Tikal, Guatemala, one of the greatest ancient cities of the Mayan world. This famous archaeological site is well known, yet hidden to many tourists because of it’s secluded location. Tikal is located in northern Guatemala within the Maya Biosphere Reserve.
The most notable features of Tikal are the tall and slender pyramids surrounded by lush jungles and the abundance of wildlife. You can explore the site for days and continue to find new ruins, many which have yet to be excavated. There are thousands of structures that have been uncovered and only a small percentage of the ruins have been thoroughly explored.
It is believed that settlements started in the area of Tikal, Guatemala as early as 900 B.C. until its abandonment in 900 A.D. At its prime, this site potentially supported a maximum population of 100,000 people. During the the classic period at about 200 A.D. to roughly 900 A.D. Tikal was the powerhouse in the area with a powerful military, economy, and politics. Tikal was a major contributor in regards to trading within Central America. Goods found at Tikal included several natural resources from the Coastal Caribbean areas and several artifacts were traced back to the ancient city of Teotihuacan, in Central Mexico. In fact, Teotihuacan influenced the Mayans so much, archaeologists found depictions carved in stone at Tikal, of Gods that were worshiped in Teotihuacan. You can read more about Teotihuacan in a post I wrote about my trip here from Mexico City.
All good things must come to an end. Well not entirely, but at the end of the Classic Period it is believed that Tikal and most major Mayan cities were abandoned. The major question is why? There are several hypothesis, some more valid then the others. Drought, illness, stripping of natural resources, invasion, etc.. I tend to think overpopulation and drought may have caused these advanced civilizations to seek new areas. I know the Mayans were not entirely wiped out, around Guatemala and surrounding countries, a high percentage of the population has Mayan heritage, in fact there are 22 Mayan languages still spoken throughout Guatemala.
Getting To and Exploring Tikal Guatemala
Tikal is definitely not the easiest site to reach. I provided a map above as a reference to where Tikal is located in Northern Guatemala.
If you fly into Guatemala, via Guatemala City (Guatemala’s capital), then you have quite the drive ahead of you, 9 hours on average. You can also fly from Guatemala City to Flores, which is the main town before Tikal. Flores has hotels, hostels, restaurants, bars, etc.. I also found that you can access Tikal from the Belize side. This can be achieved by taking a bus ride to San Ignacio from Belize City.
From Flores you still need to find transportation to Tikal which is about 1.5 hours away. I went here with a school group and we had our own personal bus. The great plus about Tikal, are the hotels right outside the park and Tikal is huge, I highly recommend more then one day here.
Once arriving at Tikal, there are no 5 Star resorts here, well at least when I was there back in 2012. Tikal, Guatemala has three convenient lodges right outside the park. There are a few restaurants, a gift shop, and a museum as well. Within the park there are a few bathrooms, but plan accordingly and bring water. The jungle gets hot, humid, and muggy!
When arriving at the park and paying the $20 entrance fee, you are free to walk around and explore the park by yourself! People at the main entrance might hassle you about paying them to take you on a tour, but you are free to tell them no and just enter.
I highly recommend starting at the Great Plaza, and then branch out from there.
Unfortunately, you are no longer able to climb the pyramids, to many tourists have slipped and tumbled down the steep stairs to their deaths!
I stated, earlier that Tikal has thousands of structures within the park. They are scattered around, so distances can be quite long between sites not to mention you will encounter wildlife everywhere, so take your time, and be aware of your surroundings. Once you get away from the main plaza, Tikal is basically all yours.
There is an option to do a sunrise tour. You can book this tour at the entrance or online. The tour started at 4-ish in the morning. After meeting our guide, we hiked through the jungle in complete darkness to Temple IV, which is the tallest of the temples, and yes you can climb the wooden stairs to the top. From here, you wait for the sunrise. Unfortunately, for my group it was cloudy and drizzly, so no sunrise, but it still looked awesome! You can hear various birds and howler monkeys off in the distance. From Temple IV, you get that iconic view of Tikal, where you see Temple of the Great Jaguar and Temple II rising above the rain-forest canopy. The view here is so famous, it was used as a filming location in Star Wars. Temple V was my favorite, just because the sheer size of it was so impressive!
The Temples
Temple I (Temple of the Great Jaguar) – This pyramid is at the heart of Tikal in the Main Plaza. This pyramid was dedicated to Jasaw Chan K’awil and he was buried here in AD 734. This temple is 47 meters (154 ft).
Temple II (Temple of the Masks) – This temple stands 38 meters (125 ft) tall and is adjacent from Temple I. Temple II was built and dedicated to the wife of Jasaw Chan K’awil, although a tomb has yet to be found of her.
Temple III (Temple of the Jaguar Priest) – Temple III is 55 meters (180 ft) tall. This temple is said to be where the tomb of King Dark Sun was laid to rest.
Temple IV – Temple IV is the tallest temple within Tikal at 70 meters (230 ft). Visitors can take the stairs to a viewing point on this temple. From here, you can see the tops of other temples pocking out of the jungle canopy.
Temple V – Temple V, my favorite temple is considered the second largest structure in Tikal. This temple is 57 meters (187 ft).
Temple VI (Temple of the Inscriptions) – This temple is most known for its roof comb, which is the structure on the roof. The roof comb is 12 meters and sticks out of the ground. This temple was newly discovered so a lot of it has yet to be excavated.
The Colorful, Vibrant, and Beautiful Wildlife!
From all the places I’ve traveled to, Tikal has had the most abundant and impressive wildlife. In the span of a few days, I saw crocodiles, various types of monkeys, bats, coatimundi’s, foxes, and birds. Not just your average robin or jay, I saw parrots, toucans, large birds of prey, and the most gorgeous and vibrant turkeys. Below are some of the animals I encountered while exploring the jungles of Tikal.
Howler Monkey – At Tikal, you are likely to hear the roar of the howler monkey. The howler monkey is everywhere in this park, I saw them daily in several locations.
The howler monkey gets its name from its loud roar that can be heard throughout the jungle canopy. Typically, the roar comes from the alpha males, generally at dawn and dusk, but honestly it can be heard throughout the day.
Spider Monkey – The Geoffrey’s Spider Monkey or simply Spider Monkey, is another common species of primate that is found throughout Tikal. These monkeys are most notable by their appearance. They have very lanky limbs. Their arms and longs are long as is their prehensile tail, which is basically a fifth limb.
Coatimundi (Coati) – The Coati is a a relative of the common raccoon. The Coati’s most notable features are its long snout and bushy ringed tail. The coati can be found resting high in trees or on the grounds of the rainforest searching for food. Unlike the raccoon who is mainly nocturnal, the Coati is active both during the day and at night.
Gray Fox – I didn’t expect to sit there on a temple in the main plaza at sunset and see a little fox running around the steps at Temple II in front of me. Sure enough, it was a gray fox and they are pretty active in Tikal. This species of fox is found in both North and South America. What is most unique about the gray fox, is their ability to climb trees.
Crocodile – Near the entrance of Tikal was a lagoon that I walked daily. There are signs posted warning visitors that crocodiles call this lagoon home. Almost every day, I saw crocodiles here in the water.
Doing some research, the crocodiles here are known as Morelet’s Crocodiles, otherwise known as Mexican Crocodiles. This species of crocodile is generally smaller then other species of crocodile.
Ocellated Turkey – Perhaps the most surprising animal I saw at Tikal National Park was the Ocellated Turkey. I am familiar with the looks of farm raised and wild turkey in North America. When I happened to first see an Ocellated Turkey, I could hardly believe what I saw.
This species of Turkey is primarily found in Yucatan, Mexico as well as in parts of Belize and Guatemala. Their most notable features are their vibrant green and brown colors as well as the orange “bubbles” located on their heads.
Parrots – Tikal, is a bird watchers paradise. I saw so many various species of birds. Other then the ocellated turkey and toucans, the parrots were among my favorite birds to watch at Tikal. The specific type I saw here is the Red-lored Amazon. I saw this species daily, whether it be high up in the canopy or flying through the open sky. They are a relatively small parrot but have a beautiful green body with a red forehead and yellowish cheeks.
Toucans – I spotted two types of Toucans at Tikal. The Keel-Billed Toucan and a type of Aracari Toucan. I mainly saw the toucans flying above the canopy, especially when climbing the stairs to Temple IV.
Bats – Bats are found throughout planet earth. Honestly, this was my first time seeing them up close. I spotted several bats in the inside of a few temples around Tikal. I believe the bats pictured above that I took in the temple are called Jamaican Fruit Bats.
Although rare, the jaguar does roam these jungles! Other animals you might encounter include tapirs in the lagoons. I saw a crocodile in the lagoon but the tapir was not visible, although our guide saw one the previous day. One of the most fascinating animals I thought were the leaf cutter ants. These ants form little highways throughout the jungle floor and the highways are very apparent! When visiting Tikal, pay close attention to your surroundings, you never know what types of wildlife you will encounter!!
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