I took a trip to Tikal, Guatemala, about a year ago, and I had a great time!
This trip was part of my experience at an archaeology field school called BVAR. I already wrote a few posts about that, if you’re curious!
Tikal is one of the better-known Mayan archaeology sites, and also one of the largest. It’s known for the massive pyramids and buildings that peek through the jungle canopy as though reaching for the Sun.
You might also know that it featured in Star Wars as the filming location for the rebel base on Yavin IV.
Some Quick Considerations
There are a few things you should remember when you go to Tikal, especially if you’re going there from San Ignacio like me.
- While most people in Belize speak English, Guatemala is a primarily Spanish-speaking country. In tourist sites like Tikal, I’d expect to find more English speakers, but it’s important to keep in mind.
- Guatemala is hot and humid like most of the tropics. Plan for the heat!
- There will be bugs. A lot of them. I was lucky enough to never be bitten, but I also had bug spray in my clothes.
- It also rains a lot. I had a rain poncho with me and a rain cover for my backpack, but it’s good to be prepared!
- Bring some snacks. I started to get really lethargic during my time there and, if it weren’t for one of the other members of my group having a protein bar, I might’ve had a very different experience!
- There are a lot of stairs, and some are pretty steep. Be ready for a lot of climbing! There’s no access ramps or anything for the upper parts of structures.
Getting to Tikal
There are definitely easier ways to reach Tikal than what I did.
Since my field school was based out of San Ignacio, Belize, we had to deal with border crossings. Belize and Guatemala don’t get along super well, which I would imagine lengthens the process a bit.
Driving from San Ignacio, where you can book tours, it’s about a 2-hour drive, not counting the time going through customs. It wasn’t super long, though.
When I’m on long drives (or any drives, for that matter), I prefer to look out the window rather than down at my phone. There are some beautiful views on the way to Tikal, including Lake Petén.
Shortly after passing the lake, it’s likely that your bus will stop at the Zayda Tourist Shop. It’s definitely a tourist trap that overcharges for its souvenirs, but they offer free coffee if you need it! I did grab a couple things from this place, but it’s up to you how much you want to actually spend.
Much like Caracol, you probably won’t see much when you first arrive. It’s all hidden in the trees, waiting to be discovered!
But, after passing through security, we made our way along the path through the jungle and into the site!
Keep an eye on the trees and wilderness. There are some hidden ruins (including more modern ones like old cars), but you might also see some toucans or monkeys!
As you move through the trees, you’ll finally come across the main plazas. Here is where the real journey begins!
The Main Site
Tikal is massive. Thankfully, there are maps all over the place to help you navigate. Expect to spend an entire day here if you want to see everything!
I think it’s important to point out that the signs are in Spanish. For the most part, it’s still pretty easy to figure out what the labeled map areas are even if you don’t speak it. I speak Spanish, though, so it’s hard to say for sure. If you want to come prepared, I’d recommend getting SpanishDict on your phone! (Or taking a look at my guide to Spanish for travelers!)
Many of the temples and structures, while you can’t directly climb them (unlike Caracol), have new staircases that wrap around the sides to get you to the top. Some of the stairs are pretty steep, and the climb can be exhausting.
But the views are worth it! When you reach the top of the stairs and look out across the canopy to see other structures poking up out of the tree line, it’s an amazing feeling!
It did rain while I was there, but it came and went pretty quickly. It also cooled things down quite a bit, which was nice!
Look out for wildlife while you’re on the site, too. We encountered some coatimundis! They are usually pretty low to the ground, but have tails that stick way up in the air, making them look like little dinosaurs.
Coatimundis are actually related to raccoons! They’re pretty docile and just keep to themselves.
Getting the Most Out of Your Trip
Like with most experiences, I would recommend looking at everything you can. I went around every corner, and explored every passageway and plaza.
Most of them were pretty standard. Just a limestone walkway leading to a small plaza or room. But that’s the fun part! You never know what you might find!
I went up some stairs to a small area covered by a thatch roof (much like those the Maya would have used), and saw a large carving of one of the Mayan gods!
While that carving was made pretty obvious by the massive thatch rain cover, you never know when you might find something cool, so it’s worth looking everywhere!
Departing Tikal
Tikal has a gift shop of its own, but I didn’t have a chance to look at it before we left. From what I heard, they had some basic stuff, or at least nothing different from the shop the bus stops at beforehand.
On our way out, we stopped for food at a local restaurant. I finished the meal off with a hibiscus smoothie. It was delicious!
While we were there, we were all surprised by some loud bangs coming from another part of the restaurant. Someone was celebrating a birthday, and it seems that firecrackers were a part of that!
Conclusion
Tikal was a wonderful experience of mine, and one that I think about constantly.
There was so much to see, and having done some archaeology myself, I’m in awe at the work that went into it. The amount of time it would take to excavate even a single building is just appalling.
I would honestly love to go back just to experience it all again and spend more time exploring the site. There are so many little side rooms and small plazas to explore!
It’s amazing what humans are capable of!
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about anything I’ve written, feel free to comment down below or contact me directly!
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Thank you for reading! I hope I see you again!
