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Top Tikal Attractions
- Climbing the steps up the massive Mayan temples, and gazing across the rainforest and the ancient city of Tikal.
- Whipping through the jungle canopy on a zipline and searching in between the trees for the bright colors of exotic birds.
- Going on a sunrise tour of the Tikal temples. On your way there, you will walk under the brightest stars you’ve ever seen, and then watch the sky turn vibrant pink and orange above the dark foliage as the sun begins to rise and the jungle comes alive.
- Learning about the dramatic politics and fascinating religion of the Mayan people, and the role Tikal played in the expansion of their ancient empire.
- Observing wild jungle animals in their natural habitat, including the gorgeous ocellated turkeys that walk around the ancient ruins.
Tikal Tours & Travel Guide
Tikal Attractions & Landmarks Guide
An ancient complex of temples, pyramids and plazas set in the jungles of Guatemala near the Belize border, Tikal is one of the best preserved and most extensive Mayan ruins in existence -- as well as the country’s top tourist attraction.
It may date as far back as the 6th century BC, but reached the height of its grandeur in the first millennium AD, when up to 90,000 people made it their home. Tikal National Park harbors some 3,000 structures in all.
What to Do in Tikal
The most popular thing to do in Tikal National Park is to visit and go on a guided tour of the impressive ruins of Tikal. Learning about the fascinating and mysterious Mayan people is should be your primary objective, but it isn’t the only activity to do in the area.
Traveling to Tikal, which is located in the heart of the Guatemalan rainforest, is usually expensive and difficult, and as a result many travelers are encouraged to spend a couple of days in the area. After you go on your tour of Tikal, here are some other things to do:
- Go on a horseback riding tour. There are multiple stables located in the area around Tikal National Park, and they all offer tours of the ruins, local villages, and the surrounding jungle. Go on an exciting horseback ride through the jungle to see how modern-day jungle towns in Guatemala operate, as well as get up close to some wildlife.
- Explore the jungle canopy. The top of the rainforest is the most rich in life and activity, with 90% of jungle animals making their home in the canopy. Despite this, the tops of the trees are one area that we as humans rarely get to see. Going on a canopy tour will completely change your perspective on jungle life, literally, and you will have a blast walking on the raised platforms and ziplining through the tops of trees.
- See the tropical caves. While there are no caves in Tikal National Park itself, there are multiple caves nearby that make for popular day trips. ATM, or the Actun Tunichil Muknal “Cave of the Stone Sepulcher” is one of the most spectacular in the region, as is the less-visited Crystal Cave.
- Go on a wildlife walk. Tikal National Park is not just home to an archaeological site, it is also located in the heart of a living jungle. This means there is no shortage wildlife viewing to do in the area, and many animals are visible in the park. Living in the park, there are hundreds of birds, including tropical hummingbirds, toucans, and parrots, as well as larger animals ranging from coatimundi, to spider monkeys, to jaguars.
Tikal Facts
Tikal is the name of one of the most incredible archaeological sites on Earth. A massive city composed of over a thousand buildings, Tikal a UNESCO heritage site located in Guatemala that was once the heart of the Mayan empire.
Tikal is physically impressive, but a trip to the ruins would not be complete without taking a guided tour of the grounds to learn the significance of Tikal and what it has taught us about Mayan society.
Any historic sightseeing tour will go into detail about the history of Tikal, but in the meantime, here are some of the most interesting facts about the ruins:
- The name Tikal is a Yucatec Mayan word that translates to the “The Waterhole.”
- Tikal includes six large pyramid structures, each believed to have been a temple.
- Tikal reached its peak of influence in the years between 300-900 CE, and is believed to have been the dominant military, political, and economic American in all of Mesoamerica (modern day Central America).
- Tikal was an agricultural city that farmed to support its 50,000+ residents. To do this, it relied on ten different reservoirs.
- The tallest temple in Tikal is 60 meters tall and is called the Temple of the Double Headed Snake for a carving of a two-headed snake found within it.
- Tikal was only discovered (by a non-indigenous audience) in 1853. It was discovered by the Spanish explorer Ambrosio Tut.
Getting to Tikal:
If you’re visiting this must-see attraction on a broader Guatemala tour or even Central America, you may have to plan when the best time to insert the temple into your trip is. Here are some common places that tourists travel to Tikal from, as well as the time it takes to get there.
- Tikal from Flores: 1 hour by bus
- Tikal from Belize City: 5 hours by bus
- Tikal from San Ignacio: 2 hours by car (or shuttle service)
- Tikal from Antigua: 1 hour by plane, 8 hours by bus
- Tikal from Guatemala City: 45 minutes by plane, 9 hour drive
- Tikal from Cancun: 45 minutes by plane, 6 hours by express bus
Tikal Reviews & Ratings
The Guatemala trip through CharlieTheTraveler had so much packed into 6 days.
The Guatemala trip through CharlieTheTraveler had so much packed into 6 days. I had such a good time on each daytrip and going to each attraction. I was intrigued by...
I am an adventurous person, so the trips on this Guatemala trip were perfect for me.
I am an adventurous person, so the trips on this Guatemala trip were perfect for me. My experience was emphasized by our excellent tour guide and the well-planned tr...
CharlieTheTraveler has all positive reviews online, which made it an easy choice to book my Guatemala trip through them.
CharlieTheTraveler has all positive reviews online, which made it an easy choice to book my Guatemala trip through them. They ensured I was safe throughout the trip ...
CharlieTheTraveler balanced nature and culture in this Guatemala trip.
CharlieTheTraveler balanced nature and culture in this Guatemala trip. It was awesome to go on the exhilarating excursions. I could not believe all of this way for o...
The company was well-organized and I enjoyed every activity they planned for this trip!
Although I have a friend from Guatemala who has told how magnificent the country is, I had never gone. One night I was doing research when I came across CharlieTheTr...
Traveling to Tikal, an FAQ
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