El Mirador - Adventure of a Lifetime

(Prema Strecker, Russell McFarlane, Lisa Flaczynski)

I recently took part in a labor of love, sharing the gift of dentistry with students from two schools in rural Guatemala. (T-Bob's Guatemala Student Dental Mission Trip)

During this wonderful experience, I stumble upon a mysterious adventure. The tour guide at UFM (Universidad Francisco Marroquín) explains the history of the Maya. His personal story piques my interest. He tells a story of taking his 10-year-old nephew to Tikal to see the ruins a few years ago. Then, he went on to describe their journey to El Mirador. I'm hooked.

First, he asks if we know anything about El Mirador. I do not. So, here is the story of El Mirador. The tale I tell here is based on the tour guide's story, another person from the Committee that ran the school, and what I have read on the sites listed below, (which I will now weave together freely). El Mirador is an ancient city in the middle of rain forest most of the year. It's population once tallied upwards of 80,000 people. There are multiple mounds of ruins in nearby cities. Most people think of the iconic temples of Tikal, when they think of the Maya. These ruins are much more accessible, as there are roads that lead to the towns that surround Tikal.

(Encased modeling of Tikal from standing Mayan exhibit at UFM, Guatemala 2013)

Some 1800 - 1500 years ago, the cities around El Mirador became ghost towns. The jungle crept in and very little of the old pathways between them remain, notwithstanding the paths still trodden by tour guides from the small cooperative of Carmelita, who controls the rights of passage into the 600,000 acres of this special archaeological zone. He asks us, "Do you know that El Mirador is the largest pyramid in the world? (by volume). It's base is as wide as three soccer fields." Well, no, I did not know this. If this is so, why have I never heard of it?!?

Getting to El Mirador requires a 2 and 1/2 day hike in and a 2 and 1/2 day hike out. He says, "It is difficult to get there; you must go through several swamps, and you bring pack mules with you. Sometimes the water reaches up to your waist." Then he smiles and says, "It is the adventure of a lifetime." I can't stop thinking about the adventure and my desire to feel the water, and see the howler monkeys. I need to touch the base of El Mirador. A few hours pass and I ask the Committee member, Isaias, "Have you heard about El Mirador?" A very broad and proud smile starts to grow across his face, revealing all his front teeth for the first time since we sat down to dinner. This question seems to open us up into a new place of friendship. He tells me what it is like to hike and verifies that indeed it does take the full 2.5 days. It is as if something wonderful happens to people when they go out to complete this mission.

Artist rendering of El Mirador at UFM Maya Exhibit, Guatemala 2013

There are numerous references out there and recommendations and methods for procuring everything that you need. But, ultimately, I need to go because I have seen the smiles that bubble up inside a person after this life experience.


http://wikitravel.org/en/El_Mirador
http://elmiradorhike.blogspot.com/