Ceibal

Stelae 3 from Ceibal

Ceibal is an archaeological site in the Peten department of the Northern Lowlands of Guatemala.

Understand

Ceibal is a small Mayan ruin. The site contains one temple and a lot of Stelaes (relief sculptures carved on stone tablets).

History

Mayan ruins

Landscape

Jungle, river, hills.

Flora and fauna

Palms, lots of mosquitoes, turtles, monkeys, ant-eaters.

Climate

Hot

Get in

From Guatemala City take a bus to Coban then from Coban take a bus to Sayaxche.

If your coming from Flores take a bus to Libertad and then another bus to Sayaxche.

Once you're at Sayaxche, head down to the river and ask the guys with the boats. The trip takes about an hour each way and is overpriced (US$50 for one person, $70 for 3 people - May 2008).

You can take a boat from Sayaxche to Aguateca also, it's on the same river but in the opposite direction to Ceibal.

If you're in Flores you could do a day trip to Ceibal, many tour agents in Flores will take you by bus direct to Sayaxche and arrange the boat for you as well as providing lunch and return transport to Flores, the advertised price (May 2008) is US$80 per person. Tours are available to Aguateca and Dos Pilas also.

Fees and permits

None

Get around

Walk

See

Animals, statues, one temple.

Do

Take photos, swat mosquitos.

Buy

Souvenirs

Eat

What you bring with you.

Drink

What you bring with you.

Sleep

In Sayaxche or just come for the day and head on to Flores.

Lodging

None.

Camping

Probably not.

Stay safe

Come to Sayaxche with a tour company rather than the local buses or your backpack might mysteriously fall off the roof, mine did, that rope tying it down must have broken and those guys travelling on the roof must have been looking the other way. If you must come by the local microbus be prepared to be crammed in with 29 people, a box of chickens and 6 blokes on the roof.

Go next

Take the boat back to Sayaxche then a bus to Coban or Flores.