The ruins lie among the tropical rainforests of northern Guatemala that formed the cradle of lowland Maya civilization . The city itself was located among abundant fertile upland soils , and may have dominated a natural east – west trade route across the Yucatan Peninsula . Conspicuous trees at the Tikal park include gigantic kapok ( Ceiba pentandra ) the sacred tree of the Maya ; tropical cedar ( Cedrela odorata ) , and Honduras mahogany ( Swietenia macrophylla ) . Regarding the fauna , agouti , white @-@ nosed coatis , gray foxes , Geoffroy 's spider monkeys , howler monkeys , harpy eagles , falcons , ocellated turkeys , guans , toucans , green parrots and leafcutter ants can be seen there regularly . Jaguars , jaguarundis , and cougars are also said to roam in the park . For centuries this city was completely covered under jungle . The average annual rainfall at Tikal is 1 @,@ 945 millimetres ( 76 @.@ 6 in ) .