Tikal is relatively close to the Belize border and can be easily reached from a number of towns in Guatemala. There is accommodation at Tikal but this is more expensive than staying in a local town and would only offer advantages if you intend to spend more than one day visiting Tikal. There are plenty of tour operators who will arrange trips; we were spoilt for choice in Flores. Trips leave at several different departure times throughout the day. We took the 5am departure as the heat in Guatemala is unlike everything I have ever experienced, and we wanted to climb some of the ruins before it got to hot. Tickets cost around Q40 for the trip and they normally offer you a range of return time so you can chose how long you wish to stay.

On arriving at Tikal we stopped at the visitor centre for breakfast. There is nothing spectacular about this with overpriced, small portions of food. We began at complex Q and worked our way round finishing with the central acropolis. If you arrive early enough, head to the Temple VI as there are some great views – check out my pictures. The thing that makes Tikal so special in comparison to lots of other ruins is the jungle canopy. It really adds a mystical feeling to the grounds, especially early in the morning. We saw monkeys and lots of other animals, including a racoon. The central Acropolis is a good point to stop if you’ve taken lunch with you.

There are lots of grounds and generally lots of people sitting on the grass. There are also amazing views here of several temples and the North Acropolis with its amazing structures. Temple V was closed when I visited and is due to reopen in 2007 but once opened it is clear that the views from here will be incredible. The great Pyramid offers the main attraction of Tikal. Its reached by a single ladder stretching up the side of the temple. If you really want to visit this I would say go first as it gets really busy and can be slightly imposing being on a small ledge with a large number of people. Personally I thought Temple VI was better and a perfect place to begin the day. I can’t describe it better than my pics, so check them out and the review of Flores as it’s a great place to stay.