Official portal: tikalnationalpark.com
CONAP phone: 2422-6700 | Tikal phone: 7861-1399
Hours: 6:00 am - 6:00 pm | Cost: Q150 | Purchase: Immediate at gate
Tikal National Park is Guatemala’’s most important tourist destination — UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 (mixed natural and cultural site), heart of the Classic Maya civilization, and refuge for jaguar, toucan, spider monkey and over 400 bird species inside the Maya Biosphere Reserve. This guide covers everything you need to enter: fees, hours, transport, drone, filming, and behavior rules.
Quick summary: Tikal National Park access. Cost: Q150 nationals and foreigners. Hours: 6:00 am - 6:00 pm. Sunrise/sunset tour Q100 extra with guide. Immediate purchase at gate or Banrural. Drone PROHIBITED without special permit. Tikal sits in the heart of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, the largest area in Mesoamerica.
Information verified May 2026 based on current CONAP fees, Tikal National Park regulations and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
What is Tikal National Park
Tikal is:
- Capital of the Classic Maya civilization (250-900 AD) — one of the largest and best-studied archaeological sites in the world
- Guatemala National Park since 1955 (Decreto 1390)
- UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 (mixed: cultural AND natural)
- Part of the Maya Biosphere Reserve (largest tropical protected area in Mesoamerica, 21,000 km2)
- Home to 3,000+ documented structures, including 6 monumental pyramid temples
- Protected by CONAP (protected area administration) and IDAEH (cultural heritage administration)
Why Visit Tikal
- Temple IV: sunrise panoramic view over the jungle canopy — iconic scene used in Star Wars Episode IV
- Great Plaza: Temple I (Great Jaguar) and Temple II (Masks) facing each other
- Mundo Perdido: oldest astronomical complex (300 BC)
- North Acropolis: most elaborate royal burials in Mesoamerica
- Wildlife: spider monkeys, howler monkeys, curassows, toucans, ocelots (with luck)
- Only at Tikal: unique combination of Maya monuments + living primary tropical jungle
2026 Access Fees
| Category | Cost | Required document |
|---|---|---|
| Guatemalan/resident adult | Q150 | Valid DPI |
| Foreign adult | Q150 | Passport |
| Guatemalan student with ID | Q25 | University or school ID |
| Child under 12 | Free | Birth document or passport |
| Senior Guatemalan (60+) | Q75 | DPI |
| Sunrise tour | +Q100 | Reservation with CONAP guide |
| Sunset tour | +Q100 | Reservation with CONAP guide |
| Camping (authorized zone) | Q50/person/night | ID |
| Drone — commercial use | Q1,500-Q5,000 | Special permit 30-60 days advance |
| Commercial filming | Q5,000-Q50,000 | CONAP + IDAEH permit by project |
Important: Q150 fee is per day. To enter 2 consecutive days you pay twice. Entry does NOT include local guide (Q200-Q400 additional per group of up to 8).
Hours and Special Tours
Regular Hours
- Opening: 6:00 am
- Closing: 6:00 pm
- Last admission: 4:00 pm (recommended)
- Days: Monday to Sunday, year-round
Sunrise Tour
- Gate departure: 4:00 am
- Arrival at Temple IV: 5:30 am
- Approximate sunrise: 5:45 am - 6:15 am by month
- Additional cost: Q100 + mandatory guide (Q300-Q500)
- Reservation: 24-48 hours ahead with authorized CONAP guide or tour operator
Sunset Tour
- Normal departure: 4:30 pm
- Stay until: 7:30 pm with guide
- Additional cost: Q100 + mandatory guide
- Best view: Temple IV or Temple II
How to Buy the Entry
Option 1 — Park Ticket Window (most common)
Location: Las Cruces Gate (main entrance). Hours: 6:00 am - 4:00 pm. They accept Quetzal cash, credit/debit card, and some exchanges accept dollars at the day’’s exchange rate.
Option 2 — Banrural Pre-Deposit
For large groups or tour operators: prior deposit to CONAP account, you arrive with the receipt. Useful to avoid lines in high season (Holy Week, July-August, December).
Option 3 — Tour Operator
Any tour operator with SIGAP permit can sell the entry included in the package (transport + entry + guide + meals). Typical 1-day package from Flores: $80-$150 USD per person.
How to Get to Tikal
From Guatemala City
By air (recommended):
- Flight to Flores Mundo Maya Airport (FRS) — 1 hour
- Airlines: Avianca, TAG, Mayan World
- Cost: $80-$200 USD round trip by season
- Flores-Tikal transfer: 1 hour 15 min by shuttle ($10-$30 USD)
By land (budget):
- Night bus from CENMA terminal or Pradera Concepcion
- Operators: Linea Dorada, ADN, Fuente del Norte
- Time: 8-10 hours
- Cost: Q250-Q400 (executive class with A/C)
- Arrival: dawn in Flores
Private car:
- Route CA-9 north to Rio Dulce, then CA-13 to Flores and Tikal
- Time: 8-9 hours (no stops)
- Approximate fuel: Q500-Q700 round trip
- Caution: last 60 km is jungle without cell signal or gas stations
From Antigua Guatemala
- Tour operators offer 2-4 day Antigua-Tikal-Flores packages (flight from Aurora)
- Package cost: $300-$800 USD per person by category
From Belize (border crossing)
- Melchor de Mencos border: cross from Belize to Guatemala
- Tikal 100 km from the border (1.5 hours)
- Useful if doing route Caye Caulker - San Ignacio - Tikal
Rules Inside the Park
Allowed
- Walking on marked trails
- Climbing authorized temples (II, IV, Mundo Perdido)
- Personal photos (no flash in sensitive areas)
- Bringing water, light snacks
- Camping in authorized zone (Jaguar Inn, Tikal Inn area)
Prohibited (fine or expulsion)
- Drones (UAV) without permit — fine Q5,000-Q15,000
- Touching or climbing unauthorized structures — fine Q1,000 + expulsion
- Removing pieces, fragments, plants, animals — CRIMINAL OFFENSE (5-10 years in prison under Cultural Heritage Law + CITES)
- Making fire outside designated area — fine Q2,000
- Hunting or fishing — fine Q5,000-Q50,000
- Commercial filming without permit — fine Q10,000-Q100,000
- Walking off trails after 4 pm — risk of getting lost + fine Q500
- Disrespectful behavior at active ceremonial sites (some temples are still used by Maya priests)
Special Permits: Drone, Filming, Events
Drone (Personal or Professional Use)
CONAP requires special drone authorization. Process:
- Application to Wildlife Department + IDAEH 60 days ahead
- Flight plan (zones, altitudes, dates)
- Justification (tourism, documentary, research)
- Payment Q1,500-Q5,000 by complexity
- Mandatory park ranger escort
Commercial / Documentary Filming
- Commercial / advertising: Q10,000-Q50,000 + parallel permits
- Academic/cultural documentary: Q5,000-Q15,000
- Feature film: case by case, high costs (includes insurance, escort, temporary zone closures)
- Approval time: 60-90 days
Special Events (Weddings, Ceremonies)
- Traditional Maya ceremony: free with prior coordination with elders council
- Tourist wedding: requires special CONAP permit, cost Q5,000-Q15,000
- Private photo session: Q500-Q2,000
Diaspora and US Visitors: Tikal for Tourists
Tikal is one of the most visited destinations by Guatemalan diaspora and US tourists. Specific tips:
If You Are Diaspora with DPI
- Pay national rate Q150 (not Q150 foreigner — verify)
- Bring physical DPI — photocopy not always accepted
- If your DPI is expired, see how to renew DPI before traveling
If You Are a US Tourist
- Pay foreigner rate Q150 (~$20 USD at current exchange rate)
- Valid passport with Guatemala entry stamp
- For cheap flights: check Avianca, Volaris, Spirit to Aurora (GUA) or Flores (FRS) direct from Houston/Belize
- Recommended to hire local tour operator in Flores (Tikal Tours, Mayan World Tours, Martsam) — includes round-trip transport + bilingual guide + entry + lunch
- Best month: November-March (dry). June-October rains hard (tropical jungle)
- If bringing a drone, set the plan in order WELL IN ADVANCE from USA (60 days) — do not improvise
Lodging Recommendations
- Inside the park (luxury): Tikal Inn, Jaguar Inn, Jungle Lodge ($120-$300 USD/night)
- Tikal gate: budget lodging ($30-$60 USD)
- Flores Island: more options, nightlife, restaurants ($40-$200 USD)
- El Remate: between Flores and Tikal, Lake Peten Itza ($50-$150 USD)
What to Bring
- Hat, sunscreen (jungle burns)
- Strong mosquito repellent
- Boots or closed-toe shoes
- Flashlight (for sunrise)
- Plenty of water (2 liters minimum)
- Camera and extra batteries
- Cash in quetzales for guides and meals at local restaurants
Penalties for Improper Access or Conduct
| Offense | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Entering without paying | Fine Q500-Q2,000 + expulsion + possible processing |
| Drone without permit | Fine Q5,000-Q15,000 + equipment seizure |
| Touching or damaging structures | Fine Q1,000-Q10,000 + expulsion |
| Removing archaeological pieces or fragments | 5-10 years prison + Q50,000-Q500,000 fine (Cultural Heritage Law) |
| Hunting or fishing inside the park | Fine Q5,000-Q50,000 + seizure + 1-3 years prison |
| Commercial filming without permit | Fine Q10,000-Q100,000 + material seizure |
| Making fire outside zone | Fine Q2,000 + liability for forest fires |
| Walking off trails after closing | Fine Q500 + return escort |
Related Procedures
- CONAP — Procedures hub — all CONAP services
- Commercial Tourism Permit SIGAP CONAP — for B2B tour operators
- Scientific Research Permit CONAP — for archaeological or biological research
- Get Guatemala DPI — for national rate
- MINEX — Apostille — for foreigners with documents to apostille
Official Links
- Tikal National Park — Official site
- CONAP — Official site
- INGUAT — Guatemala Tourism
- UNESCO — Tikal World Heritage
- Government services catalog
- IDAEH — Cultural Heritage
Tikal is World Heritage — it belongs to everyone but requires strict rules to preserve it. Paying entry, respecting trails, not flying a drone without a permit, and carrying enough water makes your visit memorable. Reaching Temple IV at sunrise is worth every quetzal of the additional fee.