Calakmul is a Maya city rising out of the largest intact tropical forest in Mexico. Its great pyramids look over an endless green canopy, and the howl of monkeys carries across the plazas.
AT A GLANCE
Best time
The dry season makes roads and trails easier, while the rainy summer is hot and humid.
How long
Allow two days to see Calakmul properly, or three with the nearby sites.
Getting there
Drive Route 186 to Xpujil and then on to the reserve entrance.
Why visit Calakmul
Calakmul was a major Maya power for centuries. Its rulers belonged to the Kaan dynasty, often called the Snake Kingdom, and the city rivalled Tikal for control of the region. The site and the surrounding biosphere reserve together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site, protected as both a cultural landscape and a vast stretch of forest.
The ruins are remote, and there is little commercial development inside the reserve. That is much of the appeal: you can climb a temple, scan the treetops for toucans and spot monkeys without a crowd around you.
The reserve and the ancient city
Calakmul Biosphere Reserve
More than 720,000 hectares are protected here. A single road runs from the main entrance to the ruins, about 60 kilometres through undeveloped forest, so allow plenty of time for the drive.
Structure II
The great pyramid is more than 45 metres high and is the highlight of the site. Climb it for a view across a flat green canopy broken only by other temple tops.
The stelae and plazas
Archaeologists have found well over a hundred carved stelae at Calakmul, many of them recording rulers, alliances and wars. Walk the plazas with a guide from the entrance if you can, since the inscriptions mean far more with context.
Wildlife along the trails
Howler monkeys are common and spider monkeys live here too. Toucans, parrots and many other birds are easier to see early in the day, and jaguars and other cats live in the forest but are rarely seen. Bring strong insect repellent, because mosquitoes here can be fierce.
Xpujil and nearby ruins
Xpujil
This small town is the gateway for the region, with simple lodging, restaurants and transport on Route 186. Its own Maya ruins lie about one kilometre away, so they make an easy first stop on arrival.
Becán
About eight kilometres from Xpujil, Becán was once ringed by a deep ditch and ramparts, which is how it got its name.
Chicanná
Only about two kilometres west of Becán, Chicanná is named for its Structure II, whose name means House of the Serpent Mouth.
Balamkú
About 50 kilometres from both Calakmul and Becán, Balamkú is a small site that protects one of the largest surviving stucco friezes in the Maya world.
Río Bec and Hormiguero
The Río Bec region gave its name to an architectural style with tall decorative towers and mosaic facades, and several sites in southern Campeche show it. Hormiguero is another site near Xpujil.
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Food and local flavors
There are no restaurants inside the reserve, so bring food and water for the day and eat in Xpujil or along Route 186. Campeche is known for seafood, and pan de cazón is the state signature: layers of tortilla filled with shredded shark, black beans and a spiced tomato sauce with habanero.
Look for tamales de chaya too. Chaya is a leafy green native to Mexico that is cooked much like spinach. The region is also known for honey, and beekeeping is part of local farming, so a jar from a roadside stand makes a useful souvenir.
Popular dishes to try in Calakmul
Where to stay
There is no lodging inside the biosphere reserve, so you will sleep outside it. Xpujil is the most practical base.
Chicanná, a short distance from Becán, offers a quieter stay close to the forest. It suits visitors who prefer to wake near the ruins and want to reach them early in the morning, though choices are fewer.
Campeche, the state capital, is a larger and more comfortable base with a historic walled centre. It suits travellers who want to combine Calakmul with colonial sights and other ruins such as Edzná, accepting a long drive on the day you visit.
Where to stay in Calakmul
Best time to visit
The reserve has a humid climate with summer rains, and temperatures average roughly 24 to 28 degrees Celsius over the year. Annual rainfall is high, and many reserve roads are seasonal tracks that are passable only in the dry season, so the drier months are the safest time to go.
Plan to arrive early, when it is cooler and animals are more active. Midday heat is strong, and the walk between structures adds up, especially if you climb several pyramids in one visit.
Getting there and getting around
Federal Route 186 is a paved highway across the southern Yucatán Peninsula, and Xpujil lies on it about 153 kilometres east of Escárcega and 120 kilometres west of Chetumal. Renting a car is the easiest way to visit.
Without a car, take a bus from Xpujil, where the first service leaves early in the morning, and ask to be let off at the park entrance. From there the ruins are still a long drive away, and there are no buses inside the reserve.
A suggested itinerary
First day
Arrive in Xpujil, visit the nearby ruins of Xpujil in the afternoon and continue to Becán and Chicanná before sunset.
Second day
Leave at first light for Calakmul. Spend the morning on Structure II, the stelae and the plazas, then drive back through the reserve before the heat peaks.
Third day
Visit Balamkú or the Río Bec sites with a local guide, depending on road conditions, then continue along Route 186 to your next stop. If you have extra time, ask in Xpujil about the smaller sites that archaeologists are still clearing and studying.
Practical tips
- Fill the fuel tank in Xpujil, because there are no services inside the reserve.
- Carry plenty of water and food for the whole day, as nothing is sold at the ruins.
- Use strong insect repellent, since mosquitoes in this region can carry tropical diseases.
- Wear a hat, light long sleeves and sturdy shoes for the stairs and uneven ground.
- Hire a guide at the entrance if you want help reading the inscriptions and architecture.
