Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tunneling farther into the East Court, archaeologists came across a glyph panel paying
homage to Copán's original ruler, Yax K'uk'Mo'. His tomb was found in 1993, buried far
below the East Court by a team led by Robert Sharer of the University of Pennsylvania.
This area remains closed to the public. Teams from Harvard, Tulane, and the University of
Pennsylvania continue to work in different areas of the site.
The ruins of Copán lie about 1.5 kilometers from the town of Copán Ruinas, a 20-minute
walkalongafootpathrunningparalleltothehighway.The
Visitors Center
housesthetick-
etoffice,whereyoupaya$15admissionfeeforentrytothepark(8A.M.-4P.M.daily),in-
cluding entry to the neighboring site of Las Sepulturas. Another $15 gets you admission to
two underground tunnels where, among other attractions, you can see the Rosalila Temple
in its original context. The tunnels are recommended for serious Mayan archaeology buffs,
but not so much for the casual visitor. You can also buy your $7 ticket for admission to
Copán's excellent Sculpture Museum. As far as Mayan sites go, Copán is certainly one of
the most expensive (admission to Tikal is $7, for example), but the exquisite art on exhibit
here is unmatched elsewhere inthe Mayan world. It'swell worth it. There'sasmall exhibit
placingCopán'simportanceinthecontextofthelargerMayanworldattheVisitorsCenter.
Also at the Visitors Center are registered
guides
for hire, costing about $20 for a two-
hour tour. There are English-speaking guides, though their skill levels vary, so be sure to
assess their mastery of the English language before sealing the deal. Across the parking lot
infrontoftheVisitorsCenterisasmall
eatery
servingdrinksandbasicmeals.There'salso
a small gift shop.
It's a few hundred meters' walk from the Visitors Center to the ticket checkpoint where
you enter the ruins. A short
nature trail
winding its way through the surrounding forest
diverts from the main path just before this checkpoint. A few semi-domesticated scarlet
macaws sometimes hang out in this area. Try to visit the site right at opening time, as the
crowds tend to get larger as the day goes on, especially on weekends. You'll also have
better-angled light for photography.
