By air
Mundo Maya International, Flores (FRS), ~1 h by road
North America · Guatemala
Tikal, Guatemala
Maya temples rising above the rainforest
Getting there
Best time to visit
November to April — the drier months
Don't miss
Temple I
Temple IV
The Great Plaza
Mundo Perdido
Things to do
Exploring the temples
Sunrise and sunset from the pyramids
Wildlife spotting
Birdwatching
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Mundo Maya · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Walking shoes, insect repellent, plenty of water, binoculars
A quieter corner
Yaxhá, a quieter Maya site between two lakes
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Tikal?
November to April — the drier months. What to pack: Walking shoes, insect repellent, plenty of water, binoculars.
How do I get to Tikal?
Fly into Mundo Maya International, Flores (FRS), ~1 h by road.
What is there to do in Tikal?
Exploring the temples, sunrise and sunset from the pyramids, wildlife spotting, birdwatching. A quieter find: Yaxhá, a quieter Maya site between two lakes.
What should I eat in Tikal?
Black beans, tortillas and tamales, with fish from Lake Petén Itzá in nearby Flores.
About Tikal
- Forest
Where it is
Tikal is an ancient Maya city in the rainforest of the Petén region in northern Guatemala, inside the protected Tikal National Park.
History
Tikal was one of the greatest cities of the Classic Maya, reaching its height between around the 3rd and 9th centuries, when it was a rival of Calakmul to the north. The city was abandoned by the 10th century and swallowed by the forest. It became a national park in 1955 and a World Heritage Site in 1979.
People
The Petén region's people speak Spanish and Maya languages such as Q'eqchi', and many live from farming, forest work and tourism around the island town of Flores.
Known for
- Towering Maya temples
- Rainforest wildlife
- Sunrise over the forest canopy
- The Great Plaza
Did you know?
The view from Tikal's temples over the rainforest appeared in the 1977 film Star Wars as the rebel base on the moon Yavin 4.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.