El Mirador

HOME How to get to El Mirador

updated 12/28/11

The trip to El Mirador

(Typical 5-day version)

Day 1 - After a 3 hour ride by minivan from Flores, you'll arrive to the village of Carmelita. Your guide and muleteers will pack the mules with supplies as needed and then you'll hike for 3 hours, stopping to rest in the chiclero/xatero camp of Huacute. From there it's another 2 hours to El Tintal, where you'll camp for the night. If time permits, tour the site of El Tintal after arriving there.

Day 2 - You'll hike for 6 hours, arriving to the site of La Muerta. After visiting the small site, it's another hour to the campsite of El Mirador, where you'll camp for the night.

Day 3 - This day is designated for visiting the large site of El Mirador. You'll camp here on this night as well.

Day 4 - You'll hike 7 hours back to the campsite of El Tintal and camp there for the night.

Day 5 - After hiking 5 hours back to the village of Carmelita, you can eat a decent meal or drink a cold Gallo beer at Comedor Pepe Toño or simply head back to Flores by minivan, if you previously reserved one to be there waiting for you.

(Typical 6-day version)

Day 2 - You'll hike for 6 hours, arriving to the site of La Muerta. After visiting the small site, it's another hour to the campsite of El Mirador, where you'll camp for the night.

Day 3 - This day is designated for visiting the large site of El Mirador. You'll camp here on this night as well.

Day 4 - After hiking for 3 1/2 hours, you'll visit the site of Nakbe. You'll also camp here for the night.

Day 5 - It's a 9 hour hike to the campsite of La Florida, and once there, you probably won't feel like visiting the site. This is where you'll camp for the night. Note: If you'll ask you guide to do so in advance, you can stop around half way along the the trail, for visiting the site of Wakna.

Day 6 - You can visit the site of La Florida, and afterwards, hike 4 hours back to the village of Carmelita. Once there, you can eat a decent meal or drink a cold Gallo beer at Comedor Pepe Toño or simply head back to Flores by minivan, if you previously reserved one to be there waiting for you.

How to get from Flores to Carmelita

Pinita buses to Carmelita leave the market in Santa Elena twice a day; at 5 am and 1 pm. The return buses leave Carmelita at the same times; at 5am and 1 pm. The bus stop in Santa Elena is in the middle of the market, not at the main bus terminal as most people think. To find the bus stop, walk from Flores across the causeway to Santa Elena. Turn right at the second traffic light, then turn left on the second small street that leads into the market. Follow this small street until you enter a busy square where a lot of microbuses and buses are parked in the middle. The bus on the far side of the square is the bus for Carmelita. The bus probably won't have a sign on it saying "Carmelita", but if you ask the drivers there which bus it is, they'll gladly tell you which one is correct.

Some of the locals refer to the village of Carmelita as "Carmela", so you may have to ask by either name. The bus trip will take four to five hours, as it will make stops in the villages of San Andres, Dos Aguadas, La Colorada, and La Gloria along the way and the price is Q30 one-way. Another way of getting there is by hiring a travel agency in Flores to take you there and back. Martsam Travel Agency charges $200 USD round trip for a van advertised to carry up to twelve people. This amount is total and not per person. The trip by van will take around three hours.

The 'Cooperativa' at Carmelita

For many years now, the 'cooperativa' had the intention of handling all of the tourism in the area, but they've always been defunct for the most part. Now it seems they have become more organized and are controlling all tourism entering the Mirador Basin through the village of Carmelita. All tourists visiting El Mirador must enter with a certified guide from the Carmelita Guide Association and use the cooperativa's mules, muleteers, and cooks as well. This has always been the case for the most part, with the exception of it being mandatory to enter with one of the certified guides from the Carmelita Guide Association. I've known for a few years that Dr. Richard Hansen has held certification classes for the local guides as needed, but until recently, even guides who were "outsiders" could guide trips in the Mirador Basin.

Additionally, the cooperativa has increased the prices for furnishing their guides, cooks, muleteers, water, etc.. The travel agencies in Flores had to increase their prices as well, to ensure they make their profit as needed. Since they are regulating who can or can't guide trips in the Mirador Basin and have made it mandatory that all business goes through them, some people are looking at an alternate route to El Mirador via Uaxactun and the campsite of Yucatan that would bypass Carmelita altogether. This route would enter directly into Nakbe and it is rumored that members of the cooperativa are patrolling the jungle and sending back intercepted groups of tourists trying to enter El Mirador without using a certified guide from the Carmelita Guide Association. I'll update this info as I receive it.

Dining & lodging options in Carmelita

There are two comedores in the village which sell meals consisting of scrambled eggs, refried beans, rice, and tortillas for Q15. You can also order a good fried chicken or stewed chicken dinner in advance, especially if you order it just before going on the trip to El Mirador. They'll have it prepared when you return to the village on the 5th or 6th day. The price is normally Q20 per person for five people.

I've only had the stewed chicken dinner while there and it consisted of chicken soup, rice, refried beans, and tortillas. Since they use their own yard-raised chickens for the meal, don't expect the meat to be very tender. From my past experience, the meat will be as tough as leather. The comedor that Patricia Pinelo owns (Comedor Pepe Toño) offers hammocks or mattresses on the floor for Q30 per night. They also have cold drinks and solar electricity, but don't expect any other type of beer except for the local favorite; Gallo, for Q11 each..

Campamento Nakbe is located 1.5 kilometers before the village of Carmelita and is another place a person can stay in the immediate area. They offer clean shelters with hammocks and mosquito nets.

Trip prices

As stated earlier, the cooperative in Carmelita has increased their prices, which in turn, causes the travel agencies in Flores to do the same. The guides will provide: three meals per day, purified drinking water, hammocks or tents, mosquito nets and pack mules for carrying the supplies. You are allowed to bring one small duffel bag or back pack, which will be packed into burlap sacks and draped over the pack mules in pairs, for balance. You cannot bring a steel-framed back pack or an additional bag, unless you plan to carry it yourself or pay for an extra mule to carry it for you. If you want a riding mule for the trip, it will cost you extra.

The cooperative's new price list as of December 2011

Carlos Linares of Mayan Lands Travel Agency tells me he has a minimum of 2 people and his prices (as of December 2011) for the 5-day hiking version are as follows:

2 people - $420 USD each

3 people - $350 USD each

4 people - $325 USD each

5 people - $275 USD each

6 or more - $250 USD each

Oscar Salas of Reino K'an Mirador Travel Agency tells me he has no minimum for the trip and his prices (as of December 2001) for the 5-day hiking version are as follows:

(includes English speaking guide)

1-4 people is $350 USD each

5 or more is $280 USD each

Phone numbers of people in Carmelita who can arrange trips - only Spanish is spoken

The Comisión de Turismo Cooperativa Carmelita - Antonio Centeno Garcia - 5857 7310, 7861 2639, 7861 2640, & 7861 2641 or (email) tono.centeno@gmail.com

Guias Comunitario para El Turismo y La Naturaleza de Carmelita Peten - Carlos or Patricia Pinelo (owners of one of the comedors) - 7783 3811, 7783 3812 & 7783 3813

Some of the Carmelita guides

Alex Maza Juarez - 5199 7442 & 7783 3811 & email - alex.jaguar@hotmail.com - (speaks some English)

Erick Maza Juarez

Maria Juarez

Humberto 'Beta' Machuca - (cell) 5382 1337 (home) 5152 2707 (work) 5197 5365

Marina - 4987 6529

Rudy Marroquin

Carlos Marroquin

Yovanni Marroquin

Nestor Marroquin

Angel Marroquin

Jose Morales

Patrocino

Juan

Phone numbers of people located near or in Flores who can arrange trips

Sergio Crasborn at Crasborn Travel Agency offers trips to El Mirador and is a very nice and honest man - email - crasborntravel@yahoo.com & phone - 7867 5335 & 5589 9249

Mathias at Hostel Los Amigos in Flores arranges a lot of tours to El Mirador and is a good option if you are traveling alone and want to go there. He will simply advertise for others who may want to go and then all of you will go as a group. Contact info: email - amigoshostel@gmail.com & phone - (502) 7867 5075.

Carlos Linares at Mayan Lands Travel Agency - Contact info: email - landsmayan@hotmail.com & phone - (502) 5340 2506 & 5821 5384.

Oscar Salas at Reino K'an Mirador Travel Agency - Very honest tour agency and Oscar's partner; Tony, speaks perfect English - Contact info: email - racsosalas@hotmail.com & phone - (502) 5818 3273 & 5761 9883.

Prices in case you want to do hire help yourself and buy/bring your own food to prepare

Local guides - Q200 per day

Local cook - Q100 per day

Muleteer (arriero) - Q125 per day

Mules - Q25 per day

Water - Q40

What to bring

Each person will be allowed to bring one duffel bag or small back pack. These will be stuffed into burlap bags and for balance purposes, will be draped over the backs of the mules in pairs and tied down. Don't over-do it by bringing too much stuff with you or you'll have to pay for an additional mule to carry your bags for you or you'll carry it yourself.

A small fanny pack or day pack. While on the trail, you won't have access to your larger duffel bag. You'll want to keep certain things on your person and at all times. If you choose to bring a day pack, one with a hydration bladder would be a good idea to have along.
Three or four pairs of socks and underwear. These will start to smell really bad on a five or six day trip. You can wash these at El Mirador or Nakbe, using a small amount of the water you brought with you or possibly some rain water that has been caught by the guards. Don't count on the latter, though.
Two short sleeve shirts. It can be cool in the early morning between January and March. A long sleeve shirt is great to have with you during this time.
One pair of shorts and 2 pair of long pants. The shorts are nice to have for sleeping in or wearing around the camp at night. The long pants are nice to have along the trail, especially for those times when you're riding a mule and the trail narrows.
One pair of comfortable hiking boots. These should fit you really well and will be the most important thing you bring on the trip. If you plan to walk a lot during the trip, blisters will be your worst nightmare. Do yourself a favor by bringing some good hiking boots. A person could also bring some flip flops or sandals for wearing around camp at night, but they would not be a good idea to wear along the trail.
Emergency rain poncho or gum boots (rubber boots) in the rainy season. If you're there between the months of June and December you'll want to have some of these along in case it rains.
Anti-bacterial wet wipe cloths or anti-bacterial hand sanitizer for cleaning your hands without water. Also, bring some bath soap and shampoo in case you get to use some of the water at some of the campsites. I wouldn't count on it, though.
A small camp towel for doing some daily washing of the "high spots" of your body. You would be surprised how well you can do this by only using a bottle of water that you have with you.
Flash light with extra batteries. I've found that a strap-on headlamp works best, especially since you can use it and keep your hands free for doing other things. Be sure not to point the light in people's eyes when you are talking to them, though. A small flash light that you keep in your pocket is a good idea to have along, especially when going to the latrine during the night.
A 1.5 liter bottle of water that you bought in town before leaving for the trip. Also, it's a good idea to buy a bottle holder that your bottle will fit in. You can purchase one of these at most of the souvenir shops in Flores. Make sure it fits your bottle, though! Otherwise, your guide will tie some twine around the neck of your bottle and that will be hung from the pommel of your riding mule, if you paid for one. Don't expect to have availability to one of the large water containers along the trail, except for maybe when the group stops to take a break. You will need to keep your bottle with you for the duration of the trip and your guide will refill this for you when needed.
A bottle of insect repellant that contains 100% deet. During the months of January and February, you won't have much use for this except during the daytime. It gets quite cool during the night and the mosquitoes will not bother you. You will need this during the rainy season, especially when it's very hot.
Permethrin spray. You don't have to bring this with you. Simply spray your pants legs and socks before you leave home. By doing so, this will keep ticks and chiggers from bothering you.
A small first aid kit. You won't need to bring a large kit with you. A small first aid kit will work just fine. You'll mainly need bandages, gauze, anti-itch cream, and antiseptic cream for treating blisters. Be sure to bring the flexible bandages.
Soft earplugs or earmuffs. This is one of the most important things you can bring with you and will be extremely useful for drowning out other people's snoring or the roar of howler monkeys during the night. You will be tired enough during the trip, and if you can't sleep due to other people's snoring, it will make things that much worse.
A good camera. You'll see things during the trip that you'll want to take pictures of, for sharing with your friends and family once returning home. Don't bring a camera that's too large, though. Unless you're a professional photographer and plan on taking extremely high resolution pictures with a zoom lens, a small digital camera will do just fine.
A couple of small travel-sized rolls of toilet paper. You'll want to keep this with you at all times, in case mother nature calls while along the trail and you need to duck into the bushes to relieve yourself.
Bring some snack items for enjoying along the trail such as granola bars or protein bars. Beef jerky is good to bring along, as is summer sausage. I've found that the latter can be cut up and included with the scrambled eggs for breakfast and it easily adds to the common fare for additional protein. A package of ham that does not require being refrigerated is a good idea to bring as well. Trash is a huge problem while out in the jungle, so it's a good idea to bring items that come in combustible packages. You can easily dispose of the empty container or package in the campfire.
You could bring some hot chocolate mix for those mornings you don't want to have instant coffee with your breakfast. Some caffeine-free herb tea that is a relaxing blend of chamomile and mint would be good to have in the evening, as well.

What not to bring

A very large duffel bag or a back pack that has a steel frame. If you bring either, you will most likely be paying for an additional mule to carry it for you.
Too much stuff. I often see people bring too much stuff with them on trips. Only bring items that you really need with you and leave those comfort items at home. If you'll stick to the famous 'one bag rule', it will eliminate a lot of possible issues.
Liquor or some other form of alcohol for the guards. I've been guilty of doing this before myself, due to my ignorance. Everyone always says that it's a good idea to bring some along to give to the guards as a tip, but this is not the case. If the workers are caught with alcohol in the Mirador Basin they will be banned for life from working there. If you need to tip them in some way, do so by some other means. Don't make them lose their jobs.

Food, drinks and showers along the trail - (What to expect)

The food along the trail will be very basic and lacking in sufficient protein. Examples of food will be: scrambled eggs, refried beans, tortillas, fresh fruit & vegetables, pancakes, spaghetti, vegetable soup, ramen noodles, rice, tuna sandwiches, peanut butter & honey sandwiches, cereal, etc.. There definitely won't be a shortage of carbohydrates! The drinks will include: powdered milk, purified water, instant coffee, punch, fruit juice, etc.. Some people never take a shower or bath for the entire duration of the trip. If the guards have extra water at El Mirador, they might let you take a shower with their water. It will cost you at least Q10 to do so, though. It's well worth the price even if the water is cold! During the rainy season, it's possible to use the water in the aguadas out in the jungle.

Helicopter trips to El Mirador

Tikalpark.com offers helicopter tours to El Mirador, mostly during the rainy season. The have different versions to choose from:

Half day tour (Group C) - Depart from the Flores airport at 11:45 am and arrive to El Mirador at 12:15 pm. You will get to see the El Tigre Pyramid & the Los Monos Temple while there. Depart from El Mirador at 2:15 pm and arrive back to the Flores airport at 2:45 pm.

Full day tour (Group B) - Depart from the Flores airport at 9:00 am and arrive to El Mirador at 9;36 am. You will get to see the La Danta Pyramid, Structure 313 in the Great Acropolis, Structure 34, La Pava Group, and it's also possible to see El Tigre Pyramid, time permitting. You will have a late lunch at 2:15 pm and then depart from El Mirador at 3:00 pm. You will arrive back to the Flores airport at around 3:30 pm.

2 days/ 1 night tour (Group A) - Day #1 - Depart from the Flores airport at 8:30 am and arrive to El Mirador at 9:00 am. You will get to see the La Pava Group and the residential complex of Cascabel. You will have a late lunch at 1:00 pm. You will depart for Nakbe by helicopter at 1:45 pm, visit the site, and then arrive back to El Mirador at 4:00 pm. Upon returning to El Mirador, you will visit Structure 313 & 34. If you prefer, you can view the sunset from atop El Tigre Pyramid. Return to camp for dinner and sleep in hammocks or tents in the jungle. Day #2 - Breakfast will be at 7:30 am. Afterwards, visit the Los Monos Temple. Depart El Mirador at 11:00 am and arrive back to the Flores airport at 11:30 am.

Contact info for reservations & prices: email - helitours@tikalpark.com & telephone - (502) 2367 2837 & 2337 0009. You can call them toll free from within the U.S. - 1-800-297-1880

Aerocentro offers helicopter trips to El Mirador and prices are $360 USD each for 4 people.