5-Day Mayan Jungle Expedition to El Mirador

Only 2 stars because of the tour office itself. The company is very unreliable

If it wasn’t for the tour itself, and the team that hiked with us, I’d rate the company a 1 out of 10. I had contacted Lokal in February and had multiple messages back and forth before actually booking on the 15 Feb, with the 5 day trek departing on 6 May. I had not heard from Carmelita Cooperative at all. I finally reached out about 4/5 days before the hike asking for packing lists to confirm anything I may not have had, informed them on my accommodation info & all. They never mentioned anything about stopping by their office to complete payment, so we assumed it’d be done the morning of. The night before the trek, I message Juan Carlos, again, confirming the 5am pick up. He didn’t respond until 4:30 the next morning saying it would be at 5. We were waiting and waiting. And shortly after 5, I tried calling him multiple times with no response. It wasn’t until 5:15 when he finally responded saying we had to wait outside or they couldn’t find us. Oscar came to pick us up, which must have been in a personal car with 2 sleeping children in the car, asking for us to pay the remainder right there. Very sketchy. He brought us to an ATM & we explained we were very sketched out, and he understood, saying we could wait to pay until we met up with the remainder of the group. He apologized and said his boss, Juan Carlos messed up the dates and didn’t realize a tour was going out this day. There was 5 of us in total, with 1 pick up truck, so one of us “has to be sacrificed” to sit in the back of the truck for the entire ride to Carmelita. I sat in the back with my boyfriend because this was absurd. It was one thing to notify us of this, and pay a cheaper rate, but to pay what we did and then have to sit in the back of a pick up truck the whole way, is unacceptable. We finally met the other 2 parties, who were both told something completely different as to why things were so unorganized. They told them we booked last minute so they had to wait for us to arrive, even though we booked in February, and had been trying to get information from Juan Carlos, he was just beyond useless. Carmelita Cooperative clearly messed up and didn’t realize we all booked the same dates, trying to get 1 party to change dates, and tell the other no one was booked for these dates, but also someone canceled because they were upset there was no English tour guide. Their excuses were all over the board. The tour itself, the food, Enrique our tour guide were all amazing. It is so unfortunate you have to go through this company though to do such a memorable trek. If this is a tour you want to do, which you should! Make sure to be on the company non-stop about information because they don’t know how to manager or run their business.

Read More

May 2025

Simply unmissable

This was the most incredible experience I've ever been on. Amazing people, beautiful communities, educated guides, legend of a translator, historic temples, wild jungle and unforgettable friendships! Thank you to everyone who made of experience so unforgettable. A special thanks to our outstanding translator and friend José, our guide Edy and the amazing cook Ingrid. The trip was so much more than I was expecting. The team somehow turned that should have been a grueling camping experience in an incredibly remote region into a relatively luxurious experience. Life is NOT hard in the jungle!

Read More

April 2025

GREAT VALUE. A Walk Through Time, Led by Those Who Remember

Five days through a living jungle, where roots twist like time and the air hums with memory. This is not just a trail—it’s a passage into the soul of an ancient world. Our Mayan guides were more than leaders; they were keepers of stories, descendants of builders and astronomers, whispering truths the jungle still holds close. With each step, they revealed the sacred—from hidden glyphs to sacred ceiba trees—carrying knowledge passed down like heirlooms. We climbed La Danta in silence. At the top, the world stretched green and endless. No fences, no crowds—just wind, stone, and sky. You don’t conquer this place. You listen to it.

Read More

April 2025