Tikal Guatemala, Petén

Located in the Northern region of Guatemala, tucked just inside the extensive tropical Maya Forest are the ancient ruins of Tikal - or Yax Mutal. With endless blue skies, lush greenery, and stone structures standing tall enough for you to wonder how they ever built them, Tikal is a snapshot straight out of ancient history. An important city for the Mayan Civilization between 400 B.C.E to late 900 C.E, Yax Mutal stood as the capital of the civilization as well as storage for their wealth of knowledge. You can find hieroglyphics inscribed into the temples and palaces of Tikal depicting the turbulent and yet thriving history of the people who lived there.

It is because of this extensive history and preserved collection of human genius that Tikal has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1979.

One thing to consider before taking a trip to visit this breathtaking site is the time of day you go. As extensive as the buildings are, they don’t offer shade, so the best time to go to avoid the heat of the mid-day sun is to either be there as soon as the park opens (6:00AM), or to take a sunrise or sunset tour. You can book a tour from various cities and towns in Guatemala (even Guatemala City if you have the spare cash) but the agreed best place to book through is the nearby town of Flores. The sunrise tour starts at 4:00 AM and is the only way to enter the park that early, while most sunset tours will pick you up in Flores at 12:30 PM to see the sunset at around 6:30PM. Both are beautiful times to visit the ruins, each with its own gorgeous color palette, it all depends on how early you are willing to wake up and on whether you are willing to pay the sunrise/sunset extra fee.

Having a tour guide is the best way to experience the ruins of Tikal as you will be taken on an adventure of history that just can’t be replicated with a book. You can book most tours in English and the guides have a store of knowledge of the city, park, and even the surrounding forest and the wildlife that call it home – jaguars, panthers, and howler monkeys are just some of the illustrious residents. You can decide to visit Tikal for the day or stay overnight at the nearby hotels and accommodations.

Tikal is rich, not just in beauty but in history and knowledge, evident in the temples, ceremonial platforms, palaces, and even ball courts. The gorgeous scenery of the surrounding tropical forest and the weather-worn ruins make this a must-see destination during any visit to the beautiful country of Guatemala.