How to get from Palenque to Flores (Tikal)

Mayan culture is fascinating, and ancient ruins are amazing places to experience it firsthand.

Two major archaeological sites are not far from each other: Palenque and Tikal.

Buying a ticket in Palenque

I arrived in Palenque on a night bus from Mérida. On the way to my hotel, I started looking for a ticket to my next destination: Tikal.

I found a ticket office on the main street (see the map below) and bought a ticket for the following morning. They told me to arrive at 6:00 a.m.

Afterward, I checked into my hotel and visited the Palenque ruins.

The next day: traveling to the border

I woke up at around 5:30 a.m. and went to the station. I arrived on time, but the minibus was not ready. After waiting for about an hour, I finally boarded. There were around ten tourists on the bus. About half were traveling to Tikal along the same route as me, while the others were joining a different tour. The drive to the border took about three hours. We stopped once for food at a small shop, and I slept for most of the journey.

At the border, we received our exit stamps and took a boat across the river. That was how I first set foot in Guatemala.

Bienvenidos a Guatemala

Bienvenidos a Guatemala

On the Guatemalan side, we boarded another bus. The company gave us entry forms to complete. After a 20-minute drive from the riverbank, we reached the local border post and were asked to pay $20 for a visa. Officially, we should not have had to pay, but we were not given a choice. I suppose these payments help keep the remote border post running. We then traveled for another three to four hours through the countryside. The road was rough and shaky, but I can sleep on almost any kind of road.

We arrived in Flores at around 4:00 p.m. I bought a ticket to my next destination, Antigua, and then went to my hotel.

Summary

The journey was straightforward and did not take very long. Traveling from Mexico to visit Tikal is easier than it might initially appear.