Tikal
Discover Tikal
Tikal is a large archaeological site in the Guatemalan department of Petén. During the Classic Period it was one of the largest and most important of the Mayan cities. Today it's one of the most fascinating and enjoyable of the Mayan sites to visit, largely due to its remoteness, but also its jungle setting. Tourists still descend on it by the busload, but it's far from feeling overrun like Chichen Itza and other sites. Some of the temples are still being uncovered, and you can watch archaeologists busy at work. Many others remain completely covered in dirt and plants, much as the first outside explorers found them in the 1800s. Tikal was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. Tikal was a Maya city of great power and size, the largest of Maya cities during the "Classic Era" over 1000 years ago. Many beautiful buildings have been uncovered and many more wait to be discovered. Amongst the many Maya sites in Central America, Tikal is perhaps the most breathtaking because of the scattered impressive buildings which have been restored in an area with many more ruined buildings still enveloped by the jungle. The sight of the temples poking through the canopy is quite awesome. Though you're not allowed to climb the stone steps of the larger pyramids, several of them have wooden staircases up the back so you can climb to the top and get panoramic views from above the trees.
What to Experience in Tikal
Taste of Tikal...
The Visitors' Center has a restaurant offering food and drink until 16:00, though it's on the expensive side. At one point, the Jungle Lodge reportedly offered dinners for guests, and some travellers reported that it is better than the Tikal Inn. There are several comedores (food stalls/cheap diners) along the road just before and across from the visitor center. These are by far the cheapest option, though still not quite cheap by Guatemalan standards, and they likely don't accept credit cards and there's no ATM, so make sure you brought enough cash. Several of them close around 17:00, with the farthest-out on, Comedor Imperio Maya, usually open until 18:00. The restaurant at the Hotel Jaguar, which is open to everyone, may be cheaper than the visitors centre, and as of June 2024 is quite a bit more expensive than the comedores, but also better, and offers card payment and free WiFi. It's open until 20:30. Within the ruins, vendors at the three designated rest areas along the main east-west walking route sell small bags of chips and cookies in addition to bottled drinks. There are all sorts of drinks (cans and bottles of soda, juice, and water) available at kiosks in the visitor center reasonably priced considering that they could charge much more. If you're buying orange juice at the Jaguar, Inn buy the bottled stuff (Q6 - Jugo De La Granja), as it is likely the same as the stuff in a glass but half the price. Around the Grand Plaza small covered shops offer water.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Tikal into what it is today.
Tikal dates back as far as 400 BC, and grew into one of the largest and most powerful of the Mayan cities during the Classic Period (AD 200-900), during which it had some shared cultural features with far-away Teotihuacan, whose warriors may have founded Tikal's greatest dynasty. It often clashed with other cities in the region, and was eventually defeated by Caracol in 562 AD. King Ah Cacau returned Tikal to its former glory about a century later, and it remained somewhat prosperous until the general decline of Mayan civilization set in around AD 900. Tikal was eventually abandoned completely, consumed by the jungle, and pretty much fell off the map. Stories of its existence started to surface in the 17th & 18th centuries, but it wasn't until the mid-1800s that expeditions were hatched to explore and map it. After a hundred years of roughing it overland by horse and foot to reach the site, a small airstrip was built in the mid-1950s. The University of Pennsylvania oversaw major excavation work at Tikal during the 1960s, and then in the late 1970s, the government of Guatemala began the work you still see being done today. During colonial times there was a legend spoken among the indigenous peoples in Guatemala of a lost city inside the jungle where their ancestors had thrived. In 1848 this legend became a reality. Tikal was discovered, arousing curiosity around the world....
Climate
It's sunny, hot and humid in the northern hemisphere, winter so dress lightly and bring water since you will be sweating climbing up the many steep steps of the monuments which are spread out. In the rainy season, during the northern hemisphere summer, it may rain all afternoon or even all day, but temperatures will still be quite hot. The trails can be muddy in a few places but there is plenty of shade under the canopy of trees. Winter nights can be cool. Brings lots of water or sports drinks - dehydration and heat stroke are the biggest dangers here. There are a few vendors along the main west-east walking route if you need to get more to drink. Tikal is located about 1.5-2 hours' drive from Flores, which hosts the nearest airport. The airstrip at Tikal is no longer in use, and cannot be used even for private planes or in emergencies, as it's now overgrown with trees.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsTikal is located about 1.5-2 hours' drive from Flores, which hosts the nearest airport. The airstrip at Tikal is no longer in use, and cannot be used even for private planes or in emergencies, as it's now overgrown with trees. Buses and minibuses come in from all surrounding areas on a well maintained, fully-paved road, and you can also drive there with your own vehicle. Many visitors do single-day tours from Flores, but there are also some accommodation options at the park for those who want to stay longer or arrive earlier. For visitors with normal day tickets (see below), the main entrance to the archeological site opens at 06:00 and closes by 17:00 and you are expected to be out by 17:30. Staff roam the park around 17:00 looking for people without an evening bracelet, and will escort you out, although the official website says that entry is from 06:00 to 18:00....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The restaurants, souvenir shops, visitor center, museum, and hotels can be reached by car but are all within about 5 minutes' walk of each other and the entrance to the ruins. Once you enter the ruins, walking is the only way to get around, as only staff and vendor vehicles are allowed inside. The distances can be on the long side - walking from the entrance straight to the far end of the park, where the must-see Temple IV viewdeck is located, takes about 40 minutes even if you don't stop for the other must-see sights in between. The Gran Plaza with the most famous pyramids is about halfway in between, and there are tons of other interesting ruins on side paths, some straying as much as a half-hour walk or more off of the main axis. Some routes are small forest hiking paths (usually well-maintained), but more of them are car-sized hard-packed dirt/gravel roads, many corresponding to the original limestone causeways used by the ancient Maya to traverse the city.
Where to Stay
Many people prefer to stay in the park and wake up with the jungle to the sounds of birds and nature rather than the vehicle sounds of Flores, and staying here one of the ways to be in the park for sunrise. Unfortunately the park options are not the cheapest, and demand often exceeds supply. As of June 2024, prices started at around Q500 (possibly a low-season rate). Many visitors instead choose to stay in the cute historical center of Flores island and hour or two away, which has many affordable hostels, and take an early shuttle bus to the park. There are also several cheap lodges lakeside in El Remate, in between Flores and Tikal, where your hotel can arrange a shuttle pick up for you. Three hotels next to the park entrance provide somewhat basic but decent accommodation, all within very short walking distance to the entrance to the ruins. All three cater to Western travellers and their amenities and prices reflect this.
Money & Budget
There are no ATMs in Tikal, so be sure to bring enough cash to cover your tickets if you're not buying them online, plus equipment rental if you're staying in the campground, plus any souvenirs or food you might want to buy (though the nicer restaurants accept cards), and for transport if you're visiting by bus or taxi and don't have a round-trip ticket. If you need to conserve cash, consider staying at the hotels in Tikal, and only eating at the nicer restaurants, even though that's more expensive, because they accept payment by card. In case you're continuing to Uaxactun, be aware that you'll need cash for everything there too, including accommodations and food. For a multi-day trip to Tikal and Uaxactun, even carrying Q1000 in cash can be cutting it very close.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
As of June 2024, robberies do not seem to be an issue anymore, either at Tikal or on the way to it. Though park staff may scare you about jaguar attacks (which possible), the main danger is dehydration or heatstroke from the extreme heat and humidity. Make sure to carry lots of water - you can buy it at a few points along the main east-west path of the ruins, but it's probably cheaper at the shops just outside. The park staff have been spooked by a few incidents and close calls in the early 2020s: a hiker died from heatstroke in 2022, a middle-aged birdwatcher disappeared in 2023, and a family of French tourists got lost for two days in the jungle later that year. Because of this, the park recommends taking a guide, but they do not require it. However, the trails are very well signed, and the reality is that you won't get dangerously lost as long as you stay on obvious trails and don't pass any "no passing"/"no trespassing" signs.
Glimpses of Tikal
a stone structure with trees and grass around it with Tikal in the background
Temple V, Tikal, Petén Department - Guatemala
Temple of the Jaguar
green grass field with trees under blue sky during daytime
a large stone structure sitting on top of a lush green forest
the ruins of the ancient city of palen
a forest of trees
a stone building with Tikal
gray concrete building under blue sky during daytime
a stone structure in the middle of a forest
a stone structure with trees and grass around it with Tikal in the background
Temple V, Tikal, Petén Department - Guatemala
Temple of the Jaguar