Before traveling to Belize, Luke spent a semester studying Mesoamerican prehistory, so visiting Tikal and getting a chance to be immersed in its history was the chance of a lifetime.
Early in the morning we hopped in our Pook’s Hill van (with passports in hand) to begin the hour and a half drive to the Guatemalan border. At the border we left our van behind, and once our passports were stamped we continued across the border on foot, along with our guide Mike, to an awaiting car and our driver Roberto.
Crossing the border, the differences in culture and even landscape are immediate, including the presence of armed soldiers at the crossing station.
Another hour and a half drive through the Guatemalan countryside brought us to the ruins of Tikal where we met our local guide, Locho. Led by Locho and Mike, we set off on foot to explore the vast city of Tikal.
Bring a good pair of walking shoes, as Tikal National Park covers over 222 square miles of jungle and ruins! Even the central part of the city is around 6 square miles. Walking through the lush forest, there are many photo opportunities of the local wildlife. Coatis, cousins to the raccoon, roam along the trails, several types of toucan make the canopy their home, and the sound of monkeys crashing through the branches overhead is a common occurrence.
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.