TIKAL
Tikal Nat’l Park is located within the 6,000 square miles Maya Biosphere in the northern part of Petén, Guatemala. The park is located 63 Kms from Flores with paved road access, from Guatemala City a 7 hr drive.  Flores is the governing city of Petén the northern state or department of Guatemala. Most tours to Tikal start from Flores or El Remate village which is located half way between Flores and Tikal ruins. There is no Tikal town and no stores for shopping other than souvenirs.  

Tikal is believed to be the largest excavated site in all of the American Continents. Tikal Park’s entrance is located 16 km. before the parking lot and Visitor Center. One day entrance fee is Q150.00 is no longer paid at the park's gate entrance. Tickets are purchased just before entering the ruins area. If arriving after 3 pm, tell the ticket salesman you are going to the park tomorrow ("mañana") and your ticket will be stamped for the next day.

Also, see Tikal Travel Guide.

In the main area sometimes called Tikal Village, there is the parking lot, 3 hotels for lodging, a museum and visitors center, post office, and campground. Also there are the Park Administration Offices, souvenir handcraft shops, and three local eating places. A smaller but good museum is located 300 mts. near the Jaguar Inn Hotel The generators provide limited electricity only a few hours a day.

TIKAL NATIONAL PARK is Open everyday from 6:00 am. - 6:00 pm. Park Administration Office Tel. 502 7861 0253. Park Area has 125,000 Square Acres (222 Square Miles) 576 Square Kms.)

The Ruins area contains about 24 sq. kms. About 80% of the structures are still unexcavated. Only 40 per cent of the ruins within the park have been mapped. There are 220 square miles of jungle all around the ceremonial center.  The first restorations was done by University of Pennsylvania and took over 13 years to excavate and restore the first structures in Tikal. However, most of Tikal Park structures remains covered with jungle growth recognized only as large mound of rocks over grown by trees.  

Access to the ruins area is by foot only, all cars must remain at the parking lot, and handicapped people requiring assistance can get special permits at the park headquarters office.

Tikal Park was declared Tikal National Park by the Guatemalan Government in May of 1955 and a National Monument in 1970. It was the first National Park established in Central America.

Archaeologists tell us Tikal was the largest capitol of Maya Cities and at its height during its Classic period from 500AD and had a population of 50,000 to 100,000 persons. For reasons not yet clear Archaeologist believe that around 870AD, construction slowed and the city began to decline. It was completely deserted by the end of 900AD. Tikal has an estimated 3000 structures. The partially restored area consists of nine groups of courts and plazas. There are 5 large temples. One of the most impressive and tallest structures, Temple IV, is 229 ft. (70 mts. high. Tikal’s was a governing and religious center of the ruins and covers about 500 acres (200 hectares).

Since a Spanish governor rediscovered the ruins of this vast city in 1848. Archaeologists from all over the world have been excavating. Some structures are almost fully restored but the vast majority is high mounds with stones and lush growth of jungle trees and vegetation. Tikal Ruins are located in the middle of Tikal National Park in northern Guatemala and is truly a wildlife sanctuary covering more 200 square miles. Over 285 species of exotic birds, monkeys, jaguars, pumas, tapirs, small deer, and many, much more and rare wildlife endangered live there. Hundreds of orchid species and more than 30 hardwood species. Tikal a bird watchers paradise is one of the best birding areas of Central America.

Tikal Visitors Center (open 6am to 6pm)

More Tikal Info is found in the visitor’s center. The center is located just before entering the trails that lead to the ruins. After entering the main entrance you will see a large model of the main ruins area showing some of the structures that once existed. The visitors center also houses one of two museums, which consists of carved stone monuments and many photos taken during the restoration in the 1950's and 60’s by the University of Pennsylvania. Also there is a guide service and information desk, and a restaurant overlooking the jungle. Various souvenir shops are located just beside the restaurant

A smaller and perhaps more interesting Museum housing some of Tikal’s artifacts is located several hundred meters away near the hotel area. A small fee is charged in addition to the park entrance fee.

Guide Service for Tikal National Park

Good guides with license cost normally $50 for 1 to 4 persons. $10 per person extra up to a $80-$100 maximum. Some ask $10 per person if only 10 persons. Normally any size group can go for $100. If you join a group you may pay as little as $8 in some cases.

If you are in route to Tikal and the mini bus also has a guide offering his service. Guides are now required to have License but best to ask for his/hers CARNET or License from “INGUAT” The Institute of Tourism Guatemala.  There is an information booth in the visitors center where the guide association offers guide service by only licensed guides. Make sure your guide is affluent in your language. The typical tour last 3½ to 4 hours. If you are interested in plants, birds and animal life make sure your guide is qualification for these activities. 

Best to book from your hotel or go to the guide booth in the Visitor's Center and get the guide in turn, some of the license guides take turns so all have work, but many of the most popular guides work privately with different hotels or tour companies.

Rising above the jungle canopy, the great Maya  temples of Tikal are among the tallest examples of Maya structures. Some of the earliest Maya ruins at Tikal date as far back as the 4th century BC, however Tikal  didn’t reach its zenith until some 500 years later during the Maya Classic Era. Of Tikal’s 5 greatest Temples, the highest at close to 70 mts. is Temple 4 and reaches almost 230 feet high. An early morning  view looking east from the top Temple 4  you can see the tops of Temples 3,2,1 and sunrise rising above the jungle.This view is the most seeked photo in Tikal.

Tikal was settled about 500 BC. and was abandoned by its rulers around AD 890 when there is evidence that some of the elite palaces were burned. It was completely deserted shortly after and is believed to be explored for the first time in 1848. Tikal at its height, was a dominating and important economical and political power in MesoAmerica. Other important Low Land Maya cities in this period were Palenque in mexico and Copan in Honduras.

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Sitesince 1979 , the Tikal Maya ruins attract curious investigators. Visitors to Guatemala will find a variety of options for Tikal excursions that can be arranged from other main tourist areas.  Most Tikal excursions start from the nearby town of Flores or the village of El Remate which lies between Flores and Tikal. Best to plan at least 2 days to visit this site. Many visitors
go one day to the ruins and the next just to enjoy the abundant wildlife and jungle plants.

It is believed that in 1848 Ambrosio Tut, a “chiclero” (collector of the original chewing gum sap)) rediscover the site. 

Tut saw the temples roof combs in the distance through the tall trees and jungle growth.  He quickly went to tell Modesto Mendez, the Governor of the Petén Province. When they arrived and saw the impressive temples, Soon afterwards they returned to the site with an artist who made drawing of a few of the carvings at Tikal. The info gathered was published by the Berlin Academy of Sciences in 1853. 

Soon curious travelers and scholars started traveling from all over the world to see what had been discovered.

Between 1956 to 1970, major archaeological excavations by the University of Pennsylvania have uncovered nearly 10 square miles of ruins. The Guatemalan government resumed excavations in 1979, which they continue with the help of the University of San Carlos and the Institute of Anthropology and History. On going excavations are almost continuous.

Many of the remnants of Tikal reveal the culture of this ancient city in Guatemala. The great temples are just the beginning. The Maya excelled in many different fields, and testaments of their achievements throughout their area.

 Getting to Tikal