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Tikal History
During the Maya civilization, the glorious city of Tikal thrived in what is now part of Guatemala. In the heart of the city were palaces and lofty pyramids topped with temples. The ancient site of Tikal was once home to an estimated 100,000 Maya.  Tikal declined as Maya civilization and the region suffered the mysterious collapse that marked the end of their classic period around AD 900,. Some possible noted reasons for the collapse of the great Maya cities like Tikal include environmental degradation, overpopulation, drought, and the long history of warfare in the Maya’s region.

Over many centuries, the vacated buildings of Tikal were repossesed by the jungle. Some structures have now been cleared and restored, but most of Tikal still lies underneath a canopy of tropical forest.

According to some scientist, Tikal was one of the greatest and most populated cities of the Mayan civilization, at its peak sustaining some 200,000 people within its 30 square miles. A fraction of Tikal’s more than 3,000 buildings have been excavated, allowing visitors to see temples, tombs, palaces, and religious monuments with hieroglyphic inscriptions. Tikal is a  50-year-old national park, and a UNESCO natural and cultural World Heritage site since 1979, it is a national symbol with well-established protection measures.

Tikal Visitor Information
Tikal’s main gate opens at 06:00, and officially closes at 18:00. Buses and minibuses come in from all surrounding areas on a well maintained road. Tickets are purchased at the main gate, which is some miles away from the Visitors Center near the parking lot.

During the day, the park is the most crowded between 10am and 2pm when the tour groups from Belize and neighboring towns come in. If you want to explore the park on your own away from crowds, the best time is during the morning or right before the park has closed when most people are gone.

In the mornings, the guides to morning sunrise hikes so you can watch the sunrise form the top of one of the temples. These cost about $10 USD and last a little over an hour.

There are 3 hotels within Tikal National Park, located only 1 kilometer away from Tikal’s Grand Plaza. A pristine tropical forest, home to 410 species of birds, and hundreds of species of mammals, insects and more, surrounds all of them. The Tikal Inn and the Jungle Lodge both have comfortable accommodations, which include hot and cold showers, two double beds, whirling ceiling fans, private front porches in all of its cabanas and restaurant service. As you will see all rooms in Tikal come with a symphony of birds, courtesy of the jungle. Visitors can rent tents or sleep in hammocks. The hotels all have restaurants too.

Some of the highlights to see while you are visiting Tikal include the following:

• Tempel 1 - is the designation given to one of the major structures at Tikal. It is also known as the Temple of the Grand Jaguar because of a lintel that represents a king sitting upon a jaguar throne. It is situated at the heart of Tikal. Although not the tallest temple at Tikal, one not to be missed sitting at 143 feet.

• Temple 2 - The Temple of the Masks or also known as Temple II, is directly opposite the Temple of the Grand Jaguar on the Grand Plaza. The steps of the temple are very large. Be prepared to be amazed when you look down from the top.

• Lost World Pyramid - Over 100 feet tall, the pyramid includes four stairways that reach the top, each one constructed by large stone carved masks. Looking out from the summit, Temple IV and the Temples of the Great Plaza can be seen rising through the jungle canopy.

• Mayan Treasures - The ancient Maya took great pride in their artwork, creating intricate masks dedicated to the dead and sculpting stelae that recorded history of time. Some of these include greenstone masks, mayan skulls, and mosaic masks. Be sure to look for these ancient pieces of art as you venture through Tikal.

Tikal Conservation Efforts
Nearby settlements place pressure on the park as people burn forest areas for farming and cattle grazing, and others are illegally extracting non-timber forest products within the park itself. Increasing tourism has caused damage to the buildings at Tikal, disrupted the habitat of some animal and bird species, and created a garbage-management problem. A high turnover rate among park personnel also challenges management stability.

The Nature Conservancy recently assisted the Guatemalan Ministry of Culture in the development of a new master plan for Tikal National Park, replacing one created in the 1970s. The plan places primary emphasis on protecting the natural and cultural heritage of Tikal and sets up a framework for sustainable tourism management.