Map & How To Go to Tikal Nationwide Park

A go to to the Mayan ruins of Tikal Guatemala must be one of the vital spectacular issues you are able to do in Central America. Like one thing from Indiana Jones, these historical temples as soon as made up the largest capital of the Mayan civilization.

Should you’ve been to the large pyramid of Chichen Itza in Mexico, this place is analogous however arguably even higher. Tikal Nationwide Park is house to all types of wildlife, and most of the Mayan temples listed here are open for climbing, so you may take pleasure in panoramic views of the jungle surrounding the ruins!

The opposite excellent news is that Tikal (pronounced ‘tee-kahl’) is comparatively straightforward and reasonably priced to go to on a day journey from Flores in Guatemala, or it’s also possible to go to Tikal overland from the neighboring nation of Belize.

In any case, it’s a bucket checklist expertise you could’t miss if you happen to’re touring in Belize or Guatemala! Star Wars followers can even admire that Tikal was used as a filming location for one of many unique motion pictures, ‘A New Hope.’

This Tikal journey information will clarify the place the ruins are situated (plus a Tikal map), how one can get there from Guatemala or Belize, hours & entrance charges, security suggestions, greatest tour packages, and every thing else you might want to know earlier than you go!

Finest Tikal Excursions

Tikal Guatemala is a type of locations that’s greatest seen with a tour, particularly in your first go to. It’s the most secure and most handy approach to get transportation to the ruins, and an English talking information will be very useful for explaining every thing and taking photos for you.

GetYourGuide has Tikal day excursions from Flores in Guatemala, or in addition they have day excursions ranging from San Ignacio in Belize. A few of these excursions additionally embody lunch and lodge pickup and drop-off to make issues much more handy.

We’ve used GetYourGuide for plenty of excursions and actions world wide, and so they’re nice. Extremely advisable!

E book Now: Tikal Tour From Flores / From Belize

 

The place Is Tikal?

Tikal is situated in northern Guatemala, within the Peten division (state).

The closest city is Flores in Guatemala, which has loads of tourist-friendly lodges and eating places, or it’s also possible to go to Tikal overland from San Ignacio in Belize.

 

How To Get To Tikal Guatemala

 

• From Guatemala

Should you’re coming from Guatemala, the closest airport to Tikal is the Mundo Maya Worldwide Airport (code: FRS) in Flores, Guatemala. You may as well go by bus from Guatemala Metropolis, which is a bit cheaper however a lot slower, taking about 10 hours.

There are each day nonstop flights to Flores from Guatemala Metropolis or Cancun, Mexico. Airline decisions are Avianca or TAG Airways, and Avianca is healthier if in case you have the choice (greatest security document and extra versatile about baggage).

The flight to Flores from Guatemala Metropolis solely takes about 45 minutes, and you may generally discover costs as little as 400 Quetzales ($50 USD). You possibly can store for flights on Skyscanner.

When you arrive in Flores, the following step is attending to Tikal, which is a 1.5 hour drive from Flores city. The best approach to do it is a shared tour by bus from Flores, which will be very reasonably priced.

Should you’d moderately go to Tikal and not using a tour, that’s additionally attainable if you happen to lease a automotive or take a shuttle from Flores. Nonetheless, it doesn’t work out to be an entire lot cheaper than taking a tour, and having a information will be useful for explaining issues within the park and taking photos for you.

 

• From Belize

Should you’re coming from Belize, your first step might be attending to San Ignacio, which is a metropolis in Belize close to the Guatemala border.

The drive to San Ignacio from Belize Metropolis takes about 2 to 2.5 hours, and you may go by automotive (taxi), bus, or shuttle. I feel the shuttle is the easiest way to go.

Generally there are additionally flights from Belize Metropolis to the tiny airport at San Ignacio, however these are puddle jumper planes and the choices are fairly restricted. You possibly can inquire about that with Tropic Air or Maya Island Air.

When you arrive in San Ignacio, it’s one other 2 to 2.5 hour drive to cross the Guatemala border and get to Tikal. The best approach to do that is with a day tour bundle that handles all of the transportation for you.

The border crossing provides a step or two to the method, nevertheless it’s not very troublesome. Should you’d moderately go and not using a tour, you may lease a automotive or take a shuttle from San Ignacio to Tikal.
 

Visiting Tikal Guatemala: What To Anticipate

The Tikal Guatemala ruins cowl a pretty big space, nevertheless it’s nonetheless sufficiently small to be walkable on foot. All the paths are flat and simple, though if you happen to select to climb any temples then that half could be a bit strenuous. Some temples are simpler to climb than others.

A few of the temples at Tikal are closed to climbing, so that you’ll wish to preserve that in thoughts. Test the signage earlier than you climb. Every thing is posted in English and Spanish, so it’s straightforward for guests to grasp.

There are a whole bunch of animal species residing in Tikal Nationwide Park, and you’ve got an excellent probability of seeing a few of them in your go to. In at some point tour, we noticed spider monkeys, coatimundis, turkeys, and different wildlife. It’s additionally attainable to identify tarantulas and toucans right here, and even the occasional puma or jaguar!

You possibly can see the highlights of Tikal in just a few hours, so I feel one full day journey is sufficient time for most individuals, though some photographers would possibly wish to keep longer and take extra photos. There are a handful of lodges at Tikal with direct entry to the park if you wish to keep an evening or two.

 

Tikal Map (Guatemala)

Right here’s a helpful 3D Tikal map you need to use to plan your Guatemala journey. You may as well purchase a paper Tikal map on the entrance of the nationwide park, which might be an enormous assist for locating your approach across the temples, ruins, and every thing else within the park.

Amongst different issues, this map exhibits the place you could find lavatory services all through the park. The park entrance is marked as ‘9 Ingreso’ on this map of Tikal. That’s the place you’ll enter the park if you first begin your tour.

 

Finest Tikal Temples & Ruins

This isn’t a whole checklist of all of the Tikal ruins, however these are simply a number of the greatest temples within the park, for my part:
 

• Temple I

Also referred to as the ‘Temple of the Nice Jaguar,’ Temple I might be essentially the most stunning and iconic of all of the temple ruins in Tikal Guatemala. It’s additionally one of many tallest.

You possibly can’t climb Temple I, however you may climb the other constructing (Temple II) and use that as a vantage level for taking photos of Temple I. That is the place essentially the most well-known photos of Temple I are taken.

This temple was the burial place of the Mayan king Jasaw Chan Okay’awiil I. It’s photogenic from virtually any angle, and there are additionally numerous different good photograph spots within the Nice Plaza the place Temple I is situated.

 

• Temple II

Also referred to as the ‘Temple of the Masks,’ Temple II is a pleasant constructing in its personal proper, however the very best factor about it’s you could climb it for wonderful views of Temple I and the Nice Plaza, which sits proper subsequent to it.

This temple stands 38 meters (125 ft) excessive, however the bottom has a picket staircase, which you’ll be able to climb to succeed in the highest in only a few minutes. The view is nicely well worth the climb!
 

• Temple IV

Temple IV is the tallest temple in Tikal, and one of many tallest Mayan buildings on the planet, with a peak of 65 meters (212 ft).

You may as well climb it! The picket staircase has virtually 200 steps to succeed in the highest of the temple, so it’s a critical exercise. Our group was exhausted and sweaty once we reached the highest.

Also referred to as the ‘Star Wars temple,’ this one was used as a filming location for the jungle planet Yavin 4 in Star Wars: A New Hope. It’s an important view within the film, and likewise in actual life.

 

• Temple V

Final, however not least, don’t overlook to go to Temple V. This can be a very massive and photogenic moss-covered temple situated close to the Central Acropolis of Tikal Nationwide Park. It’s the 2nd tallest constructing at Tikal after Temple IV, standing 57 meters tall (187 ft)!

You possibly can’t climb the steps of Temple V, nevertheless it’s nonetheless very spectacular and nice for pictures. Archaeologists aren’t positive concerning the objective of Temple V, nevertheless it’s believed to have been a mortuary temple (i.e. tomb) for considered one of Tikal’s historical rulers.

 

Tikal In Star Wars

Should you’re in search of the Tikal temple from Star Wars, that’s Temple IV. Within the film ‘A New Hope,’ a Insurgent guard watches the Millennium Falcon spaceship touchdown on the jungle planet of Yavin 4.

The film shot was taken on high of Temple IV, and within the distance you may see Temples I, II, and III rising above the jungle cover.

You possibly can see a screenshot of the Star Wars film scene beneath.

Apparently, the film scene was shot in 1977 through the Guatemalan civil conflict, and based on a Reuters article, George Lucas’s staff needed to hoist the cumbersome digicam gear and heavy lights to the highest of the temple with a pulley system.

The Star Wars film staff paid an area Guatemalan safety guard with six-packs of beer to guard the tools with a shotgun for 4 nights!

I’ve all the time been an enormous fan of Star Wars, so it was enjoyable to go to this spot in actual life!
 

Entrance Charges At Tikal Nationwide Park

Grownup tickets to Tikal for foreigners value 150 Quetzales (about $20 USD) per individual, whereas youngsters beneath 12 can enter free. Should you do a dawn or sundown tour at Tikal, there’s an additional price of 100 Quetzales per individual.

Sadly there’s no approach to purchase tickets on-line but, though you should buy your Tikal tickets as much as 30 days upfront at Banrural financial institution businesses in Guatemala. Keep in mind to convey sufficient money (in native forex), as a result of they don’t settle for bank cards and there’s no ATM at Tikal.

IMPORTANT: A passport is required to purchase your Tikal tickets. They received’t allow you to purchase tickets with out displaying a passport for every individual. I’ve heard of individuals utilizing a photocopy of their passport and that was fantastic.
 

Opening Hours At Tikal Nationwide Park

The Tikal Nationwide Park is formally open each day from 6 AM to five PM, though you may enter exterior of those hours if you happen to do a dawn or sundown tour.
 

    
 
 

Different Suggestions For Tikal Guatemala

• What To Put on: Sneakers are supreme if you happen to plan on climbing temples. A few of the footing could be sketchy with sandals. You’ll additionally need a hat and summer season clothes. Tikal is sizzling!
• What To Deliver: Water and snacks are a good suggestion. You should buy them within the park, however the costs might be increased.
• Guides: Should you haven’t organized a Tikal tour information upfront, you may rent one on the entrance to the nationwide park. Nonetheless, I feel it’s higher to guide a information upfront that approach you may learn evaluations and know what you’re getting.
• Services: There are a few small cafes in Tikal that promote snacks and drinks, plus you could find maps, loos, picnic spots, and memento retailers on the entrance of the park. There aren’t any ATMs at Tikal but.
• Credit score Playing cards: Every thing at Tikal is money solely, together with the doorway tickets, cafes, and memento stands. They don’t settle for bank cards for something but.
• Mosquitoes: Our group noticed some mosquitoes at Tikal, so I’d positively suggest sporting bug spray with DEET. Malaria will not be a big subject at Tikal these days, and circumstances are uncommon in Peten. There isn’t a lot threat of dengue or Zika virus within the space both, though these can’t be dominated out utterly, so it’s a good suggestion to make use of bug spray and shield your self simply in case.
• Cell Service: I had slightly little bit of cell service/cellphone reception whereas strolling round within the Tikal space with Claro and Tigo through my T-Cellular roaming bundle, nevertheless it wasn’t very reliable. You probably have any vital texts or emails to ship, greatest to do it earlier than going to the park.
• Drones: Flying a drone will not be allowed wherever at Tikal Nationwide Park. In keeping with the indicators on the park entrance, they’re frightened it would disturb the birds and different animals.

 

Historical past Of Tikal

Tikal was as soon as one of the vital vital cities for the traditional Mayan civilization in Central America, and at one time it had over 3,000 buildings and a inhabitants of as much as 100,000 individuals! A few of Tikal’s rulers have been additionally buried within the temples you see right now.

Through the sixth and seventh centuries, the historical past of Tikal was characterised by numerous bloody preventing with rival Mayan teams from close by locations like Caracol and Calakmul. Tikal was defeated within the sixth century, however rose to energy once more within the seventh century beneath the ruler Jasaw Chan Okay’awiil I, who led the individuals to army victory and constructed a number of the greatest temples in Tikal.

For unknown causes, the Mayan civilization (together with Tikal) began to break down within the ninth century, and the as soon as nice metropolis of Tikal was utterly deserted by the tenth century. Everybody abandoned the town.

Tikal was slowly consumed by the jungle, and it grew to become a misplaced world for the following 1,000 years. It was lastly rediscovered by the governor of Peten Guatemala in 1848, who reached it after a number of days of climbing by the rainforest. Over the course of a few years, archaeologists have been capable of excavate the ruins and restore them to their current situation.

Immediately, the misplaced metropolis of Tikal is acknowledged as a UNESCO World Heritage web site for its excellent inventive worth and historical past, in addition to the great rainforest and animal species within the space. It’s one of many prime sights of Guatemala, and it receives greater than one million guests per 12 months!

    
 
 

Finest Time To Go to Tikal Guatemala

The very best time to go to Tikal Guatemala is dependent upon what you’re in search of, though you may go to all 12 months spherical.

The dry season for this a part of Guatemala runs from December to April. Throughout these months, it’s extra sunny and there’s much less rain, and the daytime temperatures are barely much less sizzling than regular. Dry season is mostly the very best time to go to Tikal.

The moist season for Tikal mainly runs from Could to November. Throughout these months, there’s extra rain and clouds on common. You possibly can nonetheless go to within the wet season, however you would possibly wish to convey a poncho in case of dangerous climate.

The very best time of day to go to Tikal is within the morning. With an early begin, you may keep away from a number of the warmth and crowds. Dawn can also be good as a result of you may hear the animals awakening and the Mayan jungle coming to life.

Should you’re a photographer and primarily desirous to take photos with out crowds, attempt to keep away from weekends and holidays, when there are much more Guatemalan locals visiting the park. Nonetheless, total Tikal is a large park so it absorbs crowds fairly nicely!

 

Is Tikal Guatemala Secure?

As you would possibly know, Guatemala will not be the most secure nation on the planet, and there have been some armed robberies at Tikal previously. Nonetheless, it looks as if security has improved now, and I haven’t heard of any crimes like that occuring right here in not less than 10 years.

If you’d like some additional peace of thoughts, you would additionally convey a hidden journey belt (like this one) and put a few of your valuables in it, reminiscent of money and bank cards.

With that mentioned, our group had an important go to to Tikal and we didn’t encounter any crime points in any respect. Regardless that Guatemala doesn’t have an excellent popularity on security, I feel it’s improved quite a bit within the final 20 years, and nonetheless appears to be getting higher.
 

Is Tikal Value It?

Sure, Tikal is totally price visiting! It’s undoubtedly one of many greatest sights wherever in Central America or South America.

The Tikal pyramids are each bit as wonderful as they give the impression of being in photos, and it’s an excellent probability to see wildlife too. You shouldn’t journey to Guatemala with out seeing this place.
 

Extra Guatemala Journey Suggestions

Thanks for trying! I hope you loved this Tikal journey information and map for visiting the Mayan ruins on a day journey from Belize or Guatemala.

Should you’re in search of epic hikes in Guatemala, don’t overlook to take a look at my information for the Acatenango Volcano Hike earlier than you go!

Completely satisfied travels!