUE POINTS OUT ONE OF THE DISTINCTIVE ARCHED PASSAGEWAYS AT CAHAL PECH.
ONE OF MANY UNIQUE INTERIOR SPACES AT CAHAL PECH.
ONE LAST PHOTO THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE UNIQUE ARCH FEATURES AT CAHAL PECH.

TIKAL, THE CITY OF VOICES

I traveled to Guatemala and visited the magnificent Tikal site on Thursday, November 21, 2024.  It was an all day affair, and just getting there was an adventure in and of itself.  We (myself and a French couple, Corine and Jerome, who were also staying at Black Rock Lodge) left bright and early and in no time at all arrived at the Guatemalan border, where we crossed over and were met by Paco, our driver while in Guatemala.  He took us to Tikal, which is normally a 2.5 hour drive.  But on this day, the main road was closed due to a “demonstration” (which looked more like a block party to me) so we had to walk about a half mile to get through.  

AT THE BELIZE - GUATEMALA BORDER CROSSING.
SOME NEW FRIENDS I MADE AFTER CROSSING THE BORDER INTO GUATEMALA. THERE WAS A LARGE MILITARY PRESENCE ALL ALONG OUR ROUTE TO TIKAL.
PACO LEADS THE WAY AS WE NEGOTIATE THE DEMONSTRATION THAT CLOSED THE ROAD.
THE DEMONSTRATION THAT CLOSED THE ROAD SEEMED MORE LIKE A BLOCK PARTY-- EXCEPT FOR THE BURNING TIRES!

Once we made it past the demonstration and the road closure, we enjoyed a scenic drive to Tikal.  A few miles from the park, we stopped at a small tourist facility to pick up Miguel, our guide, and to take a bathroom break.  In short order we were passing the main gate to Tikal and made our way to the main entry for the core of the archaeological zone of the park.  

THE LITTLE FACILITY WE STOPPED AT TO PICK UP OUR GUIDE HAD A LARGE GIFT SHOP AREA, INCLUDING THIS WALL OF MASKS.
OUR REST STOP ALSO HAD AN IMPRESSIVE MODEL OF THE TIKAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK.
WE MADE IT TO TIKAL!
OUR GUIDE AT TIKAL WAS MIGUEL. HE HAS WORKED HIS WHOLE LIFE AT TIKAL, FIRST AS A WORKER ON THE EXCAVATION AND RESTORATION PROJECTS AT THE PARK, AND OVER 30 YEARS AS A GUIDE. HE WAS KNOWLEDGEABLE AND PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS PLACE! THERE WAS A PRETTY LONG LINE TO GET IN WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE TICKET GATE.
A MAP OF THE TIKAL CORE AREA. IT IS A VERY LARGE PLACE, WITH LOTS OF IMPRESSIVE RUINS.

I am so grateful that I got to visit Tikal.  Tikal National Park is a huge place, covering over 220 square miles, and was named as a UNESCO World Cultural Site in 1979.  The archaeological site covers over six square miles and has more than 4,000 structures.  The site was first occupied by the Maya around 800 BC (Pre-Classic Period) and was continuously occupied for over 1,500 years, with the last structure being built in the Late Classic Period around 900 A.D.  

The first part of the site that we visited was the Grand Square, which is a monumental and magnificent space.  It is bounded on the east by Temple 1 (Temple of the Grand Jaguar), on the west by Temple 2 (Temple of the Masks), on the north by a set of ceremonial buildings (called the North Acropolis) and on the south by a palace complex (called the Central Acropolis).  We eventually visited all of the main temples —  Temple 3 (Temple of the Great Priest), Temple 4 (Temple of the Bicephalous Snake), Temple 5 (The Mysterious Temple), and Temple 6 (Temple of the Inscriptions).  During the course of our time at Tikal, in addition to the main temples, we wandered around an absolutely amazing collection of roadways, stelas, altars, palaces, and other assorted buildings.  I could have spent a week exploring this place and still not have seen it all.  I am happy to report that I climbed each and every one of the temples that are allowed to be climbed.  I was one tired old man by the end of our visit. Below are some of my photos from my visit to Tikal.  For a more complete gallery of photos from this amazing site, look here.  

TEMPLE 1, THE TEMPLE OF GRAND JAGUAR, AS SEEN FROM THE BACK SIDE, WHICH DOES NOT FACE THE GRAND SQUARE.
TEMPLE ONE AS SEEN FROM THE SOUTH, WHERE A LARGE BALL COURT IS LOCATED.
TEMPLE 2, THE TEMPLE OF MASKS, LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE GRAND SQUARE AT TIKAL. I TOOK THIS PHOTO WHILE STANDING ON THE NORTH ACROPOLIS COMPLEX.
I CLIMBED THE TEMPLE OF THE MASKS USING STAIRS ON THE BACK SIDE. USING THESE STAIRS YOU REACH THE WALKWAY SEEN IN THIS PHOTO, WHICH WRAPS AROUND THE FRONT OF THE TEMPLE AND ALLOWS YOU TO SEE THE MASKS UP CLOSE. TEMPLE ONE IS SEEN IN THE BACKGROUND, TO THE EAST ACROSS THE GRAND SQUARE.
YOURS TRULY, STANDING NEAR THE TOP OF THE TEMPLE OF THE MASKS. BEHIND ME YOU SEE THE TEMPLE OF THE GRAND JAGUAR, LOCATED ACROSS THE GRAND SQUARE.
PART OF THE STAIRS THAT TAKE YOU TO THE UPPER REACHES OF TEMPLE 2.
EACH OF THE MAJOR TEMPLES AT TIKAL WAS MONUMENTAL AND A TESTAMENT TO THE ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION SKILLS OF THE MAYAN CULTURE.
THE VIEWS ABOVE THE CANOPY AT TIKAL WERE AMAZING.
TEMPLE 6 SITS BY ITSELF ON THE MENDEZ ROADWAY. IT IS A BREATH-TAKING STRUCTURE.
A LITTLE DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE MASSIVE STAIRS ON TEMPLE 6.
MIGUEL WAS SO KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT ALL THE STRUCTURES AT TIKAL. I AM GRATEFUL THAT HE WAS OUR GUIDE THAT DAY.

Epilogue…


I enjoyed this little trip.  I saw some nice birds and met some very nice people.  I realized my dream of climbing to the top of a Mayan pyramid.  Although the weather did not cooperate, it was enjoyable experience.  I am grateful to the folks at TOS who put this trip together and made it available to members like myself.  I am grateful for the staff and guides at the two lodges I had the pleasure of staying at —  they went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable and felt most welcome.  And last but not least, I am grateful for the love and support of my wife Dorothy.  I cannot imagine my life without her!  Tom McCoppin December 10, 2024