13 Wonderful Things To Do in Guatemala

Know | Located near Flores in the far northeast of the country, just across the borders with Belize and Mexico, Tikal fits naturally into the route for travellers moving overland through Central America. For those visiting Guatemala as a standalone destination, it requires a little more intention and planning: you can fly from Guatemala City to Flores for speed, take a 6-8 hour shuttle bus, or do an independent overland route with public transport.

We’ve even met people who – crazily in our view – took flights up there from Guatemala City in the morning, visited the site, then came back the same day!

Budget | Tikal is one of the pricer things to do in Guatemala. The standard entrance ticket for international visitors is Q150 (about $20 USD), but you have to buy an additional Q100 / $13 ticket if you want to be inside for sunrise (4 – 6am) or sunset (6 – 8pm).

Book | For sunrise/sunset access, advance booking is required and fills up in high season. There are various websites pretending to be the official one, but the place to buy tickets in advance online is the government-run Boletos Tikal. Note that in order to visit at sunset or sunrise, you must be accompanied with a guide but you have to source one independently.

Whilst this may be frustrating for those travelling on a budget that want to see the ruins at their most photogenic, following our own personal experience of Tikal (one half of Along Dusty Roads has actually visited twice) we can confirm that a good guide really helps bring the ruins to life, offering context on Mayan dynasties and symbolism, and spotting wildlife you’d otherwise miss.

Whether you choose to join a sunrise tour or visit independently later in the day, this is an incredibly popular and highly-rated group tour – with departures from Flores throughout the day – that includes a guide and round-trip transport. They have a sunrise departure too!

Tip | Arrive as early as possible, even if you’re not doing sunrise: the heat, crowds, and tour groups build quickly, and the first hours of the day are when Tikal feels most atmospheric and manageable.

Stay | Those joining a day tour will be based in Flores (ideally for a few days as it’s a really lovely little town), and its location on the doorstep of one of Central America’s most famous archeological sites means there’s no shortage of accommodation. Backpackers will love Los Amigos, Hotel Casa Amelia and Casa Ramano are wonderful little guest houses (La Posada De Don Jose is a good option if you’re on a budget), and Hotel Casona de La Isla is a long-standing favourite.

Alternatively, do what Emily did first time round and take a shuttle to stay overnight within the park – it’s an incredible experience! She stayed in the popular Jungle Lodge Hostal, but Hotel Jungle Lodge Tikal is a wonderful (and slightly fancier) alternative, and widely considered the best place to stay in Tikal.