Tikal at a glance
Tikal National Park lies in the department of Petén in northern Guatemala, in the municipality of Flores. It has been a national park since 1955 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, listed for both its cultural and its natural value. The ruins of the Maya city stand in the rainforest, and the Gran Plaza with Temple I and Temple II is the centre of most visits.
Most visitors stay in Flores, a town on an island in Lake Petén Itzá, 63 km away. The drive takes about one hour. You can also sleep in El Remate on the lake or in the park itself. The ruins are open from 06:00 to 18:00 every day, and a regular ticket costs GTQ 150 for foreign visitors in 2026.
This guide covers how to buy tickets, which tours leave from Flores, what a sunrise visit to Temple IV involves, how to reach Tikal from Guatemala City and Antigua, the main temples, the Star Wars connection, history, wildlife and nearby sites such as Yaxhá and El Mirador. Antigua and Lake Atitlán have their own guides: Antigua and Lake Atitlán.
Our picks: Tikal tours
For most visitors the guided tour from Flores is the simple start; the park entry is paid on top. To combine Tikal with Uaxactún or to come from Belize, the longer days include the fees.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Uaxactún observatory, jungle lunch and Tikal at sunset
- Tikal entry and sunset ticket
- Uaxactún community fee
- Traditional Petén lunch
A local guide, the Tikal park entry and the sunset ticket, the Uaxactún community fee and a Petén lunch are all included. Bring a torch for the walk out.
Check availability →
Tikal day trip from Belize with border help
- Park entry and departure tax
- Three-hour guided tour
- Lunch
Transport from San Ignacio, a three-hour guided walk, the park entry, the Belize departure tax and lunch. Bring your passport.
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Private Tikal day from Flores for 2 to 6 people
- Private air-conditioned transport
- Bilingual guide
- Lunch in the park
Private air-conditioned transport, a bilingual guide, a flexible schedule with a stop in El Remate and lunch in the park. Check whether the park entry is included.
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Guided Tikal tour from El Remate with entry
- Park entry
- Expert guide
- Lunch
Seven hours with transport, the park entry, an expert guide and lunch, starting from El Remate on the lake.
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Tikal sunset at the Lost World pyramid
- Return transport
- Certified bilingual guide
- Help buying tickets
Return transport, a certified bilingual guide and the sunset at the Mundo Perdido pyramid. The park entry of Q150 and the sunset fee of Q100 are extra on the base option.
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Guided Tikal tour with transport from Flores
- Air-conditioned transport
- Certified bilingual guide
- Hotel pickup
An air-conditioned ride, a certified bilingual guide and help buying your tickets. The park entry of Q150 is paid on top.
Check availability →Tikal tours and day trips
Guided day trips from Flores, sunrise tours and combinations with Yaxhá, with live prices and availability.
Plan your Tikal trip
Start with tickets and tours, then pick the pages you need.
Tikal tickets and entrance fee
Prices for foreign and Guatemalan visitors, sunrise and sunset tickets, hours and how to buy.
Tikal tours from Flores
Shuttles, shared tours and private trips compared, with times and 2026 prices.
Tikal sunrise tour
What the early visit costs, how it works and what to expect on Temple IV.
From Guatemala City and Antigua
The flight day trip, the bus and the shuttle from Antigua.
Flores on Lake Petén Itzá
The island town where most trips to Tikal begin.
The temples of Tikal
Temple I, Temple IV, the Gran Plaza and Mundo Perdido.
Tikal and Star Wars
The Temple IV view that appears as Yavin 4.
History of Tikal
Rise, rulers and the later centuries of the city.
Background, nearby sites and practical details
Numbers, animals, other ruins and where to sleep.
Tikal facts
Size, height, age and the UNESCO listing in numbers.
Wildlife at Tikal
Howler monkeys, coatis, toucans and the rare jaguar.
Yaxhá
Temples above a lagoon, with access rules for 2026.
El Mirador
La Danta by multi-day trek or by helicopter.
Mayan ruins in Guatemala
Uaxactún, Yaxhá, Ceibal and other sites in Petén.
How to get to Tikal
Flores airport, shuttles and the road from Flores.
Weather and best time
Rainy and dry months and what they mean on the paths.
Where to stay
Inside the park, in El Remate or in Flores.
Tikal in brief: the city and the Maya today
Tikal was inhabited from about the 6th century BC to the 10th century AD, with no single agreed date for its first settlers or its decline. Its rulers, its temples and the many phases of building are covered on the history page, and the key numbers are on the facts page.
The Maya are a living people. Maya communities live across Guatemala today, and Tikal is part of their history, not a lost world. The park is also home to wildlife, from howler monkeys to toucans, which makes the paths between the temples worth your time as well.
A few things to know before you go
Rules and costs that catch visitors out.
Sunrise and sunset cost extra
These visits are sold on top of the regular park ticket, GTQ 100 each for foreign visitors in 2026. The guide is a separate cost. Paying online with an international card adds 2.30 percent.
Ticket prices →Children under 10 enter free
From the 10th birthday the regular fare applies. A ticket is valid for 30 days after purchase, and once it is validated at the gate it only counts for that day. There is no multi-day pass.
How tickets work →A guide is for early and evening visits
The special early and evening visits need an authorised guide. A normal daytime visit does not.
Sunrise visit →Buy before you enter
You can pay cash at the bank counter (BANTRAB) at the first park checkpoint, about 20 km before the visitor centre. There is no sales desk inside the park, and mobile signal is limited.
Getting there →Climbing is limited
Temples can only be climbed on stairs and platforms set up for visitors, and signs and staff decide on the day. The Temple II staircase is closed from 1 September 2026 for renovation work, so do not plan around it.
Temples and climbs →Read your government's travel advice
Germany's foreign office has pointed to a robbery risk in Flores and Tikal since 20 August 2026 and suggests checking the route in advance. Austria rates Petén at security level 3 of 4 since 25 September 2026 and recommends flying to Tikal where possible.
Flights from Guatemala City →More independent Guatemala guides
Separate guides from the same team, each focused on one place.
Tikal: frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to enter Tikal?
A regular day ticket is GTQ 150 for foreign visitors and GTQ 25 for Guatemalan citizens in 2026. Sunrise and sunset visits cost GTQ 100 and GTQ 20 extra. Children under 10 enter free.
How far is Tikal from Flores?
63 km, about one hour by road via El Remate. Shared and private minibus services run daily.
Do I need a guide?
Not for a daytime visit. A guide is required for the special early and evening visits, such as sunrise on Temple IV. The ticket shop does not sell guides, so you book one through a tour or in person.
Can I climb the temples?
Only the structures with stairs or platforms for visitors, and this can change. Never climb the roof combs. Check the signs and ask the staff on the day.
How many days do I need?
A ticket covers one day of entry and there is no multi-day pass. Day tours from Flores take about 7 to 8.5 hours including the transfer, and a sunrise tour about 9 hours.
Is this the official Tikal website?
No. This is an independent travel guide. It is not run by the park, the Ministry of Culture, CONAP or INGUAT, and it does not sell park tickets.