The highest pyramid in the Yucatan peninsula is located here in Cobá, Mexico, called the Nohoch Mul. It’s the only Mayan ruin left that you can still climb. At 42 metres (138 feet), I was energized and ready to climb it today.
Climbing the Nohoch Mul Pyramid in Cobá, Mexico
After walking through the ruins near the entrance (only 5% of all the ruins in the area have been restored) and listening to the guide tell the history of the Mayans, I was off to Nohoch Mul.
It’s about 1 km away from the main site, so I rented a tricycle (I think it was around $9 round trip; you can also rent a bike for a few dollars) and headed out. Along the way, the “driver” told me that there were jaguars in the surrounding jungle, but not to worry, they only came out at night when the people were gone. How reassuring!
The Nohoch Mul came into view and it was high indeed. A rope is stitched into the middle, so people have something to hold onto if they need it. It wasn’t actually very difficult to make the climb, but it’s definitely worth it if you can make it up. Think cobbled stairs, uneven, and steep enough that you shouldn’t look down until you reach the top.
The view is amazing. I realized how much jungle surrounded me and how lush it all was. Tourists were huffing and puffing, and congratulating one another when they made it. Then they’d go silent as they scanned the earth far below them and comprehended how incredible it was to be standing there.
It’s too bad it’s such a popular attraction, as it’s impossible to get unobstructed photos of the pyramid. But that’s the case with all of the ruins in the Yucatan region. I’m just glad I got to climb the Nohoch Mul before they close it off, like the rest of the ruins, to keep it preserved.
Club Med has all-inclusive resorts in Mexico from which to explore the ruins.
Copyright 2008 Lori Henry
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