tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42931037449974723322024-02-08T08:38:44.344-06:00El Mirador Hike1. An independent source of information on visiting El Mirador, Guatemala.
2. Supporting conservation efforts in the Mirador Basin
3. Helping local communities benefit from tourismAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668406333467889849noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-65980498288347325102012-12-26T09:50:00.000-06:002013-02-18T09:53:02.957-06:00Feedback from a reader<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A very interesting comment arrived to our previous post that we thought should be posted. Thank you Laura for the effort!<br />
<br />
<div class="comment-header" id="bc_0_0M" kind="m">
<cite class="user"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02966285430835140600" rel="nofollow">Laura</a></cite><span class="icon user"></span><span class="datetime secondary-text"><a href="http://elmiradorhike.blogspot.com/2012/01/visiting-el-mirador-in-2012.html?showComment=1331917504607#c353648653204990292" rel="nofollow">March 16, 2012 at 11:05 AM</a></span></div>
<div class="comment-header" id="bc_0_0M" kind="m">
<span class="datetime secondary-text"> </span></div>
<div class="comment-content" id="bc_0_0MC">
I
just got back from the Mirador and am happy to see that someone has
posted this information. We ran into a lot of trouble because we had
booked a tour through Humberto (listed above) because a friend
recommended him. On the morning we were to leave DIPRONA (the protected
areas police) and representatives from the cooperativa were blocking
our entrance onto the trail. <br /><br />They have passed a rule and are
being supported by CONAP (council for protected areas) to only allow
licensed guides from INGUAT lead trips. The only people who are
licensed work for the coop. This means that only people from the coop
can take you.<br /><br />I agree with these comments that if you have the
time, speak spanish, and want to support an example of community led
conservation and tourism that you go to Carmelita and try to find a way
to work with the cooperative to negotiate something cheaper. Otherwise
just book with the travel agency and you will not have a headache from
seeing a community being torn apart by regulations to protect the land
around them.<br /><br />What we ended up doing was spending 3 extra days in
Carmelita staying in Humerto's house while we worked out a compromise. I
don't think the coop wants to work with other people in the community.
They have a list of members and have a rotation for who gets work next.
Humberto wanted to be our mule driver out of his cycle. We ended up
paying 1,000Q for the guide and going through Humberto for everything
else. I don't think that the coop was happy about this compromise but
we had already paid him through bank transfer and did not feel it was
fair to take the money from him just to give it to his neighbor.<br /><br />The
people who do work for the coop are paid a fair wage and are ensured
dividends twice a year but what the coop earns. We paid Q1,000 for the
guide. He got Q700 of that and Q300 went to the costs of administration
of the coop. This is why it creates friction in the community because
people don't understand why money should pay for a secretary to sit in
front of a computer. Also only people who have done a 7 month course
can be a registered guide so it is not easy for illiterate people who
have been working as guides for years to become legal.<br /><br />Don't let
this stop you from going. It is beautiful. However as most beautiful
ecosystems left in the world there are a lot of external pressures that
are making the regulations even more important. Unfortunately it is
causing struggles in the community of Carmelita.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668406333467889849noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-962810328673026472012-01-04T08:10:00.000-06:002013-02-18T10:54:45.699-06:00Visiting El Mirador in 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In spite of all the tension and insecurity involving travel to El Mirador, here are some options for those who still want to give it a try. Presently there are only three travel agencies in Flores who organize El Mirador tours directly (that is they are not resellers of existing offers) and who operate with the approval of the Cooperativa Carmelita (meaning their clients will not be turned back before the ruins by machete-waving people). These are:<br />
<br />
<b>Mayan Lands Travel Agency</b><br />
T.: (+502) 5340 2506 and (+502) 5821 5384<br />
Email: landsmayan@hotmail.com<br />
<br />
<b>Reino K'an Mirador Travel Agency</b><br />
Address: Calle 30 de Junio, Flores (across from Hotel Petén and 5B ATM)<br />
T.: (+502) 5818 3273 and (+502) 5761 9883.<br />
Email: racsosalas@hotmail.com<br />
<br />
<b>Mayan Princess Travel Agency</b><br />
Address: Calle Centro America<br />
T.: (+502) 7867 5045<br />
Email: <strike>bbbetoremate@hotmail.com</strike><br />
<br />
The (+502) prefix is the international code for Guatemala should you be calling from overseas, and no, none of the above agencies have web pages. <br />
<br />
The Mayan Princess received very negative reviews by some of it’s clients, something we could not verify.<br />
<br />
If you choose to go to Carmelita directly and try your luck with the locals (something we still recommend), here are your options:<br />
<br />
<b>Cooperativa Carmelita</b>: the official cooperative controlling all tourism in the area. President: Antonio Centeno Garcia.<br />
T.: (+502) 5857 7310, 7861 2639, 7861 2640 and 7861 2641<br />
Email: tono.centeno@gmail.com<br />
<br />
<b>ASTUNAC</b>: the alternative cooperative, 100% Carmelitan. President: Patricia Pinelo. (Please note that their phone is switched on only for a few hours in the morning and the afternoon, so please try at different times per day to reach them). (Rumor has it that they have been banned from offering tours to anyone. 02-01-2013)<br />
T.: (+502) 7783 3811, 7783 3812 and 7783 3813<br />
<br />
Umberto: an independent guide with cooperative permission to lead tours, very much recommended by one of our readers. (He is not a Cooperativa Carmelita - approved guide and reports from our readers say he cannot lead tours either. See newer posts. 02-01-2013)<br />
T.: (+502) 5382-1337, 51522707 and 51975365.<br />
<br />
<b>Final advice: there is probably no living person on Earth who understands exactly the situation in Carmelita and the Mirador Basin. Rules, agreements, permits and persons change on a daily basis. It basically comes down to two options:</b><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>If you don’t have the time, do not believe in supporting local communities, don’t care much about prices and like to book your trip months ahead, contact one of the agencies in Flores (listed above).</li>
<li>If you have some extra days to organize your trip, believe in responsible travel, don’t mind a pinch of adventure and can speak Spanish, then go to Carmelita, talk to the cooperatives listed above and the locals in town, choose someone you feel you can trust, negotiate and go for it! Just remember, after the trip please give the amount you negotiated to your helpers: the guide, the muleteers and the cooks! These people often receive minimal pay even when booked through the cooperatives. The only way to ensure that those who work hard get paid fair is to give them back at least the amount you saved by not going through a travel agency in Flores.</li>
</ol>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668406333467889849noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-12366451974516102202012-01-04T06:50:00.001-06:002012-02-27T06:18:32.598-06:00Carmelita - Gateway to the largest Maya Center of the Known World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We support the community of Carmelita. If you want to see El Mirador, go to Carmelita and speak with the people of Carmelita about how to get to El Mirador.<br />
<br />
There are many options to work directly with the community to secure treks, outfitting services and jungle adventures throughout the El Mirador Basin.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668406333467889849noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-57527685857254341362011-12-25T09:12:00.000-06:002012-01-04T06:14:01.472-06:00New bloggers<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> 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locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Well into the new dry season at El Mirador, we have been concentrating our efforts mainly on fundraising and research. Our volunteer and hiking programs are still on a standby, but we received a lot of help from independent travelers and NGO’s from around the world to provide up to date information about traveling to the site. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Bett and Kevin, two anthropology students from Switzerland residing in Guatemala will be doing a bit of research in the future weeks about happenings at El Mirador, and will be managing this blog for 2012. Welcome, folks, and good luck with the project!</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668406333467889849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-45235033191314049102011-09-20T01:41:00.002-06:002012-02-27T06:22:28.240-06:00Additional Mayan and El Mirador Resources<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
More than 160 artifacts from the Maya world are on exhibit at the Quai Branly Museum in Paris until October 2. Apparently there is also a large portion of the exhibition dedicated to Pre-classic art, including findings at El Mirador. The <a href="http://www.quaibranly.fr/en/programmation/exhibitions/currently/maya.html">official site of the exhibit</a> features a short video showing some pottery, while a pretty good <a href="http://globalheritagefund.org/in_the_news/press_releases/maya_exhibition_at_quai_branly_museum">press release on the GHF</a> site gives a summary of it all.<br />
<br />
And then, the homepage of <a href="http://www.fares-foundation.org/">FARES</a> has some <a href="http://www.fares-foundation.org/mirador/archaeology.php">exciting updates</a> in the form of a short summary of the 2010 field season, as well as a good-looking interactive map presenting the major excavations of the central area. FARES reports on major work being done at El Mirador, Tintal and Nakbe, while 20 new ancient cities and sites have been mapped and researched in the southern Mirador Basin. Good work!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668406333467889849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-73307289694875007692011-09-17T03:42:00.003-06:002012-02-27T06:23:31.683-06:00New information: 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Holidays end, and El Mirador Hike is back on the job. After months of no internet, we were curious to read about the 2011 field season at the site, the progress and even new discoveries. <br />
<br />
Seems like we will have to find out personally again, but until then here are our recommendations, two articles written in a similar style as their predecessors: an enthusiastic author, vary of snakes and spiders ventures into the jungle to report on the work done at El Mirador, focusing exquisitely on the 1978-2009 period. Great introduction for all who hear about the subject for the first time, but a bit repetitive for those in search of new information. <br />
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<a href="http://popular-archaeology.com/issue/june-2011/article/a-massive-early-maya-center-and-a-race-against-time">A massive early Maya center and a race against time (Popular Archeology)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/El-Mirador-the-Lost-City-of-the-Maya.html?device=bbery&c=y">El Mirador - The Lost City of the Maya (Smithsonian Magazine)</a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668406333467889849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-55984073271765827362011-06-02T01:59:00.000-06:002012-02-27T06:24:09.767-06:00Hikes in the rainy season<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><b></b></i> All our English-guided hikes (and volunteering) will be suspended in the rainy season (June - October, 2011). This period will be spent researching new information, fundraising and preparing for the next season. Also, the new NGO managing the planned museum in Carmelita is ready to roll, updates will be posted soon.<br />
<br />
If you are planning a hike during this period, before you write an email please read the links posted on the right navigation bar of this blog titled "Important info". All data to set up your own, cheap, Spanish-guided hike is listed there. We will be lost in the jungle most of the time, so answers to any emails might take a few weeks...</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-34404279395299886112011-04-24T15:09:00.000-06:002011-04-24T15:09:00.796-06:00April 26 hike in SpanishSorry folks, our volunteers bailed out, so we will have to cancel the English guiding part of our 26th hike. Spanish speaking local guides can be arranged at will from Carmelita (link to contacts on the right side) and you can still download our online guide book for free - it contains more info than is usually told by our guides on the hikes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-55154016236632943462011-04-11T17:31:00.000-06:002011-04-11T17:31:24.615-06:00Our guides on the hikesPlease note that our hikes are guided by a different member of our team each time. Ron and Jack, who have done the most guiding so far are obviously better known, and hikers might be disappointed to hear it will not be them leading the hike, but any of the 5 volunteer guides working with us at the moment. Be assured, all of us have the same amount of information on the site and can provide the same data on plant, animals and ruins at El Mirador. As of April this year, we automatically employ at least one local guide from Carmelita on each hike, if there is a big group then more. That can mean up to 4-5 locals being offered a job per week, making hikes extra safe no matter who is the English guide, and giving us more time to work on the museum and other projects.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-73763687928986499722011-04-10T17:10:00.001-06:002011-04-10T17:14:54.064-06:00The El Mirador Field GuidesThe new flagship of our efforts to raise funds for the museum and nature exhibit in Carmelita: The El Mirador Guide. Three volumes of pure hiking information and field guides are available for download in PDF format.<br />
<br />
Working as volunteers we tend to believe in mankind, so these guides are free to download, print and distribute as long as they are not altered. In exchange, if you feel that they helped you during your hike, we expect you to make a donation of your choice to support our goals listed in the header of the blog.<br />
<br />
Maps, photos and new information will be added continuously and the general information collected from the internet will be rewritten eventually depending on how much time we have between guiding hikes. The three volumes of the guidebook:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B4mzl9hT2aAANWQwYjRhN2UtNjBjNi00MGRmLTgxZDAtZGE4YjEzNzhiNmM4&hl=en">El Mirador Guide: THE HIKE</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B4mzl9hT2aAAMmJlNmEyNGMtZmU3Yy00ZGJkLWI4OWYtZGQ2MTRiZTNlOTBm&hl=en">El Mirador Guide: PLANTS</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B4mzl9hT2aAAMDdkNjQ4ODgtMWZiOC00MTcxLWIyNWYtM2FjMzQ3MDgzY2Iz&hl=en">El Mirador Guide: ANIMALS</a><br />
<br />
Any recommendations or corrections are thankfully accepted!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-72169026956457587722011-04-04T11:13:00.001-06:002011-04-04T11:13:26.089-06:00April hikesWe will be leading a film crew to Rio Azul this week, so the April 5th El Mirador Hike is canceled, no meeting the day before. <br />
<br />
Our next scheduled hike (four hikers so far) starts on Tuesday (12th April), with registration at Cafe El Zotz, Flores on Monday (11th April) at 5 pm. <br />
<br />
And then we have two interested hikers for the 19th April hike, more needed...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-41624417166660553382011-03-16T00:26:00.000-06:002011-03-16T00:26:42.206-06:00Photos and information package to download<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nXSnvTFxWRk/TYBXkMbYBJI/AAAAAAAAA0k/d-tXZn9FSq4/s1600/sunsetpyramid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nXSnvTFxWRk/TYBXkMbYBJI/AAAAAAAAA0k/d-tXZn9FSq4/s400/sunsetpyramid.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>A new feature is finally presented, a slideshow of the best photos our guides made during the hikes of 2010/2011. You will need a Google account to visit the gallery itself (elmiradorhike@gmail.com) on Picasa, but you can also enjoy it on this page, on the right side.<br />
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If you do not have the time to read all the posts, a pretty little PDF file can be downloaded in our downloads section containing all the relevant and important information about the hike. To read it, <a href="http://elmiradorhike.blogspot.com/p/hike-itinerary-in-pdf.html">click here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-17696968029225322272011-03-14T14:17:00.000-06:002011-03-14T14:17:54.303-06:00Hikes from April 4 and on... and volunteers needed!New system: less posts, more time in the jungle!<br />
April 4 is Monday, and the first day of our regular weekly hikes to El Mirador. From this date on, all hikes start with a registration and briefing on Monday at 5 pm at Cafe El Zotz in Flores. Next day, on every Tuesday, the group goes to Santa Elena, helps with packing the supplies and leaves for Carmelita. Arrival back to Santa Elena every Sunday. Hikes either US 100, no mules used or US 150, using mules and community workers (preferred construction).<br />
<br />
Also, we are looking for some real volunteer spirits, who like to hike, organize, live outdoors and learn about the ancient Maya culture of El Mirador. Help also needed with accounting, fund raising, or maybe just teaching English in Carmelita... Accommodation and food provided.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-31705973456967715082011-03-12T14:36:00.000-06:002011-03-12T14:36:00.086-06:00March 22-28 hikeA new option for those out there waiting for their El Mirador hike guided in English: we meet in Galeria del Zotz in Flores, beside Café Yaxhá, for a personal discussion of hike details on the 21st of March, 2011 at 17:00.<br />
<br />
Leaving Santa Elena around noon the next day (22nd), we arrive to Carmelita in the evening, and hike out the following day, on the 23rd. Return to Carmelita and Flores on the 27th. Price is 100 US, no mules or helpers, doing the classic route excluding Nakbé. Minimum amount of persons: 8. To secure your place, please send an email to elmiradorhike@gmail.com with full names.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-25994957543924307642011-02-12T22:54:00.003-06:002011-02-23T03:01:46.564-06:00February 24-28 and March 2-6 hikesWe will not be available to read email or answer calls between <b>15-28 February</b>. Here is the final layout:<br />
<br />
<b>February 24-28:</b> 5-day hike, 3 places free. Using mules (possibly volunteers) and not carrying any packs. Price 100 US, food and gear included. Mules cost extra, see posts below. Meeting in Galeria el Zotz, Flores on the 22nd February at 5 pm and again on the 24th 7 am. <br />
<br />
<b>March 2-6:</b> 5-day well-planned hike including Nakbé and Wakná, using mules and community guides. Meeting in Flores on the 28th February, 8 pm at Galeria del Zotz, Flores (beside Cafe Yaxha). Trip to Carmelita starts next day early, we stay there a night and hike out on the 2nd of March. Return to Carmelita and Flores on the 6th. Minimum donation is 150 USD, which gets you good food by local cook, a jungle guide, helpers, travel to and from Flores and all accommodation in Carmelita. Plus some secret places to visit...<br />
Profits from this hike will be used to help Carmelita locals establish a private collection and museum of Maya artifacts in their community. Donations above the minimum are gratefully accepted. <br />
<br />
All hikes guided in native English by experts.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-61378151763645648362011-02-08T06:16:00.000-06:002011-02-08T06:28:18.610-06:00Feb 15 - 20 hike: few places leftThe next hike, leaving on the 14th from Flores by private truck to Carmelita, has a few more places waiting for some adventurous spirits. We preferably carry all our food and gear, purify our water and usually sleep in our own jungle camp than together with dozens of other tourists at the base camps. Cost is US$ 100 per person and includes basically everything <a href="http://elmiradorhike.blogspot.com/2011/02/there-seems-to-be-little-confusion.html">(click here for detailed info)</a><br /><br />If you would rather do the hike with mules, tents, mattresses, sheltered camps, then consider joining our March 1-7 upcoming hike, featuring Nakbé, La Muralla and the whole 5-day hike as well! This is the first time we will test our GPS map&guide for Nakbé, and will have full guiding in English.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-16245673733020582212011-02-07T05:40:00.000-06:002011-02-08T06:48:25.940-06:00The Sherpas of Mirador<span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"No one who is a bit concerned about the environment and the future of El Mirador would consider using mule caravans inside the Park."</span><br /></span><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">(Oscar Vesquez, chiclero, near El Florida, leading his 4 mules home)</span></span><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Those who have been to El Mirador surely remember the ankle-breaking imprints of mule hoofs in the </span><span style="font-size:100%;">rock-hard mud of the trail. Only in the dry season, of course, in the rainy months these trails are kneaded into a slimy, knee-deep cereal-like paste by the poor animals. On the other hand, the average tourist will not carry all gear, food, water and extras on a humid, hot, multi-day jungle trek, no matter what the environmental concerns.<br /><br />And then comes the issue of the Ramon trees (the only species that horses and mules can eat in the jungle, resulting in muleteers fiercely chopping all of them around the camps) and the critters (the pack animals carry domestic pests/diseases into the core of the Biosphere Reserve and vica versa), and that of watering holes being infected by domestic animal droppings, etc...<br /><br />All these and more were the topics of many late-night arguments beside campfires, until an idea stuck that we thought might be worth a try. Why not use humans instead of mules? If it is possible in the Himalayas, why not here? Conserving the environment always costs more than not caring, so obviously it will be more expensive to pay local workers to carry your backpack than rent a mule. Also, they need their own food, water and gear too, so you still have to pack tight. But then instead of having mules snort beside your tent the whole night, you will have plenty of friendly locals sitting with you around the campfire sharing stories of their lives.<br /><br />After a few trials it seems to work fine, now all we need is some time and enthusiastic hikers to work out the details. A human train without the swarms of mosquitoes, horse-flies and friends, darting silently through the jungle on moss-covered, narrow trails... it is worth the effort, believe us!<br /><br /><br /></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-32821109743699782712011-02-05T16:02:00.000-06:002011-02-08T06:48:11.899-06:00Next public hike: February 15-20As you can see, we are back in civilization, after a 2-month long stroll in the rainforests of Petén, Lacandón, Chiapas and Belize. All we can say folks: it will blow your mind away! Soon we will post photos as soon as we can convert and select our 10k+ pictures from RAW.<br /><br />But more interesting is our new venture with <a href="http://atitlanadventures.com/explore-el-peten">Atitlan Adventures</a>, a small outfitter based at San Pedro La Laguna on the shores of Lake Atitlan. Thy offer highly specialized overland adventures by truck, and are busy setting up their activities in Petén as well. Their first major venture will be driving from San Pedro to Flores, and bumping around Petén, mostly the Rio Azul, El Mirador, Petén Itza and Laguna del Tigre areas. This trip is still available with limited places, featuring a free El Mirador Hike, whose hikers will join us on the next public hike. This hopefully means lesser costs and more fun.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-79334607824439273712011-02-04T15:17:00.009-06:002011-04-10T15:03:28.017-06:00Detailed pricingThere seems to be a little confusion about what exactly is included in the featured tour (the next one leaving on February 15).<br />
So, lets see:<br />
<br />
Price includes:<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 18pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>transportation from/to Santa Elena</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>3 meals a day during hike plus accommodation and food in Carmelita before and after tour</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>all entry fees, permits and taxes; information on current excavations</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>native English guide certified in wilderness first-aid, first-aid kit, GPS and detailed site maps</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>a requirement of minimum eight participants</div><br />
Not included in price:<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 18pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>local guides, mules/horses to carry gear or ride on</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 18pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>hammock, net, blanket</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>emergency evac due to blisters, fatigue, health or other issues</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>helpers to set up your tent, cook your food, wash dishes, carry water, tidy up and pack your bag: meaning your personal help is needed all along with common chores</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>tips/snacks/donations</div><br />
Extras can be rented per day (based on 1 US$ = 7,8 Q):<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 18pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>mule US$9</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>muleteer (arriero) US$14</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>extra hiking days US$20</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>local cook US$14</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>local guide US$21</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>hammock+net+cover US$3</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span dir="LTR"></span>Hennessy hammocks US$20</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="direction: ltr; line-height: normal; margin-left: 18pt; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div>Please note that one mule is needed to carry all the luggage of two persons, and one muleteer plus his mule has to be rented per four mules. The Hennessy hammocks are professionally designed jungle expedition hammocks with an asymmetrical design for comfortable sleeping, rapid assembly and a built-in rain tarp and mosquito net. Also, they weigh a lot less than the traditional hammock-tarp-net trio.<br />
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Our price is 150 US$ per person for a group of at least 8 persons for the 5-day hike. Every extra day will cost 20 US$ per person, for less days we subtract the amount (a 3-day trek would cost 60 USD per person for a group of 8). For groups less than five, the per person price will also be proportionally higher.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-65607226546344398792011-01-29T19:01:00.003-06:002011-02-04T16:10:23.084-06:00New El Mirador Hike in February!Limited places available for the next El Mirador Hike: 2011 February 15-20. See details below... or call quick: 46154894Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-45261928505781385992010-12-05T15:10:00.001-06:002012-02-27T06:59:41.998-06:00Dining in Carmelita<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hint: if you are in Flores probably the cheapest option to eat out is called Cafe El Zotz, right beside Cafe Yaxha (this latter has a great photo exhibition on Maya ruins but their prices are steep), with big and delicious main courses for Q25, soda included. Also, beer here costs Q5 per bottle if you buy three(!). <br />
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Another cheapie is down by the shore facing Santa Elena, below the Travel Agency San Juan, where open-grill chicken barbecue costs Q25, drinks extra. If you leave for Carmelita with the 1 pm bus from Santa Elena, right beside where the bus stands a local comedor will sell you a huge meal with beans, rice and chicken for Q15.<br />
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In Carmelita, two local comedores sell beans, tortillas, platanos and eggs for Q15. With a little advance notice, and for a few more Q, they'll can probably get you a excellent wild-crafted venison stew or some excellent blanco caught from an ancient Maya lake.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-88530527108210729182010-12-04T14:28:00.001-06:002012-02-27T07:01:18.670-06:00Travel from Flores (Santa Elena) to Carmelita<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Local buses (camioneta) to Carmelita leave Santa Elena twice every day, at 5 am and 1 pm. From Carmelita, buses leave to Santa Elena at the same times, 5 am and 1 pm. This means that the 5 am bus from Santa Elena will arrive to Carmelita around 9 am, and the same bus will start back from Carmelita at 1 pm. Similarly, the 1 pm bus from Santa Elena will arrive to Carmelita at around 5 pm, stay there overnight and start back towards Santa Elena the next day at 5 am. The bus stop in Santa Elena is in the middle of the market, a bit difficult to find since tuk-tuks will drop you off outside the market, and at the market almost nobody knows about Carmelita buses, they will probably tell you to go to the main terminal.<br />
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To find it, walk from Flores towards Santa Elena over the bridge, then turn right at the second traffic light (there will actually be a big blue sign before the crossroads with "Carmelita" and "El Mirador" on them and a small INGUAT sticker making sure everyone knows who put up those signs), walk about 2 minutes and turn left on the second small street that leads into the market. That street will bend left and right and then open up into a busy square with microbuses and buses parked in the middle. The bus on the other side of the square goes to Carmelita. It probably won't have a sign saying so, but ask any of the other bus drivers (many buses leave from here to Sayaxché, Poptún, etc.) and they will tell you exactly. Don't get confused: many locals refer to Carmelita as "Carmela". Who knows which name was first...:)<br />
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Another way to catch the bus from Flores is to take a collectivo lancha (boat) from the north part of the island to San Andres (should be about 100Q per trip, if you look very gringo the locals might tell you there is no such thing as collectivo boats), walk up to the village and catch the Carmelita bus on the main square. With this you can miss the bustle of Santa Elena and get a scenic trip on the lake too. The bus makes it in about half an hour from Santa Elena to San Andres. The fare to Carmelita is 30Q per person, and you can keep your bags in the back of the bus, practical if it is raining, but watch out, passengers later are likely to pack boxes of fruit and animals on top of it.<br />
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The road goes around the lake from the left side, after San Andres it slowly becomes gravel, then dirt. Dos Aguadas, La Colorada, La Gloria are all stops on the way, Dos Aguadas is the place to get off if you are planning on hiking to El Zotz and Tikal. The bus will stop halfway for 10 minutes where drivers eat there little fried chicken legs at a street vendor. The road, especially after rains, is frequently too muddy for anything except serious 4x4 vehicles to pass. That means the bus might get stuck too... or it might just break down any time of the year. If the drivers can fix it then they carry on, if not they will wait for the next bus, next day or some solution to show up. Definitely not good if you are on a tight schedule, but then, taking a "shuttle" might not help either, agencies in Flores use private microbuses to take groups to Carmelita, and many times passengers have to get out and dig and push the van if they want to make it to Carmelita. All that for about 5x the price of the local bus.<br />
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Now, the other option is advertised as safe and fail proof, but in fact it is not. It involves paying a microbus driver 600Q for the roundtrip to Carmelita. Even if you are not going back with the same bus, you will have to pay that amount. And if you already paid the roundtrip, and the driver finds people wanting to leave Carmelita TO Santa Elena, he will also make them pay 600Q for the roundtrip. Or at the very least 300Q. I personally was there when the driver from Ecomaya wanted to charge 1500Q for some people who had to leave Carmelita in an emergency. Of course, everybody has the right to ask as much as they think fair, but still, be smart and do your math. If you book your trip with an agency in Flores for 200USD, the price includes private transport to and from Carmelita. From Carmelita you can also arrange emergency transport to Flores any time for 600Q.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-77824486650540893282010-12-03T15:00:00.000-06:002012-02-27T07:03:42.062-06:00Sleeping before and after El Mirador<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This post won't be too long, since all accommodation options can be found on the internet. I<br />
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Consider staying at Youth Hostel Los Amigos, Flores. Hammock places Q25, 15-bed dorm Q35, private room Q45 per person. Main courses around Q60, travel agency in-house, computers and Wi-Fi. If you do a Google search, you will come across loads of opinions, experiences and traveler info on the hostel, good and bad. The good things mentioned are: great food, lots of English-speaking travelers, the jungle atmosphere, the location, helpful travel-agency, the free Wi-Fi and the great library. The negative opinions include: selling pirated movies and e-books, keeping endangered wild species (parrot) captive, dog shit smeared on walkways, unfriendly staff short-changing you on food and internet, dirty bathrooms, lots of noise, treating you like a potential cheater when you don't pay up front for everything, expensive prices, staff smoking dope.<br />
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If the only thing you are interested is the price, go to the Santa Elena market, find a place called "Hospedaje", and get a room (cell) for Q10 per person double, Q15 single. All other options in Flores start at Q40 per person. If you prefer private rooms and quiet, these rooms are way better value than those at Los Amigos.<br />
In Carmelita you can stay at the house of Carlos and Patricia (hammocks or a mattress on the ground) for free if you book a tour with them, or pay Q15 if you just hire mules from them or go with another outfitter.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-86544904202149602722010-12-02T22:07:00.002-06:002012-02-27T07:04:12.086-06:00Other websites on El Mirador<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US">Other important (and independent!) websites:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mostlymaya.com/">Mostly Maya</a> is in fact All Maya. A site written by an enthusiastic traveler who keeps returning to El Mirador, it has been recently the most relevant and informative site on travel to El Mirador and other Maya sites in CA. A big thumbs up for being really independent.<br /><br /><a href="http://authenticmaya.com/">Authentic Maya</a> is a huge site on the history, culture of the ancient Maya with some really detailed and hard-to-find information on recent excavations and archeology. The owners don't answer emails, but never mind, they probably spend that time uploading more stuff to their (bit chaotic) website.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/index.jspa">Lonely Planet Thorntree</a> is probably well known to any real traveler, with huge discussion forums on El Mirador. To get there try typing "El Mirador 2010" in their search box, since it is a bit difficult to find the latest opinions on El Mirador from a history of about 6 years.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.miradorbasin.com/">Mirador Basin Project</a> is the official site of the archeological work being done at El Mirador. Boasting the best design of all the other sites, it has some interesting news topics about recent finds among the general PR and self-advertisement of Hansen, FARES and financial supporters of El Mirador. Oh, and here is where you can donate to the project... unfortunately money is the only option offered.<br /><br /><a href="http://globalheritagefund.org/index.php/what_we_do/overview/current_projects/mirador_guatemala">Global Heritage Fund</a> has a flashy site of the foundation financing the work at El Mirador with the largest amount. Their small state-of-the-art GIS application uses a Google Earth plugin to present the digital archeological site plans of El Mirador and Nakbé, not very practical if you don't have internet. The solution is to extract the .kmz file, convert it to .gpx and upload it on your Garmin GPS, and behold, there is the whole ancient city at your fingertips.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.buenascosas.org/">Buenas Cosas</a> - serving community and nature. Not-for-Profit development and volunteer opportunities.</span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293103744997472332.post-71701953583003936282010-12-02T21:15:00.002-06:002010-12-02T21:33:01.431-06:00New website for El MiradorPreviously I wrote about insufficient information on El Mirador. This seems to be changing right at these moments. The company called <a href="http://www.ecotourism-adventure.com">Ecotourism & Adventure Specialists</a> created the website <a href="http://www.miradorpark.com">www.miradorpark.com</a>, where detailed info is being published about El Mirador in English and Spanish. Although still very incomplete, visitors will find a wealth of information on archeological complexes within the central area, also about Maya myths and culture. Even though presently what they offer is mostly helitours to El Mirador, the pages have a great potential and judging by the work it will become the topmost source of information about the site.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0