In recognition of the ancient Maya’s belief that 2013 would usher in the dawn of a new era, the Lodge at Chaa Creek will be launching a series of new tours, packages and activities throughout 2013, according to activities coordinator Bryony Bradley.

“It’s pretty ironic that while some people on the other side of the planet are promoting doomsday scenarios based on the so-called Maya prophesies surrounding 2012, those of us living in the Maya heartland are preparing for 2013, just as the ancient Maya no doubt would be,” marketing administrator Larry Waight said today.

The Lodge at Chaa Creek’s resident Mayanist said that recent reports from a noted University of Texas scholar are an important addition to our understanding of the true history of the Maya. Speaking from Chaa Creek’s Natural History Centre, anthropologist Joe Awe said that he praised Dr David Stuart for an announcement he made June 28 that not only once again debunked Maya 2012 doomsday theories, but offed a unique interpretation of the significance of the December 21 2012 Winter Solstice date.

On Wednesday March 21st was the spring equinox in the final year of the current cycle of the Maya long count calendar, which ends on December 21, 2012. To commemorate the ending of the 13th Baktun, as it is called, the Institute of Archaeology hosted a night of camping, cultural presentations and history at the ancient Mayan city-state of Caracol in the Cayo District.

It’s remotely possible the world will end in December 2012. But don’t credit the ancient Maya calendar for predicting it, say experts on the Mesoamerican culture.

With the long awaited arrival of 2012, there is growing interest in the ancient Maya civilisation, and this is a double edged sword. On one hand, it is good to see this rich, highly advanced ancient culture finally getting the attention it deserves. Hopefully, this attention will turn into greater research opportunities leading to a better understanding of this enigmatic civilisation.

We didn’t encounter a single human in our half-hour walk on shady trails from the park entrance to majestic Temple IV, one of Tikal’s major attractions. Armando was highly attuned to the sounds and movement of the jungle, walking ahead of us with his head cocked at an angle, listening hard. His familiarity with the calls of indigenous birds, the hiding places of insects, and which species were likely rustling the branches enabled us to spot inhabitants of Tikal that we never would’ve known were there—and in some cases, wish we hadn’t.

“2012 is a year of huge significance for the Maya, and we want visitors to learn the real story about it from the people themselves, and while exploring Maya history and culture throughout Belize. We’re committed to putting this important epoch in its proper perspective while providing an in-depth, authentic Maya experience,” Chaa Creek GM Lucy Fleming said at a recent Maya workshop.