Tikal Photo Gallery

Hours, prices and access verified by the Tikal National Park Tours team — last checked 2026-09-10

Tikal from the ground and from the temple tops: the Great Plaza, roof combs standing out of the canopy, and the forest at first and last light. Every way to see it for yourself is listed with the Tikal ruins tours.

Many of the pictures start on the Great Plaza. Temple I, the Temple of the Great Jaguar, closes its east side, and Temple II faces it across the lawn. The North Acropolis, the royal burial ground, runs along the north side. The Central Acropolis, a palace complex, fills the south.

The rest are taken from high up. From the top of Temple IV, the tallest structure at Tikal, the canopy runs to the horizon, broken only by the roof combs of other temples. That is where sunrise and sunset visits end up. Look closely and you will find some of the wildlife too, such as a coati sitting on a temple top above the trees.

Temple I, the Great Plaza and the ruins around it

Temple I at the far end of the Great Plaza at Tikal, seen from above across the lawn and its row of stelae — The Great Plaza, Temple I at the far end

The Great Plaza at Tikal from above, Temple I on the right and terraced ruins on the left — The Great Plaza from above

Temple I and the Great Plaza at Tikal from above at dawn, streaks of cloud over the canopy — Temple I and the Great Plaza at dawn

Smoke rising from a fire on the Great Plaza below Temple I, visitors gathered small on the ground around it — A fire on the Great Plaza below Temple I

Temple I rising over the Great Plaza at Tikal, a ruined stone terrace in the foreground and palace buildings beyond — Temple I over the Great Plaza

Temple I at Tikal lit gold by a low sun, framed by rainforest trees — Temple I in low golden light

The steep stepped face of Temple I seen from the edge of the Great Plaza, thatched shelters in the foreground — Temple I from the edge of the plaza

Temple I rising behind a visitor seen from behind, standing on a ruined wall at Tikal — Temple I behind a ruined wall

Temple I dark against an orange sky under heavy storm clouds at Tikal — Temple I under storm clouds

A stepped temple with a broad stair and a roof comb at Tikal, visitors small at its foot — A stepped temple and its roof comb

Two visitors in sun hats, seen from behind, looking out over the ruins at Tikal from a temple terrace — Looking over the ruins from a temple terrace

A visitor in a sun hat, seen from behind, resting on a temple ledge above the ruins at Tikal — A rest above the ruins

Above the canopy, from first light to dusk

Temple I silhouetted against the low sun above the Great Plaza at Tikal, the stelae row in shadow below — Temple I and the Great Plaza at first light

Temple tops standing out of the dawn mist over the rainforest canopy at Tikal, the sun just above the horizon — Temple tops above the dawn mist

Two temple roof combs above the rainforest canopy at Tikal under a pink dawn sky — Two roof combs at a pink dawn

An orange sunrise through the mist over the canopy at Tikal, a temple top dark in the foreground — Sunrise through the mist

A temple roof comb silhouetted above the dark canopy at Tikal against an orange evening sky — A roof comb against the evening sky

Temple roof combs standing out of the rainforest canopy at Tikal, the forest running to the horizon — Roof combs above the rainforest

Two temple tops rising out of the rainforest at Tikal in a morning haze — Temple tops in the morning haze

A row of visitors, seen from behind, watching the sun on the horizon from a temple-top platform above the canopy at Tikal — Watching the sun from a temple top

The forest and its wildlife

A temple roof comb rising above the rainforest canopy at Tikal, a black bird perched on the railing in front — A roof comb above the canopy

Two hikers with backpacks, seen from behind, looking across the canopy to a temple roof comb at Tikal — A roof comb across the canopy

A coati on the stone edge of a temple top at Tikal, the canopy and distant temple roof combs behind it — A coati on a temple top

What each temple is, and when it was raised, is set out on the Tikal ruins. Where they lie is on the Tikal map, and every tour that reaches them is on Tikal National Park Tours. Tickets and hours are on visiting Tikal.