When planning a trip to Central America, you will most likely put Tikal, Guatemala, in your itinerary. What an excellent choice! This is one of the most amazing Mayan ruins in the region that will surely impress you enormously.

Not only will you be able to see some incredible remnants of the past when you visit Tikal, but you will also enjoy the vast jungle this archeological site is hidden in. It’s such a spectacular site, and even if visiting Tikal requires a bit of a detour, it’s surely worth it.

There are a few ways to plan a trip to Tikal, so I put together this guide so you can learn more about the place and review all your options for visiting it. Read on and plan your perfect day (or more) in Tikal.

Where is Tikal

Tikal, one of the greatest Mayan sites not only in Guatemala but in Central America, is located on the northern side of the country, not far from the borders with Mexico and Belize. The nearest city and a getaway to Tikal is Flores, which is around 65 km from the entrance to the archeological site. Guatemala City, the capital of the country, is 535 km away from Tikal.

Is Tikal worth visiting

There is no doubt that Tikal is one of the most important places to visit in Guatemala and a must-see on every Central America itinerary. This place is exceptional, and you simply don’t want to miss it.

Tikal is a fascinating place to discover, and its remote location in the middle of the jungle (part of Tikal National Park) makes it even more special. You don’t need to be a fan of archeology to appreciate Tikal fully.

As soon as you enter the site, it feels like you moved to another world where you are surrounded by exotic nature and unique architecture. Since the area of Tikal is fairly large and still about 85% of it is undiscovered, you don’t feel overwhelmed with tourism here (albeit there will be many people visiting the site, too), which makes exploring the place so much more enjoyable.

For me, Tikal exceeded all my expectations, and despite the pure heat, I really loved the place.

A brief history of Tikal

There are traces of the first settlers who inhabited the area of Tikal already around 600 BC, and the first structures here date back to 300 BC. The town was founded in the early Classic period, and between the 3rd and 10th century AD, it was the largest and most significant Mayan place in the region.

It especially flourished in the 7th and 8th centuries when Tikal was the cultural, political, and economic leader of the Mayan world, with over sixty thousand inhabitants in the city itself. Eventually, long droughts, overpopulation, environmental degradation, and devastating wars led to the abandonment of Tikal.

In the late 17th century, Spanish missionaries discovered the ruins hidden in the heart of the jungle. The first expedition to Tikal was led by the Guatemalan government in 1848. Since then, the area has been excavated, but so far, only around 15% of the town has been uncovered. In 1979, Tikal was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

How to visit Tikal

Most travelers (me included) decide to stay in Flores for the proximity of the Mayan site and the flexibility of getting around. However, you can also visit Tikal on a tour from a bit further destinations, such as San Ignacio in Belize or even Guatemala City or Antigua (in this option, the flight is included).

From Flores, there are a few ways to visit Tikal so you can choose what works best for you. You can decide between a tour, a shuttle (some of them include a guide), or public transport. The last option is the least recommended, as using the chicken bus is a bit of a hassle.

If you decide to try it anyway, the buses depart from Santa Elena bus station at 06:00, 06:30, 07:00, 08:30, 10:00, 11:30, 12:30, 13:00, and 15:00 and take around two hours to reach Tikal. These are “first come, first served” type of buses, so it’s better to arrive a bit earlier at the bus station to secure the seat. The price for the one-way trip is 30 GTQ (around $4 / €3,50).

A convenient option is the shuttle, which departs from the “I Love Peten” sign in Flores and takes around an hour and a half to Tikal. The first one leaves from Flores at 3:00, which might be brutal but is perfect for exploring the site at sunrise. Here you can find the overview of schedules and book a shuttle with the guide. The prices start at $25.

I’ve decided to go on a tour of Tikal, and it was a great decision. It might be a bit more expensive than the shuttle or the chicken bus, but I had time to read the reviews before and opted for the tour with high rates. And it was perfect as there were only two more people with me on the tour and the guide was very knowledgeable. I learned a lot that day and had such a good time exploring Tikal.

If you decide to go on a Tikal tour, too, here are some of the highly-rated options to consider:

• Tikal Small Group all Included From Flores (that’s the one I took)
• Tikal Exclusive Tour from Flores all-Inclusive
• Tikal Full Day with Dedicated Exploration of the Archaeological Monuments
• Tikal Day Trip Including Round Trip Flights from Antigua with Lunch
• Tikal Day Trip with Local Lunch from San Ignacio

Tikal tickets and opening times

No matter how you arrive in Tikal, you need to pay the entrance fee to the site (usually, it is included in the tour). Currently, the ticket costs 150 GTQ, which is around $20 / €17.

To purchase the ticket you need to show your passport so don’t forget to take it with you for the day. Since there are no ATMs in Tikal, remember to have some money with you, too.

The site is open daily from 6:00 am to 06:00 pm. You can still visit Tikal for sunrise or sunset (which is the most beautiful time there), but you need to do it with a tour.

What to bring with you to Tikal

The three most important things to bring with you are a passport, plenty of water and good walking shoes. The area of Tikal can get really hot, even around 40C in the shadow (it was close to it when I visited), so you need to stay hydrated to be safe. It’s good to cover your head from the sun, too.

Since it’s a vast area in the middle of the jungle, good shoes are essential for your comfort. Don’t forget some snacks, but in case you get hungry, there are a few restaurants near the Visitor’s Center. Make sure to have your camera charged; you will take lots of pictures for sure!

Exploring Tikal

You need to plan at least a few solid hours for exploring Tikal. The area is huge; you most likely will walk everywhere (there’s also an option to hitch a ride, but that ruins the fun), and the distances between the major structures can quickly accumulate.

Fortunately, the area is well-marked and has plenty of walking paths, so even if you decide to discover Tikal on your own, you will easily be able to get around. There is a large map of Tikal at the entrance, so take a picture of it before you enter the site; it will come in handy.

Some of the major Tikal highlights you can’t miss include:

• Great Plaza with Temple I (Temple of the Great Jaguar) and Temple II (Temple of the Masks), with the North Acropolis and Central Acropolis on both sides of the square. This is the most visited place in Tikal, as the square is packed with ancient remnants. You can also climb Temple II for the best view of the area. During my visit, only a few people decided to venture into both acropolis – don’t miss them as you can find some amazing details there (such as a craved mask of Chac – the Mayan god of rain) and the view from this perspective is good too
• Temple IV – the highest one of the structures in Tikal (70 meters). You can climb to the top, from where you will see the mind-blowing panorama of the jungle. You might actually recognize the view as one of the “Star Wars” movies was filmed here.
• Lost World Complex (Mundo Perdido) – the large ceremonial complex with pyramids that you can climb for yet another amazing view.
• Temple V – the least visited structure, the second-tallest one in Tikal, that you can climb too
• Twin-pyramid complex – the closest one to the entrance of the site, a great foretaste of what you are about to see in Tikal
• Nature – the area of Tikal National Park is simply amazing, so wild and untamed. When wandering around, you might meet some cool local animals, such as spider monkeys, white-nosed coati, or pacas.

The one thing I missed when exploring Tikal was the stelas exposed to the public next to the ruins (like it was in Copan Ruinas, Honduras). This would really have enriched the experience of visiting Tikal. You can still see them for a small fee in the dedicated museum, but that’s not as impressive as in the natural environment.

Where to stay in Tikal

If you decide that you need more than one day to explore the site or you would like to see more of Tikal National Park (you can go for some great hikes here!), there are a few accommodation options in Tikal you can choose from. This way, you can fully focus on discovering the area without worrying about transportation back to Flores. You can also escape the large number of tourists that tour the area.

Here are the recommended places to stay in Tikal:

• Jungle Lodge Tikal Hostal (8.3/10)
• Hotel Jungle Lodge Tikal (8.4/10)

Where to go next

While Tikal is probably the most impressive Mayan site in the area, there are a few other similar places nearby that you can visit, too.

Back in the prosperous times, Uaxactun (which is only 25 km away) was under Tikal’s rule. Even if this site is much smaller, it’s equally interesting and less crowded. Another option is El Mirador, which is also a Mayan site with the two largest temples in Guatemala (El Tigre and La Danta). A few days-long hike through the jungle is the only way to get there.

You can also hop across the border to Belize and visit two more sites there: Xunantunich and Cahal Pech in San Ignacio. Or you can spend a few days in Flores, chilling out and enjoying the relaxing atmosphere of the city.

Further reading

I published more articles about Central America that you might find useful when planning your trip there. You can find them here:

• Central America itinerary – What to See in Central America
• 13 Perfect Things to Do in Antigua, Guatemala
• Day Trip to Lake Atitlan from Antigua, Guatemala
• 14 Great Things to Do in Flores, Guatemala
• 13 Cool Things to Do in Caye Caulker, Belize
• 7 Exciting Things to Do in San Ignacio, Belize
• El Tunco, El Salvador – the Surfers Oasis on the Pacific Shore
• Visit Copan Ruinas – the Amazing Mayan Site in Honduras

If you are looking for articles about a specific destination – check out the map with all the articles I’ve published (and their locations).

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