Can You Climb the Temples at Tikal? Which Ones, and How

Photographs of Tikal show people on top of the temples, and you will want to be one of them. You can, on the right temples and by the right stairs. Here is what the park's rule says, which temples visitors climb today, and what the climb is like. If you want to set your own pace between climbs, the private tours of Tikal give you a guide to yourself.

What does the park's rule say?

The Ministry of Culture and Sports runs the park. Its rule is short: do not climb structures that have not been opened for climbing. Access by wooden stairs and platforms depends on the park's current rules, and those rules can change.

Two more lines apply everywhere. Never climb a roof comb, the tall crest on top of a temple. And never damage, scratch or mark a structure. Guatemala's protected-areas agency adds a practical note: wear trainers, because the visit involves low hills and climbing pyramid structures.

Which temples can you climb today?

The park publishes no list, so this is the current practice rather than a permanent rule.

Temple II: the view across the Great Plaza

Temple II, the Temple of the Masks, faces Temple I across the Great Plaza. You climb it by wooden stairs at the back, not the front. From the top you look straight across the plaza at Temple I, with the North Acropolis to your left and the Central Acropolis to your right.

It is the most thoroughly restored of the great temples, about 38 m tall. In 2019 it was closed to climbers from 15 April to 15 May while the orange-breasted falcon nested. Whether that happens every year is not confirmed, so check if you visit in spring.

Temple IV: the tallest, and the sunrise seat

Temple IV is the tallest structure at Tikal, about 65 m from its platform. A steep wooden staircase takes you to the level of the temple at the top, below the roof comb. This is where sunrise is watched, and where the forest spreads out below you in every direction.

The staircase is maintained, and maintenance means closures. The post on Temple IV covers the climb, the view and the dates it has shut.

The Lost World pyramid

The Lost World, or Mundo Perdido, is Tikal's oldest complex. It was used from the Middle Preclassic to the end of the Classic period, a span of well over a thousand years. Its great pyramid stands about 31 m and began in the Late Preclassic, centuries before the big temples of the Great Plaza.

It is lower than Temples II and IV, and a good second climb if one of them is shut. Guatemalan archaeologists excavated and restored the complex between 1979 and 1984.

Why can you not climb Temple I?

Temple I, the Temple of the Great Jaguar, is the steep pyramid at the east end of the Great Plaza: about 45 m, with nine terraces and a tall roof comb. It was raised over the tomb of Jasaw Chan K'awiil I after his death in 734. His tomb, Burial 116, was found in 1962 and was the richest yet found at Tikal.

Visitors do not climb it today. You see it best from the Great Plaza, and from the top of Temple II directly opposite. The museum by the Visitor Centre holds a reproduction of the tomb; the museums page has the details.

Temples III, V and VI

• Temple III, about 55 m, was the last major pyramid, raised about AD 810. It is only partly restored.
• Temple V, about 57 m, is the second tallest at Tikal. Modesto Méndez climbed it on 26 February 1848, but visitors do not today.
• Temple VI, the Temple of the Inscriptions, is known for its 12 m roof comb covered in glyphs, dedicated in AD 766.

The ruins page describes each of them, and the history page tells you who built what.

What is the climb like?

Steep, and on wood rather than stone. Most of the effort is the heat, not the height: the ministry gives average temperatures of 24–35 °C with high humidity. Climb early if you can.

• Wear trainers or walking shoes with grip. Wet stairs and stone get slippery in the rainy months.
• Keep both hands free. A small backpack works better than a shoulder bag.
• Bring a reusable bottle. Single-use plastic and food are not allowed in the archaeological zone.
• Take the way down slowly.

Children under 10 enter free, and there is no minimum age for the stairs published by the park. The park publishes no accessibility information either. The accessibility page covers what the walking and the stairs involve, and the weather page shows which months stay drier.

Do tours let you climb?

A tour takes you to the temples; whether you climb is up to you and the park. Most daytime itineraries include Temple IV. The full-day tour from $85 lists Temple II, Temple IV and the Lost World on its route. The day with lunch at the park restaurant, from $78, lists Temple IV and the Lost World, with the park ticket in the fare. The fly-in day from Guatemala City, from $448, spends about four hours at Temples I, II and IV. If one climb matters most to you, check it is on the route before you book.

Tours that reach the climbable temples

All Inclusive Tikal Tour from Flores or Mayan World Airport

Temple IV and the Lost World on the route, then a two-hour lunch at the park restaurant. The park ticket is in the fare; pickup in Flores or at the airport.

From $78 per person · park ticket included

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Tikal Full Day with Dedicated Exploration of the Archaeological Monuments.

Temple II, Temple IV and the Lost World all on the route, in a group of nine at most with lunch. You pay the park ticket at the gate or beforehand.

From $85 per person · lowest pickup option · park ticket extra

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Tikal Day Trip by Air from Guatemala City with Lunch

Flights from Guatemala City, about four hours in the park at Temples I, II and IV, with lunch and the ticket included. Non-refundable.

From $448 per person · park ticket included

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