Located in Central America, in the Northern Guatemala area of Peten, 60 kms. by paved road from Peten's capital city of Flores. There is no Tikal village or town.

The park entrance is located 16 km. before the parking lot and Visitors Center. Tikal Park 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. Tikal is open everyday from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm.

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 generators run longer.

The main arrival area includes the Visitor's Center, 2 museums, a post office, Park Administration offices, souvenir handcraft shops, 3 hotels, a campground, and 2-3 restaurants and "comedores".

The Visitors 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. At the Visitors Center entrance you will see 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.

If you are only in Tikal for one day, plan on just hitting the main spots. You can easily spend two days to a week or more at the park and not see every ruin that has been excavated. Also plan on plenty of walking, and try to climb at least one of the temples. The view from the top is great.

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.

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At its height, during the Classic period around 500AD, Tikal had a population of 50,000 to 100,000
people. Many considered it the main governing city of the Maya civilization. For reasons not yet clear, around 870AD the city began to decline. It 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).

One of the most impressive and tallest structures, Temple IV, is where you can get spectacular sunrise views.

<><>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
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The most viewed animals in Tikal are spider monkeys, howler monkeys, agoutis, coatimundis, red-fronted parrots, oscellated turkeys. 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, catch the early morning mist rising from the pyramids and witness the jungle "waking up". In prior years, access to view the sunrise was permitted by the park. As of September 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, you will need to stay at the park.

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 (9 bungalows)

-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 National Park, 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 walks, 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 and Traveler's Checks.

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

For more information about El Remate, click here
For information on Transportation To and From Tikal/El Remate area, please click here
For Maya information, click here