BootsnAll Travel Community

Hi guys,

I just returned from a 6 day trek to El Mirador and other sites in the Peten. Though I can´t recommend it enough, I´d like to offer some advice to others who are thinking about doing the same trek.

From my research it seemed like it was quite a hassle arranging the trek independently through the Carmelita Cooperative. As it turns out it´s not, and I´d rather pay more $$ directly to the guides than to a travel agency.

Upon recommendation, we used a travel agency in Flores called Mayan Lands. Although our guides were great and the price was OK ($30 per day), we were not supplied with enough water and food, nor a medical kit. This trek is truly 'lost in the jungle' and there was no water nor any food available, and if one of us were bit by a snake we would have been in deep s***. We did manage to buy a chicken off of the guards at El Mirador, and they also sold us some rainwater which our guides drank. I am not a happy hiker when I´m hungry, and I am not happy to ration the water in the jungle... Our guides went without enough food the last couple of days, as did we, due to shortage.

On a more positive note, the trek took us through some of the most beautiful jungle and to several interesting and largely unexplored Maya sites. We saw fascinating wildlife such as spider and howler monkeys, tapirs, birds, tarantulas etc, and there is nothing quite like looking at the stars far far away from the city light and pollution. I had an amazing time.

If any of you are heading that way, PM me and I´ll give you the name of our guide and answer any questions about the trek. He´ll be happy to take you for a better price than an agency.

Cheers,
Kath

Kath,
Just curious. Did you get to talk to anyone that was working at the site and did you see any other groups? I've wanted to do this trek for awhile because I know the lead archaeologist at the site and would really love to see both El Mirador and Nakbe, but I am always hesitant because I don't really want to get caught shorthanded like you mentioned you were. Anyway, it sounds like you enjoyed it.

Richard Hanson (if that´s who you know) wasn´t there as the work hasn´t started for the season. However, we got shown around by the very friendly ´vigilantes´, the guards at the sites who seemed to know quite a bit and who were very easy going.

We did see one other group at El Mirador, and another group on our first day that were on their way back. It seemed to me that there are usually 3-4 different groups on the trail at any one time at the moment. Not as ´adventurous´ as I thought it would be

I´d definitely recommend going though, as I´m sure those sites will become more and more popular and crowded. There is something wonderful about being one of a handful of people at such an amazing site :-)

Kath

Hi Kath,
I am looking at going on the El Mirador trek. Do you have the phone number and name of your guide?? Or do you have the phone or email address for Mayan Lands? Most of the sites ive found online who do the trek are charging close to $300US for the trip and I know i can get it cheaper than that. what are your recommendations? Thanks for the help
Alicia

Hey there,

Our guide's name was Umberto Machuca and he can be contacted on teh phone for the Carmelita Cooperative. I don't have the phone number on me, but I know you can find it on this website: mostlymaya.com. It is a trip account which has some travel tips and details. Alternatively, just take the bus to Carmelita and ask to see him. The town is extremely small.

There was previously a complaint about Umberto on the Lonely Planet website, but I don't remember what it was and don't have anything but good things to say about him myself.

Good luck! It is a fabulous trip!
Kath

hey Kath, thanks for the information. I dont think ill be able to organize it through carmelita, the phone number they have is apparently invalid and im on a pretty tight schedule. do you have the number or contact info for Mayan lands? most of the agencies have been quoting me about $250 or more for the 5 day excursion. how much did you end up paying? thanks again for the help
ALicia

hey kath-we are headed to guatemala next month and want to see el mirador. can we get your guide's contact info, please?

Hello both of you :-) Unfortunately, I haven´t kept the phone numbers. Mayan Lands is listed in the guidebooks. I´d do a search online for the Carmelita cooperative to get the correct number, or it is also listed in the guidebooks.

I paid $180 for a 6-day trek, but as we were 5 people it brought the cost down from $220 (for two people). What we ended up doing since there were only two of us was to commit to an agency, and then have them advertise the tour. We also put up posters ourselves in cafes etc around town.

You won´t lose much time going to Carmelita. Chances are, you´ll have to wait around a couple of days in Flores anyways, in which case you might as well spend one day going to Carmelita.

Good luck!
Kath

If anyone is planing on doing this trip april/early May please give me a hollar. Im a lone traveler and need a group to go with. My spanish is only basic at the moment but it is improving drasticly (Ive got 6 more weeks on an intensive course). Im a generaly nice, twenty years old guy in good physical condition. I rarely complain and my mood is overall positive/happy.