The Mayan Ruins of Tikal

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Christmas morning, December 25, 2009, began at 4:00 a.m. as we gathered with 6 others and a local guide to make the 50 minute hike into Tikal National Park, Guatemala. In the pitch black and eerily quiet of the early morning, we used flashlights to make our way along the path - our goal was to reach, and climb, the top of "Temple IV" to watch the sunrise above the jungle canopy.

The name Tikal translates to 'place of the voices' in Itza Maya. However, it is not the ancient name for the site but rather the name adopted shortly after its discovery in the 1840s. Archaeologists say that Tikal was the largest of Maya Cities and had a population of nearly 100,000 during its peak between 600 AD and 870 AD, although the ruins are estimated to date back as far as 500 BC. Tikal was completely deserted by 900 AD, and the reason remains unknown.

The Tikal civilization site covers some 25 square km and contains nearly 3,000 structures and temples - yet 80% of these structures remain covered in jungle growth, recognized only as mounds of rock overgrown with trees. The area that has been excavated and partially restored consists of nine groups of courts and plazas, as well as 5 large temples. The most impressive and tallest, simply named "Temple IV", is 229 feet tall, or 70 metres.

Tikal National Park is truly a wildlife sanctuary covering more 200 square miles - and home to over 285 species of exotic birds, monkeys, jaguars, pumas, tapirs, small deer, and many rare wildlife species.

We reached the top of Temple IV at 5:00 a.m. - it was still dark and very quiet as we all sat in silence. Although we couldn't see or hear anything, there was an energy at this place that was indescribable. Around 5:30 a.m. the sounds of the howler monkeys began filling the air. It was still dark, and the sounds of these monkeys calling across the jungle to each other, was spooky to say the least - yet we sat, safe, and in awe.

Then it came - the sun. The soft light of the sun's tip began to reveal the jungle. We were atop the 230 foot Temple IV, and high above the mist of the jungle - yet dwarfed by some of the massive Ceiba trees around us. As the sun rose, the mist cleared, and we began to see the peaks of the other Temples and Ceremonial Structures. The views were spectacular.

We spent the rest of the day exploring the ruins of Tikal, witnessing the amazing architecture that this brilliant civilization had - and still standing the test of time, some 2,500 years later.

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