El Mirador 5-day Trail
This tour offers you the opportunity to hike to the archaeological site El Mirador, which is one of the best Mayan sites in Guatemala. You'll explore the tropical jungle as you make your way along a trail towards El Mirador.
- Duration:
- 6 hrs
- Available Days:
- Every day
- Schedule:
- 5:00 AM, 5:30 AM
- Hotel Transport Included
- Mobile Ticket Included
- Offered in English, Spanish
This tour is a 5-day journey from Carmelita to El Mirador. El Mirador is one of Guatemala's top archeological sites and is the oldest-known Mayan site to date. During this tour you will explore the Guatemalan forest, learn about Mayan ruins, and experience life in Carmelita.
On the first day, you will hike along the trail and camp in the forest. The next day you will reach El Mirador around 5 PM. You will spend the night here and explore El Mirador the following day. You will stay in El Mirador one more night and then begin hiking back the next day. You will camp for one night on the return trip. In total, you'll hike 40 miles (64 km).
Travelers are led by capable local guides as they make their way towards El Mirador. With the help of your guide, you'll see birds, reptiles, and maybe even mammals. At night you will stay in chiclero camps, the places where the chicle-tree workers live. Fall asleep to the sounds of the jungle and wake up in a beautiful forested area.
This tour can begin in the town of Carmelita, a community that was established more than 100 years ago in Petén. The people of Carmlita have accumulated a wide understanding of the forest, the chicle tree, the xate plant, and other medicinal plants. They will share this knowledge with you. Alternatively, you can drive from Flores and begin to hike the same morning (without staying in Carmelita).
Once you arrive at El Mirador, you'll explore the vast archeological complex. As you visit temples and palaces, you'll gain a wider appreciation for Mayan culture and history - especially since you just spent the last few days hiking here!
Attractions Visited
El Mirador is one of the largest and earliest Mayan sites in the world. Set within Guatemala’s thick Petén jungles, El Mirador flourished in the Preclassic period prior to the accession of Tikal. The massive ruins here are the focus of ongoing excavations and are sure to reveal a wealth of new knowledge over the coming years.
Read more:El Mirador
The Maya Biosphere Reserve is the largest protected tropical forest in North America. Spreading across 4.3 million acres (1.7 million hectares) in Guatemala’s Petén department, this reserve protects huge expanses of forests and the Mayan ruins that lie within them.
Read more:Maya Biosphere Reserve
What to Bring
Hiking shoes, insect repellent, rain jacket, flashlight, hat, personal hygiene products, clothes, water bottle, sunscreen, and camera.
What's included
Trained cooks (food and filtered water throughout the whole trip), pack mules, and camping equipment (hammocks with mosquito nets and/or tents, sleeping bags, and first aid kit).
Transportation
Many of our tours and activities offer transportation pick up & drop off options from several locations and destinations. Options vary by tour, see “BOOKING REQUEST” for full details.
Traveler Comments
Might consider staying overnight in order to start earlier in the morning and make camp with more daylight and maybe a few more breaks along the way. However I would do it again.
