The northern department of Peten is very well known by the ruins of Tikal, but there are several ancient cities hidden in the jungle that very few people know of.
Yaxha is one of these rarely visited ruins, that most likely will leave you amazed by it’s beauty. It’s just 40 km away from Tikal, and 65 km from the island of Flores.
Yaxha is a natural reserve of 37,500 Hectares of rainforests, wetlands, lakes and lagoons. There are more than 500 Mayan structures, including 40 stelae, 13 altars, 9 temple pyramids and 2 Mesoamerican ball courts. The top of Temple 216 provides a breathtaking view of the two lakes on one side and the jungle and the stepped-pyramids on the other. An interesting fact about Yaxha is that this is the only place outside Tikal that holds a twin pyramid complex.
The amazing abundance of Flora and Fauna inside Yaxha makes the experience even more fascinating. Crocodiles, monkeys, jaguars, peccaries, deers, foxes and many species of birds including parrots and toucans are found inside Yaxha. The climate is always hot and humid, with temperatures around 22º – 33º Celsius.
A second archaeological site is found across the Yaxha lagoon, called Topoxte.
This is one of the few Post Classical Mayan sites in the area that served as a sacred place and where noble families from Yaxha were buried. There are kayaks and mountain bikes for rent inside the reserve, and english speaking guides are available if you want to hear the whole story of this wonderful place.
Comment by rudy at Apr 6th, 2007 2:14 pm ↑
would you please give information about this site, how long will take by vehicle, does is has to be a 4×4 to get there, is there a hotel to stay there?, is there a place to eat there?