Neither the UK nor Canada lists Flores or Tikal as a place to avoid, but both name risks in Petén: the UK puts Petén among Guatemala’s high-crime departments and lists Tikal among tourist routes that have seen armed attacks or robberies, and Canada advises against non-essential travel to Petén’s two land border crossings.
In short: For a Flores-and-Tikal trip, the UK’s advice (updated 5 November 2026) is to travel with a reputable tour company, stay in tourist areas and travel in daylight where possible. Canada (updated 13 October 2026) keeps Guatemala at exercise a high degree of caution and lists the Melchor de Mencos (Belize) and El Ceibo (Mexico) crossings among areas to avoid for non-essential travel. At Tikal, daytime visits need no guide; sunrise and sunset visits need an authorized guide. Help: 1500, or ASISTUR WhatsApp +502 5188-1819.
This page covers one trip: Flores, the road to Tikal, the park itself and the Petén border crossings. For the country-wide picture, including the US State Department’s level, see the Guatemala safety guide. For homicide rates by municipality, including Flores, see safest places in Guatemala.
What the UK and Canada say about Petén
All pages read 10 November 2026; the dates are the ones each government prints.
| Government (date printed) | Petén, Tikal or Flores by name | What it advises |
|---|---|---|
| UK FCDO (updated 5 November 2026) | Petén is one of six departments, with Huehuetenango, Chiquimula, Zacapa, Izabal and San Marcos, where areas in and around them experience high levels of crime | In rural parts, travel with a reputable tour company and follow local security advice; remain within tourist areas and travel during daylight hours where possible |
| UK FCDO | Says there have been armed attacks or robberies on most tourist routes between Guatemala City, Antigua, Tikal, Petén and Lake Atitlán | FCDO says main roads are safer than quieter routes and advises travelling in convoy if possible |
| UK FCDO, regional risks | The Belize-Guatemala border, because of the dispute between the two countries | Take care near it; use only officially recognised crossings |
| Government of Canada (last updated 13 October 2026, 13:46 ET) | Melchor de Mencos border with Belize (CA-13) and El Ceibo border with Mexico (PET-13) | Avoid non-essential travel, citing very high levels of violent crime |
| Government of Canada | The area near the border with Belize | Drug-related armed attacks occur in all departments close to borders; the Belize border area is named as especially affected |
Flores and Tikal do not appear on the UK’s list of places it advises against (the 5 km strip along the Mexican border from the Pacific to the Gracias a Dios crossing, and three towns in Huehuetenango) or on Canada’s list (zones of Guatemala City, five municipalities in Guatemala and Escuintla departments, and named border crossings).
If you are crossing into Belize after Tikal, the Melchor de Mencos border page covers the crossing itself.
The road: Flores to Tikal
The Ministry of Culture and Sports gives Tikal as 63 km from Flores (1 hour) and 484 km from Guatemala City (9 hours). From Flores the route follows the CA-13 toward Melchor de Mencos, then turns left at Aldea Ixlú toward El Remate and on to the park entrance; the ministry says shared and private microbuses run daily.
| Road issue | Source | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| Robbery on tourist routes | UK FCDO | Names Tikal and Petén among routes with armed attacks or robberies |
| Roadwork roadblocks | Canada | Common in northern and western departments including Petén; they may cause substantial delays |
| Remote off-road travel | Canada | Seek advice from a registered travel agency before off-road travel in the remote highlands of Petén |
| Border areas | Canada | Many border crossings close for lunch and at dusk; avoid travelling after dark |
Shuttle and colectivo options, times and fares are compared on Flores to Tikal.
The park: hours, guides and rules
The ticket portal of the Ministry of Culture and Sports splits the day into three windows. From 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. visitors may explore the site independently and without a guide, provided they respect the regulations, marked routes and official instructions. For the sunrise visit (approximately 4:00 to 6:00 a.m.) and the sunset visit (approximately 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.) you need a valid regular ticket, the tour ticket and an authorized guide, which the visitor must arrange separately.
The same page asks visitors to carry the entrance ticket throughout the visit (digital tickets are accepted), follow marked routes, respect restricted areas, not climb structures that are not authorized for access, and not feed wildlife. Ticket prices and what each ticket covers are on our Tikal guide; the dawn visit itself is on Tikal sunrise tours.
In Flores: who to call and where to report
| Need | Who | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist assistance, Spanish and English | ASISTUR (INGUAT) | 1500 from a Guatemalan number; WhatsApp +502 5188-1819 (both printed by ASISTUR and Canada) |
| INGUAT line printed by Canada | Guatemalan Institute of Tourism | +502 2290-2800 |
| Report a crime against a foreign tourist | Public Prosecutor’s unit for crimes against foreign tourists, with an office inside INGUAT’s Flores, Petén delegation | Petén and Izabal: +502 3572-6910; national +502 3756-7330 |
| General crime report | Ministerio Público | +502 2411-9191; online at mp.gob.gt/denuncias |
| Police, from Canada’s list | Police | 110 / 120 |
ASISTUR lists among its services security recommendations on routes and destinations, and help with problems with tourism services, lost belongings, theft or robbery. More on the service is on our ASISTUR 1500 page.
Requesting an escort
ASISTUR, with the Interior Ministry and the tourist police division, offers two escort types: acompañamiento en ruta (one leg of a journey; a separate request for the outbound and return legs) and custodia permanente (the whole trip, on the road and at destinations). Requests go through an online form or WhatsApp +502 5188-1819, at least 72 hours in advance. ASISTUR says a submitted form is not a confirmation, that the service depends on the tourist police division’s availability, and that an incomplete form may be rejected.
Forest-fire season
Canada’s advice says: “Forest fires occur between November and June.” It adds that they can happen anywhere in the country but the Petén area is usually the most affected, that heavy smoke may worsen air quality near active fires, and that in a major fire you should stay away from affected areas, monitor local media and follow evacuation orders. A November-to-June trip to Tikal falls inside that window.
Related
- Where to stay in Flores
- Flores to Tikal: shuttles and colectivos
- Tikal National Park guide
- Guatemala safety guide
Sources
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Guatemala travel advice (update date): https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/guatemala — read 10 November 2026.
- UK FCDO, Guatemala safety and security: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/guatemala/safety-and-security — read 10 November 2026.
- UK FCDO, Guatemala regional risks: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/guatemala/regional-risks — read 10 November 2026.
- Government of Canada, Travel advice and advisories: Guatemala: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/guatemala — read 10 November 2026.
- Ministry of Culture and Sports ticket portal, access hours and types of admission to Tikal National Park: https://boletos.culturaguate.gob.gt/en/access-hours-and-types-of-admission-to-tikal-national-park/ — read 10 November 2026.
- Ministry of Culture and Sports, Tikal: https://culturaguate.gob.gt/tikal/ — read 10 November 2026.
- ASISTUR (INGUAT), services: https://asistur.gt/servicios/ — read 10 November 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to visit Tikal and Flores, Guatemala?
Neither the UK (updated 5 November 2026) nor Canada (updated 13 October 2026) lists Flores or Tikal among the areas it advises against. The UK names Petén among departments with high crime and Tikal among tourist routes where armed attacks or robberies have occurred, and advises a reputable tour company and daylight travel.
Which parts of Petén do the advisories say to avoid?
Canada advises avoiding non-essential travel to two Petén border crossings: Melchor de Mencos (CA-13, to Belize) and El Ceibo (PET-13, to Mexico). The UK asks travellers to take care near the Belize-Guatemala border and to use only officially recognised crossings.
Do I need a guide at Tikal?
Not in regular hours. The Ministry of Culture and Sports says visitors may explore independently from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. if they follow the regulations and marked routes. The sunrise (about 4:00-6:00 a.m.) and sunset (about 6:00-8:00 p.m.) visits require an authorized guide, arranged by the visitor, plus the regular and tour tickets.
Who do I call if something happens in Flores or at Tikal?
Dial 1500 from a Guatemalan number or message ASISTUR on WhatsApp at +502 5188-1819. To report a crime against a foreign tourist, the Public Prosecutor’s tourist unit has an office inside INGUAT’s Flores delegation; its Petén and Izabal number is +502 3572-6910.
Can I get a police escort to Tikal?
ASISTUR takes escort requests through an online form or WhatsApp +502 5188-1819. The form must be sent at least 72 hours ahead, and sending it does not confirm the escort: that depends on the tourist police division’s availability.
Are there forest fires near Tikal?
Canada’s advice says forest fires occur between November and June and that the Petén area is usually the most affected, with heavy smoke near active fires. It is seasonal guidance, not a live fire report.
![Melchor de Mencos Border Crossing to Belize [2026]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=640,format=auto,quality=80/images/articles/og-default.webp)
