Tikal, Guatemala
Once the capital of the Mayan Kingdom, Tikal was occupied from the 2nd to the 9th century AD. Thanks to the almost perfect preservation of the city the details of the culture that once flourished here are very well known, and very little is left undiscovered, and this offers an opportunity to the interested tourist to get a true picture of life in those times. Tikal was eventually abandoned because it was unable to sustain a growing population. Abandonment occurred over a number of years and the city was left for the jungles to grow over. Yet rumours of a lost city persisted and the city was found in 1848. Tikal is the largest surviving archaeological site in the New World and features 70m high pyramids, palaces, and even a playing arena for the Mayan ball game.
