El Perú, Pre-Columbian archaeological site in Petén, Guatemala

El Perú is a pre-Columbian archaeological site in Petén, Guatemala, featuring multiple plazas with ceremonial structures and residential areas spread throughout the location. The site sits near the San Pedro River, about 60 kilometers west of Tikal, within a landscape of dense vegetation.

The site served as a capital of a Maya city-state from 500 BC to 800 AD, holding a key position during interactions between Teotihuacan civilization and Maya groups. This period marked the height of activity and influence at the location.

The excavated royal tombs hold intricate burial goods and jade objects that reveal how the Maya nobility approached death and the afterlife. These finds show the craftsmanship and beliefs that shaped daily life at the site.

This remote site requires arranging transportation from Flores to reach the location within Laguna del Tigre National Park. The dry season offers better conditions for visiting, as roads and access become more manageable during this time.

The name Waka' means "centipede water" or "centipede river," according to the site's emblem glyph, whose main sign Wak may denote a centipede. The site was renamed El Perú by oil prospectors who rediscovered it in the 1960s, and both names are now used together as El Perú-Waka'.