Truth be told, we can never say no to a good adventure. Any hesitation is never about the “if” but rather about the “how”. We are also aware that European governmental organizations are always overly cautious about Latin-America. And if, yes, it is true that some areas are dangerous and to be avoided, western media’s portrayal of Latin-America always seems to fall short on characterizing the rich, beautiful, and abundant reality of this continent.
That Saturday morning we were very much certain we had to make it to Tikal. We had our last breakfast with Eva and Marcela, said goodbye to our new friends, and hit the road once more. Arriving to the border to Guatemala was quite fast. Crossing the border, however, took longer since we had to take our rental car through customs. Jan was a bit apprehensive. Gladly, anywhere in Latin-America there’s a friendly local looking after you.
On the Belizean side of the border, there was the usual organized chaos. People parked their cars anywhere they could find some space, as if going to get a coffee and be right back. Local “businessmen” approached from all sides offering to exchange money – actually, even if it seems sketchy, we were told this was the official way to exchange money before crossing the border. The interior of the building was decorated with Grinch inflatables for Christmas, which I found an interesting choice. We got our exit stamp and drove a few meters across the border to Guatemala. Part one of two was done.
On the other side, we were approached by a short and energetic young guy. A man of few words, but very eager to help. We never understood if he was employed by the government or simply a “freelancer entrepreneur” living of tourist’ tips, but in any case, you could tell this was not his first rodeo. He anticipated all our needs – showing us to the right kiosk, getting us photocopies and even guiding us to the only (secret) restroom. He would make a sign with his hand for us to follow him and lead the way through the crowds, and always waited for us to be done before going back inside – we were his tourists. And we were thankful that he chose us.
As we drove across the final border, we were stopped by an official requesting our car documents. He barely glanced at them though. He was way more interested in us and where we were from. We chitchatted for a few minutes about football and Cristiano Ronaldo, before he handled us back the documents without ever having looked at them. We had finally entered Guatemala.
It was obvious that we arrived in a new land. The roads were in way worse condition than in Belize, forcing us to drive very slowly through all the potholes. Poverty was more apparent. Many small houses of corrugated iron were pilling on both sides of the streets. Livestock ran around, while kids in school uniforms played in the street. The landscapes were of an immense emerald-green.
The goal of our little excursion into Guatemala was to visit Tikal National Park. We took a pit-stop in a village on the way, located on a small island in the middle of the lake Petén Itzá. The tiny village of Flores was painted in the most colorful palette, and Christmas was celebrated in every corner. Most of the streets surrounding the island were flooded due to recent rains and overly ambitious modern construction that would have had the Maya raise their eyebrows. We had an incredibly-fresh ceviche by the water front, in a restaurant recommended by Marcela, and after strolling around the cute town, headed back to our final destination.
Our arrival to the Park wasn’t as warm and friendly as we were used to by then. The security guards made us feel tense with all their questioning and their persistency in trying to sell us maps we weren’t interested in. We managed to say no enough times to be left alone and were relieved to get our entrance tickets and leave that area.
There are only three lodges in the entire National Park, and we decided to stay at the mythical Tikal Inn. We were happy to be greeted with enthusiasm and warmth again. A little nativity scene with disco lights was set-up in the corner of the lobby. There was a central area for the restaurant, and a garden outside with a pool. We had a few evening hours to enjoy and decided to relax by the pool before bed, as we had to get up at 3h in the morning the following day for a sunrise hike up Temple IV.
The night was beautiful and calm, if it wasn’t for the relentless mosquitos. The fireflies flicking in the grass contributed for the romantic atmosphere. A group of friends was enjoying their time at the pool to reggaeton – for the discontent of some hiker tourists who were trying to get an early night sleep. This place, even very simple, certainly had its own magic. Like a base camp where the travelers coming from all corners of the earth prepare and rest, in anticipation for the big adventure day ahead. At 9 in the evening the lodge shut the power off, as it does every night, and we took the cue to go to bed and try to rest, excited as we were.
We met at the Hotel lobby at 4h in the morning with our group, composed by a chatty retired Chinese couple, a young American-Honduran couple, and a Japanese girl. The staff had kindly prepared some warm coffee for everyone, which was very convenient as we had to wait about 20 minutes in a semi dark lobby. Finally and to our relieve, our guide showed up and we stepped outside into the unknown.
We felt small in comparison to the immense jungle, the mysterious sounds and the tall, gloomy trees, looking down at us as judges of our character.
We hiked for about an hour in the pitch black jungle, with only a couple of lanterns illuminating a few meters ahead. However, we barely needed them. Elvis could guide us with his eyes closed. The morning air was surprisingly warm, and populated by a guttural and terrifying roar. We started hearing the roar all the way from the lodge and, as we went deeper into the jungle, it intensified to horrific decibels. I can imagine ancient people creating legends about the the big monster of Tikal, that comes out at night to attack any unworthy explorer who would dare to step into their sacred territory.
But in fact, those roars were coming from a primate the size of a housecat. Around that time of the day, howler monkeys start waking up and are very determined to let the whole jungle know. For about another two hours, the symphony of the howler monkey could be heard way above the forest canopy, anywhere from 5 kilometers, or 3 miles, away.
Our guide, Elvis, was an absolute gem. He would intercalate sharing pearls of wisdom with random jokes and then burst laughing at them. A descendent of the Maya himself, he dedicates his life to the study of his ancient culture, people, and language. Through him, we felt that the Maya were still very much alive and kicking. How cool that we were guided by and had the opportunity to learn so much directly from an actual Maya.
Mayans had several Queens and women occupied highly ranked positions of power. As Elvis said, machismo was only imported to Latin-America during colonialism.
Contrary to other popular Maya sites, such Chichén Itzá, Tikal is still very much unexplored. The former capital of over 16 square kilometers, or 6.2 square miles, is mostly still covered by jungle. Cars are left outside of the temple area and most pathways are dirt roads. A majority of the temples is still completely buried in the forest ground. And there are little to no commercial activities. This made us feel like we were part of a first expedition of explorers arriving to Tikal, risking their lives in the mighty jungle to find the hidden treasure of the lost Mayan temples.
Also, contrary to Chichén Itzá, one can approach and climb the Temples of Tikal. However, a wooden staircase was conveniently build on the side of Temple IV to preserve its structure and allow for an easier climb. Actually, the temple was so covered in vegetation that I didn’t even realize we were already climbing it until we arrived to the very top – the only part that was “shaved” and higher than the surrounding trees. I was in awe of this massive structure. In all directions, one could only see a see of trees, punctuated by the silhouettes of a few other Temples. To my surprise, the lookout at the top of the Temple was already filled by dozens of other people, gathered around the stone steps, in absolute silence. We took our spot in the steps and got ready to watch the spectacle of sunrise.
As the minutes turned into an hour, and the night slowly turned into day, the sacred silence was only interrupted by the insistent roar of the howler monkeys. I don’t know if it was just an illusion of my eyes but it seemed that, every other 5 minutes, there was a small explosion of light and the day was suddenly much brighter. The moon was standing vertically right on top of us, still shining bright as a pearl. It felt like, it too, about to end its night watch, had join us in the ritual of welcoming the Sun.
I couldn’t help but think how that place seemed like an altar to the sun. Similar to a cathedral, this imponent structure made you feel intimidated. But instead of an indoor altar centered around a manly figure, this altar was facing the forest, and the exact place where the sun would rise. In fact, one of the other temple tops we could spot had been built to align perfectly with the winter-time sunrise.
These places and experiences really make us feel the most grounded and human, as we share this precious moment with complete strangers, other animals, and the nature around in complete harmony. I wish everyone could experience this feeling every now and then, and perhaps the world wouldn’t be so divided as it is.
Our time in Tikal was a once in a lifetime experience. I feel honored for having had the chance to explore this incredible place even before it has been mischaracterized by mass tourism. How interesting to think that Tikal was once a capital city, to where hundreds of thousands of people travelled to, for a chance to see “the big city”, to trade, or to study. How fascinating to learn how the city has been brilliantly designed in a perfect symmetry with the stars. And how, one day, this advanced and technological civilization disappeared from the face of the earth. And Tikal, forgotten for hundreds of years and retaken by nature. We are really nothing but temporary visitors. And our societies, as almighty as they might seem to us, nothing but a brief chapter in the History of our Planet.
Carolina Sequeira, January 12th 2025
The Mind of Caro 