TIKAL

By far, the most spectacular archeological site in all of Guatemala is the Mayan city of Tikal.  Set in a dense jungle full of screaming monkeys and brightly-colored parrots, the pyramids and plazas of Tikal are among the largest and most important of the Mayan world.

Temple in Tikal built from limestone blocks.

Tikal is part of Tikal National Park, a preserve covering about 361 square miles. The actual ruins cover about 11 square miles.   

  Altars by Majatza

There is evidence of human presence at Tikal as early as 800 B.C., though the majority of the structures you will see were built from 550 A.D. to 900 A.D.  During the 1,700 years of its existence, Tikal rose to become one of the most important Mayan centers in all of the Americas.  At its peak, Tikal is said to have had between 10,000 and 40,000 inhabitants.  The central part of the Mayan city occupied about 10 square miles and had over 400 structures.  The downfall of the city is a mystery in the Maya Civilization.  

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TIKAL

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HOW TO GET HERE: First you get to Flores then from here there are several minibuses running between Tikal and Flores everyday in the morning,  most of the hotels provide this service. Fare is about $6 per person for an hour ride. The San Juan Hotel in Santa Elena is one, the minibus leaves at 4am, 5am, 6am, 8am, 10am returning at 2pm, 4pm and 5pm. We recommend that you take the 4am ride so you can experience the Sunrise at Tikal, as it is an extraordinary experience. 

TOURIST INFORMATION: There is an entrance fee of $8.50 per person. For detailed information about the ruins, we recommend buying William R. Coe's handbook of Tikal. There are two small museums, Museo Lítico and Museo Tikal  worth visiting.  They are open Mon - Fri, from 9am to 5pm and Sat - Sun, from 9am to 4pm. The information that the museums contain will help you to understand more about the history and the work involved in making Tikal the way it is now. All the Hotels offer guided tours to the ruins as well as other archaeological sites. Do not forget your mosquito repellent, it is necessary, remember... you are in the Jungle. There is a small lake next to the museums where a crocodile is kept as a sign of good luck. Don't feed the reptile.  

TOURS: See list of recently tours and specials for Tikal posted by several travel agencies.

Following is a hotel listing, which categorizes hotels according to their approximate price ranges.

LOWEST PRICED: Up to $15 double 

BUDGET: From  $15 to  $30 double 

MODERATE: From $30 to $40 double 

DELUXE: From $40 to $60 double

SUPER DELUXE  : From $60 to $100

For your own information: Guatemala is home to some of the most threatened tropical forests in the world. Ninety-eight percent of Guatemala's frontier forest (large tracts of relatively undisturbed, old growth forest) has been lost to deforestation, and a mere 7.6 percent of the country's land is protected. None of the country's protected areas are considered large enough or stable enough to support viable populations of Guatemala's indigenous species. The country's high deforestation rate results from the cutting of forests for firewood, agriculture, and timber exports, and is exacerbated by extreme poverty among Guatemala's rural populations. [more]

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RESTAURANTS: Each hotel offers restaurant services in the Middle range, also there are two comedores (Guatemalan restaurants) in the budget range:  "Comedor La Jungla" and "Comedor Tikal".

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE: Not available. Your best bet is to return to the city of Flores, but for serious problems, Guatemala City has much to offer in the way of medical services.  Many are English-speaking and/or American-trained doctors. 

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