We enjoyed three visits to Tikal. First, after driving across Guatemala, we had an introductory visit in the late afternoon to the Great Plaza. The next day, we had an all day affair where our guide Carlos showed us every major site in Tikal. This was a day of perfect weather! Lastly, we woke up at 4:30 A.M. the next day to hike to Temple IV in time for the sunrise. Unfortunately, we got rained on that morning, and heavy clouds obscured the sight of the sun's disc climbing over the jungle - but we were fortunate that the morning rain didn't REALLY cut loose until we were back at the hotel for breakfast - then it came down hard. I felt bad for the people who were touring the site that morning. We spent that rainy morning indoors at the Tikal museum (no pictures allowed inside of there.)

Tikal is truly a tremendous sight, it obviously deserves its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The peak population estimates for Tikal goes as high as 90,000 people. It was surrounded by farms and satellite villages. Much of Tikal itself remains unexcavated. The industrious Mayan built a number of impressive temples in Tikal, some of which tourists are still allowed to climb. Because of its size, Tikal requires at least a full day to explore in its entirety, we only made it to Temple VI when the sun was starting to set. I am very glad we had a chance to see Tikal, it really was a memorable visit.