The reason for coming to Flores was to see one thing. Tikal. The most impressive Mayan ruins in the world! (Well in our view!) However first on the agenda was some tree canopy zip lining. The zip lining (much like flying foxing) consists of ten separate lines that you hook onto and go from one large tree to another. We suited up to go and climbed higher and higher to the top of the tree in the canopy. By luck, Dan was first off the rank and zipped along the 100 metres or so to the next tree. Gradually everyone went one by one until I was left and finally chickened out.
After an hour of zip lining we met our local guide who showed us around the ruins of Tikal. Our guide was locally known as “The Bird Man”. He was an A1 twitcher which made our experience so much more worth while. He could spot a bird or a monkey from miles away and know exactly what they were (alarmingly he did carry a bird identification book too). He also was able to call to the monkies – much better than Dan’s dodgy effort of a Howler Monkey!!
The ruins are located in thick jungle and only 20% of the buildings are uncovered. Towering piles of rock completely covered in undergrowth and large trees dot the site.
If you didn’t know you would mistake these buildings for just another hill. Tikal is also a UNESCO site (tick another one off the list).
In the grand plaza we climbed Temple Two which overlooked a grassy flat and Temple One in the background. After sucking in the views and listening to this really cool bird that sounded like a robot we strolled to Temple Four.
Temple Five is 58 metres high and has only been recently restored. Due to the steepness of the Temple stairs, you are required to climb an almost vertical ladder that appears to be rather unsafe. Now this was steep!! We made it to the top, with a narrow ledge and no guards to stop us toppling to the ground. The views of the jungle canopy were fantastic and we could see monkeys swinging in the nearby trees. We sat and enjoyed it for a while and then made the slow climb back down. 
Another walk through the jungle stopping to see Toucans led us to Temple Four which we climbed the stairs to sit and watch the sun set in the distance. 
With the jungle alive with the sounds of the animals it was breathtaking (chaperoned with a man with a big gun). Sunset was fantastic, and our third and final visit to ruins on this trip had been our favourite. 
We walked back through the jungle in the dark via torchlight. Our birdman spotting all sorts of animals and even a Tarantula on the side of the path. Eww. Dan got a little too close for comfort for this shot.
After an hour of zip lining we met our local guide who showed us around the ruins of Tikal. Our guide was locally known as “The Bird Man”. He was an A1 twitcher which made our experience so much more worth while. He could spot a bird or a monkey from miles away and know exactly what they were (alarmingly he did carry a bird identification book too). He also was able to call to the monkies – much better than Dan’s dodgy effort of a Howler Monkey!!The ruins are located in thick jungle and only 20% of the buildings are uncovered. Towering piles of rock completely covered in undergrowth and large trees dot the site. If you didn’t know you would mistake these buildings for just another hill. Tikal is also a UNESCO site (tick another one off the list).In the grand plaza we climbed Temple Two which overlooked a grassy flat and Temple One in the background. After sucking in the views and listening to this really cool bird that sounded like a robot we strolled to Temple Four.Temple Five is 58 metres high and has only been recently restored. Due to the steepness of the Temple stairs, you are required to climb an almost vertical ladder that appears to be rather unsafe. Now this was steep!! We made it to the top, with a narrow ledge and no guards to stop us toppling to the ground. The views of the jungle canopy were fantastic and we could see monkeys swinging in the nearby trees. We sat and enjoyed it for a while and then made the slow climb back down. Another walk through the jungle stopping to see Toucans led us to Temple Four which we climbed the stairs to sit and watch the sun set in the distance. With the jungle alive with the sounds of the animals it was breathtaking (chaperoned with a man with a big gun). Sunset was fantastic, and our third and final visit to ruins on this trip had been our favourite. We walked back through the jungle in the dark via torchlight. Our birdman spotting all sorts of animals and even a Tarantula on the side of the path. Eww. Dan got a little too close for comfort for this shot.
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