Yaxchilan Mayan Ruins/Private

        This Tour Starts from Palenque Hotels

Yaxchilan is an ancient Maya city located on the bank of the Usumacinta River in what is now the state of Chiapas, Mexico.

The site is particularly known for its well-preserved sculptured stone lintels set above the doorways of the main structures. These lintels, together with the stelae erected before the major buildings, contain hieroglyphic texts describing the dynastic history of the city.

Serious fans of the film Raiders of the Lost Ark can fulfill every unmet fantasy of reenacting the opening scene here at Yaxchilan.

Set along the Usumacinta River with Guatemala just on the other side, this archaic city will ignite the dullest of imaginations. The site itself is not huge, but it’s everything you could ask for; dense jungle, towering trees, incessant calls of howler monkeys, and cavernous ruins ripe for exploring.

The fact that this site is only accessible by boat makes getting there half the fun, and once you arrive at the boat dock, you know you’re somewhere special.

You’re free to roam the well-preserved sculptured stone lintels and extensive hieroglyphics. There are several well-preserved structures you can explore, their interiors dark and filled with an eerie silence.

All adventure archaeologist fantasies aside, Yaxchilan is an impressive sight. The numerous and wonderfully preserved carved lintels and stelae found here contributed greatly to the deciphering of Mayan hieroglyphs. Carved scenes depicting ritual self-sacrifice and blood-letting helped archaeologists to understand the intricacies of ancestor worship.