The Capital Cities of the Ancient Maya:with Epigrapher Stanley Paul Guenter
March 3 - 13, 2011
Journey with Far Horizons Archaeological and Cultural Trips on an eleven day exploration through Central America and Mexico's Chiapas state to explore the Capital Cities of the Ancient Maya. More than archaeology awaits us as we encounter dense rainforest teeming with wildlife, ferns, orchids, and bromeliads. Our itinerary begins in Copán and Quiriguá, two breathtaking sites that have attracted explorers and scientists for 150 years. Continue to the enormous Maya center of Tikal where, swathed by a cacophony of jungle wildlife sounds, we will walk through the myriad of canopy-shadowed trails that lace the park.
Then move deeper into the remote area of the Peten and cross the mighty Usumacinta River to the Mexican side and travel by boat to Yaxchilán. Here, surrounded by uncut forest, explore buildings with carved limestone lintels telling stories of intrigue and power. Then it's on to Bonampak with its fabulous painted murals. We end up in Palenque, arguably the most beautiful of the ancient Mesoamerican cities. Many scholars believe that the height of Maya artistic achievement occurred at Palenque, and certainly the remains of magnificent painted frescoes and sculptured stucco friezes decorating its buildings show brilliant artistry.
"Stanley Guenter is a marvelous study leader, and his ability to read Mayan writing added a whole new dimension to our understanding of the ruins. He ran us ragged, closing up the sites every day, although he will tell you that Charlotte's and Pat's adventurousness contributed to the long days. We left typically with "Vamanos!" ringing in our ears or--in one case--a site guard showing us to the exit. To add to our pleasure, the weather was marvelous, the sights beautiful, and Stan's enthusiasm infectious. The trip is a wonderful one and Stan is the best!’ – Peter Temin
(B) breakfast, (L) lunch, (D) dinner
Day 1: Fly to San Pedro Sula, Honduras and drive to Copán Village. Spend the next two nights in a charming, colonial-style hotel in Copán village with lovely gardens and a swimming pool. Gather for our festive welcome dinner at Hacienda San Lucas, nestled in the hills overlooking the village. (L/D)
Day 2: Upon viewing the stunning art and architecture of Copán, archaeologist Sylvanus Morley proclaimed it the Athens of the New World. This UNESCO World Heritage Site represents one of the most spectacular cultural achievements of antiquity. Recent work has helped restore the magnificent hieroglyphic stairway to its former grandeur, and art historians are presently reconstructing the elaborate facades on the buildings. Throughout the site, finely chiseled writing tells us the story of the powerful kings in the Copán lineage, from Yax K'uk Mo', the founder, to Waxaklajuun Ubaah K’awill, one of the greatest of the rulers. (B/L/D)
Day 3: After a private introductory talk by archaeologist David Sedat, Field Director of the Copán Acropolis Project, we will tour the Copán Village Museum located in the town square. Then we depart Honduras and cross the border to Guatemala and Quiriguá, a lovely site near the shores of the Motagua River. Quiriguá’s stelae are the tallest and most intricately carved in the Maya world. The Great Plaza contains zoomorphic sculptures and elaborately carved stone monuments honoring K’ahk’ Tiliw Chan Yopaat (commonly known as Two-Legged Sky), who freed his city from Copán when he captured 18 Rabbit in 738 AD. Drive to the Rio Dulce and overnight at Banana Palms Resort, overlooking the river. (B/L/D)
Day 4: This morning we will take a short boat ride to El Castillo de San Felipe, located at the point where Rio Dulce becomes Lake Izabal. Built in the late 16th century, this fort was erected by the Spanish in order to prevent the pirates from stealing caravans and pillaging villages along the lake’s shores. After lunch at a local restaurant, transfer to Flores with time to shop and explore the brightly painted buildings of this charming island town. Continue to Tikal and overnight for two nights at the Jungle Lodge, located within the national park. (B/L/D)
Day 5: For the last 25 years, Tikal has been a national park. Wild pigs, native to Central and South America, walk the jungle paths, and brilliantly colored turkeys parade through the forest. Here, in the shadow of the magnificent pyramids, discover the royal families of Tikal through their stories on the carved stone monuments. Learn about the wars of conquest that rocked the region for centuries and begin to understand how the ties of blood created an allegiance between this impressive city and the other sites we will visit, and how these ties were often frayed by battles between the powers that ruled the jungle cities. (B/L/D)
Day 6: Spend the morning in the Tikal’s two museums where the finest monuments are preserved along with other artifacts from the years of excavation. After lunch, drive to the village of Bethel, located on the banks of the Usumacinta River, the largest river in Central America and the border between Guatemala and Mexico’s Chiapas state. Here, we board local lanchas (boats) to travel down the river to the village of Frontera Corozol. Overnight for two nights in a remote, simple jungle lodge. (B/L/D)
Day 7: Journey by boat down the mighty Usumacinta River. Located deep within the rain forest on an oxbow of the river, Yaxchilán was until very recently almost inaccessible. Here, the rulers Itzamnaaj Bahlam (known as Shield Jaguar) and his son Yaxuun Bahlam (Bird Jaguar) built towering memorials to themselves in the 8th century. There are more than 125 carved monuments at Yaxchilán, including altars, thrones, steps, walls, and stelae. However, the door lintels are the site's claim to fame. Sheltered from the elements, these great stone slabs span the tops of 56 doorways, and on many of them, the incised hieroglyphs are still fresh after more than 1,200 years. The howler monkeys hanging from the trees, scarlet macaws soaring overhead, and the rushing river make the overall experience at Yaxchilán very special, even for the seasoned traveler. In the afternoon, return upstream to our jungle lodge. (B/L/D)
Day 8: To reach Bonampak, travel through the Lacandon Rainforest, some of the last of the uncut jungle in this area. Here, within a palace, are three rooms containing remarkable murals telling of the accession of a new king of Bonampak in 790 AD, whose un-translated name is “Man-eating Jaguar.” The city collapsed about this time and these vivid colored paintings were never completed. Bonampak is well known for its murals, but the immense stelae here are equally lovely as they tell of the center's close relationship with nearby Yaxchilán. Transfer to Palenque and overnight for two nights at the Chan Kah Resort, where private bungalows are situated amidst a pristine jungle environment and clustered around an immense, free-form swimming pool. Dinner is on our own tonight. (B/L)
Day 9: Set like a jewel in the lush jungle-clad emerald foothills of the mountains of Chiapas, Palenque is certainly one of the most beautiful of the Maya sites. The tomb of the great ruler, Lord Pakal, was hidden deep inside the Temple of Inscriptions until 1952 when, after four years of excavations, Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz discovered it and raised the 4 1/2 ton sarcophagus lid with truck jacks to uncover the king wearing his mosaic jade death mask. Palenque is unusual in having almost no carved monuments, but stucco sculptures depicting the city’s royalty decorate many of the buildings while lengthy hieroglyphic texts can be found on tablets inside the palaces and temples. The three temples in the Group of the Cross are the most magnificent buildings in the city. Built high on the side of a mountain, these beautifully decorated sanctuaries dominate the site. In their interiors, massive, finely carved hieroglyphic panels tell the history of the kings and the glorification of their gods. Dinner will be at one of Palenque’s finest restaurants. (B/L/D)
Day 10: This morning we will return to the ruins and walk along a delightful trail following a series of waterfalls that flow past the homes of the people of ancient Palenque. After lunch, we will tour the Palenque Museum containing an outstanding collection of artifacts. These include breathtakingly beautiful incensarios, or ceramic incense burners, some as tall as three feet high and richly adorned with masks of Maya gods. We will then transfer to Villahermosa for our farewell dinner and overnight at the Villahermosa Hilton. (B/L/D)
Day 11: Transfer to the airport for our flight back to the USA. (B)
Study Leader - Stanley GuenterStanley Guenter was first introduced to the Maya culture and ancient script at the age of ten. He has been studying Mesoamerican cultures ever since. He obtained his BA at the University of Calgary, and received his Master’s at La Trobe University, in Melbourne Australia, with Dr. Peter Mathews. He is now ABD (All But Dissertation) for his PhD in Archaeology from Southern Methodist University. He is the epigrapher and working archaeologist with two archaeological projects in Guatemala. Stanley is one of the rising stars of Mesoamerican writing systems and has taught and presented at conferences throughout the world including Canada, Australia, Germany and Denmark.
March 3 - 13, 2011
$7,495.00 (per person, double occupancy) includes roundtrip international airfare from Houston to Honduras and returning from Villahermosa, Mexico; all hotels; meals as noted; ground transportation; guides and entry fees.
Single Supplement: $595.00. Should a roommate be requested and one not be available, the single supplement will be charged.
Cost Does Not Include: a separate donation check for $100.00 (per person) to the Pre-Columbian Art Research Institute; gratuities to guides and drivers; passport or visa fees; airport and or departure taxes; food, alcoholic beverages and other drinks not on the regular menu; excess baggage charges; laundry, telephone, fax or email charges; and other items of a personal nature.
Fuel Surcharges: Far Horizons must pass on price increases when additional fuel charges are levied.
Donation Checks: The cost of the trip does not include the separate tax-deductible check for $100.00 per person to the Pre-Columbian Art Research Institute (PARI), which supports and carries on research and exploration of Mesoamerican civilizations, their art, archaeology and glyphic texts. The donation is required as part of your registration for the trip and is non-refundable.
A deposit of $500.00 along with a separate $100.00 check made out to the Pre-Columbian Art Research Institute is required along with your registration form. Final payment is due 75 days prior to departure. Upon receipt of your deposit and completed registration form, you will be sent a reading list and a tour bulletin containing travel information. Prior to the trip, we will send links to various websites of pertinent interest to the trip. Click here to download our Registration Form.
Cancellations received in writing at least 75 days before departure will result in an administrative fee of $250.00. Cancellations received less than 75 days prior to departure will not receive a refund. If for any reason you are unable to complete the tour, we will not reimburse any fees. Registrants are strongly advised to buy travel insurance that includes trip cancellation.
If you do not fly on the group flight, you are responsible for all flight and land transportation (including airport transfers) to join the group. If Far Horizons must change the trip dates or cancel the trip, Far Horizons is not responsible for any air ticket you may have purchased.
The private tours of archaeological sites and talks by specialists are scheduled in advance and include a donation to each. Specialists working at these sites are excited about showing their work to interested enthusiasts. However, there may be times when the director or a staff member may not be onsite when our groups arrive due to other commitments, or that the date or time of our visit to their project must be changed.
This trip is for the hardy! The adventurous nature of the itinerary makes it essential that you be in good physical condition and maintain a flexible attitude. Long walks may be required to reach some areas, including walks over steep gradients and over poorly maintained paths. Changes in our itinerary, accommodations, and transportation schedules may occur. We have carefully chosen hotels that are the best available, but they frequently are simple - there will be times when our rooms will not have hot water, and electricity might be sporadic. The adventurous nature of the itinerary makes it essential that participants be in good physical condition and have the ability to maintain a flexible attitude. Team spirit and a sense of humor will be helpful! If you have questions about your ability to handle this sort of challenge, please call us.
Archaeological Tour Limited to 17 Participants
