The Lush, Green Jungles of Chiapas, Mexico

Mother Nature, At Her Finest

Gigantic trees, endless greenery, lush beauty and oatmeal-thick humidity — these are some of the descriptors of the the dense tropical forests surrounding the Mayan ruins of Palenque. Located in the Southern state of Chiapas, Mexico, these real, authentic, Discovery Channel-level rain forests are a sight to behold!

The trees here are absolutely massive… towering over you, with vines and vegetation joining them in the reach upward for light. Greenery is everywhere you look, covering every square inch of the surrounding jungle. The humidity is some of the strongest I’ve felt… I guess thats why they call it a rainforest 😉 I was drenched in sweat before I even got started, and the camera lenses had a tendency to fog up as well.

Environmental challenges aside, the forests here were magnificent. Surrounded by ancient Mayan ruins, you actually could see pyramids and structures amongst the trees that had not even been excavated yet. Palenque is one of Mexico’s most famous Mayan sites, and rightfully so. The setting is both unique and beautiful — tucked away in the jungle, surrounded by streams, trees, and mountains. Despite Palenque being a very influential and important city in the Mayan civilization, an astonishing 10% has only been restored! Leaving more than 1000 structures still covered by jungle. This boggles my mind! Think of what could still be found… think of what’s still out there! Crystal Skulls, anyone? 🙂

These unexplored structures are visible when you explore the surrounding jungle. Buildings, pyramids, paths, stones, all very visible. I even found some Mayan obsidian prismatic blades, just on the side of the trail! All this made me want to lead a full-on Indiana Jones-style excavation / restoration effort! Also made me wonder why it hasn’t happened already?