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Getting from San Ignacio to Tikal: A Complete Travel Guide
Trying to figure out how to get from San Ignacio to Tikal? You’ve come to the right place!
During a trip to Belize, we took a day tour from San Ignacio to Tikal.
Originally, we didn’t intend to do this during our vacation. However, we realized that it’s actually pretty easy to get between the two countries.
We’ve spent a lot of time exploring Central America over the years, and Guatemala is one of our favorite places!
Since we didn’t book a pre-planned vacation package for the duration of our stay in Belize, we had the flexibility to adjust our plans and fit in this cool excursion.
Based on our experience, anyone – even families – can take this unique day trip to Tikal pretty easily from San Ignacio town.
Why Visit Tikal from San Ignacio, Belize?
While some people visit Tikal from Guatemala City or Antigua, these cities in the southern part of the country are really far away.
It requires a very long, overnight bus trip or expensive plane flight to get to Tikal from down south. Traveling from San Ignacio to Tikal is only a couple of hours by minivan, including border crossing time.
Travel Note: Tikal National Park is a massive complex in northern Guatemala that takes days to see everything.
Archaeologists are still actively excavating more throughout this archaeological site.
Historians estimate that tens of thousands of people lived there between the 4th century BCE and its abandonment in the 10th century CE.
Some estimates say upwards of 90,000 people resided in Tikal at the height of its power. So it was certainly a bustling city!
It was (re)discovered in the 1840s and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site site since 1979. In addition, it is one of the largest sites of Mayan ruins on earth!
We focused on the highlights there and still barely scratched the surface. Visitors could easily spend a few days here and not get bored.
Tikal is Different from Ruins in Riviera Maya
Tikal is enormous, which means there is a LOT to see and do there. The entire site is 23 square miles!
In addition, seven of the temples are still in such good condition that visitors can climb them.
Several are so high, that you can see amazing views of the ruin site as well as the surrounding jungle. This means there are A LOT of stairs!
For this reason, we’d recommend people be in moderately good physical condition in order to truly enjoy the full scope of a day trip to Tikal.
Compared to the various Riviera Maya ruins we’ve visited during our time in Mexico, Tikal is much less “touristy.” There are no vendors peddling souvenirs nor are there large tour groups everywhere.
While it wasn’t as desolate as our visit to ruins in Bacalar, it also wasn’t overrun with busloads of visitors midday like Chichen Itza tends to be.
Fun Fact: 1,000+ TripAdvisor reviews consistently rate the Tikal ruins site five stars.
If you’re only going to visit one set of Mayan ruins in Central America, it should be Tikal.
Star Wars Temple
Visiting the “Star Wars temple,” was one major highlight of our trip. Also known as Temple IV, this building has earned its nickname because a portion of A New Hope was filmed at Tikal.
Specifically, the scenes from the rebel base on Yavin IV were filmed on-site at the ruins.
The shot where a rebel watches the Millenium Falcon land at the base on Yavin was taken from the very top of Temple IV.
The shot looks east toward Temples I, II, and III can be seen on film.
Many Star Wars buffs have visited these ruins over the years just to see Temple IV. We didn’t know this bit of trivia until we arrived at the ruins. It was exciting nonetheless to visit a Star Wars set!
We even realized when we got home that our picture of Little Man (left) was taken from the exact same spot as the movie was filmed. Hopefully, someday he thinks that it’s as cool as his parents do!
What to Wear to To Tikal
Unlike temples in Asia we’ve visited, shorts and t-shirts or tank tops are acceptable attire when touring Mayan ruins.
It’s vital, however, to wear very comfortable shoes that you can walk in for long distances.
Either sneakers or closed-toe hiking sandals would work best. There are a lot of uneven paths and tree roots, so closed-toe shoes help protect your feet if you trip.
While sunscreen is important, there is also a lot of tree cover on most of the paths so you may not even feel a need to reapply throughout the day as you do at the beach. In addition, bring insect repellent with DEET.
The organic/chemical-free stuff is not strong enough to repel the numerous mosquitoes in Tikal. Bug repellent stickers and wristbands don’t work well here either.
If you don’t want to put DEET repellent on your kiddos, put them in long pants and long sleeves as well as sneakers with socks.
👉 Get your kiddo a hat with a mosquito net if they’re very sensitive to mosquito bites.
The one thing you don’t want to do is leave them with nothing to protect them from bugs all day long. Mosquitos at Tikal are no joke.
Like much of Central America, there is a chance of getting dengue fever from daytime mosquitos and malaria from nighttime mosquitos.
Cost to Enter Tikal
💲 Adult Entry: 150Q (~$20 USD)
💲 Child Entry: Kids under 12 are free; kids over 12 are charged as adults
💲 Guatemala Citizen Entry: Free on Sundays
💲 Hours: 6 am to 5 pm daily
💲 Pay Methods Accepted: Cash only; no credit cards
If you’re planning a trip to Tikal for more than one day, it’s important to note that tickets purchased after 3 PM are also valid the entire next day.
👉 For a unique and exclusive experience, consider going on the Tikal Sunrise Tour which includes breakfast!
Visitors cannot purchase Tikal entry tickets online. Even on tours, the guides purchase the tickets for you on arrival at the park. This is usually an extra fee beyond the tour cost, but a Tikal ranger comes right to the tour van.
This bonus means guided tour participants don’t need to wait in lines for tickets like individual visitors do.
Take Public Transit from San Ignacio to Tikal
The cheapest way to get from San Ignacio to Tikal is by public transit. There isn’t a single San Ignacio to Flores bus, though.
Instead, visitors using this transportation method will need to take a few steps to get where they want to go.
Getting from Belize to the Guatemala Border
If you’re staying in San Ignacio Town, your hotel can help you arrange a taxi that will drive you to the border. Generally, a taxi from San Ignacio to the Guatemala border will take about a half-hour.
It generally costs around 15 BZD ($7.50 USD) and must be paid in cash. There is no Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare services anywhere in Belize.
Pro Tip: The Belize border has free parking. You can leave your personal or rental car there.
This is what we did. If you have any valuables, don’t leave them in plain sight. Either leave them in your hotel, take them with you, or put them in your trunk.
While Belize is a relatively safe country, there is no need to make yourself a target by leaving pricey items unattended and in plain sight all day long.
👉 I recommend using Discover Cars for renting a car on your trip!
We did see people taking their personal vehicles across the border. However, each one had to wait in line to be washed and disinfected. They also had to get a car permit.
Having driven in Guatemala on other occasions, I appreciate that we didn’t have to do all that for just a few hours across the border!
Travel Note: It would make sense to take a personal vehicle across for a long stay or if you aren’t planning on returning to Belize at that border.
Our car rental company specifically told us at car pickup that our insurance only covered us inside Belize.
There would be no coverage if we took our rental car to Mexico or Guatemala. This is common practice with all Belize rental car companies.
Crossing the Border
You’ll have to cross the border on foot. This isn’t as hard as it sounds, even with kids in tow. Simply walk up to Belizean immigration to pay your 40 BZD ($20 USD) exit fee in cash. This fee is per person, including kids.
There are no ATMs or money exchangers at the border. Have enough of the right currency to pay the fee for each person in your travel group.
After leaving Belizean immigration, you must walk to Guatemalan customs. It is a green building on your left. It’s tempting to skip this step and head straight toward the money changers and taxi drivers trying to get your attention.
Don’t do it because it’ll make exiting Guatemala VERY difficult as technically you will have entered illegally. Plus tourists must pay a 6 BZD (~$3 USD) fee for entering Guatemala.
Getting from the Guatemala Border to Flores
Flores is the town closest to Tikal. If you are planning to stay in Guatemala for at least one night, you’ll need to stop in Flores first.
This will give you time to find or check into a hotel and drop off your belongings.
The most popular way to get to Flores from the border is by taxi. Depending on your bartering skills, it will cost about 350-450 Quetzals ($45-$58 USD).
If you need local currency to pay for a taxi, ask the immigration staff for the nearest ATM.
Travel Tip: There used to be an ATM 500 meters away from the border at Ruralbank but it isn’t open on weekends. You may need to walk into town for a different ATM.
If you’re only visiting for a day trip, then you can take a taxi straight to Tikal. However, you’ll need to negotiate a price for them to wait for you there or to return and pick you up at a certain time.
Finding taxis on the way back from Tikal isn’t always easy.
Colectivos
If you aren’t traveling on a Sunday, you can take a colectivo. These shared transport buses are the absolute cheapest option for getting to Flores. They only cost 55 Quetzals (7 USD) per person.
However, there are several big drawbacks. These vans get packed to the roof with riders. A minivan designed to seat eight people might hold upwards of 20 passengers.
Fun Fact: The “chicken bus” version is a renovated school bus from the United States. These are filled to standing room only capacity whenever possible by the drivers.
The colectivos also take over 2.5 hours to get from the border to Flores instead of the 90 minutes typical of a taxi.
This longer timeframe is in large part to the frequent stops as well as riders heading to Flores needing to switch routes in El Cruce. Take a colectivo from the border toward Santa Elena.
Once in El Cruce you can either take a colectivo to Tikal or to Flores, depending on if you are doing a Tikal day tour or a longer stay in Guatemala. The colectivos on each route leave every 20 minutes.
Colectivos might be a fun adventure for single backpackers heading to Guatemala for a longer stay. However, I don’t recommend it for families traveling with kids.
Getting from Flores to Tikal
As with every leg of the route from San Ignacio to Tikal, there is a cheap way that takes longer and a pricier way that is faster.
The cheapest way is to take a colectivo on the Santa Elena route. This will take approximately 75-90 minutes and generally costs 20 GTQ (~$2.50 USD).
Travel Tip: The Santa Elena colectivo route only runs every three hours so I wouldn’t recommend this option for anyone going on a day trip to Tikal.
Taxis from Flores to Tikal generally cost the same as going from the Guatemala border.
Unless your hotel in Flores has a connection that is cheaper, hiring a taxi on the street will generally cost 350-450 GTQ ($45 – $58 USD).
👉 There are many quality hotels in Flores to stay in before a trip to Tikal.
If you’re staying in Flores, it might make more sense to take a day tour to Tikal since those cost the same or less than a round-trip taxi.
👉 This Tikal tour includes lunch, a guide, and transportation for not much more than a taxi from Flores!
Places to Stay near Tikal
There are three hotels within walking distance to Tikal for people who want to stay right inside the park boundaries.
👉 Jungle Lodge Hotel is closest to the park temples.
It offers a restaurant, pool, pool bar, and games room. However, it is also governed by the national park rules on conservation regulations of the area.
Therefore, it does not offer air-conditioning in its guest rooms. Instead, there are ceiling fans running throughout the facility 24 hours a day.
👉 Hotel Jaguar Inn Tikal is only 2 km from Tikal Temple I.
Within Tikal National Park and surrounded by jungle, this circa-1968 hotel has multiple bungalows. Its modest bungalows do not have air-conditioning available but do offer ceiling fans.
They sleep up to five guests which is great for families. Hot water is available during limited hours. Most have porches with hammocks. Amenities include a restaurant, free parking, and wifi.
👉 Tikal Inn is a ten-minute walk from Plaza Mayor inside Tikal.
This family-run inn’s traditional Mayan architecture provides a comfortable setting to relax, bird-watch, and enjoy the natural beauty of Tikal National Park.
It offers air conditioning, a pool, a restaurant, and satellite wifi in public areas.
Do I need to book a guide in advance?
One benefit to booking a tour is a guide is generally included with the price. Always check what’s included on a tour before booking to ensure that it’s got the essentials, like a tour guide.
Some ‘tours’ are actually just pick-up and drop-off services that leave you to your own devices during the day.
👉 These guided tours of Tikal from Flores provide more comprehensive packages.
If you’re visiting on your own without a tour, there are limited options. It is impossible to hire a tour guide on arrival in Tikal.
You need to either book a guide through a tour or walk around on your own. If you choose the latter option, there is an audio self-tour guide available for download.
Travel Tip: Tikal National Park does not have wifi and cellular reception is spotty at best. Download any apps you want before arriving at the park.
This free guide is several years old but offers basic info about the main spots.
It’s a good option for people who want to get extra information about what they’re seeing but also want to go at their own pace.
If you enjoy going at your own pace and aren’t super interested in historical details then wandering independently might be the better option.
However, if you enjoy hearing the unique stories and details about the history, then using a tour guide will make your time at Tikal more enjoyable.
Take a Guided Tour from San Ignacio to Tikal
Because we were only planning to travel from San Ignacio to Tikal for a day trip we didn’t want to go through all the steps above.
It didn’t seem like an efficient use of time. We also weren’t on an incredibly tight budget.
👉 We booked an all-day guided tour from San Ignacio to Tikal.
A guided tour does cost more than taking public transit, but it is much less stressful! While making this trek as a family, we wanted our time to be high on fun and low on extra effort.
A tour operator arranges everything from the border crossing and a shopping trip (restroom break for Little Man) to a guide at the ruins and lunch on the way back.
In order to prevent cross-contamination, we did have to walk across the border both ways accompanied by one guide.
His job was solely to get us across the border without issue.
Upon crossing into Guatemala, we were shown to a van with a driver and a different guide who accompanied us the rest of the day.
On our return, we walked back across the border to our rental car.
Extra Activities Before and After Visiting Tikal
Before arriving at Tikal, we did stop at Lake Peten Itza to see a rocky formation that looked like a crocodile.
We were just told we would get to see the largest crocodile in the world. Technically, our guide was correct!
We also did a little tadpole hunting and discovered a cool plant that curls up when touched. Apparently, the locals call it a ‘touch me not’.
Halfway to Tikal, we stopped at a local gift shop to use the restroom and walk around a bit. They even had free coffee samples!
As kids do, my son fell in love with the most random hat and as parents do on vacation, we bought it for him. He wore it, too!
Thankfully the end of our Tikal tour included lunch at a local restaurant. I was really excited about a cold beer!
As always, we went with a local option and it didn’t disappoint. Not too bitter and not too sweet. A great way to end a hot, tiring day.
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Tikal. I wish we’d been able to spend more time there. A day trip was just enough to make us want to visit again to experience more.
But it was also the perfect amount of time to see the ruins before Little Man had a boredom or hunger meltdown.
Where to Stay in San Ignacio, Belize
Our day trip from San Ignacio to Tikal was part of a longer stay in San Ignacio Town.
We stayed in an eco-village outside the town itself, which unfortunately is not currently offering short-term rentals.
👉 If you don’t have a car, I highly recommend staying at a hotel inside the town limits of San Ignacio.
It’s easier to access nearby activities, like the Iguana rescue. Plus, many Tikal day trips and other tours offer free pickup at hotels in town.
Taxis are also easier to get and more affordable in the city rather than outside it.
👉 If you stay in San Ignacio town, check out the Cahal Pech ruins!
Safety Concerns
While Guatemala is not the safest country to visit, it certainly isn’t the most dangerous.
However, as with any international travel destination, it is important to be aware of your surroundings and take steps to be safe.
When you’re out and about, keep a close eye on all of your belongings so that an opportunistic thief doesn’t make off with a purse or camera.
Tikal National Park and its immediate area are fairly safe. However, robberies of vans and buses between Flores and Tikal are becoming increasingly common.
This is another reason to consider a guided tour from San Ignacio to Tikal instead of taking collectivos.
Safety Tip: Most crimes in the Tikal region happen after dark. Don’t travel, socialize outdoors, or go sightseeing at night.
Guatemala vs Chicago
In addition, more serious crimes like kidnapping and murder do happen in Guatemala. However, the country is not as dangerous as it used to be.
The murder rate in 2022 was 22 per 100,000 people. In comparison, the rate for Chicago in the same year was 22 per 100,000.
Chicago is ranked 10th most dangerous city in the United States, yet it is a major tourist destination and a very kid-friendly place to visit.
Most touristy US cities are more dangerous than the Tikal region of Guatemala.
Bottom Line: Don’t discount visiting Tikal because “Guatemala is dangerous” if you live or have visited any major city in the USA.
We spent five weeks driving through Guatemala, exploring Guatemala City and Antigua, including Hobbitenango, on our way south on the Pan American Highway.
Even the capital city isn’t unsafe if you stay in the expat and touristy parts of town.
Five Travel Tips for Visiting Tikal with Kids
Little Man was almost four during this visit. He was a total trooper and walked a fair amount of the grounds on his own.
This is probably because Tikal feels like a giant outdoor playground and there was so much to keep him engaged throughout the day.
1. Families who typically bring strollers on trips won’t be able to use them easily at Tikal. All the paths are stone or grass with many large tree roots.
Footing is uneasy for walking. We understandably didn’t see a single stroller all day.
Parents of young children should plan to babywear, or have a strong set of arms and shoulders, for when the smaller kiddos need a rest.
👉 I recommend the Tula Carrier for its durability and comfort. Plus it has different carriers that fit little ones from 7-60 pounds.
2. While Tikal National Park is relatively shaded, it is still located in a tropical climate. Especially during the spring and summer months, hydration is essential.
Bring as much water as you can carry. We have a 2L water bladder that easily fits into a backpack.
👉 I love this water bladder day pack! I can pack daily essentials in it, too.
3. The water refill stations are usually located next to the toilet facilities that are placed strategically throughout the park.
Make note of these locations on arrival at Tikal so you can ensure your kiddos get ample potty breaks during the day.
4. In addition to having great ruins, Tikal is a massive ecological preserve. There are wild animals everywhere.
Bring binoculars for each kiddo so that they can look for toucans, coatimundis, monkeys, etc while trekking between temples.
👉 We travel with these kid-friendly binoculars for Little Man to explore on the go!
5. Thankfully, many of the climbable temples have stairs with railings. However, the tops where you wander to look around do not.
Keep a close eye on kiddos when exploring the temple summits.
Conclusion
Of all the Mayan temples we’ve seen throughout Central America, Tikal National Park is easily our favorite.
The park makes for a truly unique family vacation because the ruins are simply spectacular and the locals are super friendly.
Overall, it’s well worth the effort to get from San Ignacio to Tikal.
Tikal is a huge place. To avoid wearing yourselves out trying to see it all, do a little research ahead of time to know which temples and sections you really want to see.
If you hire a guide, communicate with them in advance about your goals so they can decide on a doable plan that everyone will enjoy. If you love it as much as we did, you can always return another day or on another trip.
👉 While we have global health insurance for our day-to-day lives, we also elect travel insurance with SafetyWing for our spurts of fast travel adventure!
