The rugged, densely forested northeastern appendage of Guatemala, the Petén borders both Belize and Mexico. Although the Petén was once home to hundreds of thousands of inhabitants during the reign of the Maya, is sparsely populated now, and its people live off of basic agriculture, logging and tourism. A vast region, the Petén makes up roughly one-third of Guatemala’s total landmass.
The Petén is primarily of interest to nature lovers and history buffs. The timeless rain forests are home to thousands of species of mammals, reptiles, birds and insects, and the plant life is abundant to say the least. Some of the more interesting ecosystems are protected, but unfortunately the Petén is in danger of losing much of its biodiversity to logging and development.
The Petén’s greatest attraction is, without a doubt, the ruins of the mighty Mayan city of Tikal. One of the most important Mayan sites, Tikal is a sprawling complex containing hundreds of structures, including some of the most spectacular temples in the Americas. In the remote northern part of the Petén, the site of El Mirador is even more impressive, but very difficult to reach. Other important Mayan sites in the Petén include Uaxactun, Yaxha, Seibal and Piedras Negras.
Most visitors to the Petén will use the picturesque town of Flores as their base of operations.
Once home to 100,000 Maya, Tikal was one of the most important cities in the Maya empire. It was abandoned when the empire collapsed and re-discovered relatively recently. Today it is one of the most
...
The best place to go bird watching is Biotopo Cerro Cahui. It’s best go early in the morning when the birds start flying around. La Casa de Don David offers bird watching tours with knowledgeable
...
The turnoff for the road heading to Belize is known as “El Cruce.” Just 200 kilometers off the road are the ruins of Ixlu on the shores of Laguna Salpeten. There are small mounds, trails and a
...
Two kilometers west of El Remate and along the shore of Lake Peten Itza, Biotopo Cerro Cahui is a rainforest reserve of six hundred hectares. It is one of the most accessible wildlife reserves in
...The Petén Activities | Popular The Petén Destinations | The Petén Hotels | Other The Petén pages |