El Mirador & El Tintal: 5 Day Hiking Tour

Tour Details

Day 1: Flores - El Tintal

We'll pick you up at the indicated time from your hotel in Flores and take you to the community of Carmelita, 4 hours away. Once there, we'll meet up with the guides that will accompany us during the trekking route. Next, we'll set off towards the Florica and Uacute campsites to refuel with lunch.

After lunch, we'll continue on foot along the Zacbé road until we reach El Tintal. In El Tintal we'll tour a Maya archaeological site that once had over 2,000 buildings, including three large pyramids. We'll end our first day with dinner before going to sleep in our tents. 

Day 2: El Tintal - El Mirador

We'll wake up to the beautiful natural daylight around us and fuel up for the day with breakfast. Once we've eaten, we'll set off on a hike through the forest along trails and part of the Mayan road. Ready for the day's 23.5 km (14.6 mi) route? 

Halfway through our walking route, we'll stop at the El Zompopero picnic area to have lunch before visiting La Muerta. This archaeological site is from the classic period and has two monuments that have been looted on several occasions.

After the visit, we'll reach the majestic archaeological site of El Mirador. Upon arrival, we'll relax at the camp and end the day with a comforting dinner. Good night!

Day 3: El Mirador

Good morning! First thing in the morning, we'll get ready to climb the El Tigre Pyramid and watch the sunrise from 55 m (180 ft) up. What a way to start the day!

We'll return to camp for breakfast and hike to the heart of one of the most important pre-Hispanic settlements in the Maya Biosphere Reserve: El Mirador.

We'll be able to observe the ball game fields and some constructions that served as astronomical observation points. Did you know that this site was a crucial trading centre for granite, shells, salt, obsidian and jade?

After the visit, we'll return to the campsite for lunch. In the afternoon, we'll continue exploring other parts of this site. These include the frieze of the Hero Twins and a decorative element of the central acropolis that tells one of the stories from the Sacred Book of the Maya. Last of all, we'll walk to the La Danta Pyramid, which is hidden under dense vegetation at a height of 72 m (236 ft), and admire a magical sunset.

Finally, back at the campsite, we'll enjoy dinner and go to sleep.

Day 4: El Mirador - El Tintal

Rise and shine! After breakfast, we'll say goodbye to El Mirador and head to El Tintal. We'll walk the 23.5 km (14.6 mi) back and make a stop at the Zompopero area, at around midday, to have lunch.

Afterwards, we'll resume our hike and, when you least expect it, we'll start to enter the lost Mayan city of El Tintal. As soon as we arrive, we'll get ready to rest and, in the late afternoon, we'll enjoy dinner. See you tomorrow!

Day 5: El Tintal - Flores

After breakfast, we'll embark on a 17.5 km (10.8 mi) trekking route to the community of Carmelita, where we'll say goodbye to the local guides and enjoy lunch.

After lunch, we'll board the vehicle for the return journey to Flores. After about 4 hours of driving, we'll arrive at your hotel around 4 pm.

Accommodation and Meals

This tour includes 4 nights' full board accommodation at the campsites at El Tintal and El Mirador. Both have tents for two people and shared bathroom facilities.

Meals during the tour will consist of pasta dishes, meat, chicken, rice, sandwiches and fruit.