Digital drawing of the site core of Cahal Pech ancient Maya City. San Ignacio, Belize
“There is a kind of magic walking through an ancient Maya city. Its sometimes spooky too…it’s like something or someone is watching you…strangely, if you use your imagination, and an ancient city is abandoned, what’s probably watching you is the forest that desperately want back its stones.”
Overlooking the town of San Ignacio is an ancient Maya City called Cahal Pech, the Place of Ticks. It was called this name because before the archaeologists arrived to do some serious excavations in the area it was being used as a pasture for cattle and there were so many ticks in the area that its name was easy to come by.
Walking uphill, its 20 minutes from down town San Ignacio, driving its 5 minutes; it sits under a canopy of trees on top of the “Cahal Pech” hill. Currently, this summer, there have been more excavations that have been in operation under the auspices of Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance team under the license from the National Institute of Culture and History.
Main Palace at Cahal Pech Maya City. San Ignacio, Belize
Cahal Pech is a small city whose history started as far back as 1200BCE. It collapsed as a centrally managed city by 850AD but new finds suggest that people came back to do some infrastructural work on the site.
This little city is the one city that has produced the most figurines in the Maya area and it also the city where the oldest Stela has been found in the country of Belize. It’s a very intimate experience and a very intimate site; you feel that people lived there; the palaces are so easy to access and you can walk through the Palaces and climb to the tallest temple, which is 77 feet high. One other great thing is how accessible it is.
Tour Departs: Anytime from 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM
Tour Duration: 2.5 to 3 hours
Ecology: Secondary broad leafed forest with canopy over most of the architecture at the site
Energy Necessary: Moderate levels of exertion
Dress: Comfortable, shorts and t-shirts to Indiana Jones
What to Bring: Camera, sun block, hat, hiking shoes or sneakers, shades, canteen and energy!
Contact us at info@ninebelize.com and tourswithnine@gmail.com