If you are even a little bit interested in Maya history, there is one place you cannot miss. The home of the Great Jaguar. The city, that in spite of thousands of tourists, who visit every day, still exudes incredible energy. A treasure, hidden under lush rainforest canopy – majestic Tikal.
How to Get to Tikal
You can get to Tikal from Mexico by bus: ADO runs from pretty much every town on the Yucatan coast and you will have to change in Belize City. In Guatemala, you can take a bus from Guatemala City, and it takes about 8 hours to get to Tikal.
We were traveling by car. Many people made the driving trip from Mexico and through Belize. We were coming from the other side, from Rio Dulce, and you can read here, how to make this trip possible.
The road from Rio Dulce is pretty much fine all the way. It was no problem to find our hotel.
Where We Stayed in Tikal
You can stay at a camping site or a hotel right in Tikal, or you can opt for a hotel in nearby Flores, which will be probably even more expensive. However, there is a place that offers the best of both worlds. El Remate is a small village, very strategically located right at Lake Petén Itzá.
We chose this village, because it is in the middle of everything: about 30 minutes to Flores, 30 minutes to Tikal, and an hour to the Belize border. Additionally, it is not as touristic as the areas mentioned above, so it offers great value for your dollar. It feels completely safe in El Remate.
Lots of youth hostels and hotels are located along the bank of the picturesque lake, where, in fact you can swim! We chose a hotel called Palomino Ranch.
When we booked the hotel, we thought it was just a name, but it was an actual ranch! Beautiful horses, absolutely incredible grounds, flowers everywhere, nice pool, great food (we tried the fresh White Fish that lives only in the Lake Peten Itza).
The rooms are very spacious and the bathroom was probably the biggest I’ve ever seen in a hotel! The staff makes you feel like family. You start a conversation and the next thing you remember is chatting for hours, discussing Mayan history and world traveling. Especially in September, which is considered a low rainy season, you will be treated like a king.
Palomino Ranch offers horseback riding and jungle tours. It is so beautiful to walk to the end of the long dock right in front of the hotel and watch the sun set into the lake.
How To Get to Tikal from El Remate by Car
It is only about a fifteen minute drive from El Remate to the main gate of Tikal. You buy your tickets there (150 Quetzales, which is about $20) and decide if you want to get a private guided tour or go by yourself. You can also buy a small map of the park – get it, if you don’t have it. Additionally, download some maps and info on your phone in advance. There is no cell service in Tikal, so you won’t be able to go online!
After you pass the gate, you have to take a winding road for another 20 kilometers – do not speed! They record the time of your departure at the gate and, supposedly, check the time at your arrival, to see if you have been speeding. No one checked our speed though, so we successfully parked the car and prepared to dive into the Maya world.
History of Tikal
Tikal is the ruin of an ancient city, found in a rainforest in Guatemala. It is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centers of the pre-Columbian Mayan civilization. The site is part of Guatemala’s Tikal National Park and in 1979 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Tikal was the capital of a conquest state that became one of the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient Maya. Though monumental architecture at the site dates back as far as the 4th century BC, Tikal reached its apogee during the Classic Period, c. 200 to 900 AD. During this time, the city dominated much of the Mayan region politically, economically, and militarily. At the same time, it interacted with other areas throughout Mesoamerica, such as the great metropolis of Teotihuacan in Mexico. There is evidence that Tikal was conquered by Teotihuacan in the 4th century AD. Following the end of the Late Classic Period, no new major monuments were built at Tikal. There is evidence that elite palaces were burned. These events were coupled with a gradual population decline, culminating with the site’s abandonment by the end of the 10th century.
Many kings ruled this ancient city, but perhaps the most known of them is The Great Jaguar, The Jaguar Paw, or Toh Chak Ich’ak, the 14th king of Tikal. One can find his name on so many stelae, walls and ceramic pieces, that his name is now forever inseparable from the name of Tikal.
The Park
Tikal is not like any other Mayan city I’ve seen. Usually you have all the structures sort of in one place, forming somewhat like a square, but Tikal is not one of those. Not only it is located in the middle of a huge National Park, but even the archeological site itself is scattered in the jungle and consists of many areas and “neighborhoods”. Prepare to walk!
It is probably the largest site (territorially) that we’ve ever visited. Right in the heart of the jungle, you walk long hidden nature trails and right before you think you’re lost, you find yourself in ancient plazas.
The best thing about Tikal is that you can climb on top of pretty much every building. There are wooden stairs, built specifically for this purpose. The most important temple to climb is Temple IV. The view from the tallest building in all of Mesoamerica is so spectacular, it was even featured in Star Wars IV, The New Hope!
This place is, hands down, one of the most powerful temples. Stay there for a while, simply sitting on one of the stone terraces and observing the endless canopy of trees around. Makes you think of eternity, doesn’t it?
To amplify the experience, you can purchase a sunrise tour and watch the sunrise from the Mesoamerican top of the world.
Once you wander away from the Gran Plaza, you hardly see any people. You get lost in the jungle and you are loving it!
Then, you hear a sound that makes you first think of a jaguar lurking nearby, and later of “Walking Dead”…. Freaks you out at first!
Hahaha! Those are just howler monkeys growling and jumping around. Beware though! I’ve heard they like to take a dump on tourists’ heads! Suddenly you see a group of coatis, who run around like some kind of local cats. They seem really cute, but remember – they are still wild animals.
At the end of another trail you will find another set of Temples. Be it The Lost World, or Plaza of the Seven Temples, or numerous smaller complexes without a name, only a letter (Complex O, Complex R, etc), there is definitely a lot to see.
Tikal is a whole day affair. Or more!
At the end you will probably not be able to see everything, but you will love it so much you will want to come back and continue to explore, Not only is it a marvelous historic monument, but also a great jungle experience (including horseback riding and zip-lining) all in one. Maybe you can even spot a real jaguar this time?
