In the department of El Peten, in Northern Guatemala, a chain of lagoons, about 20 kilometers long (12 miles) stretches out from Peten Itza Lake toward the East... Yaxha is one of these lagoons situated under the clinging vines and forest life that has enveloped it for more than six centuries. It is found inside the largest protected area in Guatemala, the "Maya Biosphere" which includes the Tikal National Park and a series of smaller national parks and protected areas named Yaxha, Nakun and Topoxte.

These are also archeological sites located around or close to the Yaxha Lagoon. More than 1,500 years ago, Mayan priest-kings built dozens of pyramids just tall enough to poke above the suffocating jungle here and reach the cooling breezes of a nearby lake. They also carved dozens of stone monuments, erected handball courts and laid out the streets of their city in a grid, a departure from the sprawling confusion of most other contemporaneous Mayan cities. It was supposedly the third-largest city in the Mayan empire, a bustling trade and ceremonial hub 20 miles from Tikal, one of the greatest centers of Mayan culture.

Some of these sites are undergoing restoration and on-site research is being carried out. This enables our visitors to get a first hand glimpse of on-going archaeological work. You can also enjoy the bird watching and a spectacular sunset of the lake from the highest temple of Yaxha.