The El Zotz to Tikal trek is a three-day, two-night walk of about 60 km that ends on foot inside Tikal National Park. Etnica sells it from Flores for US$395 per person (about C$552 / £308), including transport, park fees, a local guide, pack animals, meals and camping gear. The route starts at Cruce Dos Aguadas and crosses the Biotopo San Miguel La Palotada–El Zotz, a protected area that CECON (part of Guatemala’s University of San Carlos) describes as bordering Tikal to the east.
TL;DR: 3 days, about 60 km, 6–7 hours of walking a day, groups of 2 to 8, US$395 per person with Etnica, non-refundable. Camps in the El Zotz protected area and at El Yesal, then Tikal on day 3 and back in Flores by nightfall.
Quick summary
| Item | Detail | Source (read 4 November 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 3 days, 2 nights; about 60 km | Etnica |
| Daily walking | 6–7 hours | Etnica |
| Group size | 2–8 | Etnica |
| Price | US$395 per person (same for 2 and for 3–8 travellers) | Etnica booking page |
| Start / finish | Flores island → Cruce Dos Aguadas → El Zotz → El Yesal → Tikal → Flores | Etnica |
| Protected area | Biotopo San Miguel La Palotada–El Zotz, 30 km west of Tikal | CECON (USAC) |
| Tikal entry (foreigners) | Q150, included in Etnica’s price | Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes ticket site; Etnica |
| Cancellation | Payments non-refundable if you cancel | Etnica |
The route, day by day
The itinerary below is Etnica’s, summarised in our words.
| Day | Route | Night |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meet the guides in Flores, drive to Cruce Dos Aguadas, walk into the San Miguel La Palotada–El Zotz protected area; at sunset, visit El Peñón bat cave | Base camp (dinner cooked at camp) |
| 2 | Visit the El Zotz archaeological site, including the temple Etnica calls Devil’s Hill and the tomb it attributes to a ruler named P.A. Chan; after lunch, walk on to El Yesal | El Yesal camp, on the edge of the reserve and Tikal National Park |
| 3 | Walk the last stretch into Tikal, with views from Temple IV; afternoon exploring the city | Back in Flores by nightfall |
Etnica’s page says to watch for jaguars and tapirs on day 3. CECON’s fauna list for the biotope names Baird’s tapir, the red brocket deer, both peccary species, the armadillo and “todos los felinos presentes” (all the cats present). None of that is a promised sighting.
What US$395 covers, and what it does not
Included, per Etnica’s booking page:
- Return transport from Flores to the trailhead and from the finish
- All park entrance fees, which include Tikal’s foreign-visitor ticket of Q150 on the Ministry of Culture’s ticket site
- A local Spanish-speaking community guide
- Porters and horses to carry luggage and camping gear
- First aid kit and filtered drinking water
- Meals: three breakfasts, two lunches, a box lunch and two dinners
- Tents and sleeping pads
Not included or extra:
- A bilingual guide, which Etnica offers at extra cost. The price is not shown on the booking page.
- Snacks and electrolytes (on Etnica’s packing list), plus cash for personal expenses and tips
- Luggage storage: Etnica says it does not store extra bags and recommends leaving them at your hotel.
Tikal’s ticket site says guided tours must use a guide authorised and identified by INGUAT, Guatemala’s tourism institute. Ask Etnica which guide accompanies you inside the park, especially if you book the Spanish-speaking option.
The protected area you walk through
CECON, the conservation studies centre of the University of San Carlos, manages the Biotopo San Miguel La Palotada, which it says is known as Biotopo El Zotz and was declared a national monument in 1970. CECON describes it as a rectangle bordering Tikal National Park to the east, with the dirt road between San Andrés and Carmelita to the west and the dirt road from the Cruce to El Corozal to the south. It lists the biotope’s location as 30 km west of Tikal in the municipality of San José, Petén. The biotope’s conservation goals, per CECON, include protecting the archaeological sites inside its boundaries.
CECON’s page gives a contact for the coordinator of Petén’s biotopes but no visitor fee or visitor rules. Etnica says all park fees are included in its price.
What to pack
Etnica’s list: hiking boots or trekking shoes, a refillable bottle, electrolytes and snacks, a backpack of 25 litres or more with a rain cover, a warm layer or windbreaker, a rain jacket, a head torch with spare batteries, toiletries and medication, camera, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, binoculars and light-coloured breathable clothes.
How it compares with other Petén trips
- El Mirador, another multi-day jungle trek from Flores, has its own guide: El Mirador.
- Uaxactún needs its own Q50 ticket on top of the Tikal park ticket, per the ticket site; see Uaxactún ruins.
- Camping at Tikal without the trek is covered in Tikal camping, and early entry in the Tikal sunrise tour.
- For the season, see the best time to visit Tikal. For getting back from Tikal if you change plans, see Flores to Tikal.
Sources
- Etnica, 3 Day Trek from El Zotz to Tikal (Etnica’s booking page on WeTravel), read 4 November 2026
- CECON, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, San Miguel La Palotada El Zotz, read 4 November 2026
- Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes, Tikal tickets for foreigners, read 4 November 2026
- Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes, Tikal ticket FAQ, read 4 November 2026
- Banco de Guatemala reference exchange rates, business day 3 November 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the El Zotz to Tikal trek?
Three days and two nights. Etnica, which sells the trek, describes about 60 kilometres of walking at 6 to 7 hours a day. Day 1 starts with a drive from Flores to Cruce Dos Aguadas, and day 3 ends at Tikal, with Etnica expecting you back in Flores by nightfall.
How much does the El Zotz trek cost?
Etnica’s booking page lists US$395 per person, the same price for a group of two and for three to eight travellers (read 4 November 2026). That is about C$552 or £308 at Banco de Guatemala’s 3 November 2026 reference rates. Etnica says payments are non-refundable if you cancel.
What is included in the price?
Etnica lists return transport between Flores and the start and finish, all park entrance fees, a local Spanish-speaking community guide, porters and horses for luggage and camping gear, a first aid kit, filtered drinking water, three breakfasts, two lunches, a box lunch and two dinners, and tents with sleeping pads. A bilingual guide costs extra.
Where is El Zotz?
In the Biotopo San Miguel La Palotada, known as Biotopo El Zotz, run by CECON, the conservation studies centre of the University of San Carlos. CECON places it 30 km west of Tikal in the municipality of San José, Petén, and describes it as bordering Tikal National Park to the east.
How hard is the trek?
Etnica calls it remote and physically demanding, for travellers in strong physical condition. You sleep on thin pads with no mattresses, and there is no electricity, phone signal or modern sanitation. Heat, humidity, insects and long walking days are part of the trip.
