La Milpa

La Milpa is among the largest Maya sites in Belize, with a great plaza covering several acres, around twenty courtyards, ball courts and a set of stelae, and it is largely as the forest left it: consolidation has been limited and most of the structures are mounds under trees rather than cleared pyramids. That is the appeal. It sits inside the Rio Bravo reserve, reached from the field station, and visits are guided.

What you actually see

• The great plaza - one of the largest Maya plazas known, still under forest.
• The unexcavated mounds - most of the city left as the forest covered it.
• The stelae - carved monuments recorded at the site.
• The forest setting - canopy and wildlife over and around the ruins.

When to go

December to April is the dry season and the practical window. Mornings are best for wildlife on the walk in. The rains make the access roads difficult.

Honest expectations

Very little is cleared and visitors expecting standing pyramids find mounds and trees. Access requires booking through the reserve and a guide. Mosquitoes and ticks are heavy.

Nearby

The Rio Bravo field station is nearby, and Orange Walk is east.