Belize to Tikal: Reefs, Rivers & Ruins of The Maya World

Belize City is both the geographic and commercial center of the Country of Belize. All major highways lead into and out of this colonial city and provide access to the Rainforests, Mayan archaeological sites, and the other natural inland and offshore attractions. Belize City is an excellent starting point for excursions to the Barrier Islands, for scuba diving and for a wide variety of tours.

The Tikal National Park, 370 square kilometers is part of the even larger Maya Biosphere Reserve. Home of hundred of species, including spider monkeys, toucans and parakeets. Towering above the rainforest are the ruins of Tikal, one of the most magnificent of all the Maya sites. The ruins are dominated by five enormous temples, step-sided granite pyramid that rise some 40 meters from the forest floor. Around them are bitterly thousands of others structures, many still hidden beneath mounds of earth. It’s well worth staying overnight, partly because you will need the extra time to do justice to the ruins themselves, but more importantly to spend dawn and dusk at the site, when the forest canopy burst into a frenzy and sound activities.