vacation belize city
How long does is take to drive from Belize City to Tikal in Guatemala? Trying to plan a vacation. Thnx!?
It takes about six hours, excluding the border crossing. The border between Belize and Guatemala right there is pretty mellow and off the Panamerican, so you probably won’t have to wait long. But, be cautious and do the 20 km unpaved section of road after the border during broad day light hours. That particular stretch of road is known for highway robbery. Ask in San Ignacio, the Belizean city before the border, for information on road conditions. If the road is good and recently regraded, you should be able to drive over it at about 40 mph (don’t stop). If the road is bad, you will have to go much slower and run a higher risk of highway robbery. Most robberies occur in the worst sections, one of which is about 14 km past the border, with a large dip in the road. We did it in our 1975 VW bus, with white knuckles, chewing our fingernails. But, we didn’t slow down once and nothing happened. We did the road in October of 2004, so maybe by now the government has sorted things out in that area. But, definitely ask in San Ignacio. Other than that one particular area, the roads in Guatemala and Belize are relatively good and well maintained. Tikal is absolutely fantastic, like something out of a dream.
Belize City Tour and History by travel tour guide. Jim Rogers around the world adventure
