Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
plex back toward the entrance. At the lower end, turn right to take the causeway over the
ravine (70m deep here) to reach the Plaza Principal .
Aguateca is a 1¼-hour lancha trip direct from Sayaxché, via the mangrove-fringed Río
Petexbatún.
Dos Pilas
This fascinating site is a mere 16km from Sayaxché, but getting here is a serious under-
taking. If you have the time, it's well worth considering for the fine carvings on display,
particularly the hieroglyphic staircase , with five 6m-wide steps, each with two rows of su-
perbly preserved glyphs, climbing to the base of the royal palace near the main plaza.
The city began life as a breakaway from the Tikal group when that city was taken by
Calakmul. Dos Pilas appears to have been governed by a set of aggressive rulers - it
clashed with Tikal, Ceibal, Yaxchilán and Motul all within 150 years, often ignoring the
traditional 'war season,' which finished in time for the harvest.
Many stelae at the site have been relocated to museums and replaced by crushed-rock
and fiberglass replicas, in a pilot program designed to deter looters.
The best way to reach Dos Pilas is by tour from Sayaxché or by staying at the Posada
Caribe ( Click here ) and organizing a tour there. Either way, you'll be up for about 3½
hours of jungle trekking on foot or horseback from the posada (guesthouse) , passing the
sites of Tamarandito (which also features a hieroglyphic stairway) and the smaller site of Ar-
royo de Piedra , which has a plaza and some well-preserved stelae.
 
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