Guatemala - Mayan world

During our trip to Guatemala, we visited 3 important Mayan sites; Tikal, Yaxha and Copán (the later being located in Honduras, near the Guatemalan border).

Tikal

Staying in nearby Flores allowed us to start our visit of the great Tikal early enough to avoid crowds (around 6am). We didn't do the 4am sunrise tour, as it was too foggy that day (certainly not because we needed some sleep!). This site being gigantic, the 4 to 5 hours we spent there allowed us to see the major temples, but visiting the whole complex would have required more time.

Yaxha

Since visiting only one Mayan ruin complex was not enough, we booked a guided tour to Yaxha on the same day we've visited Tikal! Even if Yaxha is a smaller site than Tikal, the guide's explanations and the amazing sunset views from the top of a temple made it worth the trip! It is also way less visited than Tikal, which made it easier to take nice pictures.

Copan

A 14 hours day trip from Guatemala city brought us to Honduras to visit Copán Mayan ruins and to have an additional stamp in our passport! Copán's richness is undoubtedly its spectacular sculptures and carvings! Some were replaced by copies (their originals being relocated in museums). The originals still on site are protected from weather by roofs and tarps, which makes it difficult to take great overall pictures. For a small additional fee, we've visited the undergrounds and had a glimpse of Rosalila's temple, which is remarkably well preserved.