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 The following day we set off under the guidance of Maynor and one of the guards to sample the sight. First we were taken to one of El ‘Mirador’s smaller temples - known, in the imaginative nomenclature of archeologists, as structure 34. Here some excavation work had taken place, and in places we could see faint tints of the original red paint which had once covered the religious buildings here.
Then we followed the call of the howler monkeys, after which the city’s Monos complex is named, so that we could finally take a look at our noisy companions.

Then came the famous Danta complex, an enormous four storey structure the tallest in the Mayan world. Atop are five easily discernable pyramidal structures, less overgrown due to their height above the forest floor, and we set about the challenge of climbing the highest This despite a rope which had been fixed to make life easy, proved the hairiest of our archeological climbs.

It was while on top of Monos that we saw rain moving in on us. They call February a crazy month in Guatemala, because, despite the dry months either side of it, in February any weather is possible. The rain did have the unfortunate side-effect of waking up the hitherto quiet insect life. We were attacked for the remaining two days by numerous and colourful bugs, and, most tenacious of all, a plague of seed ticks. Mum and I were still extracting dead ones from our bodies several days later.

The sight, from the top of El Tigre, of the forest sweating off the shower in great clouds of mist was magical.

If it seems surprising that such an important Mayan sight can only be reached this way (or by helicopter), then this is something which is unlikely to change in a hurry. Even when archeological resources and interest turn here from Tikal, as they surely eventually will, the Guatelamalan authorities will have to turn their backs on earlier promises to protect the forest if a road is to be built to the site.

Apart from the sense of achievement, the opportunity of having such important and impressive ruins to ourselves was a very special privilege. It is unlikely to remain possible forever.