From one of my books on Mexico, Calacmul, an ancient Mayan city, lost in a biosphere reserve on the very border with Guatemala, looks at me every day. It is impossible not to remember about it, because it is the most amazing, pacifying and at the same time evocative of an adventurous spirit of the ancient Mayan city, which I had a chance to visit during our trip to Mexico. I invite you for a walk through this amazing place!
The serpent kingdom, Calakmul, flourished between 200 and 700 AD and was a powerful rival to Tikal. Now this gigantomaniac city has become a place where peace lives. A couple of pyramids still rise above the trees, but they are gradually being devoured by the selva. Nowadays, the vast territory is home to howler monkeys and shy turkeys, funny fleeing into the thickets. Jaguars, cougars, ocelots also live here, but they, of course, do not show themselves, but only watch from the bushes.
Calakmul is located far from the habitats of tourists, so it does not face the sad fate of Chichen Itza and other Mayan cities, which have become attractions and have long lost their beauty and authenticity. From Cancun to Calakmul, almost 600 km along the highway, and then another 60 km through the reserve.
A narrow road leads from the highway to the lost Mayan city through dense thickets, a multi-kilometer one way tunnel along the reserved selva. If you entered, then go all the way to the end. There is not a single branch, and in some places the selva almost closes over it, and in places lets out its tentacle-vines, trying to regain its territory back. From the enclosed space and the realization that there is only a sea of forest around, even a little stifling claustrophobia captures.
Calakmul is so big that the chances of meeting other tourists are close to zero. If you are impressed by the Mayan pyramids, spend as much time as possible on Calakmul. The complex is large, climbing and exploring, like Indiana Jones and Lara Croft, is not forbidden almost anywhere. Personally, we were sorely lacking three hours to explore the city.
You can go around the city in two ways: either immediately rush to the most beautiful and grandiose, or start small, and leave the sweet for dessert. We have chosen the second path.
Almost all the way we were accompanied by the attentive gaze of the monkeys, who followed us with curiosity and even posed.
And then we heard terrible lion roars and roars echoing through the jungle. Frost on the skin! It was as if we were suddenly transported into a BBC documentary. These terrible sounds are made by howler monkeys. There are many of them in the trees, sometimes they are very close!
We wandered around Calakmul for a long time: we looked at steles and drawings, looked into rooms and courtyards. Placers of mossy stones and half-worn steps, destroyed former splendor of palaces and temples lie everywhere.
