Maya Day
Enjoy an informative visit to the workshop of a local Mayan slate carver en route to the Mayan ruins at Cahal Pech and Xunantunich.

Cahal Pech presents a different style of Maya architecture. An excellent museum is located next to the site. Situated on the hills above San Ignacio, Cahal Pech was once the home of a royal Mayan family.

Its Late Pre-Classic temples consist of 34 structures and two separate ball courts displaying fine examples of Maya craftsmanship. The site, spread over two acres, was occupied as early as 1200 BC and abandoned around 800 AD. Its complex structures , winding tunnels and fine architecture make it a very interesting visit.

Xunantunich ("Stone Woman") was a major ceremonial center across the Mopan River. in the Mayan village of San Jose Succotz. A hand-cranked ferry takes you across the Mopan River, followed by a mile drive up to the archaeological site. Enjoy a picnic lunch on site. Will you climb, El Castillo, the highest pyramid? It stands at 130 feet above the main plaza floor, offering a spectacular view of the jungle landscape for miles around over the Mopan River Valley and into Guatemala. (If you don't enjoy climbing ruins, you can relax in the shade at a picnic table and take pictures of other people climbing.) El Castillo is known for its frieze, a banded stucco decoration which at one time extended around the entire structure.