Known as the ‘Last Cities of the Classic Maya’, the archaeological remains located in Guatemala’s Petexbatun Basin present adventure travelers with an unforgettable experience, combining ancient history with tropical nature at its best. 

Located some 75 miles southwest of the world famous ruins of Tikal National Park, the Petexbatun Basin includes a congregation of remarkable archaeological sites, including Dos Pilas, Aguateca, Tamarindito, Arroyo de Piedra and Punta de Chimino. The region is considered a Mecca for Maya civilization enthusiasts and increasingly for adventure travelers. 

On an eco-tourism visit to this remote region, travelers encounter battlefields of ancient wars that significantly contributed to the collapse of Maya culture after it reached its pinnacle of development some 1,300 years ago.

Getting to these ruins is just the beginning of the fun for intrepid travelers. Our journey originates in the relaxed frontier town of Sayaxche. Located on the southern bank of the Rio Pasion, the town is linked by road with Tikal to the north and the eco-tourism base of Coban, 125 miles to the south. To reach Sayache you must cross the Rio Pasion by ferry, a harrowing experience in itself. 

Once we’re in town, our knowledgeable local boatman leads us downriver in an outboard canoe with a thatched canopy roof providing much appreciated shade. The surrounding wilderness boasts a complex network of rivers and swamps that fostered trade and was integral to the region’s rise to power in the Maya world. The Rio Pasion, a tributary of the Usumacinta River, was a superhighway to the Maya and today remains an important outpost at the junction of river and road. 

Mayan life in the 21^st century

On the way out of town we meander past daily scenes of modern Maya life – women washing their clothes, children diving into the river exchanging friendly smiles and waves with the rare visitors who travel this far. These descendents of ancient Maya migrated into this region in the last 30 years looking for land and, along with it, an opportunity for a better life. Most are refugees who have escaped the civil war that killed tens of thousands of indigenous Maya in the Guatemala Highlands in the 1970’s and 80’s. 

Thankfully, our guide knows the way among innumerable side streams and dead ends or we, too, could become refugees in this expansive jungle. Wildlife abounds along the river and as we get closer to Lake Petaxbatun, civilization falls away and more natural scenes are revealed.  Herons take flight off the bow, and turtles stand still, believing they are invisible to passersby.  Cormorants soar alongside our boat and enormous Ceiba trees stand sentry as we enter the tropical rain forest.

Lake Petexbatun is a small lake, five miles long by one-half mile wide, with a shallow depth of only six feet. Despite its humble size however, it is a magnificent expanse of water surrounded by dense tropical forest. The shoreline abounds with wildlife and common sightings include monkeys, toucans, parrots and crocodiles. 

Sometime in the late eighth century, a Maya royal family from the twin cities of Dos Pilas and Aguateca transformed the peninsula jutting into the lake, Punta de Chiminos, into an island by digging three moats across the thin neck of land. Some 50,000 cubic yards of bedrock were removed by hand to achieve this and today it is plainly visible how the newly created island became a Maya fortress.

They built the usual stone buildings found in Mayan cities: the royal palace, ceremonial pyramids and even a ball court, evidence of their royal heritage. But they also built impressive defensive edifications, evidence of the conflict between the Mayas toward the end of their civilization. Punta de Chimino’s last inhabitants departed by the late 10 century A.D. after losing the strongly defended island to enemies still unknown to archaeologists.

A beautiful lodge is our base

The island fortress is now an eco-tourism haven and our base for exploration is the comfortable Chiminos Island Lodge. The lodge offers five mahogany bungalows, each spectaculary set overlooking the lagoon and nestled among ancient mounds covering Maya homes and temples.  Each bungalow has a private bathroom, hot water and is well screened from insects and other animals. The property is crossed by pathways, where travelers are surrounded by pristine jungle, wildlife and the remains of the fortified Mayan citadel, for the most part still unearthed. The restaurant serves delicious food and cold beverages taste great after a day of exploring the region.  

While Punta de Chiminos is an exciting destination unto itself, our visit is not complete without an exploration of Aguateca. On the 30-minute boat ride from the lodge to Aguateca, we view a myriad of birds, including exotic kingfishers and the jacana, or “Jesus Christ” bird, so called because of its habit of lightly walking atop lilies on the water’s surface. Strategically located, the defensive stronghold of Aguateca is perched on a rocky outcrop overlooking the southern tip of the lake.  

In recent years the site has been the subject of intense investigation by archaeologists from Vanderbilt University who are in the process of restoring the main plazas, temples and palisades. First explored by Ian Graham in the late 1950’s, field work that commenced in 1990 later indicated that many of Aguateca’s defensive structures were hastily built at the end of the Late Classic period (A.D. 600-830), suggesting the escalation of warfare in the region.  Evidence suggests that Aguateca was finally attacked, probably near the beginning of the ninth century; the main plaza was burned and the entire center was almost completely deserted soon after this event.   

From our boat landing, there are approximately 200 steps to get up to the city, but the view is worth the effort. Surrounded by dense tropical forest and with superb views of the lake, Aguateca has a magical atmosphere. We can clearly identify temples and plazas, dotted with well preserved stelae, or stone carvings.  The carvings are intricate and vivid, some with images of rulers, telling the history of battles with Tikal and Dos Pilas while others show elaborately carved hummingbirds and pineapples.

As we meander among the ruins viewing temples, fortified defensive walls and the only known bridge in the Maya world, our guide weaves a fascinating tapestry of Aguateca’s battles with its urban rivals. For those who have traveled to these other sites (or will travel to them) a broad understanding of Maya history is beginning to emerge. On the return boat ride to the lodge we are heralded by a boisterous troop of howler monkeys before arriving at the lodge sweaty and weary, but delighted. 

On to the grand city of Tikal

From Chiminos Island another boat ride and drive in our private van leads to Tikal National Park. Tikal is one of the most spectacular restored Maya sites in the world representing a crowning achievement of Maya society. At its height Tikal was home to tens of thousands Maya and was a cultural and political center.   

It becomes easy to imagine life in the city as you explore temples, plazas, multi leveled palaces, ball courts and living areas.  Howler and Spider monkeys, coatamundi, are commonly seen while the elusive jaguar and ocelot are know to survive in this protected rainforest reserve.  Almost 300 species of bird have been identified in Tikal including toucans, motmots and parrots.   

The city of Tikal has an equally fascinating history, with enough archaeological anecdotes to fill volumes. This however, is the subject of another article. Visited together, Aguateca and Tikal offer adventure travelers a unique insight into Maya history and an adventurous romp through the rainforests of Guatemala.