More than 3,000 years ago, Maya civilization began to develop in the highlands of Central America. Between 300 AD and 900 AD, the Maya built great cities in what is now Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador. In that time, the Mayans created a complex writing system, devised a calendar more accurate than any in Europe, introduced the concept of zero in mathematics, predicted lunar and solar eclipses, and built the tallest structures in the Western Hemisphere—all while Paris was just a sleepy village.

Today, their descendants are scattered across the five countries in an ancient, 1,500-mile-long trade ring known as La Ruta Maya. Join me as I travel back in time to explore this Route of the Maya.