Why the El Mirador Trek?
Many years ago, I read a magazine article about the trek to El Mirador, which captured my imagination. This was before I ever learned of Maya calendars or had travelled to Guatemala. There was something about the adventure of it which felt like a past era. Trekking through the jungle, camping amongst the ancient cities while disconnecting from the modern world seemed like a fantasy. When I finally made the trek, it certainly lived up to my expectations.
What is the Junajpu Journey?
I had an idea to combine this physical journey with a personal journey. The El Mirador trek tests us on all levels – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. It challenges us to draw on the hero within us, to call on our strengths to overcome the trials. As a result, the concept of the Junajpu journey emerged, a journey to find the hero within. Each day of the journey has been carefully planned as we follow the template of the hero’s journey. We will use ceremony, meditation and practices to enhance our experience to profoundly engage with the energy of each day. I will take a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 8 participants on the journey.
When is the Junajpu Journey?
Timing is everything when working with the sacred calendar. If we want to develop certain qualities, we need to find the correct time. Additionally, the trek itself has to be timed correctly. For me, the dry season of March and April is the best time to walk. It is unencumbered by mud and virtually free of mosquitoes! In 2026, the trecena of Ajpu falls in early March. The alignment is perfect for this journey to happen.
What is the Program for the Junajpu Journey?
Our journey begins on the day 13 Kawok (2nd March 2026), meeting in Guatemala City, before flying up to the Mundo Maya airport in Flores. We will then transfer to the El Sombrero Ecolodge at Yaxha, which will be our first introduction to each other and to the jungle.
The day 1 Ajpu (3rd March 2026) will set our journey in motion as we explore the ancient city of Yaxha and make a fire ceremony with a local guide to ask for blessings on our journey and invoke our inner hero.
On 2 Imox (4th March 2026) we will travel to the city of Tikal and explore the temples there. We will have the opportunity to walk through the city after sunset, admiring the night sky over the ancient temples. As we will stay at Tikal, we will also have the opportunity to watch the sunrise from the temples the following morning, 3 Iq’ (5th March 2026). We will then travel to Flores to make our final preparations for the Mirador trek.
Over the six days of the trek, we will visit the sites of El Tintal, El Mirador, Nakbe, Wakna and La Florida. Each day will bring an exploration of a different preclassic Maya site. Some parts are partially restored, and some are still buried within the jungle. Each night, we will be dreaming in these ancient cities, accompanied by the sounds of the jungle. We will have the opportunity to watch sunrises and sunsets from the tops of pyramids.
Early in the morning of 4 Aq’ab’al (6th March 2026) we will take a truck to the village of Carmelita, where our big adventure begins. Our first day of walking is about 18km (11 miles) to the first night’s campsite at El Tintal. This is a site which will help us acclimatise to the jungle.
On 5 K’at (7th March 2026) we will walk 25km (15 miles) further into the jungle, crossing the threshold into the El Mirador site. We will stop at the La Muerte site to investigate the pyramids there. Once we have arrived at the El Mirador campsite, we will watch the sunset from the top of the El Tigre pyramid. 
The day 6 Kan (8th March 2026) will begin early as we go to watch the sunrise on top of the El Tigre pyramid. After breakfast we will have our site tour of El Mirador. In the afternoon, we will make a fire ceremony at the ceremonial centre of the site of El Mirador to honour the essence of the Kingdom of Kan. We will finish our day at El Mirador on top of the largest pyramid (by volume) ever built, La Danta.
From El Mirador we will walk 13km to an even earlier site of Nakbe on the fourth day of our trek, 7 Kame (9th March 2026). Nakbe is a site with a very powerful energy and it is only visited by about 300 people per year. We will watch the sunset from the principle structure at Nakbe.
On the fifth day of the trek, 8 Kej (10th March 2026) we will then take on our biggest physical challenge, the 34km (21 miles) hike to La Florida. Approximately 15km into this walk, we will stop at the pre-classic royal tomb at Wakna to see what is inside.
The final day of the trek 9 Q’anil (11th March 2026) of the trek is the short walk from La Florida back to Carmelita. Once we have had a nourishing brunch, we will make our victorious return to Flores.
The final full day of the journey, 10 Toj (12th March 2026), will be centred around a fire ceremony of gratitude. This will be followed by a closing circle and one last night in Flores.
On 11 Tz’i (13th March 2026) we will catch an early morning flight back to Guatemala City from where we will return to our origins.
What are the Challenges?
The trek will involve approximately 100km of jungle trekking. Temperatures are usually around 32°C (90°F) with humidity around 80%. It is a physically challenging journey; fitness and mobility are important attributes to have. This journey is very much back to basics, camping in the jungle, no electricity, no Wi-Fi, no phone signal and bucket showers! It is through these experiences that we find our inner strengths and, of course, the great rewards that come with them.
The food on the trek is nourishing and simple. We will of course accommodate dietary preferences such as vegetarian/vegan/gluten free, but when trekking in the jungle the food might not be quite what you are accustomed to.
What’s included
All accommodation and 3 meals per day for the duration of the journey, from evening dinner on March 2nd through breakfast on March 13th
Transport by road to sites
Flights between Guatemala City and Flores.
Entrance fees to sites
Guides and trek
Ceremonies
Activity fees
What’s not included
Flights between your country of origin and Guatemala are not included.
Tips for guides and drivers
Pricing
The Junajpu journey is priced at $2666 per person, based on shared accommodation, or $2999 per person for private accommodation.
For more information, contact me