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TravelTips24 : North America : Central America : Guatemala : Petén : Tikal

Tikal

Tikal is in the Guatemalan department of Petén. Flores is the nearest gateway city and airport.

Culture and History

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 are 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. You can climb to the top of a few of the temples and get panoramic views from above the tree tops. Tikal was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979.

History

If you stay in Flores before heading out to Tikal you can head over to the Yaxha[1] cafe. It features lots of images from old expeditions into the Tikal region as well as a library dedicated to Maya culture where you can get a quick fix on the topic.

Landscape

Lots of very tall trees provide shade along the wide trails as you trek from one ruin to the next. With the exception of Temple IV the elevations are small. Steep wooden staircases lead up to the temples that are open to the public. Only minimal disabled access is provided.

Flora and fauna

If you go early enough in the morning (or better still, stay at one of the hotels in the park), it's possible to see and hear the monkeys. Spider monkeys sleep together in large groups, but during the day they disperse. It's easiest to see them when they've woken up and are beginning to move around. Howler monkeys are more often heard than seen. Coatimundis,a racoon-like mammal and brightly colored wild "ocellated" turkeys, are everywhere. Toucans and other exotic birds contribute to the ruins' reputation for wonderful bird watching. Jaguars are rare but have been spotted on the more remote trails.

Climate

It´s sunny, hot and humid in 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. The trails are also muddy in a few places but there is plenty of shade under the canopy of trees. It can get cool at night in winter though.

Travel to Tikal & Visa Requirements

The park's main gate opens at 06:00, and officially closes at 18:00. Buses and minibuses come in from all surrounding areas on a well maintained road.

The San Juan Travel Agency has a virtual monopoly on the minibuses that will pick you up from your hotel in Flores in the morning on the hour and costs Q60 roundtrip or 25 one way leaving Tikal hourly from 6am-5pm.

Regular 20Q second class buses leave the the Santa Elena bus station to Tikal at 6, 6:30, 7, 8:30, 10, 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM, arriving two hours later. Later ones leaving at 1 and 3 PM continue onward to Uaxactún.

Fees/Permits

Adult tickets are Q150 ($20US). Children under 12 are free. There are no ATMs in Tikal, so be sure to bring enough cash to cover expenses.

Tickets purchased after 3:30pm are also valid the next day. If it's possible to arrange it so that you arrive just after 3:30pm, this is the best way to experience Tikal as you can see it in the late afternoon and again the following morning. Also if you are a citizen you can get into Tikal for free on sundays. This not only gives you two different times of day (and thus two different experiences) but also two chances to have good weather for photography.

Tours & Getting around Tikal

  • Maps are available outside the Visitor's Center for Q20 ($2.80 US) or (if you have a digital camera) just take a photo of the sign with the map on it shortly after you pass the ticket box.
  • Walking trails wind through the temple complexes.
  • There is a bus to Uaxactun that leaves at 4pm, the price is Q15 for the bus and Q25 for park entry, the bus returns at 6am the following day, well worth it if your camping at Tikal. Take food, water and sleeping gear with you (a hammock or sleeping mat and mosquito net should be adequate).

Tikal attractions and sightseeing

  • Great Plaza
  • North Acropolis
  • Central Acropolis
  • Mundo Perdido (Lost World Complex)
  • Temple IV The tallest temple in the park.

You will also see a few black monkeys jumping high up among the trees.

Tikal city tours

  • Tikal Visitor Center Get your bearings at the visitor center which features a relief map of the ancient site, as well as a restaurant, restrooms, gift shops and a post-office
  • Stelae Museums Cost for non-locals is Q10.
  • Sylvanus G. Morley Museum (also called the "Tikal Museum")
  • Jungle canopy tour canopytikal.com- An thrill ride along cables slung between tall trees in the jungle just outside the gate to Tikal National Park. You sit in a harness, slide from tree to tree, then climb up the tree to the next platform for the next cable. The highest trees poke above most of the canopy so you can see a long way. The longest cable ride is some 150m. This company has two routes. The main one is USD$30 (as of December 2005). The second one is lower and shorter, at the end of a 20-minute walk into the forest, and costs USD$10. The equipment and construction appears solid, and the ride itself is simple enough that everyone from seven-year-olds to grandmothers can do it. There appears to be a bit of a rush at 11:00 am, but try to wait and go in a smaller group if you can -- it will be more fun. Reservations possible but don't seem necessary. It might make sense to take the canopy tour on the second morning of a two-day Tikal tour, and arrange for the hotel transfer to Flores to pick you up at the park gate, rather than backtracking to the hotel first.
  • Especialistas en Ecotourisma [2], a travel agency in Guatemala, offered these courses for USD $25 plus $5 (as of December 2005). Payment must be made in advance by making a bank deposit or wire transfer, which can be awkward.
  • Uaxactun

There is a bus to Uaxactun that leaves at 4pm, the price is Q15 for the bus and Q25 for park entry, the bus returns at 6am the following day, well worth it if your camping at Tikal. Take food, water and sleeping gear with you (a hammock or sleeping mat and mosquito net should be adequate).

Tikal souvenirs & shopping

The Visitor's Center hosts a number of souvenir shops, selling T-shirts, assorted local handicrafts, snacks, drinks, and numerous guide books in English and Spanish of Tikal, the Mayans, and Guatemala. Guatemalan highland’s textiles are also sold in a small rancho near the parking area.

There are a few nice Internet terminals in the Tikal Inn restaurant but they charge a hefty US$1 for 5 minutes.

Note that there is no ATM in the Visitor Center nor at the hotels.

Tikal Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

The Visitor's Center offers food and drink during park opening hours but is rather expensive. The Jungle Lodge offers dinners, and some travellers report that it is better than the Tikal Inn. There are several comedores (food stalls) on the road leading from the ruins entrance to Flores.

The Jaguar Inn has great food, it is cheaper than the visitors centre and a little more expensive than Tikal Comedor but the meals are of high quality. That being said don´t buy bus tickets there, they charge Q500 for a ticket to Uaxactun whereas if you buy it from the ticket booth they charge Q25 ($3.50 US) for park entry and Q15 ($2 US) for the bus.

Tikal nightlife, bars, clubs & pubs

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(my cold 600ml bottle of Coke was Q6, only Q1 more than I would pay in town). A 1.5 litre bottle of water from the Jaguar Inn costs Q10 (May 2008). If your buying Orange Juice at the Jaguar Inn buy the bottled stuff (Q6 - Jugo De La Granja), I´m sure it is the same as the stuff in a glass but half the price. Around the Grand Plaza small covered shops offer water. These close pretty early so plan ahead and carry some extra water in the afternoon.

Tikal cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels & lodging

There are cheap to moderate accommodations in and around the park. Many sleep in Flores (Guatemala) and take a shuttle bus to the park. There are also several cheap hotels lakeside in El Remate. Make sure that one finds a hotel with very nice mosquito nets at El Remate because of the large amount of insects.

If your on a budget you can camp at Tikal for Q30 ($4 US) per night, a little extra if you don´t have your own equipment.

Hotels

Three hotels located next to the Tikal National Park entrance provide basic accommodation. They have the advantage of letting you get to the park before dawn to watch the sun rise, and the jungle awake, from atop one of the pyramids. All three cater to Western travellers and their amenities and prices reflect this. For those on a shoestring, try asking if you can rent a hammock, or just a spot to hang your own, under a palapa roof.

  • Jungle Lodge [3]. Has the reputation as the best of the Tikal hotels.
  • Tikal Inn. Breakfast included. Has a nice swimming pool.
  • Jaguar Inn.

Camping

For the budget traveler there is a camp site (Q30 per person). They have tents you can rent if you didn't bring your own Q50. At the Jaguar Inn, you can get into the jungle mood by renting hammocks (with a mosquito net, access to showers and toilets), or a place to hang your own. Sleeping in a hammock is a surprising comforatable way to sleep. Many of the locals do it.

If you need your bags kept securely there is an additional Q5 ($0.80 US) fee. There are alot of insects that bite, mosquitos aren´t that bad during the dryer months but there are other nasty insects about. Keep the fly wire screen on your tent zipped tight and get in and out of your tent as quickly as possible. A can of bug spray would be very helpful. There are a lot of bees on the lawn in the camp area so wear something on your feet.

Stay safe

Security in the park seems to be decent, with tourist police patrols on ATVs. The oft-mentioned crime wave in and around Tikal was 2000-2001, prior to the formation of the tourist police.

Get out

If you are heading to Belize from Tikal, you have few options. To leave directly from Tikal, you'll have to hire a cab all the way to the border, which can be pricey. You can return to Flores to catch a chicken bus, but they only leave in the afternoon. The best option is to plan to return to Flores and stay the night before moving east.

This page was last edited at 16:59, on 25 October 2008 by Padraic Ryan. Based on work by Jim DeLaHunt, Hendrik Scholz, Dwayne Shreve, Stephen Marks, Brian and Stacy Hall, Wikitravel user(s) Infrogmation, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.

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