Maya Biosphere Reserve
Maya Biosphere Reserve
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
5.0
34 reviews
Excellent
32
Very good
2
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Rob C
San Jose, CA2,111 contributions
Apr 2021
An awesome experience for nature and animal lovers. A ton of wildlife all around, spider monkeys are the most visible but the howlers are the most noticeable. Lots of birds, some spiders, and if you're lucky you may stumble upon a jaguar. Unfortunately, I did not. Go with a guide, it makes the experience much better, and bring a hat as well as lots of water and bug spray, or the mosquitoes will eat you alive.
Written April 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Greg V
Alabama917 contributions
Dec 2010 • Solo
The jungle is absolutely amazing to visit and there are so many animals and Maya ruins there to see. If a person wants to go birding or simply get away from it all, this is the place to visit.
Written November 16, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DeanMurphy2020
Orlando, FL7,757 contributions
Nov 2015 • Friends
Tikal National Park encompasses thousands of ruins and about 225 square miles of jungle. (Compared to Miami’s 55 square miles!) The central part of the ancient city that is the site of those 3,000 buildings covers about ten square miles. For those who prefer the metric system, compare the Biosphere Reserve’s 21,602 square kilometers to Yellowstone National Park’s 9,000 square kilometers. The park is also part of the 2.5-million-acre Maya Biosphere Reserve created in 1990 to protect the dense forests of the Petén, which started to disappear at an alarming rate due to population pressures, slash-and-burn agricultural practices, and illegal logging. This review concerns only Maya Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala’s largest rainforest, and not the Tikal ruins.
Unlike the world’s largest rainforest mostly accessible by the Amazon River, a highway runs through it, Maya Biosphere Reserve, which is home to a large concentration of ancient Maya cities. Many of those are under excavation. Tikal is the most famous, attracting almost a quarter million visitors per year. Many other sites exist in varying states of excavation. The Reserve’s forested area has shrunk by 13% over the past 21 years according to Rainforest Alliance. This worthy non-profit organization has several community development projects in the area. The most extreme deforestation has occurred in the Laguna del Tigre and Sierra del Lancandon National Parks. Financial resources are scarce for protecting the Reserve by park rangers, and the area is often considered a lawless wilderness, so take heed when planning remote hikes and camping trips.
Unlike the world’s largest rainforest mostly accessible by the Amazon River, a highway runs through it, Maya Biosphere Reserve, which is home to a large concentration of ancient Maya cities. Many of those are under excavation. Tikal is the most famous, attracting almost a quarter million visitors per year. Many other sites exist in varying states of excavation. The Reserve’s forested area has shrunk by 13% over the past 21 years according to Rainforest Alliance. This worthy non-profit organization has several community development projects in the area. The most extreme deforestation has occurred in the Laguna del Tigre and Sierra del Lancandon National Parks. Financial resources are scarce for protecting the Reserve by park rangers, and the area is often considered a lawless wilderness, so take heed when planning remote hikes and camping trips.
Written February 14, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
la-osa
Guatemala143 contributions
Mar 2014 • Family
Nature, as good as it gets. If you are in Peten to visit Tikal, DO NOT fall into the trap of "visiting Tikal for a day" and returning to the "base in another country". You will miss the best of the experience. The howling monkeys, the amazing jungle, waking up surrounded by the sounds of nature the way the ancient Mayas did. And the TRUE experience.
Written October 21, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
amadorafael
Austin, TX31 contributions
Apr 2014 • Business
The name Maya Biosphere reserve maybe won´t ring a bell to many people but this is the third largest rainforest in the continent, which means, is the third largest oxygen producer for all of us.
Host of so many incredible animal and plants species in the entire continent. Home of the beautiful and amazing jaguar (and off course; cocodriles, snakes, monkeys, spiders, birds, etc).
But putting aside the animal and plant species, the Maya Biosphere is the home of the Mayans, one of the most important and impressive millenary civilizations in human mankind.
Is that enough?
Host of so many incredible animal and plants species in the entire continent. Home of the beautiful and amazing jaguar (and off course; cocodriles, snakes, monkeys, spiders, birds, etc).
But putting aside the animal and plant species, the Maya Biosphere is the home of the Mayans, one of the most important and impressive millenary civilizations in human mankind.
Is that enough?
Written August 19, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dean Winchester
South Carolina1 contribution
Oct 2019
looks cool like the photos very detailed and makes me want to go there but still a fresh man so that sucks...
Written October 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julia L
14 contributions
Jun 2017
Watch the treetops for spider and howler monkeys and keep an eye on the water for crocodiles. If you pay attention, you can see toucans, tarantulas, parrots, and all types of flora and fauna. Be prepared for the heat by bringing plenty of water and sunscreen. Go with a guide if you can to learn about the uses of the trees and plants in the jungle!
Written June 26, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
alepresa
Guatemala City, Guatemala3 contributions
Apr 2017 • Family
I first visited about 20 yesrs ago and the change is impressive. They have made the experience 100 times better. We enjoyed the whole experience. Our tour operator really helped us get in touch and imagine what life would have been like during this period. Although you can do your own stuff having a knowledgeable tour guide is highly recommended.
Our kids where impressed and had a great time.
Our kids where impressed and had a great time.
Written April 19, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Judy R
Ventura, CA37 contributions
Jul 2016
We chose to stay in the park at Jungle Lodge and were not disappointed. You are surrounded by jungle and all it's exotic sounds day and night. You do have to be understanding about the blackout periods to conserve electricity but then it is during times when you should be out hiking and taking in all that is around you. A Must Do is the sunrise hike with a guide to the top of one of the temples. If you are lucky, there will not be cloud cover and you will have an amazing experience. Try out all the small cafes inside the park with their many diverse offerings.
Written March 2, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cecilia Jimena Garcia
Guatemala City, Guatemala119 contributions
Jul 2016 • Friends
This is an amazing experience surrounded by nature and wild animals. Sometimes it's raining but it's relaxing. I loved every minute I spend on it. Just be aware that you need a repellent for mosquitoes.
Written August 2, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My wife and I are planning a trip to Guatemala in November, 2017. We have been to Guatemala on different occasions but have limited ourselves to the highlands, Antigua, Lake Atitlan, Chichicastenango, all the way to Quetzatenango. All beautiful places to say the least. This time we want to concentrate on the Mayan Biosphere to include but not limited to Tikal. We would like to visit at least two more archaeological sites. I am an environmentalist, having said that, my interests are in the ecology flora and fauna of the area. Unlike me, my wife is from Iowa and has never been to a tropical rain forest, I have spent time in Brazil.
What we are looking for is a good experience, one which it isn't extremely expensive and one where we can get to see things at our own leisure without having to worry about having to be somewhere at a certain time and so for. I am fluent in Spanish and other language as well, so language is not an issue.
Written January 14, 2017
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