Palenque — Decipher the Red Queen's Secrets
Uncover the hidden truth behind Lady Tz'akbu Ajaw's cinnabar tomb. Decipher Maya glyphs, decode ritual symbols, and expose the dynasty's most guarded secret before the jungle reclaims it.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 672 CE, Lady Tz'akbu Ajaw—the Red Queen of Palenque—was laid to rest in a limestone sarcophagus drenched in cinnabar, the sacred crimson pigment of rebirth and divine power
Palenque — Decipher the Red Queen's Secrets
You are an independent epigrapher, arriving in Palenque, Quintana Roo, Mexico, in the present day, following the recent discoveries.
In 672 CE, Lady Tz'akbu
Tz'akbu Ajaw — the mystery of the royal wife
« She was covered with red cinnabar from head to toe, as if bathed in blood »— Fanny López Jiménez, discoverer of the Red Queen (1994)
The Red Queen: A Major Archaeological Discovery
Temple XIII of Palenque, built in the 7th century near the famous tomb of Pakal the Great, hid one of Maya archaeology's best-kept secrets. In 1994, Fanny López Jiménez discovered a monolithic sarcophagus containing the remains of a high-ranking noblewoman, entirely covered with red cinnabar — hence her nickname. The exceptional funerary goods (malachite mask, jade beads, obsidian ornaments) suggest royal rank.
The Red Queen's identity divides archaeologists: Pakal's wife, mother of ruler K'inich Kan Bahlam II, or independent regent? DNA analyses conducted in 2016 confirm she was related to Palenque's dynasty. But beyond science, Maya communities of Yucatan preserve ancestral tales about this mysterious sovereign, transmitted orally for thirteen centuries.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Maya Dynasties
Dive into the intrigues of Palenque's royal court in the 7th century
Oral Traditions
Collect ancestral tales transmitted for thirteen centuries
Modern Archaeology
Discover scientific techniques that reveal the secrets of the past
Who was the Red Queen really?
An ethnographic investigation between science and legends
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
Avis des aventuriers
Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience.
Did you play la reine rouge de palenque? Check the email you received after your game to leave a verified review.
Your turn to play
Solve the Red Queen's identity through the keepers of Maya memory. Decipher traditional huipil symbols at Casa de la Cultura. Reconstruct royal genealogy under the sacred ceiba. Examine malachite jewelry at the artisan market. Discover red cinnabar symbolism with the healer. Identify royal cartouches in the sculptor's workshop. Calculate calendar position with the shaman. Reproduce the ritual dance of female rulers. At dawn, reveal the secret name of Tz'akbu Ajaw — wife of Pakal, mother of K'inich Kan Bahlam, and eternal keeper of Palenque dynasties.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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