The Great Capitals
image of Tikal to come here TBC
Ten great cities that shaped the Maya world.
Introduction
The great capitals of the Maya world were centers of political power, trade, and cultural achievement. From Tikal and Calakmul to Palenque and Chichen Itza, powerful dynasties forged alliances, fought for supremacy, and commissioned monumental architecture. Their temples, palaces, and public spaces reveal the ambitions and sophistication of Maya civilization.
The Great Capitals
Tikal
Calakmul
Palenque
Chichen Itza
Uxmal
Copan
Caracol
Coba
El Mirador
Mayapan
Cities in the Forest
Calakmul
One of the great Classic Maya capitals, set deep in the biosphere, where dynastic power once rivaled Tikal.
Cities in the Forest
Becan
A fortified city and ceremonial center distinguished by its defensive ditch and controlled access — rare features in Maya urbanism.
Cities in the Forest
Santa Rosa Xtampak
The capital of the Chenes region, in a very remote area of Campeche, it is among the richest and most complex architectural compositions in the region.
Visiting these sites typically requires early departures, long drives, and tolerance for limited services. Their value lies precisely in that effort: scale without crowds, and architecture encountered at its own pace.
Routes into the Cities in the Forest
Cities in the Forest
Around the Rio Bec area
From Xpujil, venture into the Rio Bec region — a remote landscape of slender towers and hidden plazas, where Becan, Chicanna or El Hormiguero reward patient exploration far from the main circuits.
Cities in the Forest
Along the Puuc route
Follow the Puuc hills south of Merida, where sites like Uxmal, Kabah, Labna and Sayil reveal a distinct architectural language of mosaic façades and sculpted stone.
Cities in the Forest
In the Chenes region
Venture into the Chenes hills of Campeche, where elaborate zoomorphic façades transform temples into open-mouthed creatures. Less visited than the Puuc region, sites like Hochob and Dzibilnocac offer a quieter, more experimental expression of late Classic Maya architecture.
Cities in the Forest
Near Bacalar & Chetumal
Lagoons, river routes, and southern Maya sites near the Belize border — including Kohunlich, Dzibanche, and the quieter forests of southern Quintana Roo.
Cities in the Forest
All Maya itineraries
From day trips near major cities to longer routes through remote Maya landscapes.
All the Cities in the Forest
Becan
Calakmul
Edzna
Hochob
Uxmal
Dzibilnocac
Xpujil
Santa Rosa Xtampak
Chicanná
El Tabasqueño
Labna
Dzibanché & Kinichná
El Hormiguero
Kabah
Kohunlich
Ichkabal
Oxtankah
Sayil
Xlapak
Balamku
Coba
Muyil
El Naranjal
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