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6-Day El Mirador Trek: Mayan Ruins Expedition

El Mirador, Guatemala

6-Day El Mirador Trek: Mayan Ruins Expedition

Join us on a trek to El Mirador, one of the largest and oldest cities in the Mayan world, located deep in the Guatemalan jungle. Our guides from the Carmelita community will lead you on a 97.5 kilometer hike through well-maintained trails, giving you the chance to immerse yourself in the jungle and spot local wildlife such as howler monkeys. You'll camp every night, experiencing the history and mysticism of the region, as well as enjoying beautiful sunrises and the sounds of the forest. Delicious food is included throughout the trip.

Our 6-day itinerary includes a visit to the Nakbe and Florida archaeological sites, while the 5-Day Trek includes visits to all of the other sites, including the Danta Pyramid at El Mirador.

You can also add a day trip to Tikal before or after the El Mirador Trek. We recommend leaving at least a day in between Tikal and the El Mirador Trek to rest. This option will be available at checkout.

Right for You?

Duration

6 Days / 5 Nights

Travel Style

Active Adventure, Cultural Immersion and Roughing it

Languages

Spanish and English
The reservations office speaks English but the local guides on the hike do not. Bilingual guides can be arranged for extra cost.

Physical Activity

Challenging workout

Location

Rural Communities and Rainforest

Connect

Wifi: None
Cell: None
Starts at:

$445/person

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Speaks: Spanish and English

Highlights

  • Visit the largest ancient Mayan city in Central America
  • Explore the Danta Pyramid - the largest pyramid (volume wise) of the ancient world
  • Hike through remote tropical jungle and see amazing sunsets
  • Spot wildlife, including howler monkeys and toucans

Details

Schedule

Tours depart daily with pick ups in Flores beginning around 5am.

Availability

Flexible Departure Date
All year

Itinerary

What's Included

Lodging

5 Nights Camping

Activities

Trekking, Wildlife Viewing and Archaeological Sites
This is a challenging workout. During the rainy months (September-November) it can get extra muddy and more difficult. During the dry months (December-March) the conditions usually improve. The trip is available year round.

Guide

Local guide (not bilingual) and Bilingual guide (extra $)

Room

No Electricity and No Hot Water

Food

All meals included

Transport

Private van and Hike

Traveler Reviews

Cersten

Nice but not quite what i expected

I have to say that the contact and service from LokalTravel were very good. The guide and the crew who accompanied us on the trek were also very friendly and professional. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about the office staff. At times, the communication felt a bit unclear and slightly unprofessional, which left a somewhat questionable impression. The trek itself was okay, but I expected more from the forest experience. I found large parts of it rather repetitive and not very exciting. We did see monkeys occasionally, but for example, toucans were only spotted near the camps. As someone who loves Mayan ruins, I was quite disappointed that we only saw a very small part of El Tintal. El Mirador was interesting, but apart from the main pyramid, La Danta, nothing really impressed me. Considering that excavations have been ongoing for over 40 years, I expected more visible structures and restored areas. If I had to choose again between doing this trek and taking a day trip to Tikal, I would definitely choose Tikal — ideally arriving at 6 a.m. without a guide to fully enjoy the atmosphere.
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February 2026
Andre

Amazing trek!

Best trek of our lives! The Carmelita CoOp team was amazing! Always felt safe and supported. Meals were wonderful and all was prepped before we got to camp. Dream trip! Interpreter and guides were extremely knowledgeable. Thank you Hector and Adrian!!!!
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December 2025
Rick

Drunk Logistics

I was to be picked up at 5am at my hotel in Flores. Nobody arrived. Finally, I reached someone via WhatsApp. They had no record of me and the van had already left (it was now 5:45). At last, I got them to get the van to turn around to come back for me. They claimed that Lokal had not paid them. I had paid the deposit through Lokal and had the rest that was owed in hand to give them. They then wanted me to give them more money on top of that saying what I had was not enough (even though all the paperwork from Lokal specified that amount). Fortunately, I had a very good e-mail trail. Then they said the reason they did not know about me was that someone got drunk the night before in their village. Once the actual trek started things were very good. But be aware of problems like I had. And definitely keep a very good e-mail trail and other records. I'm not sure if the blame belongs with Lokal or the Carmelita Cooperative people. Either way, I don't think I'd risk working with either one again. But on a positive note the guide and staff on the trek were very good. And it is a unique experience that even with the above mentioned "challenges," I would do it again.
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December 2023


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Your Local Host

Cooperativa Carmelita

Cooperativa Carmelita

Locally Owned Community Cooperative

The Carmelita-El Mirador circuit is a unique and fascinating experience that is run by the inhabitants of Carmelita, a traditional Maya community that has been settled in the heart of the Selva Maya (Mayan jungle) since the early 1900s. For over a century, the

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Getting There

Pick up and drop off in Flores is included in the tour
map marker

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