Tikal was the first-ever UNESCO World Heritage Site declared in the Mundo Maya. The archaeological zone is within Tikal National Park, a wildlife preserve that covers more than 64 square kilometers (25 sq mi) of pure Petén forest. In Yucatec Mayan, Tikal means either “at the waterhole” or “place of the voices.” Whatever definition you choose, Tikal has occupied a near mythical status on Central American traveler’s trails for decades. The site is worth the hype.

Tikal was first reported by a westerner in 1695. A Spaniard priest was near starvation when he stumbled upon one of the greatest sites in the New World. Tikal’s origins date back to at least 600 B.C., but the site’s greatest structures were erected during the late Preclassic through the end of the Classic Periods.

The ruins weren’t excavated and restored until the University of Pennsylvania and Guatemalan government joined forces in the 20th century. Many clues lie in the carvings on Tikal’s hardwood lintels, which, hidden from the sun beneath palace ceilings, are well preserved.

More than 3,000 mapped structures, 250 stelae, and a surreal living jungle will keep visitors with sturdy walking shoes happy for days. Among the discoveries in Tikal, a calendar stone was found here with skull-and-bone imagery, and Stela 29 bears the earliest Long Count date yet found in the Maya lowlands: A.D. 292, considered the official start of the Classic Period. The latest date is on Stela 11, carved in A.D. 869.

In between, the stelae record the births and deaths of kings, the cycle of festivals and seasons, and the sagas of war, telling the epic story of a 1,000-year dynasty of 39 kings, each commemorated among the ruins. Yax Moch Xoc founded this dynasty, ruling A.D. 219–238. His descendants, the royalty of Tikal, include kings such as Great-Jaguar-Paw, Moon-Zero Bird, and Curl-Snout.

But it is Tikal’s tallest structures—its soaring temples standing out of the forest canopy—that form its most enduring images. Tikal feels so otherworldly that director George Lucas used the view from Temple IV to portray a rebel base in Star Wars: Episode IV (on the Massassi Outpost, on the fourth moon of Yavin, if you must know).

The Ruins

The Great Plaza was the heart of ancient Tikal, complex in design and covering about three acres. Its plastered floor, now covered with grass, is made of four layers, the earliest laid in 150 B.C. and the latest in A.D. 700.

The great Temple I (The Great Jaguar) faces Temple II (Temple of the Masks) across the plaza. Temple I is 44 meters (144 feet) tall. This imposing structure is the tomb of Hasaw Chan K’awil (Heavenly Standard Bearer), the ruler who successfully led Tikal to victory against Calakmul. (The museum contains a reconstruction of the tomb.) Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to climb Temple I.

The slightly smaller Temple II was built to honor Hasaw Chan K’awil’s wife, Lady 12 Macaw. Large, severely eroded masks flank the central staircase, while a staircase to the side allows access to the top.

The East Plaza, which backs up to the Temple of the Jaguar, was once a formal plastered area covering 5.5 acres. Two of the city’s causeways, Mendez and Maler, lead from here. This plaza is the site of the only known sweathouse at Tikal; it’s also the site of a ball court and what appears to be the marketplace.

Around the area, scattered palaces, altars, and over 70 stelae tell of Maya life and conquest. Most of these palaces were ceremonial centers, but a few are believed to have been apartments. If you climbed and poked around into every structure at the Great Plaza, it would take you at least an entire day.

It’s a nice walk to Temple IV (Temple of the Double-Headed Serpent), and a trip to this iconic, steep building is a must. Facing east, it’s a popular spot from which to watch the sunrise. The platform itself has not been excavated, and only those in good physical condition will want to climb the six ladders (sometimes all you can cling to are roots and branches) to the top. Yaxkin Caan Chac, the son and successor of Ah-Cacau, built Temple IV around A.D. 740, about 40 years after Temple I was built for his father.

Today, Temple IV is the tallest surviving Maya structure from pre-Columbian history—212 feet from the base of its platform to the top. Not until the turn of the 20th century were taller buildings constructed in this hemisphere. Temple IV also houses a three-room temple, with walls up to 40 feet thick. From the summit of Temple IV, the sight of the entire area is breathtaking. The jungle canopy itself rises 100 feet into the air, and the tops of the other temples of Tikal rise above the tops of the trees.

Though the climb to the top of Temple IV is strenuous, it pales in comparison to the ascent to the north-facing Temple V. Like Temple I, it was built about A.D. 700 and rises about 190 feet.

Visiting Tikal

Tikal is open 6 a.m.–6 p.m. daily. If you arrive after 3 p.m., your ticket should be stamped with the next day’s date, allowing you to enter the ruins the next day at no additional cost. Entrance costs US$19 (US$3 for Guatemalan nationals). Check the park’s official website (www.tikalpark.com) for the latest rates and event announcements.

The main gate is on the road from El Remate, where there’s a checkpoint. From here, it’s another 17 kilometers (10.5 mi) to the main parking lot and visitors center. Tickets are checked at a booth on the trail between the visitors center and the entrance to the ruins proper, opposite an oft-photographed ceiba tree gracing the side of the road.

At the visitors center, there is a scale model of the site, two museums (the Stela Museum and the Morley Museum), an overpriced eatery, and a few small shops selling books, souvenirs, snacks, and sundries, including bug spray and sunscreen. Nearby is the park campsite, police substation, and a post office. You can book licensed guides at the visitors center (US$40 for up to four people, US$5 for each additional person). Be sure to pick up archaeologist William Coe’s Tikal: A Handbook of the Ancient Maya Ruins, which has the best map of the site.

The ruins of Tikal sprawl over six square miles, connected by a fantastic, sometimes confusing trail system. This means you’ll be doing a lot of walking, nearly all of it on flat ground—except, of course, when climbing the pyramids. Prepare as you would for a nature hike rather than a museum visit: comfortable walking shoes, a snack, more water than you think you’ll need, and a rain jacket during the wet season (or for when the monkeys pee on you—seriously). There are a number of shelters in case it really starts coming down, and a few beverage stands, but no food is available.

There are plenty of accommodations in El Remate and Flores, but nothing beats staying right here in the park at one of four lodgings: Jungle Lodge (tel. 502/2476-8775, www.junglelodge.guate.com, US$40–80), Jaguar Inn (tel. 502/7926-0002, www.jaguartikal.com, US$65 d), Tikal Inn (hoteltikalinn [at] itelgua [dot] com, US$60–100), and Tikal Campground (US$4 per person).

Although you can hire a guide at the park entrance, you’re probably better off going through a tour company in Flores or at your hotel. Bird-watchers especially will appreciate tours offered by Hotel La Casa de Don David (tel. 502/7928-8469 or 502/5306-2190, www.lacasadedondavid.com) in El Remate, which is celebrating 2012 with a lecture series and Maya Universe Garden around a sacred ceiba tree.

In 2012

On October 21, 2012, Tikal will host celebrations for the Día de La Raza (Day of the Races), an alternative to Columbus Day, which celebrates the accomplishments of the Latin American people and honors indigenous cultures. Expect a Maya event and ceremony to take place at Tikal on December 21.

Getting to Tikal

Flores is a popular airport for Tikal visitors from Belize City or Guatemala City, and it has a relatively modern small terminal. Tikal is three hours or less from the Belize border at Melchor, and it is a popular day trip for travelers in Belize. Other travelers base themselves in Flores and El Remate, where transportation to and from the ruins is part of daily life.

Of course signing up for a day trip to Tikal from either Flores, El Remate, or the Cayo District in Belize is also a possibility. Transportation is available in any of those towns to make it there on your own.

More Travel Information

For more travel information on things to see and do at Tikal and in the surrounding area, please visit the Tikal National Park section of our Moon Guatemala travel guide.