Tikal, Maya Temple in the Jungle of Guatemala

If you are currently planning a trip to Guatemala, you should definitely visit the Maya city of Tikal in the jungle. For me, it was the absolute highlight of the tour.

During the trip, I visited the important Mayan sites in Chichen Itza, Tulum, Coba, and Palenque. This legendary Maya city of Tikal was my absolute highlight.

Tikal is located miles away from the nearest larger town of Flores.

Tikal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a natural heritage site at the same time. In Latin America, only Machu Picchu can compare. Even though the Maya city of Tikal is much less known than Machu Picchu, both places fascinated me. They are mystical and something truly unique.

I especially recommend the tour at 6 AM for sunrise, when the animals in the rainforest are still asleep and you walk through the jungle armed only with flashlights. You see nothing but the beams of light from other lamps and only hear the heavy breathing of other early risers.

From time to time, howler monkeys scream (which sound like predators to us), otherwise it is quiet. On the hour-long hike to Temple 4, you cannot even imagine the enormous Maya temples and plazas that are around you.

A guide impressively demonstrated to us on the Grand Plaza why Tikal is translated as 'Place of Sound'. Experience it yourself.

The most impressive thing about the Maya ruins city, however, is that only individual buildings and paths are uncovered. The rest is dense rainforest and trails that you can explore on your own.

The wildlife is also diverse: monkeys, toucans, rare red-breasted hawks, coatis, guinea pigs, and many more. Not all animals can be spotted at all times. Unfortunately, a puma eluded us - unlike the tour two days prior.

Here you will find all the information and details about my visit to the Maya temples in Tikal.

The best time to visit the vast complex is in the morning starting at 6 AM when the gates open for all visitors and you are still surrounded by nature and animals. At this time, there are hardly any people on the grounds.

My tip: Take a sunrise tour to Temple 4 (the tallest pyramid in Tikal at 64 meters) to experience the awakening of the rainforest.

If your accommodation is like ours in Flores, you will be picked up at the hotel around 3 AM.

Are you crazy?

Those were exactly my words. After a brief consideration, I agreed. I don't regret it. A tour at this early hour is worthwhile. You experience how the jungle awakens around you.

All participants are picked up directly from the hotel/hostel, and then it is about 60 km to Tikal. There is an earlier tour that starts at 3 AM in Flores. On this tour, you can witness the sunrise in Tikal from the highest pyramid. The later tour starts at 4:30 AM and you arrive at the park entrance by 6 AM.

The two tours also differ in price:

The 3 AM tour costs 250 Quetzal (about 25 Euros), and during the normal opening hours (from 6 AM), a ticket to enter the park costs 150 Quetzal, around 15 Euros. However, there are many more people on the site at this time. Both tours include the transfer.

Travel duration to Tikal: The journey from the island of Flores to Tikal takes about an hour (about 60 km).

Duration of the tour: 4 - 5 hours.

Upon arrival in the national park, in addition to our guide, we are greeted by a park ranger with a shotgun. The tour lasts about 4 - 5 hours. However, you can stay longer on the truly large site if desired. Those who think: 'Phew, 4 hours is way too long,' will be mistaken. Time flies here.

By the way, Tikal means something like 'Place of Sound,' which our guide impressively proves to us in the pitch dark: he claps his hands once in the middle of the Grand Plaza and an echo sounds from all four sides, one after the other. This is what the Grand Plaza looks like in daylight; in the dark, one cannot guess the vast area and the tall pyramids that surround us.

Afterwards, we walk deeper into the rainforest and climb the 65-meter-high Temple 4 on wooden stairs. The guide requests absolute silence to hear and perceive all the animal sounds that are most active at these early morning hours.

We sit here for about 1.5 - 2 hours, waiting for the sunrise. The rainforest awakens and it begins to get light. Unfortunately, it is foggy, and we can only see a majestic red-breasted hawk guarding its nest from afar in the treetops:

Meanwhile, more monkeys can be heard and a few toucans fly by. The guide knows the sounds and always shows us where we can see which animals. Without his expertise, we would have really been lost.

Walking around the top of the temple is forbidden. A barrier and appropriate warning signs remind us of this.

But: Our guide encourages us to do just that.

The abyss that opens up with the first missing step is not small. I feel like I'm climbing; I only have one hand free as I film the walkaround with my GoPro... whoops. A fall would probably be fatal.

However, since some are wearing flip-flops (some nationalities always ignore the rules regarding sturdy footwear..), I think I can manage it.

After that, we all decide to go down - unfortunately, the fog does not lift. But suddenly a miracle occurs: within 5 minutes, the sky clears, and we see the sun. So, we immediately go back up and conquer the 64 height meters again.

The view now is entirely different: We see the peaks of three temples rising from the thick jungle: From left to right: Temple I, II, and III. We are only allowed to enjoy the view for 10 minutes - then the spectacle is over, and the fog covers the beautiful view again. We have indeed been luckier than some other travelers we encountered along the way.

On the way to Mundo Perdido, or 'Place of the Lost World,' our guide shows us how to lure tarantulas out of their burrows, yuck. After I photographed a tarantula in the cenote and found out that the animals can jump quite far, I keep a respectful distance. Then he shows us burrows where the Mayans used to store food. Suddenly, giant guinea pigs cross our path. Unfortunately, I don't have my camera ready.

At Mundo Perdido, our guide insists that we all take jumping pictures in front of the ruins, which once was the cover photo of a Lonely Planet Guatemala.

We climb another pyramid to then continue to Temple III, which is currently being restored and cannot be climbed.

So we head over to the Grand Plaza (Plaza Mayor) - the likely former center of Tikal - where we stood in darkness before. What stretches out before our eyes is a massive area framed by two other impressive temples: Temple I (Temple of the Great Jaguar, 45 meters high) and Temple II, the Central Acropolis, opposite the North Acropolis. Behind the Central Acropolis lies the Ball Court.

Unfortunately, climbing Temple II is no longer allowed, as several people have already fallen to their deaths here. These temples are very steep. I'm sure that with the right guide at the right (early) time, anything is possible... I mean, ours mentioned that we were now too late and everything would be guarded again.

We climb everywhere, up and down. This is quite the workout, I tell you, and that's without breakfast... Eventually, our strength starts to wane, and we are ready for breakfast at the entrance of the national park. Typical Mexican breakfast: scrambled eggs with beans and tomatoes, plus bananas and strong coffee.

A 4 - 5 hour long tour in Tikal is really recommended (it was the only guided tour we had during our visit to Maya sites) because the guide not only told us the history of Tikal and brought the ruins closer, but also excellently explained and showed the wildlife and plant life.

Tikal was once the most radiant city in the kingdom of the Mayans, which encompassed Central America (Mexico, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala). The pyramids were the tallest structures in the Western world. At its peak in the 7th century, about 50,000 - 100,000 people lived in Tikal, wow! But around 900 AD, the city was suddenly abandoned. To this day, it is unclear why.

The area covers 65 square kilometers, with the central area that can be visited covering only 16 square kilometers, containing just over 3,000 structures. It wasn't until 1848 that the Maya site was rediscovered, and restoration work on the uncovered cultural site continues to this day.

Since Tikal was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, only half of the still unearthed and unexplored structures - about 10,000 buildings - can be uncovered. As a result, most of the pyramids are still overgrown with tropical plants, and you often only realize late that you are standing in front of a pyramid when you look up.

Tikal was the largest Maya city (50,000 inhabitants) at its time and even larger than Rome at the same time. The temple ruins are impressive. But no less impressive is the fact that Tikal is located in the middle of the jungle, which teems with birds and monkeys. Finally, we can also observe spider monkeys up close. Amazing!

After Tikal was abandoned, the jungle recaptured the area. The atmosphere is therefore very mystical and somehow magical.

If you didn't book a shuttle tour, you should visit a travel agency on-site in Flores. They really are as plentiful as sand on the beach. Shuttle services are offered everywhere.

You can also book your tour in advance here at Get Your Guide (also for sunrise, with pickup in Flores).

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