©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Tikal & Flores, Guatemala Includes ¨ Why Go? Tikal . 234 The glory and splendors of the ancient Maya world await Yaxhá . 240 you, just over the border in the lush rainforests of Eastern Uaxactun . 241 Guatemala. The region is especially important to the Maya people, being home to many temples, pyramids and ruins El Remate . 241 with significance to the alignment of 12/21/2012, which re- Flores & cently completed a major cycle of the Maya calendar and Santa Elena . 243 began another. The most fabled (and easiest to reach) of Guatemala’s slice of La Ruta Maya is Tikal. Larger and more complete- ly restored than any of the Maya sites in Belize, Tikal of- Best Places to Eat fers visitors the unique opportunity to spend the night at the ruins, waking up in the middle of the jungle, thanks ¨ Las Orquideas (p243) to its in-park campground and lodges. Alternatively, the ¨ Las Mesitas (p249) nearby lakeside villages of Flores and El Remate are ¨ Terrazzo (p249) peaceful, picturesque places to recover from some inten- sive archaeological exploration. ¨ Cool Beans (p249) When to Go Best Places to ¨ Jan–Mar Few bugs and little rain make for optimum jungle Sleep travel conditions. ¨ Tikal Inn (p239) ¨ Dec The Unificación Maya Festival takes place at Maya ¨ Alice Guesthouse (p242) sites throughout the area. ¨ Posada del Cerro (p242) ¨ Hotel Santa Barbara (p247) ¨ Hotel Isla de Flores (p248) 234 91ºW El Mirador 90ºW Dos (20mi) 0 40 km Nakbé Lagunas 0 20 miles Parque Nacional Gallon Mirador–Río Azul Jug Azul Chan TIKAL & FLORES, GUA FLORES, & TIKAL Carmelita Chich Río Reserva de Uaxactún Biósfera Maya El Zotz Tikal BELMOPAN Biotopo San Biotopo Roaring El Perú Miguel La Cerro Parque Nakum Creek (18mi) Palotada Cahuí Nacional El Cruce de Tikal El Naranjo San Ignacio Dos Aguadas Xunantunich Yaxhá (Cayo) T EMALA EMALA Laguna Laguna San Yaxhá Sacnab Benque Viejo San José Pedro del Carmen Jobompiche San Melchor de 17ºN San Andrés Lago de El Remate Clemente Mencos Petén Itzá Macanché Douglas O T da Silva I R Flores Ixlu K San Benito Holtun I A E Sayaxché Santa Puente L N Ixlú (20mi) Elena Mopán T A T Río I La Libertad Parque Nacional O Caracol Millionario N Ixpanpajul GUATEMALA Chiquibul BELIZE National Park 13 San Juan Río Ixcún Ceibal Dolores Machaquilá Río Tikal & Flores, Guatemala Highlights 1 Tikal (below) Climbing at night in the ancient, 4 Flores (p243) Temple lV for a 360-degree seldom-visited city . Wandering the cobblestone view of the jungle-shrouded 3 El Remate (p241) streets . ruins . Watching the sun set over 2 Yaxhá (p240) Camping Lago de Petén Itzá . strolling the broad causeways, originally Tikal built of packed limestone to accommodate The most striking feature of Tikal (%2367- traffic between temple complexes. By step- 2837; www .parque-tikal com;. Q150; h6am-6pm) ping softly you’re more likely to spot mon- is its towering, steep-sided temples, rising keys, agoutis, foxes and ocellated turkeys. to heights of more than 144 feet, but what Tikal is a popular day trip from Flores or distinguishes it is its jungle setting. Its El Remate, so is much quieter in the late af- many plazas have been cleared of trees and ternoon and early morning, which makes an vines, its temples uncovered and partially overnight stay an attractive option. restored, but as you walk from one build- ing to another you pass beneath the dense 8 Orientation canopy of rainforest amid the rich, loamy The archaeological site is at the center of the aromas of earth and vegetation. Much of 212-sq-mile Parque Nacional Tikal . The road from the delight of touring the site comes from Flores enters the park 12 miles south of the ruins . .