Mayan apocalypse: French village pleads on fanatics not to visit Bugarach Believers say the world will end on December 21, 2012, the end date of the ancient Mayan calendar, and they see Bugarach as one of a few sacred mountains sheltered from the cataclysm. December 21 marks the end of an era that lasted over 5,000 years, according to the Mayan "Long Count" calendar. Some believe the date, which coincides with the December solstice, marks the end of the world as foretold by Mayan hieroglyphs. But scholars have ridiculed the idea, and say the date simply marks the end of the old Mayan calendar and the beginning of a new one. The central American region where the Mayans lived is experiencing a tourism bonanza ahead of the fateful December 21 date. Tourists are being offered all-inclusive excursions and religious ceremonies in Mayan holy sites across Central America and Mexico. It is also a chance to celebrate the contributions of the Mayan civilisation to mankind, but indigenous groups have accused governments and businesses of profiting from Hollywood-inspired fiction about their culture.