Tikal, Guatemala Travel Guide

If you go to Belize, you cannot miss the archaeological site of Tikal, the most impressive Mayan site in the world, located in the neighboring country of Guatemala, almost 4 hours away by land. Or less than 1 hour by plane. Tikal is formed by more than 10,000 structures, many of them superimposed on each other in an area of 16 mts. square.

Squares, temples, pyramids, palaces, steam baths, ball games, rooms, water reservoirs, even original wooden lintels, can still be seen, despite the more than 1000 years of abandonment is what makes Tikal a monumental site declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. In the royal tombs, beautiful objects made of jade, obsidian, bone and carved stone have been found, and above all, beautiful polychrome ceramic plates. Tikal was discovered in 1898 and archaeological work began some 60 years later until today. Tikal was the largest political, commercial and religious center of the area, making alliances or waging wars against its neighbors.

Attractions and Activities

Discovering Tikal

Tikal is not only archeology but also flora and fauna, which complement this beautiful visit; howler monkeys, toucans, coatis, spider monkeys, parakeets, foxes, etc., are frequently seen among the hundreds of species of centennial trees, which gives the visitor an unforgettable day. If you go to Tikal, you can also visit Flores, Peten, located 1 hour from Tikal, it is worth knowing this wonderful island located in Lake Peten Itza, an island with colorful buildings and friendly people.

These are visits that you cannot miss if you go to Belize. Tikal is the center of the heart of the Mayan culture, it is strategically located, there are places connected with the Mayans that lived in Belize, so it is almost a must visit. Tikal offers spectacular views from the top of the temples. You will learn about the flora and fauna of the region and it is not strange to find a tapir on the silent paths, silence that is broken by the cry of a howler monkey that you might see in the branches of the tall trees.

Things To Do

Mayan Ruins
While in Tikal, you can visit other archaeological sites that are nearby, Petén is the cradle of the Mayan civilization so there are several sites where the Mayans lived or sites of ceremonies. Such is the case of Ceibal, Yaxhá, Topoxte and others that you can't miss.

Hiking
Peten visitors enjoy its rainforest and almost always warm climate. With many places to hike, most of its forests are protected and can be traveled in several hours. If you want a little adventure, you can  go hike in secluded parks, that promises a lot of flora and fauna to discover.

Lake Peten Itza
If you have enough time, you can't miss this beautiful lake, located in the central part of Petén, it's a lake with several villages around it and the island of Flores in the center, a beautiful small and picturesque town with stone streets.