Tikal Guatemala

Located in the north east corner of Guatemala, the ruins of Yax Mutal, now known as Tikal, are by far the most impressive Mayan ruins and among the best archaeological sites in the world. Tikal sits proudly among the lowland rainforest of Guatemala's Peten region and was once a thriving city of between 100,000 and 200,000 Maya. Today the Ruins of Tikal are considered to be among the top 5 man made wonders of the world and for this reason alone it makes a wonderful place to visit while vacationing in Guatemala.

My experience at Tikal

I arrived at Tikal at 4.30 in the morning, after a 45 minute drive from Santa Elena, the sun had yet to rise and a light mist was flowing through the trees. Relying on my flashlight and directions from a local guide I quickly made my way to Temple IV which is the recommended temple to watch the sunrise. At this time in the morning there are not that many visitors at the ruins, but there was still a small crowd at the top of the temple. Even before the sun came up the magic began; first the birds began to sing, then the howler monkeys woke and said good morning in their own noisy way. As the sun finally peeked over Temple I, the true majesty of the Mayan ruins was finally revealed. The mist, still clinging to the tops of the trees, quickly dissolved leaving behind a sea of jungle dotted with the magnificent Mayan ruins of Tikal. This truly was the highlight of my visit and I would recommend making an early start to anybody visiting Tikal. To see the vast complex known as Tikal this early is almost spiritual and definitely magical.

After such an impressive start to the day I was tempted to leave so as not to be disappointed by the rest of Tikal, but I stayed and I wasn't disappointed at all. As I explored the architecture of this ancient civilization and gazed in awe at the flora and fauna, I really got a feeling for how the Maya lived 1000 years ago. Apart from 30 minutes I took to eat the packed lunch I had brought, I spent the remainder of the daylight hours (12 hours) exploring. First I wandered through the main complex around the central plaza, but as the day progressed I found myself alone deep in the forest discovering the lesser ruins. There seemed to be no end of things to see at Tikal, both man made and natural. By the end of the day I was exhausted and on the edge of dehydration, but extremely satisfied with my adventure.

My travel plans at the time I visited Tikal only allowed me to visit the one day, but I would recommend a further day to truly experience all that Tikal has to give. I didn't even have time to visit the museums and other attractions in Tikal Village. Also, when I visited Tikal I stayed in the near by town of Santa Elena. The town was worth visiting and my accommodations were ridiculously cheap, but if I was to return to Tikal I would spend the extra money to stay in Tikal itself. Getting up at 3.30am to get to the ruins before dawn was brutal and the extra hour in bed would have been worth the extra cost.

Overall I have to say that Tikal was the highlight of my exploration of the Mayan ruins found in Guatemala and Mexico. It is by far the biggest, and the most impressive, of all the archaeological sites in the region and a must see for anybody interested in the Maya, architecture, wildlife and plants. If you are anywhere near Tikal then it is well worth the time it will take to visit this wonderful city.

The ancient history of Tikal

Founded in the 4th Century BC Tikal (Yax Mutal) grew steadily to become the greatest of the ancient Mayan Cities. By the early classical period of the Mayan civilization, around 200AD, Tikal was the seat of military and economic power in the region. It's power and influence spread as far north as the Aztec city of Tiotihuacan in central Mexico and as far south as the Mayan city of Copan in northern Honduras. It is believed that Tikal held dominance over the region for around 300 years before power passed to Caracol, another great city located in modern day Belize. During the 6th and 7th Century AD Tikal lay dormant as a power in the region and during this time little was added to the city, but with the coming of the great leader Jasaw Chan K'awiil I, Tikal regained some if not all of it's influence in the area. By 900AD the Maya as a race were falling into decline and Tikal didn't escape the fall. It is estimated that by the 10th century AD Tikal and many of the other Mayan cities had been deserted. The reason behind this is unclear, but the fact remains that Tikal was, for all intents and purposes, the greatest ancient Mayan city for 1000 years.

The modern history of Tikal

Accounts of Tikal were published as early as the 17th century, but it wasn't until the 19th centuary that Modesto M�ndez and Ambrosio Tut slogged through the jungle to find the ruins in 1848. Several other visits were made during the 19th and early 20th century including one by the famous Alfred P. Maudslay, but it wasn't until an airstrip was built in 1951 that Tikal really became a true archaeological site. For almost a thousand years Tikal had laid dormant, but from 1956 through 1970 the university of Pennsylvania excavated the ruins and brought Tikal back to life. From the mid 1970 until this day the government of Guatemala have conducted their own archaeological project that has opened up a large amount of this once great Mayan city.

Tikal today

Tikal is vast, over 23 square miles, but the majority of this is yet to be excavated. Even so, the ruins of Tikal still hold thousands of stuctures. The most impressive of these structures are the 6 great Mesoamerican step pyramids labeled I - VI. These temples are huge, with the tallest being temple IV which tops 230 feet. Temples I and II are set facing each other on the Plaza Mayor and are wonderful examples of the differing designs of the Mayan temples at Tikal. My favorite temple at Tikal is temple V, known as the "lost world temple", which stands 100 feet tall with 3 stairways cut into it's sides. Other ruins of note at Tikal are the ruins of palaces, and several ball courts for the ancient Mayan ball game. In my opinion though the most intriguing part of Tikal are the lesser ruins and sculptures that can be found by wandering through the various trails emanating from the main area. It is fascinating to turn a corner on one of these trails through the jungle to stumble across small ruins and temples.

There is more to see at Tikal than Mayan ruins though. Set in a jungle rainforest, Tikal has an abundance of flora and fauna. It is not uncommon to spot howler and spider monkeys swinging through the trees and coati (a member of the raccoon family) as well as gray foxes shuffling along the forest floor. This is also a bird lover's paradise with harpy eagles and falcons joining the brightly colored parrots and toucans. As far as the flora is concerned there are some interesting trees such as the giant Ceiba tree, that grows 100ft tall and is the sacred tree of life to the Maya, and the mahogany tree. As Tikal is set in the jungle, there is no lack of plants and flowers to be dazzled by either.

With Tikal being so vast it is hard to take it all in during a single day and I would recommend that you spend at least 2 days exploring this ancient wonder. Pack a lunch and take lots of drinking water as it gets hot during the dry season. Most areas in Tikal are clearly signposted, but be careful not to wander off the beaten path as you might get lost for days in the deep rainforest areas surrounding Tikal.

Getting to and from Tikal

Tikal is 40 miles north east of the twin Guatemalan towns of Flores and Santa Elena and easily accessible by road from there. Flores and Santa Elena however are hard to get to by road if traveling from Guatemala City and I recommend you fly instead of taking the 12 hour bus ride. The Mundo Maya international airport at Santa Elena also has flights to and from Cancun in Mexico and Belize City. It is easier if you are driving or taking the bus from Belize and a 5 hour drive from Belize City will get you to either the twin towns or Tikal itself. If you are coming from Belize make sure you have your passport as you will be crossing a border. Local transport to and from Tikal leaves Santa Elena regularly from 4am till dusk and cost around $10.

Places to stay

There are many hotels in Flores and Santa Elena with prices ranging from $3 to $40, but by far the best way to experience Tikal is to stay at the Jaguar Inn or the Jungle Lodge, located in the Tikal Village only 10 minutes away from the ruins. With prices ranging from $40 for a single to $70 for a triple room it is a convenient way to explore the Tikal ruins. Both hotels are stunningly beautiful and well worth the money.