Tikal Sunrise: Camping at Tikal Guatemala

Tikal Guatemala is the most impressive Mayan ruins I have seen so far, compared to others like Lamanai in Belize for example.  Tikal National Park comes close to Machu Picchu in grandeur, although sadly there is no viewpoint to overlook Tikal, partly because it is surrounded by jungle!  This vast Maya site is actually closer to Belize City than most popular destinations in Guatemala, like Antigua and Lake Atitlan, so it makes sense to visit Tikal on your way to or from Belize, or combine it with a trip to Semuc Champey.  However, the most important thing to decide when visiting Tikal Guatemala is to decide whether to do the tour to see the Tikal sunrise or sunset, or just visit during the day.  My recommendation would actually be to do all three.

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Getting to Tikal National Park

We came to Tikal from San Ignacio in Belize.  We got a lift to the border, took a collectivo from the Guatemala side of the border to the crossroads near El Remate, then took a bus to Tikal National Park.  A lot of people take the collectivo straight to Flores, and spend the night there, but for a real adventure, spend the night camping at Tikal in a hammock.

Sleep in a hammock in Tikal for a unique Tikal sunrise experience!
Sleep in a hammock in Tikal for a unique Tikal sunrise experience

Buying Tickets for Tikal

Our bus stopped before we reached the visitors’ centre at the entrance gate to the Tikal National Park.  Here you have to buy the tickets for Tikal, so you already need to have made your decision about the Tikal sunset or sunrise tour, or the day time visit.  We were a little flustered so rushed our decisions under the pressure.

How to Choose your Tikal National Park Tickets

It is no longer the case that if you enter after 4pm your ticket is valid for the next day; your ticket is for one day only.  The normal entrance ticket costs 150 Q, and is valid from 6am to 6pm on the day you choose to use it.  We arrived at around 3pm, and were told we could use the ticket that day, or save it for a full day’s use the following day.

To do the Tikal sunrise tour there is an extra cost of 100 Q to enter the park from 4am-6am.  You do not have to use this ticket on the same day as your standard day ticket. PLUS inside the park you will need to pay an extra 100-150 Q per person for the guide who has to accompany you for the sunrise.

To see the Tikal sunset, you will need to pay an extra 20 Q to be allowed to stay in the park after 6pm.  There is no extra cost for the guide.  When we visited in May, the sun set around 6.30pm-6.45pm, so in order to see the sunset, you have to pay the extra fee.  This may change at different times of the year, although I imagine the park would still charge the extra to be in the park after dark.

Explore the hidden corners of Tikal after a Tikal sunrise tour
Explore the hidden corners of Tikal

Staying overnight at Tikal

There are three different hotels in Tikal, and a campsite if you feel brave enough to go camping in Tikal.  Please note that these are inside the national park area, but not inside the actual ruins, they are close to the entrance. 

The hotels get reasonable reviews, and are nice if you want to have a little luxury – however, the electricity doesn’t run all night and is shut off at 9pm, so don’t expect air conditioning or even a fan to keep you cool.  Choose one with a swimming pool if you want to take a dip after your Tikal tour!

Check prices at hotels in Tikal on booking or agoda

Camping in Tikal

To stay in the campsite at Tikal, it costs 50 Q per person if you bring your own tent, plus an extra 35 Q per person if you want to hire a hammock for the night.  The hammocks have their own sheet draped over them, so it feels like a hammock tent!  There are put up inside shelters, so if it rains overnight you will keep dry, but the breeze still comes through the canvas and helps to cool you down. 

I am glad I had a travel buddy for this, as staying alone in a hammock would be a scary experience when you can hear all the animals around you!  I recorded this at about 1.30am from my hammock:

The Tikal Sunrise Tour

I was a little disappointed by the guide on our tour, considering we each paid 150 quetzales for an English-speaking guide.  He didn’t explain as much as I’d hoped about the meaning of the temples and the lives of the Maya here, however, the overall experience was definitely worth it.

We met at the visitors’ centre at 4am, and got our wristbands for the sunrise, and for the day entrance.  It was still pitch black at this point, so we needed our torches to avoid stumbling on roots and rocks along the path.  Our guide led us through the darkness, the grumbling, growling howler monkeys welcoming us to the Maya temples. 

He explained a little about the temples we passed, but seemed intent on getting to the destination first, before the other guides.  We were actually the second group to arrive at the Tikal Temple IV which faces east.  Rows of stone ‘seats’ offered a perfect view for us all, when the sun would finally come.  It was still dark. 

We sat in silence and listened to the forest around us.  Squawks of birds echoed around us, and the howler monkeys continued their chorus.  We sat, for an hour or more, as the sky grew lighter, and the birdsong grew louder.  More people joined our vigil, all gazing out to the horizon, waiting for the sunrise over the Mayan ruins.

Unfortunately, it was cloudy, so we didn’t see the spectacular Tikal sunrise we all hoped for.  In fact, I didn’t even realise the sun had risen until it peeked out from behind the clouds, already high in the sky.  One by one the groups descended the wooden staircase, and our guide explained more about the temples. 

We made our way back to the entrance gate, no longer needing our torches.  Along the way, we spotted more birds and animals – and for a moment we thought we might see a jaguar when a group of agouti ran across our path, seemingly avoiding a predator.  But they scattered and although we waited and hoped for a glimpse of the jaguar, we saw nothing. 

A troop of spider monkeys swung above us in the trees.  Although we didn’t see a jaguar, the rest of the forest was alive around us.  Despite the cloudy sunrise, I still really enjoyed the experience of walking through Tikal in the dark, and watching, and listening as the forest rose from its slumber.

Later on we had plenty of time to explore the rest of the park.

Tikal is the most impressive Maya Site I have seen - explore after the Tikal Sunrise tour
Tikal is the most impressive Maya Site I have seen

Which is Better?  A Sunset or Sunrise Tour to Tikal?

My recommendation would be to arrive before noon on the first day, so you can use your day ticket to explore in the afternoon, and pay the extra to watch the sunset.  The following morning use your Tikal sunrise tour ticket, then leave at 6-7am with your guide to have a good breakfast and continue your journey.  Tikal is a large complex, but with 5 or 6 hours to explore that should be plenty.

I visited Tikal independently, but if you are looking for tours to Tikal, check out these options with GetYourGuide:

Waiting for the famous Tikal sunrise, which sadly never came!
Waiting for the famous Tikal sunrise, which sadly never came!

If you don’t have time to spend the night, and can only choose either the sunset or the sunrise tour, then these points may help you decide:

Things to Think About for Your Trip to Tikal

Sunrise in Tikal is often cloudy, as it was when we were there.

Sunset is more often clear, but of course there is no guarantee of the weather, even in the dry season.

The Tikal sunrise tour begins when it is still dark, so walking around the Maya site in the dark is a unique experience.

You have more chance of seeing wildlife in the early morning or evening as that is when they are more active.  On the sunrise tour we heard a lot of howler monkeys, saw some spider monkeys, agoutis, a coati, and plenty of birds, including all 3 types of toucan that reside at Tikal.

Bring a tent & camp, or hire a hammock to see the Tikal sunrise
Bring a tent & camp, or hire a hammock to see the Tikal sunrise

If you really want to get close to the action, there are some reasonable value hotels at the entrance to Tikal, or for camping in Tikal you can rent a hammock, or bring a tent to stay in the campsite overnight.

There are no cash machines in Tikal, and changing money isn’t easy, so try to bring enough quetzals with you to cover your stay and all the entry fees.  If you don’t have enough Qetzales, and are coming from Belize, bring US dollars with you to change at the border or the collectivo station where you will get a reasonable rate.  Exchange rates for Belizean dollars can be a lot worse

.  Unfortunately, we didn’t change enough before we arrived, so ended up paying for a meal at the hotel by credit card (with a fee) and accepting a not-so-great exchange rate from one of the guys selling soft drinks inside Tikal!

Check prices for a hostel in Flores, an hour from Tikal on Booking or Hostelworld

BOOK YOUR HOSTEL NOW

Tikal on a Budget

If you are visiting Tikal on a budget, stay at a hostel in Flores overnight, and take the tour with Los Amigos who offer tours to Tikal starting at 100 Q, including transport and guide. 

Their sunrise tour leaves at 3am (so you would have to also pay the 250 Q entrance fee and early morning fee), or their Early Bird tour leaves at 4.30am to be at the site for 6am, so the entrance fee would be the usual 150 Q.  There will still be howler monkeys active at this time, so if you want the nature experience without the extra cost, this could be a good option.

Have you been to Tikal?  Any scary monkey stories you’d like to share?  Let me know in the comments below!

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Tikal in Guatemala is the most impressive Maya site I have seen, and definitely worth a visit. But is a Tikal sunrise tour best, or sunset? Or neither!?

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23 thoughts on “Tikal Sunrise: Camping at Tikal Guatemala

  1. Claire says:

    That sounds amazing! Things have changed a bit since then I’m sure but it is still an incredible place to visit!

  2. Tokushima says:

    I visited Tikal in 1995. My trip started with a flight in a small plane from Guatemala City to Flores, which in itself was a harrowing experience. I stayed at a hotel on the edge of the lake. The sounds of the howler monkeys lasted all night and the moonlit lake was beautiful. A van picked me up at 3am and dropped me off at the entrance to the park. I walked alone through the jungle in complete darkness except for my flashlight. I saw a variety of exotic animals crossing the trail in front of me and could still hear the howler monkeys. It was both unnerving and exciting. At the pyramids, it was still plenty dark when I ascended (I cannot remember which one) the steep and shallow stone steps. I was on top when the first light of sunrise appeared. The jungle went from near silence to frenetic in an instant. From that vantage point above the canopy, I could suddenly see tons of monkeys and parrots, and the sounds were amazing. It was one of the most unique and memorable experiences of my life. Climbing down the stone steps was a little scary. At that time, I don’t remember the wooden stairs being an option.

  3. Claire says:

    Hi Yuleisi, thanks for reading! We only stayed one night, and the toilet facilities weren’t great – take a torch and toilet paper/tissues with you. I don’t remember if there was a shower but as we got up at 3.30am it didn’t matter anyway! There wasn’t a kitchen but I was there about 2 years ago so they may have updated some of the facilities since then. Sorry I can’t be more help, we had dinner at one of the hotels close to the campsite – not the cheapest but for one night it was manageable. You could try the Backpacking in Central America Facebook group to see if anyone has been recently and could shed more light on it for you. Good luck!

  4. Yuleisi Contreras says:

    Hello Claire,
    I am going to Tikal in July. My boyfriend and I would like to camp in Tikal. I read it is possible to buy the camping tickets only when you get there in the ticket area. Would like to ask you then more information about the camping area because I could not find more information in internet: is it possible to make a bonfire to cook? Do they have any kitchen or bbq area or something to cook? Bathrooms and showers are OK?

  5. J loiks says:

    well it was years ago, but 4 of us camping at the campground in the park about 1/4 mile from a gate you could easily walk around. so we took our sleeping bags and ended up sleeping in the top of tower1 with the bats, was a memorable experience, especially in the morning when the bats came back we did take a tour and highly recommend you do as you learn a lot about the Mayan culture. PS don’t buy grass from the guy between the buss and the border security. they work together. one sells it the other seizes it and gives it back to number one to sell again

  6. Claire says:

    If you are camping then I think the only option is to hire a guide from the information centre at the entrance. They are official guides, and seemed pretty stuck on the per person price, although I’m terrible at haggling so you may have more luck with 3 people!

  7. Glenn says:

    Do you have any “do over” thoughts on how or where to get a good guide for the sunrise if your camping at the park ? Isn’t there room to negotiate if your 2 or 3 together as opposed to paying per person? I’ll be there inMarch with my 18 & 20 yr old.

  8. Lauren says:

    Hello there Claire!
    I have never been to Tikal, but from how you describe it, I feel like I should spend all my life savings and fly there immediately, haha. I mean, what could be better than sleeping in a hammock and listening to the purr of the jungle?! I can’t even imagine how the sunrise and sunset look from the hammock. It has to be immaculate!
    I think the Mayans are such an amazing and fascinating tribe, it’s such a shame you did not get a good English translator.
    Anyway, this article had me at sleeping in hammocks at night. It’s something I have to soon cancel out from my bucket list, otherwise, I won’t have lived life…haha
    Thank you for this informative post!

  9. Claire says:

    Thanks for your message Suzie! it is an amazing experience, I highly recommend it! I don’t think you can book in advance; we bought the camping ticket at the park entrance where you buy the rest of your tickets, so you have to know what you want to buy; the entrance ticket, the dawn or evening tour if you want, and the camping. Enjoy!

  10. Suzie says:

    Sounds amazzzzzzing…sleeping in hammock in Tikal national Park. WOW!
    Don’t see any information about booking tickets for sleeping overnight at the park at the park’s website! Where to book or purchase this option from? Ticket counter?

  11. Mayochup says:

    I’d love to stay out and sleep in a hammock, would be perfect.

    A shame about the sunrise but you can’t help the weather!

  12. Christopher says:

    This is a fantastic post. You had me at sleep in a hammock out doors and hear the jungle come alive…But then I thought Would I actually want to do that. Whould I start to freak out lolol…Tikal in Guatemala is A beautiful Maya site. I actually didn’t even know there was more than one…lol silly me…This sounds like such an adventure I think I’m gonna add it to my to go to list!!!

  13. Cat says:

    Tikal is a must see in Guatemala! Watching the sunrise must be such a memorable experience. I would love to do that if I ever get to visit!

  14. Our Seaside Baby says:

    Wow, it looks amazing! I studied archaeology at university including a course in the Mayan civilisation. It was fascinating and I’d love to visit Guatemala one day! I’m very jealous 🙂 Polly

  15. Peter Korchnak says:

    I’m reading a book on Mayan history right now, so this info comes with added weight. Adding Tikal to my list of must-see Mayan sites!

  16. carla abanes says:

    Sold on the sleeping in a hammock! And in Tikal. Planning to visit this amazing place in December. I hope its a good weather though.

  17. Punita Malhotra says:

    Night in a hammock, rocking yourself to sleep sounds unique. Mayan sites are the one of the most fascinating elements of travel on that part of the world and I can’t wait to go.

  18. Rob says:

    Sounds like a wonderful experience. We are planning on heading south later this year and if we get to Guatemala I think we will have to visit Tikal. Although after listening to those howler monkeys I don’t know if I could sleep with them talking to each other.

  19. Claudia says:

    I admire you guys for doing the journey to Tikal from Belize! I would be scared to take the bus across the border. This place looks amazing though! Might even be better than chichen itza

  20. Victorian says:

    The sunrise hammock seems SO COOL! I don’t get up early and don’t really love sunrise but man could I be persuaded with that view and the gentle swaying of the hammock!

  21. Claire says:

    It was fairly cool actually – better than the hotel rooms without a fan or air-con after the electricity turns off I’m sure! Tikal is definitely worth a visit from Belize, I highly recommend it!

  22. Cherri Megasko says:

    I absolutely love the idea of sleeping in a hammock, especially with the drapes that provide some privacy. But I wonder if they prevent airflow causing it to be a very hot evening? My husband and I are in Belize for a few months and have discussed heading over to Flores and Tikal for a quick visit. Maybe we’ll just do this!

  23. VakarianGirl says:

    Loved seeing your take on Tikal. You may remember we are going to attempt Lamanai during our cruise next Feb. But I am a Google Earth fanatic-a-holic and have spent many an hour drooling over other sites that are JUST across the border in Guatemala!

    Tikal would surely be right at the top of my list to see if ever possible. Might have to arrange a Central America non-cruise-trip with my dh sometime in the future!!

    Keep campin’! 😛

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