Among Mayan sites in the Yucatn, the ancient city of Chichn Itz stands out as one of the largest, most amazing, and most intriguing of them all. Because the city’s population was so diverse and its history so extensive, the numerous buildings combine many architectural styles and motifs, and visitors could easily be forgiven for feeling overwhelmed by the task of choosing what to see. Ad-hoc exploration is not likely to be fruitful, as the sheer size of the site will just leave you confused and walking in aimless circles; you’ll need a map and a plan to find your way around the city. Below are listed a few of the most magnificent sites, along with their locations, to better equip you to explore Chichn Itz.

Close your eyes and imagine yourself deep in the lush tropical countryside, listening to the calls of exotic tropical birds, feeling the sunlight on your bare skin and the jungle mist curl around your feet. To most, an experience like this can never be more than a dream, especially since the world’s tropical rainforests are being consumed daily by the hungry machine of human industry and expansion. Only a fortunate minority will ever have the opportunity to hike through true equatorial wilderness, surrounded by nature’s untouched majesty; the good news, however, is that you can be one of these few, even if your survival skills are limited to opening tin cans. Guatemala’s jungle trekking tours provide you a rare glimpse of exotic animals, enormous mountains, and awe-inspiring Mayan ruins, all in the midst of natural splendor that has to be seen and felt to be truly believed.