Palenque — Decipher Pakal's Cosmic Code
Decode the hidden glyphs of the Paris Codex to unlock the secret chambers of Pakal's tomb and expose the truth behind the Maya king's celestial prophecy before the temple seals forever.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 675 CE, K'inich Janahb Pakal commissioned the Temple of Inscriptions—a nine-level pyramid encoding 617 hieroglyphic secrets across its inner sanctum
Palenque — Decipher Pakal's Cosmic Code
You are a dedicated epigrapher, renowned for your work on ancient scripts, arriving in the dense jungles of Palenque in 1910.
In 675 CE, K'
K'inich Janaab Pakal — 68 years of reign, eternity calculated
« On 4 Ajaw 8 Kumk'u it was created. There were three stones put in place by the hearth gods »— Temple of Inscriptions, east tablet, creation of the world according to Pakal
Pakal the Great and the astronomical mysteries of Palenque
K'inich Janaab Pakal I ascends the throne of Palenque at age 12 in 615 CE. He rules for 68 years, an absolute record in the Maya world. Under his reign, Palenque becomes a leading astronomical center. Royal scribes calculate with astounding precision the cycles of Venus, lunar eclipses, planetary conjunctions over several millennia. The Temple of Inscriptions, built during his lifetime, houses 617 glyphs — the second longest Maya text known.
Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuillier discovers the royal crypt in 1952 after four years of excavations. The 5-ton monolithic sarcophagus reveals a funerary mask of 340 jade pieces and astronomical calculations reaching 1.2 million years into the past and extending 4000 years into the future. This mastery of time explains why Pakal was deified during his lifetime. Yet neither he nor his astronomers foresaw the brutal abandonment of Palenque around 900 CE.
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
5-10 curated sites across the territory
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 · 14,90€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Maya astronomy
Millennial calculations of planetary cycles and eclipses
Funerary art
The most sophisticated jade mask in Mesoamerica
Maya epigraphy
617 glyphs narrate 68 years of divine reign
The time of astronomer-kings
4000 years of eclipses calculated for eternity
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 le codex de palenque? Check the email you received after your game to leave a verified review.
Your turn to play
Follow the traces of Alberto Ruz Lhuillier in Mexico's greatest archaeological discovery. Reconstruct the lost astronomical codex of K'inich Janaab Pakal's scribes. A scientific investigation between funerary temple and stellar observatory in the heart of Chiapas.
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
Other escape games in Palenque archaeological site and downtown
See all games in Palenque archaeological site and downtown→More ideas for self-guided walking tours, scavenger hunts & city quests in the same city
Palenque — Decipher the Red Queen's Tomb
Uncover the 11-year mystery of Tz'ak-bu Ajaw, the Red Queen of Palenque. Decipher Maya glyphs and solve the riddle of her cinnabar-covered tomb to reveal her true identity and power.
Yaxchilan — Bird Jaguar's Lost Stelae
Uncover the eight missing stelae of Bird Jaguar that reveal the curse behind Yaxchilan's sudden fall. Decode ancient glyphs across jungle ruins to expose the royal conspiracy that doomed the mighty Maya kingdom.
San Cristóbal — Tzotzil Rebellion Secrets
Uncover the hidden codes and secret signals of the 1712 Tzotzil Rebellion. Decode the rebels' messages etched in colonial churches and streets to expose the conspiracy that nearly toppled Spanish rule.
Bonampak — The Lost Astronomical Codex
Uncover the hidden Maya codex in Bonampak's murals: four Venus cycles, eight eclipses, and a lost time formula that doomed the city. Decipher the astronomical secrets before the jungle swallows them forever.
Palenque — Pakal's Lost Codex
Uncover K'inich Janaab Pakal's lost astronomical codex! Decode 8 hidden glyphs across Palenque's ruins to reveal the king-astronomer's secret prophecies of eclipses and cosmic cycles before they vanish forever.
Bonampak — Lost Frescoes Conspiracy
Uncover the dark conspiracy behind Chaan Muan II's hidden frescoes at Bonampak. Decipher warrior codes and expose the bloody secrets of Maya sacrifices that were meant to stay buried forever.
Explore other cities in Mexique
Tabasco
Land of the Olmecs and spicy flavors
Oaxaca Coast
Wild beaches and Zapotec traditions
Oaxaca
Cradle of Zapotec and Mixtec civilizations
Veracruz
First port of the New World
Campeche
Fortified city facing Caribbean pirates
Quintana Roo
Between Mayan jungle and turquoise Caribbean