Trek to the Lost City of el Mirador

Discover a little-known Mayan ruin hidden in dense jungle on a challenging 5-day trek.

Smothered in an all-enveloping cloak of jungle foliage, the secluded and little-visited ruins of El Mirador are a vision of exoticism and adventure. This still mysterious ancient site calls to mind the classic image of the 'lost city' that has been fuelling travellers' imaginations since the days of the quest for El Dorado.

Centuries older and several times larger than Tikal, the settlement first began to flourish around 500 BC and was one of the first large cities on the North American continent, with a population of 80,000 Maya. The slim visitor numbers are due solely to the site's remoteness – it lies 65km from the nearest road and can only be reached on foot or by helicopter.

For those of an adventurous disposition, we can arrange an arduous but rewarding trek with mules through challenging jungle terrain, sleeping in hammocks at simple camps by night and forging a path through rainforests and swamps by day.

Finally, you’ll scale El Mirador's tallest pyramid and look out over the seemingly endless sweep of jungle you have just traversed, with the evocative remnants of this hugely significant Mayan city poking out through the emerald blanket all around.

Activity Rating: easy