Ixpanpajul Natural Park is a jungle park 15 minutes from Isla de Flores with two main activities: a walk over six hanging bridges longer than 100 metres, and an eight-platform Tarzan canopy (zip line). At the park’s own rates a foreign adult pays USD $25 for the bridges and USD $30 for the canopy — USD $55 for both, about 2 hours each.
The reason this page exists is the gap between that number and what the booking platforms show. On 24 September 2026 the only bookable Ixpanpajul tour on Viator cost $270 per person (private, from Flores), and the GetYourGuide Ixpanpajul product no longer existed. If you are already sleeping in Flores, the cheaper route is to go on your own and pay at the gate.
Quick summary
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Where | Km 468, road from Río Dulce to Flores, Santa Elena (Petén) |
| From Isla de Flores | ~15 minutes |
| From Mundo Maya airport | ~10 minutes |
| Hanging bridges (foreign adult) | USD $25 · 2 hours |
| Tarzan canopy (foreign adult) | USD $30 · 2 hours |
| Both, foreign adult | USD $55 |
| Guatemalan adult | Q125 bridges · Q150 canopy |
| Children under 5 | Free |
| Opens | 7:00 AM daily (closing time disputed: 4:00 or 6:00 PM) |
| Phone (park) | (502) 2336 0576 |
| Where to sleep | Flores (or on site: bungalow, cabin, camping) |
Rates from ixpanpajul.com, retrieved 24 September 2026. The site footer reads 2024, so confirm by phone before you go.
The two activities — full rate card
The park prices foreigners in US dollars and Guatemalans in quetzales. These are the park’s published rates, not a tour mark-up.
| Rate | Hanging bridges | Tarzan canopy |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign adult | USD $25 | USD $30 |
| Foreign child (6-12) | USD $20 | USD $25 |
| Foreign student with ID | USD $18 | USD $30 |
| Guatemalan adult | Q125 | Q150 |
| Guatemalan child (6-12) | Q75 | Q125 |
| Guatemalan student with carné | Q100 | Q125 |
| Children under 5 | Free | Free |
| Duration listed by the park | 2 hours | 2 hours |
Two things stand out. The student discount is real on the bridges (USD $18 against $25) but disappears on the canopy for foreign students (USD $30, the same as an adult). And a family of two foreign adults and two children aged 6-12 doing both activities pays USD $200 at the gate — worth knowing before you compare it with a per-person tour price.
The hanging bridges
The park describes six hanging bridges longer than 100 metres, linked by winding forest trails that pass through the different layers of the tropical forest and finish at the top of Cerro Miramás, with a view over the jungle and Lake Petén Itzá. It is a walk. A Viator reviewer writing in February 2025 put the hike at about 2 hours.
The Tarzan canopy
Eight platforms in the tallest trees, connected by cables. Viator’s listing describes the same course as seven zip lines — eight platforms, seven lines between them. The park lists it at 2 hours.
Other activities appear in the park’s directory listing — a night safari and horseback rides — but no current price is published for either, so we are not quoting one. Ask the park.
Gate price vs the only tour on the platforms
| Option | Price | What you get | Source, date read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go on your own, pay at the gate | USD $55 per foreign adult (both activities) | Bridges + canopy; you arrange transport | ixpanpajul.com, 24 Sep 2026 |
| Viator private tour from Flores | $270 per person | Hotel pickup in Flores/Santa Elena at 8:00 AM, private round-trip transport, certified guide, admission; 4-5 hours | Viator listing, 24 Sep 2026 (1 review, 4.0) |
| GetYourGuide | — | The Ixpanpajul product redirected to the Flores page; none listed | GetYourGuide, 24 Sep 2026 |
The Viator tour includes transport, a guide and admission, and it is private — only your group. That has value if you want a guide explaining the forest. But the difference between $270 and $55 per person is the transport and the guide, for a park 15 minutes away. The one Viator review makes the same point: the reviewer called the price too high even for a private tour.
Tours from Flores
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Getting there from Flores
The park sits at kilometre 468 on the road from Río Dulce to Flores, in Santa Elena — about 15 minutes from Isla de Flores and 10 minutes from Mundo Maya International Airport, per guatemala.com.
- Park pickup. Wikivoyage says Ixpanpajul runs a pick-up service from Flores or Santa Elena, and the park’s directory listing includes transport from the park to Flores and Tikal. No price is published — ask when you call.
- Taxi or tuk-tuk. Tuk-tuks run around Flores, Santa Elena and San Benito (Wikivoyage reported Q10-15 for rides within those towns as of June 2024). The park is 15 minutes out on the highway, so agree the fare before you get in; we found no published fare to the park.
- Tour pickup. The Viator tour collects from hotel lobbies on Isla de Flores or in Santa Elena at 8:00 AM.
For getting to Flores in the first place, see Guatemala City to Flores and Tikal.
When to go
The park opens at 7:00 AM every day — all sources agree on that. The closing time does not agree: a video on the park’s own Facebook page gives 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and guatemala.com (updated July 2024) gives 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. With two 2-hour activities, start by early afternoon at the latest, and earlier is better for the heat.
Because it is 10 minutes from the airport, Ixpanpajul fits well on an arrival or departure day when you have a few hours and no time for a full Tikal day. It is also a natural pairing with the Actún Kan caves, which are in Santa Elena too.
Who should skip it
Viator’s listing flags the tour as not wheelchair accessible and not recommended for travellers with back problems or for pregnant travellers — reasonable guidance for the park itself, given a 2-hour trail hike and a zip line. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water.
Where to stay
The practical base is Flores — on the island or in Santa Elena — visiting Ixpanpajul as a half day. Live availability around Flores:
Where to stay in Flores
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The alternative is sleeping in the park itself. Ixpanpajul publishes a bungalow for 6 at Q1,200 a night with breakfast (USD $150 for foreigners), a family cabin for 2 adults and 3 children at Q880 (USD $110), and camping at Q125 per person with tent and mat provided — or Q40 per person with your own tent. It makes sense if the night safari is the point of your visit.
Rest of your Petén trip
- Tikal sunrise tour — the big Petén day trip.
- Flores to Tikal and Flores airport to Tikal — shuttles, times and prices.
- Actún Kan caves — the cave park in Santa Elena (Q25 for foreigners), 4 km from the island.
- Flores municipality guide — the town itself.
- All Guatemala activities.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Ixpanpajul cost?
At the park’s own published rates, a foreign adult pays USD $25 for the hanging-bridges walk and USD $30 for the Tarzan canopy (zip line), so USD $55 for both. Guatemalan nationals pay Q125 for the bridges and Q150 for the canopy. Foreign children aged 6 to 12 pay USD $20 (bridges) and USD $25 (canopy); children under 5 go free. Rates are from ixpanpajul.com, retrieved 24 September 2026.
How far is Ixpanpajul from Flores?
About 15 minutes. guatemala.com puts the park 15 minutes from Isla de Flores and 10 minutes from Mundo Maya International Airport, at kilometre 468 on the road from Río Dulce to Flores, in Santa Elena. Viator’s listing also says 15 minutes from the island.
How long do you need at Ixpanpajul?
The park lists each activity at 2 hours: 2 hours for the hanging bridges and 2 hours for the canopy. Doing both is roughly a half day on site. The only Viator tour to the park budgets 4 to 5 hours door to door from Flores.
Is there a GetYourGuide or Viator tour to Ixpanpajul?
On 24 September 2026 the GetYourGuide Ixpanpajul product redirected to the general Flores page and no Ixpanpajul tour was listed there. Viator had one: a private guided tour from Flores at $270 per person, 4 to 5 hours, hotel pickup in Flores or Santa Elena, with one review (4.0). The park’s own gate rates for both activities total USD $55 for a foreign adult.
What time does Ixpanpajul open?
Every source agrees it opens at 7:00 AM. The closing time is not consistent: a video on the park’s own Facebook page says 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, while guatemala.com (July 2024) says 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The park’s website publishes no hours. Plan to start by early afternoon and call the park, (502) 2336 0576, if you are arriving late.
Can you sleep at Ixpanpajul?
Yes. The park publishes a 6-person bungalow at Q1,200 (USD $150) a night with breakfast, a family cabin at Q880 (USD $110), and camping at Q125 per person with a tent and mat provided, or Q40 per person with your own tent. The park’s pickup service and the Viator tour both start from Flores or Santa Elena, so Flores is the practical base.
