Tikal National Park has 575 square kilometers of jungle and thousands of ruined structures.

The central part of the ancient city alone contains 3,000 buildings and covers about 16 square kilometers. Because it takes 30 to 40 years and a lot of money to dig out one temple, only 2% of the mayan buildings located in Guatemala are visible these days.  

Leave in the morning to do the whole tour and finish the day with the sunset on top of one of the temples. Bring enough cash and your passport.

Fun fact: The Mayan ruins of Tikal were used as a film location for the rebel Massassi base at the end of Star Wars, A New Hope.

How to get there

To visit Tikal, it is best to travel to Flores, a town located on an island on Lake Petén Itzá.
It has a beautiful lakeside promenade and cosy bars and restaurants close to the water. From here it is only an hour drive to Tikal National Park. 

Tip: Flores and Tikal are all the way in the north of Guatemala, close to the Belize and Mexican border. It is a 10 hour bus ride from Antigua. If you do take the bus, leave in the evening so you will arrive early in the morning and save time. 

If you don’t want to take the bus, you can always take a plane to Flores. Tickets will be around 80 to 100 euro one way, but it’s totally worth it. You’ll be flying over the lakes and volcanoes of Guatemala. It feels more like a sightseeing tour experience than an actual flight! Recommended!