Uncovering the Secrets of Tikal: A Guide to the Mayan Civilization
A visit to Guatemala wouldn’t be complete without visiting the ancient temples of the Mayan civilization, called Tikal! These temples once were the biggest capital of the Mayas and you still can see the remains until today! It’s pretty cool to step back in time and wander around so much history, that is located in the middle of the jungle. So, you shouldn’t be surprised if you hear howler monkeys screaming at you!
Tikal is truly a bucket list item that you need to cross of your list as soon as possible! I didn’t even know it was on my list until I planned a trip to Guatemala, but it’s been one of the most surreal experiences of my trip!
You might also like: Hiking guide for Acatenango volcano
For your information, all these pictures were taken in April 2023.
Table of Contents
Some information about Tikal National Park
Tikal are ruins of an ancient Mayan civilization, found in a rainforest in northern Guatemala, called the Maya forest. The ancient city would most likely have been called Yax Mutal and was one of the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient Mayas. The site dates back as far as the 4th century BC, so it’s more than 2400 years old. The estimated population varies from 10.000 to 90.000 inhabitants.
During the 6th to the 7th century, the city of Tikal was defeated by other Maya societies, called Caracol (Belize) and Calakmul (Mexico). Between these years, there was a hiatus where there was a lapse of construction at Tikal. But the tables turned in the 7th century when Jasaw Chan K’awiil I, a new ruler, ended the hiatus and defeated the enemies at Calakmul. He made sure Tikal rose from its downfall and resurgence its strength and influence. He also made some of the best temples at the site.
For one reason or the other, by the 9th century, the Mayan civilization started to collapse. The reason is unknown, but there are a few speculations. They think it was a combination of overpopulation, overexploitation of the surrounding landscapes and droughts that happened, because of the lack of rain. The rainforest could claim the temples for the next years, before it got rediscovered in 1696, by a Spaninsh friar called Andres de Avendaño. But the first official report about Tikal was made many years later, in 1848. It now is a major touristic attraction with it’s own National Park.
How to get to Tikal National Park?
Tikal National Park is closely located in Flores, so you’ll probably get to Tikal from this town. It’s also the perfect place to stay for a few nights as there are a lot of tour companies that will get you to Tikal. We didn’t book anything beforehand and got ourselves a private shuttle from our hostel to Tikal. But how can you get to Flores?:
- From Lanquin to Flores: The only way to get from Lanquin is with a shuttle bus. You can either take one by day or by night. Keep in mind that it takes at least 10 hours to get to your destination and it isn’t the most comfortable.
- From Lake Atitlan to Flores: There are two options here: take a shuttle bus from Panajachel to Flores which can take more than 10 hours or travel to the airport of Guatemala-city and take a flight to Flores. We did the last option, but I would recommend just taking an overnight bus. You save on accommodation, it’s cheaper and I heard that the bus was actually pretty comfortable.
- From Antigua to Flores: From here, the best option would be to take a shuttle back to the airport and take a flight to Flores. This would be the shortest and easiest way to go.
- From Flores to Tikal: There are also two options to go to Tikal: you could stay overnight in Flores and book transfers to Tikal or you could sleep overnight right outside the park of Tikal and you can walk to the entrance. We did the last one and we found it way better as we could be there at opening times. Also, if you want to do a sunrise tour, you don’t need to wake up at 3:00 AM for this.
When is the best time to visit Tikal National Park
When we were in Tikal National Park in April, it was HOT. Not just normal hot, but really humid too. Sometimes, it wasn’t that enjoyable to walk around the park because of the discomfort, but the views made up for it.
The average temperatures vary very little. And thanks to the humidity, it feels warm all year around in Tikal. In consideration, Guatemala has two distinctive seasons: the dry and wet season. So, if you want to stay dry during you’re visit (believe me, you won’t because of the humidity), dry season is for you. This is between November and April.
Lastly, the busiest months in Guatemala are between January and March. So, I recommend visiting Tikal when it’s dry and low season (November, December or April) as it doesn’t matter qua temperatures or humidity. Be prepared for the discomfort the whole day!
Opening hours of Tikal
The National Park of Tikal is open daily from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Depending on the month you travel to Guatemala, the sunrise and sunset are mostly right before or after the opening hours. So, that means that you’ll miss it with a few minutes. Only December till March has a sunrise or sunset between these set times.
So, if you still want to catch a sunrise or sunset at the National Park of Tikal, you can do this. The park is open at sunrise from 4:00 AM to 6:00 AM and at sunset from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. But keep in mind that you need to pay extra, which I will tell you all about in the next point.
How much does it cost to visit the Mayan ruins of Tikal?
Buying tickets for Tikal can be a bit complicated, as they have tickets for different parts of the day. A regular ticket to Tikal costs Q150 per person, but if you want to book a sunrise or sunset tour, you’ll need to pay Q100 extra per person. But if you want to do the sunrise and sunset tour, this add an extra Q200. Make sure you buy the international tickets, instead of the Guatemalan domestic tickets!
Another thing, you can’t enter Tikal at sunrise or sunset without a guide. And these guide isn’t including in the price of Q100. This is very important to know as you won’t get to enter the park without one! The price of a guide is also Q200 extra, per person (can differ per travel agency). In my opinion, this is a bit expensive. But the guide is well needed as it’s pitch black outside and you won’t know where you’ll need to go. As well, the guide will tell you all about the history and nature of Tikal.
You can book all the tickets online, via there website, except for the guide. You can book them through your accommodation. I think it’s a must to book your tickets online as you’ll have them on your phone and the office of Tikal only accepts cash. As it’s quite pricy, you don’t want to carry all that money with you.
Short explanation about the pricing:
- Only day ticket: Q150
- Day ticket + sunrise OR sunset ticket: Q250 (not including the guide, otherwise it’s Q450)
- Day ticket + sunrise + sunset: Q350 (not including your guide, otherwise it’s Q550)
Can you visit Tikal without a guide?
Like I told before, it’s impossible to visit Tikal at sunrise or sunset without a guide. But, it’s really not necessary when you only have a day ticket. Then you can walk freely without having someone with you. It all depends on yourself if you feel like you need one.
We walked around the park freely, without a guide, and didn’t feel like needing one. But I can imagine if you want to have a lot of information about the Mayan civilization, a guide can be really helpful for this. We did have one for the sunset tour and I really loved it. He told us things we wouldn’t have found on the Internet, so it’s quite interesting. But we didn’t miss it while walking around during the day as we could discover the park on our own terms.
Different temples at Tikal
There are a lot of interesting structures and temples that you can’t miss in Tikal! Be sure to wander around every part of the National Park as it’s pretty huge! And know that you can’t climb to the top of every temple, but there are enough signs to warn you.
Here are some of the best Tikal ruins:
Temple I
Also named the Temple of the Great Jaguar. This temple is the first one to pop up if you search for Tikal as it’s the most iconic structure in the whole National Park! And once you stand in front of it, you will understand why! This temple was built in honor of a Mayan ruler, King Jasaw Chan K’awiil I, the one who ended the hiatus after Tikal got concurred.
Temple I is also one of the tallest you will find in the National Park, as it stands at around 47 meters (154 feet). You can’t climb to the top of this temple, but you can at Temple II, which stands opposite this temple. This gives you a spectacular view!
Both temples are located at the Great Plaza which is a perfect spot to take many pictures! It’s photogenetic from every angle and we spend most of our time here!
Temple II
The second temple across Temple I is also called ‘the Temple of the Masks‘ as there are still masks on its facade to admire. The temple was dedicated to his wife of Jasaw Chan K’awil, but no tomb was found.
The temple is 38 meters (125 feet) high and you can climb all the way to the top by a wooden stairway to get a beautiful view over Temple I and the Great Plaza! This is worth well the climb!
Temple III
The temple was the last of the great pyramids to be built at Tikal. Another name for this temple is ‘the Temple of the Jaguar Priest‘ due to the image of the wooden linter found inside the temple. Standing approximately 55 meters (180 feet), it’s one of the most prominent structure in Tikal! It differs from the other temples because it only has two rooms instead of three.
Temple IV
Standing at approximately 70 meters (230 feet) tall, Temple IV is without a doubt the tallest structure in Tikal. It’s an impressive pyramid-shaped temple that gives you a spectacular view of the jungle and other temples, which can be climbed by a wooden staircase. This temple is also a popular sunrise or sunset spot!
A fun fact, Star Wars: A New Hope used this temple as a filming location for the jungle planet Yavin 4. You can even recreate the scene when you’re on top of this temple!
Temple V
This temple was definitely my favorite out of all of them! Temple V stands out, because of its distinct pyramid shape and steep staircase. Also, it seems to be located far away from other temples, deep in the jungle. It’s a very photogenetic spot!
This temple is the first one built in Tikal by the 22nd ruler, named Animal Skull, in 600 A.D. It’s 52 meters (170 feet) tall and it’s orientated to the north facing the Acropolis where the other rulers are buried. You can’t climb to the top of the temple as a lot of stairs are broken or in a bad state.
Temple VI
Temple VI is also known as ‘the Temple of the Inscriptions‘ and is the furthest located from the city center. The name comes from the discovery of a long inscription on the building located on the rear facade of the crest. It has a 12-meter (39 feet) high roof comb. The temple is unrestored, so there’s not much left of it anymore. In the front of the temple are 9 stelae (carved stone shafts, often sculpted with figures and hieroglyphs), each with its altar, which was dedicated to Yik’in Chan Kawiil.
Mundo Perdido
Mundo Perdido, also known as the ‘Lost World‘, is the largest ceremonial complex, covering 60.000 square meters. The Lost World contains 38 structures and one of them was designed as an astronomical complex.
The Great Pyramid is the main structure of the complex and is 30 meters (98 feet) high. It’s square-shaped and has stairways on all four sides. This was originally designed to observe the stars and the solar cycles.
Can you stay overnight at Tikal?
Yes, you can! You can sleep right outside the gate of Tikal, so you still need to enter with a paid ticket the day after you wake up. There are two types of accommodations: camping or at a hotel. We did the latter and I found it a good experience.
You can book a camping spot via the same website as the entrance tickets. It costs Q50 per person. For a hotel, you have three options for sleeping: Hotel Jaguar Inn, Jungle Lodge Hotel, and Hotel Tikal Inn. We slept at Hotel Jaguar Inn and it was a good decision to sleep so close to the park entrance. The only downside was that we got woken up by the loud sounds of the howler monkeys in the early morning. The hotels have their own guided tours that you can book when staying there. They also offer shuttle buses from the airport of Flores to their hotels!
Wildife at Tikal National Park
Not only can you spot ancient temples and ruins, but there is also a rich biodiversity and abundant wildlife in Tikal National Park! The rainforest is the perfect home for various species and you can spot some of them if you’re lucky! Here are some of the wildlife you can spot in Tikal:
- Howler monkeys: if you don’t see these animals, you will definitely hear them, no worries about that! These animals are very loud and woke me up very early in the morning! It’s very impressive to hear them roar through the forest!
- Spider monkeys: another primate you can spot are the spider monkeys. We spotted them swinging in trees, so make sure you look up a few times when wandering around the park!
- Coatimundis: I never saw these animals before in my life, but I really loved them! They were walking around the park the whole day and saw them on 3 different occasions. They are very curious and are always looking for food!
- Jaguars: even though these creatures are very rare to spot, Tikal is still home to these majestic animals. We didn’t spot any, even on our sunset walk, and you need to be very lucky to see one!
- Birds: Tikal has a wide range of animals, like parrots, toucans, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and ocellated turkeys! It’s so fun to walk around and spot some of them, but you need to watch very closely as they are fast.
Be mindful that seeing these animals are not guaranteed as they are still wild animals, but it’s fun to look out for them and spotting them, roaming free in their own home!
Other tips for Tikal
- What to pack: As Tikal is located in a very humid rainforest, wear summer clothes and don’t forget to bring your sunscreen and hat to keep you protected. Also, bring loads of water as there are not many places that sell these.
- Facilities: There are a few scattered around the park so you don’t need to worry about that.
- ATMs: Tikal is a cash-only place, so make sure you take enough money with you from Flores. At the restaurant of our hotel, we could pay with our credit card, so that was not a problem. The entrance tickets are also in cash, so if you don’t have enough, buy them online.
- Cell service: you have literally no cell service the whole time you’re staying in the park or at the hotel. Be prepared and do all the things before you visit Tikal.
- Malaria: This is the only part of Guatemala that has a small risk for Malaria, so don’t forget to bring your mosquito repellent! And seek advice from your doctor about Malaria pills.
- Drones: Flying with your drone in Tikal is forbidden. We asked for special permission to fly the drone, but otherwise, you can’t do it here.
Other things to do In Guatemala
The best things to do around Tikal is exploring Flores! It’s a very cute town to wander around and has some of the best cafes to drink and eat at! But, Flores is also the perfect travel base to go to other temples like Yaxha! So make sure to put Flores into your itinerary!
There are a lot of things to do in Guatemala. The colonial city of Antigua offers stunning architecture, vibrant markets, and a rich history to discover. Guatemala is also known for its breathtaking natural beauty, with destinations like Lake Atitlán, surrounded by volcanoes and indigenous villages, providing a tranquil setting for boating, hiking, and relaxation. The vibrant indigenous culture of Guatemala can be experienced in Chichicastenango, a town renowned for its colorful markets and traditional ceremonies.
Read about these places in the other blog posts for more inspiration:
- Hiking guide for Acatenango volcano
- 5- day itinerary in Antigua
- Best things to do around Lake Atitlan (coming soon)
- Flores: exploring the city around the Mayan temples (coming soon)
- Pacaya volcano ultimate hiking guide (coming soon)
- Hobbitenango Guatemala: Day trip from Antigua
- Best churches to see in Antigua (coming soon)
- Chichicastenango: guide to the most colorful market in Central America (coming soon)
- The ultimate visiting guide for Yaxha (coming soon)
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Hello, I’m Ellen and welcome to this blog! I’m in love with exploring the world and hopefully I get to inspire you with these blog posts and pictures to feel the same. You will find detailed itineraries, hidden gems, tips and so much more!
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