Our driver pick you up at your hotel or at the airport, when booking, please choose the time according to the location where you want us to pick you up. In case you don't know the location of your hotel yet, just book the cheapest tour option, later you let us know your hotel location and if there is a price difference, you can pay it to our guide. The walking tour begins at Gate 2 of Tikal National Park DURATION OF EACH WAY OF TRANSFER BY LOCATION WHERE WE PICK YOU UP a. Tikal: 00h: 05m b. El Remate: 01h: 00m c. San Jose, Peten: 01h:20m d. San Benito, Santa Elena Flores or Flores Island: 01h: 30m e. San Andres and Melchor de Mencos: 02h: 00m f. San Ignacio, Belize: 03h: 30m g. Guatemala City La Aurora Airport: 04h: 30m h. Guatemala City hotels: 05h: 00m i. Antigua Guatemala hotels: 05h: 30m Tikal is cultural and natural heritage of humanity, we'll spend more than four hours exploring different archeological monuments, we'll use nature trails to spot some wildlife.
We'll explore this complex with you, it was built as the residential area of the royal family of Tikal, it has 6 courtyards, 3 of them have been restored, this complex was also probably the place to host to all the royal visitors that came to Tikal from other mesoamerican cities for diplomatic reasons. It has a palace with 5 floors and some of the lintels on the doors of this palace are still the original wooden lintels placed by the people who built it about 14 centuries ago and the wood is still in good shape.
We will walk around the most iconic monument of Tikal taking pictures of it from different angles. The official name of this temple is Temple of the Great Jaguar because when the temple was discovered, it's original wooden lintel had a Great Jaguar carved on it, now, that beautiful carving in wood is in a famous museum. Back in 1960's when archeologist excavated this temple, they found underneath this temple, the greatest treasure ever found in Tikal, it was the burial of Hasaw Chaan K'awil, the most famous king of the dynasty of Tikal, the jewelry over the skeleton of the king included 16.5 pounds of jade jewels.
The Great Plaza is the place in Tikal with the largest amount of energy, it's also the most restaured complex of this mayan site, it has multiple stelae, some of them with carving showing the portrait of some kings of the city. This complex was excavated back in 1960's by the Museum of University of Pensinvania.
This complex was used as a Royal Cemetery for the kings and queens of Tikal, it's compared with an onion, because of the multiple layers of interesting architecture it revealed, in some of these layers we can see the masks of the rain god and the sun god. The guide communicates efficiently with all guests. During the tour, the guide accompanies you to climb the monuments to explain the most important details while you are above the monuments. We take you to the best spots to take pictures at the right times, this is ideal for photographers and we'll see many Mayan structures.
We'll climb this temple with you and enjoy the best view of the Great Plaza, looking at the masks carved on top of this temple. The view from this temple is a great chance to take a picture of Temple I, North Acropolis and the Great Plaza.
We'll visit this beautiful temple, it has round corners, it's the only temple facing North, it was built around 650 a.D. and it was restored in 2002. Temple V is the second tallest of Tikal, it's architecture is very different than the other temples of the city, this is the first temple discovered in Tikal back in 1848 because the back of it's roof comb as it's totally vertical, it was never covered by trees and it was visible from far away south, the direction of Flores where the discoverers of Tikal came from.
This Plaza has Seven temples in line, three ball courts and three palaces, which makes the number thirteen, a sacred number for the mayan culture. It looks like a place for sports and for the aristocracy of Tikal to have fun. It has the only triple ball court found so far in Mesoamerica.
The Lost World is the astronomical observatory of Tikal, it has the Great Pyramid as the point to watch the stars, the planets and the sun and it has three buildings on the east side to mark the seasons of the year. The lower plaza is part of The Lost World, this plaza has a podium in the center with the architecture of Teotihuacan, a clear evidence of the cultural interaction between these two ancient cities.
The official name of this temple is Temple of the Double Headed Serpent, as when the temple was discovered, it had a wooden carved lintel with the sacred double headed serpent carved on it, now this wooden carving is in a famous museum. The nickname of this temple is Temple of Star Wars as back in 1977 the movie director George Lucas came to Tikal to film part of the original Star Wars Movie, Episode IV "A New Hope"
The walking tour ends at Gate 2 of Tikal National Park at 02:00 pm and we offer you a hot meal and a cold drink at the Jaguar Inn Restaurant, after eating you can walk around the visitor center to see more wildlife, visit the scale model or buy souvenirs. The activity ends when we drop you off at the location we picked you up, or it can be to a different location, but for this, you need to let us know in advance. This tour is ideal for passengers flying from Flores Airport (FRS) that day on the flight: TAG 5U111 leaving to Guatemala City at 19:15
My wife and I booked the sunset tour originally but due to the weather, Marlon our guide, recommended to switch to the sunrise tour. We’re so glad we did. It was an amazing experience all around and Marlon was a fantastic tour guide that provided a lot of details on the history, culture, flora, and fauna of the area. would highly recommend him and will sell him out for future trips.
Awe inspiring trip with a first class guide and great lunch. The site was truly amazing and we also saw so much flora and fauna too. Amazing.
Excellent trip to Tikal with Marlon. We saw all the amazing pyramids with great explanations and lots of wildlife too. A wonderful day with a very informative English speaking guide
Amazing experience! Our guide, Lucio, took my family around and really tailored the trip to keep our kiddos (12 and 8) engaged We learned a lot, sweated a lot and saw some breathtaking views. Lovely lunch afterwards. The park has several spots to rest, buy additional water and snacks.
Our tour of Tikal was amazing! We loved the culture, history, and animal sightings, but what really enhanced our experience was our guide, Lucio. His in depth knowledge, passion for Mayan history, and personalized tour took our adventure from great to amazing. We highly recommend this experience!
Amazing experience with Alberto. We told him how much we love birds and other wildlife so he took us on some back paths for better animal viewing and went out of his way to spot birds with us. He was so knowledgeable about the ruins, we learned so much. Thanks for an amazing day in Tikal, we loved every minute.
Tikal was a bucket list dream come true, made even better by Lucio, the most excellent guide. His knowledge of the history of the huge complex was substantial, as was his knowledge of the flora and fauna. We saw all of the highlights, but Lucio also guided us to places most tourists do not go making the experience that much more comprehensive and memorable. Lucio is clearly committed to teaching the history, culture, and environment of the region to those who have the opportunity to spend time with him. I am forever grateful to him. It was best day.
Tikal was a bucket list dream come true, made even better by Lucio, the most excellent guide. His knowledge of the history of the huge complex was substantial, as was his knowledge of the flora and fauna. We saw all of the highlights, but Lucio also guided us to places most tourists do not go making the experience that much more comprehensive and memorable. I am forever grateful to him.
Wonderful tour experience through out the Tikal ruins. Lucio is a fantastic guide who speaks three languages, knows the history of the park well, and points out interesting animals and plants (including a tarantula!). Highly recommend this experience, especially with Lucio!
Our tour of Tikal was amazing! Our guide, Jose, was extremely knowledgeable and shared so much information with us about the history of the site as well as information about the wildlife that live in the park. We saw so many birds and some monkeys as well! After the tour, we enjoyed a delicious lunch. I highly recommend!
Our experience (my son, my cousin and myself) with these wonderful people was unforgettable. Marlon, José, César and the other guy from Gem Trips whose name I could not remember made those three days among the best ever lived. With them, we visited Tikal , and then flew to El Mirador in helicopter, an incredible experience that I recommend to anyone interested in knowing a fantastic Preclassic Mayan city close to the Mexican border, including the most voluminous pyramid in the world.
We had the most amazing tour with Marlon. He met us in Flores and took us to Tikal for the most wonderful experience. His deep knowledge of the area and it's history was so exciting that we are still talking about it years later asking ourselves when we are going to return. This was the single best tour we have ever taken. If you would like to learn more about the wildlife and specifically the birds in the area Marlon was able to provide us with amazing sightings of animals hidden in plain sight. If you are looking to have a once in a lifetime experience Marlon is the person you should be speaking with.
Lucio (driver) and Jose Moreno (guide) were the best. They made the whole experience smooth and amazing. Highly recommended. Jose was very knowledgeable and always with a great attitude. He took great care of all of us, even going above and beyond. We would use this company again.
Marlon was an amazing tour guide. He took his time to explain things and answered our questions. He was also helpful in pacing the tour to match our needs. He made a point of leaving the place cleaner than we found it by picking up litter along the way. He cares about Tikal and the people he guides through it. Unforgettable great.
We really enjoyed this excellent tour of Tikal. The company is very well organized and very responsive. Every part from booking to ending the trip was well done and enjoyable. We were treated very well. Highly recommend this tour company.
Marlon Diaz was our guide. He's better than usual. This tour is his business and he takes personal pride in his job and his country. He really knows Tikal and the Mayans. His English is good. He even picked up the trash of other people. He is very responsible about the park. He made an excellent impression on us. Tikal is a must see.
Marlon was very knowledgeable about Tikal and all of the surrounding flora and fauna. He arrived on time to pick us up The ride from Flores was very comfortable, and we were able to see the entire site, including climbing many temples. The price is reasonable if you consider the knowledge and experience gained. We had a great lunch, which was also included in the cost. We paid for our entrance tickets to Tikal online as suggested by Marlon and sent this to him in advance, which facilitated a quick entrance. He truly loves what he does and is passionate about the Mayan culture and the environment.
Exceptional tour. Our tour guide Marlon was outstanding. His knowledge not only of Tikal and its history but also of the flora and fauna was amazing. There was no question he couldn’t answer. Tikal itself is absolutely amazing and should be a bucket list item for everyone. I highly recommend this tour!
I would give 10 stars if I could. Everything was organized perfectly- many thanks to the Gem Trips team.
Marlon's tour was extraordinary. His profound knowledge of history, archaeology, ecology and native flora and fauna is superb, which made the tour extremely interesting, enriching and fun. After being a guide for two decades, he truly knows this place and cares for it deeply. His birdwatching skills are amazing! Among other animals, we saw 32 different species of birds, including two different types of toucans, as we traversed the temples and the forest. He's truly one of a kind! Anyone who wants to have a profound and unforgettable experience in Tikal should visit the park with this excellent guide. ¡Gracias Marlon!
Had a very enjoyable experience with my Gem Trips tour! It was just me and my tour guide, Jose Moreno, who had an expansive understanding of Tikal's archeological history, along with it's diverse flora and fauna. Together we covered a lot of ground and I was able to take the tour at my own pace. Would highly recommend!
Henri and Ariel were excellent. Henri is very knowledgeable about local flaura, fauna, and Mayan history and culture. The included lunch at the jaguar restaurant was delicious! Finally, we forgot a phone in the car at the end of the day and Ariel drove it back to us. Gracias!
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in Tikal with the professional, friendly, and expert knowledge of Marlon. He is extremely knowledgeable about the mayan culture and history, and local flora and fauna. It was a joy to see the magic of Tikal unfold from sunrise and beyond. Marlon customized the tour beautifully based on my questions and curiosities. It was a pretty special experience, and the lunch at Jaguar Inn was excellent. The transport to and from the park was super smooth. Overall, it was a perfect day!
This was an excellent tour. Our tour guide, Alberto, was so knowledgeable and friendly! Our driver Moises was super cool too. Alberto even tried to help us find a geocache in the jungle off trail, which did set us back an hour for poor Moises to pick us up, but he was very kind about it. We saw many animals and birds at the park, such as coatimundi, tanagers, toucans, parrots/macaw, tarantula, falcon, etc. I highly recommend this tour and the park generally. Definitely was the highlight of our adventures. Thank you for the memories! For travelers: There is an added exit from Belize fee at the border and the Tikal Park tickets are also not included in this tour, so they were both about $20USD each. The Belize-Guatemala border crossing was on foot each way but they drive you from hotel to the park and back. Very safe and fun time!
Tikal is amazing. Our guide, Marlon, is extremely knowledgable and has a perfect command of the English language.
Our guide, Marlon, gave us a great tour of Tikal for half a day and it was absolutely lovely! We were first picked up by a driver at the Flores airport, and made our way to Tikal, where we met Marlon. We had a lovely lunch which was included in the rate of the tour. We then started our hike through the sites of Tikal, and Marlon was very knowledgable about the flora, fauna, history, and the various structures. Marlon then returned us back to Flores to continue our trip. It was a very good experience for us, and it was engaging for both adults and children.
Guide was fabulous. Tikal is an amazing place. Lodge was comfortable and right at Tikal. Guide was very knowledgeable about history and significance of sites. Also about flora and fauna. Saw Monkees playing in trees. Guide helped with photography.
We booked a private tour beginning at 6:30am from Tikal as we stayed locally the night before. Marlon met us at the hotel and we had such an amazing adventure exploring Tikal. Marlon is a wealth of knowledge on so many subjects and we really enjoyed hearing about his own history in the area and interests (he shared with us about his regenerative farming practices which was fascinating). He went out of his way to show us an emerald toucan’s nest and we were able to see the toucan as well, which was fantastic! Along the way he was very flexible with letting us take photos, explore, ask more questions and when we would get to certain spots gave us the option to cut things short or take the long route (we always picked the long route lol). The included lunch was so so yummy! This was one of the best tours I’ve ever been on and I highly recommend Marlon and Tikal. You will not regret it! Definitely do as early as you can if you’re there in the hot weather, we were so glad we did!
A big thank you to Marlon, who was extremely knowledgeable and a true guardian of the Tikal eco-archeological environment.
This was, easily, one of the best tours I’ve ever done. Marlon is incredibly attentive and very knowledgeable about Tikal. He had an incredible amount of well-based, science-backed facts about the site. Walking with him through the ancient city is like having contact with the past through the eyes of someone who dedicates themselves not only to learning about the history, but also to taking care of Tikal. While we walked our 10km in that day, Marlon was always picking up garbage (unfortunately) left by other people on the ground. This seems small but it shows you that you’re touring with someone who deeply cares about the site. I also hired pick-up and drop-off at the Flores airport. He was extremely punctual and cordial all the way. Wish I could give him 6 stars
Me guide, Alberto, was amazing. He was very knowledgeable of the park, and made sure I was okay with the heat. The experience was smooth from the airport pick up to the tour and lunch. I highly recommend this tour if you want to see the park in a day.
We had an amazing time with Henry as our guide. He was very friendly and informative. His knowledge of the area made the hiking between ruins seem much easier. If you plan a visit, I highly recommend. Great communication prior and during the tour.
Alberto was very informative and patient especially with my son, my son was engaged and enjoyed the tour. And I learned and saw more than I could have imagined. Excellent tour.
This was by far the highlight of the trip to Guatemala. The van was clean and had AC, the process to enter the park was simple, and the experience was amazing. We saw all kinds of jungle animals, and the ruins were amazing. We would definitely rebook this tour.
Marlon was super amazing. He was so kind and detailed with all of his info. I would definitely do this tour with him again in the future!
Marlon is exceptional Tikal expert with 20 years of experience. Before you know it, every ruins details to the best photo spots he’s got you covered! Definitely worth the visit all the way from New York !
Marlon gave us an amazing tour. His knowledge is unmatched, and we were so impressed by how he knew the details of the dynasties and dates for every building. He also had wonderful insights into the flora and fauna, and modern and ancient history and politics. Most importantly, he customized the tour for us and was super helpful with and kind to my mom, who accompanied us and has limited vision. This tour was the highlight of our time in Guatemala. Thank you for the memories!
Marlon was very professional, knowledgeable, and personal. He has extensive knowledge of Tikal and the Mayan civilization. He helped with photography. Tikal is phenomenal. I would highly recommend this tour. Also stay at the Jaguar Inn inside the park.
Marlon is the perfect guide for Maya’s sites and culture. He his smart, highly cultured, and speaks a perfect english. He’s also a very safe driver. We spent 3 days together, and we highly recomend him. The Maya’s sites are unbelievable, very wild, surrounded by virgin forest, with few people, far from Mexico's hyper-touristy sites.
We had an amazing day tour of Tikal with Marlon. He picked us up at our location in Flores (air conditioned car),and returned us to same place. From the beginning to the end of trip we engaged in wonderful conversations about the place, the history and all the meaningful things related to the area. Marlon is a very educated , kind and professional guide, we enjoyed our interaction with him and appreciated his service which included a great traditional lunch. We truly recommend him for anyone interested in a tour of Tikal !
Amazing day tour in Tikal with Marlon! He goes in a different trail with you at the park and he knows a lot about its history. The lunch was delicious and everything was on time. I recommend for sure!
Our Tikal tour with Marlon was top notch. Not only was he an excellent tour guide for the ruins, but he also is incredibly knowledgeable about the plants and animals in the park. He was able to customize the experience to our needs and interests. I would recommend this tour to anyone! Furthermore, he was able to arrange transportation from Flores to Belize City. On the way, we stopped at the astoundingly beautiful and fascinating Barton Creek Cave where he was able to book a private tour for us with a local guide. Gem Trips is an excellent company and Marlon is responsive, resourceful, and extremely well-informed. I give them my complete endorsement!
I run an overseas expedition company (Venture Force) and thus have experience of many tour operators and guides around the world. From the time of booking, to being dropped off at another venue, Gem tours treated our small and mixed aged group exceptionally and professionally, but with a personal touch. Our guide, Marlon (owner of Gem tours), was the best I guide I have ever had. His knowledge of both the Tikal site, its animals, and of the jungle, were second to none. Marlon and Gem tours treated us as though we were their only customers, and on several occasions seamlessly adapted their programme for our requirements. I would highly recommend this exceptional outfit and look forward to working with them again.
We had such an amazing tour with Aquilino. He was beyond knowledgeable and it was evident he truly cared about the park and the subject. We were picked up outside our hotel and then drove about an hour to the park- the tour started as soon as we got in the vehicle, with Aquilino sharing info along the way. Once we arrived he would stop to share all sorts of informations- from the archeological sites to the flowers or animals we saw. Most importantly, for us, we had our 5 year old in tow and he did an amazing job being incredibly patient and talking to her. We appreciated how accommodating he was. Would love to visit and use him again. Definitely recommend!
Henry was fantastic—the tour, info, and hike was great. The lunch was fine, a nice end to some serious jungle walking. I went with my 12 year old daughter and he was able to address both our interests with ease.
This was truly one of the best tours we have ever been on. It was a private tour with veteran guide Marlon, who took us through the most interesting parts of the Tikal area. His knowledge about the history and architecture of the Mayan empire is truly astounding, as is his knowledge of nature and the animals living in the park. He is also concerned with the environment and takes care to make sure the people that he meets are respectful to the ruins and to nature. Finally, he keeps an eye on the health of his guests to make sure they don't pass out from the heat! The arranged lunch was good and very welcome after the warm walk. Communication via WhatsApp worked well. If we ever return to the area we will be sure to seek out Marlon again.
Marlon was top! super professional. He was on time, answering all questions and knew so much about the Mayans civilization.
Marlon is the best guide I have ever had: he came in well prepared: from breakfast coffee to snacks to even peanuts! In addition to the thorough intro of various monuments he took us to, he’s ready with an answer of history, cultural, biology, zoology, anthropology… seems there is nothing he does not know in terms of Maya and especially the province of Petán where Tikal is. He’s also very community minded: picking litters inside the park and encouraging tourists outside our group to be a better visitor and enjoy the special moments like sunrise/sunset. He constantly absorbs information to better himself. You can’t find a better guide to Tikal, I assure you.
We really enjoyed our tour with Marlon. We had a lot of questions about a lot of topics and we felt Marlon answered them authentically and with real knowledge. Rather than dictating the day he was guided by us. Not by directly asking but by taking hints from what we asked, what we showed interest in and our pace. Our teenage daughters enjoyed it as well. Even they asked questions. He took candid photos and shared them with us too. We would do more tours with him if we could.
An amazing experience! Marlon was an outstanding tour guide and well informed about everything. He was willing to customize our tour based on our interests. We learned so much. I could not imagine visiting Tikal without an excellent tour like this.
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
Reach us by phone
Reach us by email