Tikal

Traveling the notorious bumpy roads of Guatemala, passing through the healthy lowland rainforest, we arrived under a canopy of greens at Tikal, one of the major cultural and populated centers of the ancient Maya. We started our journey through the massive 1500-year-old site, imagining what this place would have looked like with the estimated 200,000 people scattered throughout the lush jungle. Some of the most spectacularly excavated sites of the Mayan world, we had a chance to hike those steep steps to the top of some of the highest structures in the park. We strolled through old growth forest noticing the buttress roots (taller than Marcel!), spider monkeys playing in the trees, and several of the estimated 324 species of birds in the Tikal region. Students enjoyed seeing another ruin other than our Xunantunich neighbor. Leaving the park we headed to Casa Zapote, a locally operated guesthouse where we shared dinner and stayed for the night. The students were anxious for Sunday afternoon when they could start their weeklong holiday. Until then, they sat back and enjoyed the views from Casa Zapote's veranda.