Sometimes referred to as Seibal or El Ceibal, this ancient Mayan city flourished and reached its peak in about the 9th century AD, when many other Mayan strongholds were already in decline.

Situated on a hill overlooking the Rio de la Pasion, Ceibal was – by all accounts – an important trading center. Like Quirigua, Ceibal is known for its stelae, intricately carved statues of priests and others that the Mayans worshipped, made from a single slab of stone.

The journey to Ceibal will include some time spent on the Rio de la Pasion as this Mayan site can only be reached by water.