Tikal Travel Guide - La Casa De Don David

For tours to Tikal, click here

TIKAL NATIONAL PARK

Located in Central America, in the Northern Guatemala area of Petén, 60 km from Petén's capital city of Flores. There is no Tikal village or town.

The park boundary entrance is located 16 km before the parking area and Visitors Center. Tikal has an entrance fee of Q150.00 or about $20.00 (at time of posting). It's best to pay in Quetzales, because if you pay in U.S. dollars you may not get a good exchange rate. Park hours are 6:00 am to 6:00 pm everyday.

There is no electricity in Tikal. Generators run about 3-4 hours in the evening for services and accommodations offered there. In the high season sometimes the generators run longer.

The main arrival area includes the Visitor's Center, two museums, a post office, Park Administration offices, souvenir handcraft shops, three hotels, a campground, and a few restaurants and "comedores".

The Visitor's Center, open from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, is located just before entering the trails that lead to the ruins, which are approx. 20 min. away by foot. Located at the Visitor's Center entrance is a large model of Tikal, the way it would have looked when inhabited. Here you will also find one of the two museums, consisting of carved stone monuments and photos taken during the restoration in the 1960s. Also, there is guide service, information desk, souvenir shops and a restaurant.

A smaller museum housing some Tikal artifacts is located a few hundred meters away, near the hotel area. A small fee is charged to enter (in addition to the park entrance fee).

Please note, access to the ruins is by foot only. All cars must remain at the parking lot. People requiring handicapped assistance can get special permits at the park headquarters.

Tips to get the most of your day in Tikal:

-If you're only visiting for one day, plan on just hitting the main spots, such as the Main Plaza, Temple IV, Temple V and Mundo Perdido. You can easily spend two days to a week or more at the park and not see every ruin that has been excavated.

-Wear sensible shoes. There is plenty of walking.

-Try to climb at least one of the temples, especially Temple IV. This is where you will get the best view.

-It's best to pack a lunch, or some snacks. There is no food sold within the ruins area, which is a 20 min. walking distance from the restaurants. Beverages are available in the park.

-Have insect repellent on hand. The jungle around the ruins is dense and mosquitoes can be a problem.

-The earlier you can get to the ruins, the better. Dawn is the best time to see birds and animals. Temple IV is the most popular early morning spot.

-Don't miss seeing the two large masks in the North Acropolis in the Main Plaza.

-Wildlife is abundant in the park. Walk slowly and listen. If you hear or see small fruits and branches falling, look up and you will usually see monkeys or birds.

-Upon exiting to the parking area, visit the small museum near the hotels. Cost is Q15 and is worth it. The Visitors Center has a free museum which mostly has stelae and restoration photos.

Other things to consider bringing:

Camera and batteries.
Cap/Hat and sun protection
Map (if you have one, but not necessary)
Identification (copy of passport is OK)
Rain protection
Binoculars
Cell phones work on top of some temples
Flashlight to look in some ruins underground

Tikal facts:

-Tikal National Park is located within the 6,000 square mile Maya Biosphere in the northern part of Peten, Guatemala

-Park area: 576 sq. km. (222 sq. mi., 125,000 sq. acres)

-the ruins area encompasses about 24 sq. kms. About 80% are still unexcavated.

-Only 30% of the ruins area has been mapped (around 6 sq. mi.)

-Tikal was declared a 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.

-The name "Tikal" means "Place of Voices" or "Place of Tongues" in Maya.

At its height, during the Classic period around 500AD, Tikal had a population of 50,000 to 100,000
people. Many consider it the main governing city of the Maya civilization. For reasons not yet clear, around 870AD the city's decline began, and was completely deserted by the end of 900AD.

Tikal has an estimated 3,000 structures including temples, palaces, shrines, ceremonial platforms, residences, ball courts, terraces, causeways, and plazas, most interconnected with aqueducts and cisterns for holding water. In the main ceremonial precincts there are 200 stone monuments, known as stelae. Stelae were elaborately carved with glyphs, a form of writing, and other images that tell stories about the rulers during that time. The partially restored area of Tikal consists of nine groups of courts and plazas. There are 5 large temples: Temple I or Temple of the Great Jaguar, standing at around 44 m (144 ft), Temple II or Temple of the Masks, 37 m (120 ft), Temple III or Temple of the Jaguar Priest, 60 m (180 ft), Temple IV or Temple of the Double Headed Serpent, 70 m (230 ft), and Temple V at 59 m (190 ft).

Since rediscovering Tikal in the late 1800s, archaeologists from all over the world have been excavating. Some structures are almost fully restored but the vast majority are high mounds with stones and lush growth of trees and vegetation. After the Maya abandoned Tikal, the city was reclaimed by the jungle. Even today it is only with a great deal of diligence that the restored ruins are not overgrown with trees and jungle vegetation. The park is rich with tropical plants and wildlife. Tikal is truly a sanctuary for flora and fauna covering more than 200 square miles. Over 285 species of exotic birds, monkeys, jaguars, pumas, tapirs, small deer, and more rare and endangered wildlife inhabit there. Hundreds of orchid species and more than 30 hardwood species. Trees include zapotes, from which chicle, a base for chewing gum is derived, Spanish cedar, Ceiba (a tree sacred to the Maya), mahogany and over 25 other precious hard woods. Tikal is no doubt a birdwatchers paradise, one of the best birding areas of Central America. see bird list

The most viewed (and heard) animals in Tikal are the spider monkey, howler monkey, agouti, coatimundi, red-fronted parrot and oscellated turkey. Jaguars are rarely seen. You will not see Macaws or the Resplendent Quetzal (national bird of Guatemala).

Sunrise in Tikal

A very popular and special experience, visitors sit atop Temple IV to watch the sunrise, the early morning mist rising from the pyramids and the jungle "waking up". In prior years, access to view the sunrise was permitted by the park. As of November 2008, access before opening hours of 6:00 am will not be permitted unless you are staying within the park boundaries. Therefore, if you are interested in viewing a sunrise atop one of Tikal's temples during the months of April through September, you will need to stay at the park. October through March you can stay in El Remate and get to Tikal in time for sunrise.

Tikal National Park Lodging/Accommodations

There are only three hotels within the park. All are near the parking lot and Visitors Center. Since there is no electricity within the park, generators are run for a few hours in the evening for services and accommodations offered.

-Jaguar Inn (bungalows with 13 rooms)

-Tikal Inn (17 rooms)

-Jungle Lodge (44 rooms.)

It's best to make your reservations well in advance. All are approx. 20 min. by foot from the Main Plaza of the ruins, and 35 min. from Temple IV.

Other area lodging and accommodations

A great alternative to staying in Tikal, the village of El Remate is where you will find La Casa de Don David. El Remate is located 32 Km from the Tikal ruins entrance, and is a good base for your stay in the Peten area. Being the closest acommodation area to Tikal (outside park boundaries), El Remate has a few good hotels and numerous small, rustic places to stay, and camping areas. Many visitors consider El Remate a pleasant option to the often crowded and noisy area of Flores or the expensive hotels in Tikal. Transportation to Tikal from El Remate can be easily arranged. Located on Lake Peten Itza, El Remate offers swimming, birding, horseback riding, boat trips and other activities. Located just 2 km from El Remate is the Biotopo Cerro Cahui natural reserve. This park is great for jungle hiking, bird watching and good lookout points over Lake Petén Itza.

El Remate has numerous open air restaurants and some acommodations with private bath. Most acommodations in Remate are family owned and have shared baths. In total there are about 14 places to stay in the village. A nice room will cost from $25-$70 double. Camping is available from $2-$6 per person. When making reservations, be sure to ask and understand clearly what you are getting, since here, as in other areas of Latin America, a place to stay may be called a hotel or bungalow, and may actually be a thatched roof structure with makeshift beds, with no windows or doors. Even a nice camping area may be called a hotel, with only half-walls and a roof. Just make sure you ask before you reserve. Although there is electricity in the village now, power blackouts can be frequent. Be prepared. There are now a few places to stay that provide internet service and accept credit cards (note most charge an extra fee to use a credit card). La Casa De Don David does not charge a fee to use credit cards and accepts Mastercard, Visa, Paypal, Traveler's Checks and US currency.

Within 12 kms. of El Remate, on the lake, you can find the following accommodations: Hotel Gringo Perdido, Hotel Camino Real, La Lancha.

Guides in Tikal

Any licensed guide will usually cost around $60 for 1-4 persons. $10 per extra person, up to $75 maximum charge. Some guides ask $100 for 10 persons or $200 for 20 persons. If you join a group, you may pay as little as $6-8 per person in some cases. Be aware that there is not much price or capacity control and some guides will try to guide more than 50 persons.

If you are on a bus to Tikal and encounter a guide offering his service, be sure to ask for his CARNET or INGUAT (Guatemala Institute of Tourism) license. Regulations passed for 2009 require all guides in Tikal to be licensed.

If you book your guide privately, ask for details such as languages spoken and how many persons will be accepted in the tour. We sometimes hear of guides overcrowding tours, which INGUAT is trying to prevent. Better guides will accept a maximum of 20 persons.

You can book from La Casa De Don David or almost any hotel. Or visit the guide booth in the Tikal Visitors Center upon your arrival to get the guide in turn. Licensed guides take turns so all have work. Be careful buying your services on the street.

Transportation to/from Tikal

Minibuses service the Tikal-Flores route everyday, passing through El Remate. There are several types of shuttle buses that go to and from Tikal every 30 min. to 1 hour or so. Some older collective shuttles are very crowded with local residents who live on the route and/or others visiting the park. Other shuttles cater to tourism and aren't so crowded. Often times, tourists just wait along the main road and catch one of these shuttles.

Most hotels sell tickets for certain shuttles and book taxis, especially in the early morning hours. Private transportation is also available.

When booking transportation in advance, always ask about vehicle condition, age, A/C, capacity, etc. Overloading vehicles is a common and dangerous practice.

The services sold by La Casa De Don David are what we feel to be the most satisfactory and fit the needs of our guests.