January in Tikal — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 6.8/10January averages 22°C (72°F) — warm for the outdoors: start trails early, use shaded routes at midday, and carry more water than you think you need.
Rainfall runs 97 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 14 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.1 hours of daylight.
It scores 6.8/10 here, 2nd of 12 months, against 7.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on peak pricing, with crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.
February: the best month of the year in Tikal
Best window · 7.6/10February averages 23°C (73°F) — warm for the outdoors: start trails early, use shaded routes at midday, and carry more water than you think you need.
Rainfall runs 70 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 18 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.4 hours of daylight.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Tikal at 7.6/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Figure on peak pricing, with this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.
March in Tikal — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 6.8/10Days in March average 26°C (80°F) and humidity near 71% — front-load outdoor plans before the heat builds and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.
Budget for roughly 70 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 26 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.9 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 6.8/10 on the same scale — 3rd of 12 months, versus 7.6/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.
April in Tikal — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 6.7/10April averages 28°C (82°F), so the practical pattern is early mornings, a long midday break, and evenings back outside.
Rainfall runs 46 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 27 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12.4 hours of daylight.
It scores 6.7/10 here, 4th of 12 months, against 7.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.
May in Tikal — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 6.2/10Days in May average 30°C (85°F) — front-load outdoor plans before the heat builds and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.
Budget for roughly 80 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 27 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12.8 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 6.2/10 on the same scale — 5th of 12 months, versus 7.6/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.
June in Tikal — off-season conditions
Hardest · 4.7/10June averages 27°C (81°F) and humidity near 80%, so the practical pattern is early mornings, a long midday break, and evenings back outside.
228 mm makes this the wettest stretch of the year, though about 23 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still appear — keep an indoor fallback ready.
It scores 4.7/10 here, 11th of 12 months, against 7.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack the lightest breathable clothing you own, a hat, and more water than feels necessary, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? February scores 2.9 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
July in Tikal: mixed conditions, plan around the weather
Trade-offs · 5.1/10July averages 26°C (78°F) — warm for the outdoors: start trails early, use shaded routes at midday, and carry more water than you think you need.
245 mm makes this the wettest stretch of the year, though about 21 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still appear — keep an indoor fallback ready.
It scores 5.1/10 here, 7th of 12 months, against 7.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on low-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? February scores 2.5 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
August in Tikal: mixed conditions, plan around the weather
Trade-offs · 5/10Trail conditions at 26°C (78°F) favour early starts and shaded routes in August; midday is for water breaks, not for exposed climbs.
This is the year's wettest stretch at 245 mm, but with about 22 days with 6+ hours of sunshine it is not a total loss; an indoor fallback covers the risk.
That is 5/10 on the same scale — 8th of 12 months, versus 7.6/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, February is materially better in Tikal — 2.6 points higher on the same scale.
September in Tikal — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4.8/10Trail conditions at 26°C (78°F) favour early starts and shaded routes in September; midday is for water breaks, not for exposed climbs.
This is the year's wettest stretch at 215 mm, but with about 20 days with 6+ hours of sunshine it is not a total loss; an indoor fallback covers the risk.
That is 4.8/10 on the same scale — 9th of 12 months, versus 7.6/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, February is materially better in Tikal — 2.8 points higher on the same scale.
October in Tikal: expect compromises
Hardest · 4.8/10October averages 25°C (77°F) — warm for the outdoors: start trails early, use shaded routes at midday, and carry more water than you think you need.
235 mm of rain puts this in monsoon territory — about 17 days with 6+ hours of sunshine across the whole month, and multi-day washouts are normal.
It scores 4.8/10 here, 10th of 12 months, against 7.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? February scores 2.8 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
November in Tikal — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4.7/10November averages 24°C (75°F) — warm for the outdoors: start trails early, use shaded routes at midday, and carry more water than you think you need.
303 mm of rain puts this in monsoon territory — about 13 days with 6+ hours of sunshine across the whole month, and multi-day washouts are normal.
It scores 4.7/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 7.6/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
Flexible dates? February scores 2.9 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
December in Tikal: mixed conditions, plan around the weather
Trade-offs · 5.5/10Trail conditions at 22°C (72°F) favour early starts and shaded routes in December; midday is for water breaks, not for exposed climbs.
173 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only about 10 days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 5.5/10 on the same scale — 6th of 12 months, versus 7.6/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.
If your dates are flexible, February is materially better in Tikal — 2.1 points higher on the same scale.
