PETEN

Tikal

This magnificent archaeological site dates back to 700 BC and was occupied for over a thousand years during the apogee of the Classic Maya civilisation. Its towering pyramids rise spectacularly above the jungle canopy and its many plazas are alive with monkeys and birds. Stay in one of the simple nearby lodges to appreciate the sunrise and sunset over the primal forest or if you prefer a little more luxury, try the nearby town of Flores, which is built over an ancient Maya city on an island in Lake Petén Itzá.