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Tikal

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A Mayan city in the Petén rainforest, its temples above the trees, with a long runway and a lake of lodges less than an hour away.

Fly to Tikal All of Guatemala
Arrival
Mundo Maya, Flores · FRS
To the ruins
About 43 km north-east of FRS in a straight line
Private jets
Port of entry, open 24 hours
Best time
December to April

The city

Temples in the forest.

Tikal lies deep in the Petén, the lowland forest of northern Guatemala, a UNESCO site where the stone pyramids of a Mayan city stand among the trees. The nearest town is Flores, by Lake Petén Itzá, and the lodges worth the journey are on the lake shore.

The climate is hot and humid. December to April is the drier stretch, with highs from the upper twenties to 33 degrees; from June to October heavy rain falls most months, over 200 millimetres in each.

  • Tikal The great Mayan city of the Petén, a UNESCO site, its temples rising above the rainforest canopy.
  • Yaxhá A second Mayan archaeological site of the Petén, also reached through the airport at Flores.
  • Lake Petén Itzá The broad lake beside Flores, where the best lodges of the region look out across the water.

Arriving

A long runway for the Mayan world.

Mundo Maya International, just outside Flores, is the gateway to Tikal and Yaxhá. Its concrete runway is close to 3,000 metres long, with an instrument landing system, and the airport is open around the clock.

Business & First Class Airline arrivals Domestic flights link Flores with Guatemala City. From 3 November 2026 TAG Airlines adds three flights a week from Mérida, in Mexico, through to the end of January 2027. Business & First fares Private Jet Private jets Flores is an airport of entry with customs, so a jet can clear in on arrival, and a handler is not obligatory. Private aircraft are a large share of traffic: 238 of the 732 movements in January 2026. ASSA runs a handling service here. Charter a jet
Approximate flying time by midsize jet
  • Panama City 2 h 10
  • Palm Beach 2 h 15
  • Los Angeles 4 h 45
  • São Paulo 8 h 45 long-range jet
  • Zurich 12 h 10 long-range jet

When to go

December to April.

Lowland heat all year, from 27 degrees in winter to 33 in April and May. December to April is the drier season, under 100 millimetres a month; from June to October the rains are heavy.

  1. 27° J 77
  2. 29° F 61
  3. 30° M 46
  4. 33° A 39
  5. 33° M 140
  6. 32° J 222
  7. 31° J 213
  8. 32° A 209
  9. 31° S 251
  10. 30° O 227
  11. 28° N 130
  12. 27° D 97
Best months weather2travel.com, long-term averages for Flores

Where to stay

On the shore of Lake Petén Itzá.

Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.

Elsewhere in Guatemala

More reasons to come.

All of Guatemala

Flying to Tikal?

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A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.

Business & First Private Jet