Complete Guide to Visiting Tikal with Kids - Guatemala with Kids
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Temple 5 looks like something out of a movie
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If you’re looking for information on visiting Tikal with kids, you’re in the right place. When planning a family trip to Guatemala, Tikal National Park must be on the list.
Tikal National Park is located in Guatemala’s Northern Provence of Petén. It is an easy direct flight from Guatemala City or can be a fun day trip from a family trip to Belize. Tikal is one of only 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Guatemala and absolutely worth the trip. If you’re wondering how old is Tikal - it is estimate Tikal was built around 600 BC. Insane!
We visted tikal with 2 little kids and a baby
Every visitor to Tikal National Park will make a stop at the park’s visitor center where you will pay for your entrance and have the change to get a detailed park map. Here you can ask for an up-to-date weather update. Park Rangers are also a wonderful resource for finding out the parks more of the beaten path spots. I personally recommend hiring a guide to go through the park with, but it is not required. (More on this later)
To see more photos and videos from our trips to Tikal, check out my Instagram Highlight.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
When to Visit Tikal National Park
The best time to visit Tikal is November through March. The temperatures are much more manageable during these months. Not only will you experience cooler weather, but this is also the dry season meaning less of a chance of getting rained out. I don’t know if there is a best month to visit Tikal, but more of a best season to visit Tikal.
Tikal can get very very hot, so come prepared!
The summer months are hot. Very very hot. If your trip is in the summer, it is doable, but just know that Tikal in summer is hot and possibly raining. As the temperatures rise, so does the precipitation. For a summer trip, try to get a sunrise tour or as early in the morning as possible to beat the heat and the rain. We started our tour at 8 AM and ended it around noon. By the end of the walk, it was very hot and the clouds were rolling in.
We visited Tikal with family in June. It was very hot, but we got lucky and some of the day was overcast which made the tour more manageable. We were visiting Tikal with a baby and two little kids, so I found myself skirting the edges to stay in the shade. We also kept a portable fan with us to keep the baby cool.
The average annual weather for reference from https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/guatemala/tikal-climate#temperature (Click the image for updated info)
How to get to Tikal National Park
How to get to Tikal? There are really only two ways to get to Tikal.
Obligatory national park sign photo! this one is right at the Entrance Trail
You can get there by driving from Belize to Tikal. Visiting Tikal from Belize is actually really easy as the park is only 3 hours from Belmopan.
You can access Tikal by driving from other places in Guatemala.
You can fly to Flores. How to get to Tikal from Flores? Hire a driver or hire a car and drive into the park. There are many companies that offer a ride. We used the hotel shuttle from Jungle Lodge Tikal to take us to and from the airport.
There are daily direct flights with Tag Airlines from Guatemala City to Flores for anyone traveling Guatemala to Tikal.
The initial park entrance is about a 20 minute drive from the actual Mayan Temples.
How much does it cost to enter Tikal?
It costs about $20 USD or 150 Q. Tikal National Park is open daily for visits from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Adult tickets for foreigners cost 150 GTQ (about $20 USD). Children under 12 can enter Tikal free of charge.
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Where to Stay When Visitng Tikal National Park
The best place to stay when visiting Tikal National Park:
Hotel Jungle Lodge Tikal: This is the best place to stay when visiting Tikal. Hands down. The Jungle Lodge is located directly at the entrance to the famous Mayan Temples. The entrance station is co-located with the end of the driveway of the hotel. Jungle Lodge Tikal has 49 rooms and suites ranging from Hostel to hotel accommodations. The Lodge also has a wonderful restaurant on-site and offers a shuttle service to and from the Flores Airport. The hotel can arrange a guide, but I recommend Jose Monzon from Tikal Tours/Expeditions.
We stayed for 2 nights at Jungle Lodge Tikal in the Suite con 01 Cama y Sofa matrimonial. It had a king bed with a pull out couch. What I loved is how convenient the location is to the National Park, the pool to beat the heat, the restaurant with great food. However, the hotel not having A/C did make it a little uncomfortable at night. They also have certain hours of the day where they turn off the power — but this didn’t really effect our day and we totally understand conservation.
The bathub in our room looked out onto our private patio.
THe Jungle lodge tikal has a newley renovated pool that is amazing to beat the afternoon heat
If you would rather stay outside of Tikal National Park, use this map to find the right accommodation for your family trip. Flores is going to have more options than anywhere else and is the perfect spot to take a day trip to Tikal.
Do you need a Guide?
I believe you will have a better experience if you hire a guide to take you through the park. It is possible to explore the park without a guide, but the park is really large. There is signage that simply explains what you’re looking at — but the guides will know in depth about the park. The guides are also extremely familiar with the temples, the wildlife, the history, and the fauna. They are able to bring the park to life in a way that would be missed if you tried to self-guide Tikal.
this is a photo that jose took for us at temple 5
We used Jose Monzon with Tikal Tours/Expeditions. He can be reach on Whatsapp at +502 4881 8528. Jose is committed to conservation. He has two masters degrees and was a professor at a local university. He also leads groups who plant trees to help reforest parts of Guatemala.
Jose is extremely knowledgeable about Tikal National Park and Guatemala as a whole. He completed the Guatemalan Guide course, so he is certified to lead tours across the country. He speaks both English and Spanish. Jose included the kids in everything he did - he never talked over their heads. He was also extremely patient with us as we had a baby with us and wanted to stop for photos often. Jose also used my phone and camera to capture some amazing photos of us.
Jose offers a variety of tours from Jaguar spotting, to Sunrise and Sunset tours of Tikal, to morning family tours.
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our guide, jose was absolutely fantastic
There are signs in English and spanish if you go self guided
the shuttle truck was so nice. it is fast and has pretty comfortable benches. be sure to tip the driver.
Helpful Things to Know
Tikal National Park is a large park that takes at least half a day (if you’re going very fast).
There is a free shuttle truck that will take guests from the entrance of the Temples to the center of the ruins. This saves you a 30-40 minute walk from the park entrance to the center of the ancient city. Be sure to bring some cash with you to tip the driver.
There are restrooms located in the center of the ancient city. They are clean and well kept.
There is a small refreshment stand in the middle of the temples near the restrooms. It is cash only but it does serve drinks and I believe ice cream.
Across the street from where you get your wrist band to enter the park is a small shopping plaza with a restaurant. If you’re going to spend a full day in Tikal National Park, you may want to come out and have lunch. If you’re only doing a morning tour of Tikal like we did - you can come out and have lunch before the rest of your day.
There is a small snack and drink bar in the center of the park.
There is a restroom located in the center of the temples.
What to Pack for a Day in the Park
Tikal National Park is located in the Guatemalan Jungle. It can get very hot, rain without notice, and is home to many bugs. This is what to pack for a day visit Tikal National Park.
Water Bottle
Bug Spray
Sun Screen
Sun Hat
Portable Fan (for babies or fragile persons - it can get very very hot)
Umbrella if you’d like portable shade
Rain Jacket
Map of the Park
Good close toed hiking shoes
jose was our guide and absolutely fantastic with the kids.
this tikal sign is located at the restaurant at the entrance to the park.
So, is Tikal worth visiting? Absolutely. Tikal National Park is the a must see when visiting Guatemala or Belize. There is so much amazing wildlife, towering Temples, dense jungle, and different hikes through the park. No matter whether you stay in the park, stay nearby in Flores, or drive to Tikal from Belize - Tikal National Park is an unforgettable adventure. Consider staying inside the park at Jungle Lodge Tikal to save time!
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