Travel across the Petan to the Mayan archaeological city of Tikal. (updated 2023)
Guatemala
Guatemala is a heavily populated country with a population of 18,645,109 as of Sep 2022. However, most of this population is in the south of the country.
Peten
If you look at the map of Guatemala, you will see a square at the top called the Peten Department. Guatemala is divided into sections called Departments. Other countries use the name state or province, but it is the same thing.
The northern half of El Peten is a primarily uninhabited jungle with only one city – Flores, on the shores of Lake Peten Itza. El Peten is about one-third of Guatemala but has a population of only 595,548 as of 2018. This is a decrease from 662,779 in 2012. Most of that is in the southern half of Peten. Other than Flores, Peten’s cities are all well to the south. There is almost nothing north of Lake Peten Itza.
The northern half of Peten is a primarily uninhabited jungle. Wildlife is abundant, including a profusion of birds. Travelling across the Peten is a unique experience for anyone who has never been outside a heavily populated area, which is most of the planet. Most of the population lives in remote, tiny villages.
Tikal
In the north of El Peten is the amazing Mayan City of Tikal, which is, in my opinion, the best of the Mayan ruins. Click here for information on Tikal.
Getting to Tikal
There are several ways to get to Tikal. The most common is to take a guided tour in a minivan starting from the town of San Ignacio in Belize near the Guatemalan border. Many people travel to Tikal from San Ignacio, see the ruins and return the same day. If you go through all the trouble of getting to Tikal, you should spend at least one full day there. The archaeological site is too wonderful to allocate only a few hours for a quick tour. If you are a birder, you will want another day to search for birds. Tikal is a birders paradise. I also suggest spending at least one day in the beautiful city of Flores.
You can also fly to Flores from Belize City or places in southern Mexico and then take a tour to Tikal from there.
Getting to Tikal the Hard Way
To see more of the Peten, I decided to get to Tikal the hard way – from Chiapas in western Mexico.
If you have been following my series about the Ruta Maya, you will know that our last stop was the Mayan ruins of Bonampak and Yaxchilan near the Mexican town of Frontera Corozal. If you have not seen these articles, here are the links:
Part 13 of the Ruta Maya tour – Bonampak
Part 14 of the Ruta Maya tour – Yaxchilan
Frontera Corozal
Information about getting to Frontera Corozal is included with the link for Bonampak above.
In this area, the Ucimatcinta River forms the border between Mexico and Guatemala. However, there is no border crossing. Across the river from Frontera Corozal is an uninhabited jungle. You must get your tourist card stamped and pay an exit tax before leaving Mexico. However, there is no place in Frontera Corozal to do this. Therefore, if you intend to proceed to Guatemala, you should go to a bank in Palenque before going to Frontera Corozal. Get your tourist card stamped and buy some Guatemalan currency.
After touring Bonampak and Yaxchilan, you can make arrangements at the Escudo Jaguar to hire a boat ride down the Usumacinta River. The boats are like giant-sized, motorized canoes with a canopy over them for shade. You can hire one to take you down the river to the closest village on the Guatemalan side. (The same boats that make the tours to Yaxchilan).
Watch for birds and monkeys while on the river.
Bethel Guatemala
You will be let off at the tiny village of Bethel, Guatemala. There is nothing of interest here, and no border crossing or customs agent. There is a tiny bus station. The bus will eventually come along. Don’t count on it being on time, or it could be early. Go to Bethel early in the morning to ensure you do not miss the bus. You may have to wait several hours, but that is better than missing the bus.
The people at the bus stop can change your money if you do not have any Guatemalan currency. This will have to do if you have no choice. I bought some Guatemala money here and probably got ripped off. I have no idea how many Guatemalan Quetzals are in one Mexican Peso. However, this is an option if you have no money for the bus. You can get more cash later in Flores.
Bus Ride Across Peten
The bus will eventually come along, and you will want to buy a ticket to the city of Flores on the other side of the Peten. The bus will stop at a place where foreigners must show their passports and pay an entry tax (you need more Guatemalan currency for this).
You will now be on the bus ride to hell. You will be in a tropical jungle that is hot and humid. There is no air conditioning on the bus, so you will need to have the windows open to keep from suffocating. You will be on a dirt road, and clouds of dust will enter the bus. By the time I got to Flores, I was filthy with dust and could barely get my fingers through my hair.
The bus will zig and zag its way down the road, trying to avoid potholes, pigs and other obstacles. At one point the back end of the bus fell into a hole, and the rear window shattered, showering bits of glass on the people in the back row. I have been on some lousy bus rides in Belize and other countries, but this was by far the worst I had seen. However, it will eventually get you to the city of Flores, the only city in the north of El Peten.
Clear-cut Jungle
You will travel through tropical jungle, but you will see areas with no trees. Everyone has heard of clear-cutting in the topics, but it was the first time I had seen this myself. Vast areas of the jungle have been deforested to make room for farms. However, the soil is unsuitable for farming, and eventually, the farmers need to move on to more clear-cut land. I think of all the wildlife that has been made homeless.
Flores
Eventually, you will arrive at the delightful city of Flores. I suggest you stop here for a few days to explore the city. It is really worthwhile. Click here for information on Flores
Tikal
After exploring Flores, get a ride to Tikal. Ask the hotel to arrange this for you. A small van will pick you up at your hotel.
After Tikal
When you are ready to leave, get a bus to take you to the town of San Ignacio in Belize. I am sure you will not want to go back across the Peten the way you came, and you don’t need to go back to Flores. San Ignacio is an excellent place to spend a couple of days.
Summary
Getting to Tikal this way is complex and not for most people. (A few German tourists made this trip with us). However, if you are adventurous, you will experience life in a remote Guatemalan native village and see things that most tourists will never see. I have been to places in Africa that are off the beaten path like this, and although sometimes it is not fun, I enjoy the unique experiences that can be had no other way. Also, if you are in Chiapas, this will save you the trip to the other side of Peten to enter from Belize.