Copán
Ruinas

The Maya city of the Copán valley

Before you go, understand the place.

Copán Ruinas brings together the ceremonial centre of the Maya city of Copán, with the Hieroglyphic Stairway, the Las Sepulturas residential compound and two IHAH museums: the Sculpture Museum, inside the park, and the Museum of Maya Archaeology, in town.

By Asesordeviaje.com Editorial Team · updated October 5, 2026

Our view

Is it worth it?: Yes, if Maya archaeology interests you: the Archaeological Park has the Hieroglyphic Stairway, which according to IHAH bears the longest carved text in the Maya world, and the valley has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980. Bear in mind that none of the IHAH sites has confirmed status or visiting hours.
Who it suits: Yes for anyone travelling for Maya archaeology; Macaw Mountain, according to its operator, is wheelchair accessible. Those coming mainly for the tunnels will see less than they expect: some sections are closed because of collapses, the Margarita tomb has been closed for years and the Rosalila temple is partly seen behind glass.
How many days: Everything is close together: the Archaeological Park is 1 km before the town, Las Sepulturas a few minutes from the park and Macaw Mountain 10 minutes by vehicle from the main square. Organise it in two blocks: the Maya site on one side, and the town with Macaw Mountain on the other.
The usual mistake: Trusting the 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. hours that circulate: according to an IHAH form, these are the park's working hours, not confirmed visiting hours. Also expect the tunnels (US$15) and the museums to be paid for separately from the entrance ticket, and the Sculpture Museum may be closed for refurbishment.
If you are short on time: Focus on the Archaeological Park and Las Sepulturas, a few minutes away and a quieter, less crowded visit; the same ticket, US$20 for visitors from outside Central America, covers both. The Museum of Maya Archaeology in town has unconfirmed status, and Macaw Mountain is left out.

Destination map

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Select a place to view its details. Open a group to see its places.Map: © Stadia Maps © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap

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The “Open and seasonal” filter covers open (1) and seasonal (0) places.

Themed guides

Places grouped by theme, to plan your day.

The Maya site
The Archaeological Park, Las Sepulturas and the Sculpture Museum are run by the IHAH, which publishes their fees; their visiting hours and the museum's current status are unconfirmed.
Open the full guide
Town and valley
The Museum of Maya Archaeology, in central Copán Ruinas, has unconfirmed status; the Macaw Mountain bird park publishes its hours and prices.
Open the full guide

Plan your visit

The practical information you need to plan your visit

The essentials

Best time to go: According to Canada, the rainy season runs from May to November and can cause flooding and landslides, and the hurricane season from early June to the end of November in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. It is an approximate national pattern, not a climate record for each region or a guarantee for the islands. Follow COPECO's alerts.
Getting there: According to the IHAH, the Archaeological Park lies on the CA-4 highway, 1 km before the town of Copán Ruinas, and the Museum of Mayan Archaeology is in the town centre. According to Macaw Mountain, the park is 10 minutes by vehicle from the central square. La Prensa (article updated 9 September 2026) mentions companies that run from San Pedro Sula to Copán Ruinas, without naming them. The El Florido border crossing closes daily from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

The rescued birds of Macaw Mountain

Where to stay

Copán Ruinas (town): The town where, according to the IHAH, the Museum of Maya Archaeology stands; the Archaeological Park lies on the CA-4, 1 km before the town.

Tips and precautions

The 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. hours that circulate are the park's working hours according to an IHAH form; visiting hours are unconfirmed.
The tunnels are paid separately (US$15 for foreign visitors) and some sections are closed after collapses, according to the IHAH (EFE, August 2025).
The IHAH charges foreign visitors in US dollars or the equivalent in lempiras at the exchange rate.

Safety and precautions

Canada advises a high degree of caution throughout the country (update of 29 September 2026) and advises against non-essential travel to, among other areas, the 20 km strip along the border with Guatemala, except Copán Ruinas, the El Florido crossing and the CA-11 road to El Florido; the 20 km strip along El Salvador, except the CA-1 to El Amatillo, the CA-4 to El Poy and the RN-112 between Palmerola airport and the municipality of El Amatillo; the departments of Colón (except the city of Trujillo), Gracias a Dios, Olancho and Yoro; Comayagüela, except Toncontín airport and its approaches; several eastern neighbourhoods of San Pedro Sula; and Choloma.
Spain (update of 12 May 2026) rates insecurity in Honduras as very high, advises against travelling by road at night and rates Copán Ruinas, Lake Yojoa and the Bay Islands as medium risk. It reports robberies of cars and buses on the road sections linking the El Florido and Agua Caliente crossings with Guatemala City, advises not to drive them after dusk and advises against stopping in La Entrada, Santa Rita and El Paraíso (Copán).
The US Department of State advises reconsidering travel to Honduras because of crime and terrorism (level 3, advisory of 25 August 2026) and advises against travel to the department of Gracias a Dios (level 4).
According to state television TNH (20 September 2026), the National Defence and Security Council decided on 18 September not to apply a new state of exception; Honduran media date the end of the regime begun in December 2022 to 26 January 2026. The United States advisory of 25 August 2026 still described it as in force in 226 of the 298 municipalities. The current situation is unconfirmed. Canada notes that the authorities periodically declare states of exception: always carry ID and follow the authorities' instructions at checkpoints.
Canada advises caution on the roads between Copán and Gracias (Lempira) and between Chamelecón and Copán via Cofradía.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to enter the Copán Archaeological Park?

According to the IHAH (table of 18 November 2025), in US dollars or the equivalent in lempiras: park and Las Sepulturas, US$20 for visitors from outside Central America and US$10 for Central Americans; tunnels, US$15 extra; the Sculpture Museum (US$10 and US$5) and the Archaeology Museum (US$5), extra. Hondurans: the national ticket includes Las Sepulturas and both museums and costs L100 (L50 for senior citizens, pensioners and people with disabilities; L40 for identified national students); tunnels, L50; Honduran children under 6 enter the site and the tunnels free.

Is the Sculpture Museum open?

Status unconfirmed: La Casa de Todo, a local business, lists it as temporarily closed for refurbishment, with no reopening date given. The IHAH describes it and publishes a fee, but its current status is unconfirmed.

What are the Archaeological Park's hours?

Visiting hours are unconfirmed; the IHAH's filming form sets the park's working hours at 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. A local shop in Copán Ruinas (La Casa de Todo) gives every day, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Sources

Information checked in October 2026. Prices, hours and rules change: confirm them with the official source before you travel.

Everything you can do

Closed or restricted places are included and flagged, so you know what to expect.

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Showing 5 of 5 · 4 unconfirmed, flagged

Nature and jungle · 1

Photo: Sarah and Jason · CC BY-SA 2.0
Macaw Mountain
WildlifeOpen
A private bird park and nature reserve in a forested valley near Copán Ruinas, devoted to rescuing and rehabilitating birds; according to the operator, many come from illegal trafficking or from homes where they were pets.
Practical details and sources
Entry
General admission L250 (US$10), according to the operator. Children’s admission is unconfirmed: «Plan your visit» lists L125 (US$5) for ages 4 to 10 and free entry for ages 0 to 3, but the same operator’s shop shows «Entrada Infantil» at L250 without stating ages.
Hours
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., open year-round, according to the operator.
Source
Macaw Mountain – Plan Your Visit (publicada mar. 2025; modificada oct. 2025) · 2025 · +2
Tip: According to the operator, the park has its own car park and is wheelchair accessible; pets are not allowed, and it limits direct contact with the macaws for the birds' welfare.
Nearby: Museum of Maya Archaeology (1.7 km) · Maya Sculpture Museum (1.9 km) · Copán Archaeological Park (2.2 km)
Sources: Macaw Mountain – Plan Your Visit (publicada mar. 2025; modificada oct. 2025) · Macaw Mountain – Prepara tu visita · Macaw Mountain – Tickets (tarifa infantil discrepante)
Copán Ruinas. The pin is the park in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.1.4 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

Living culture · 4

Copán Archaeological Park
CultureStatus unconfirmed
The ceremonial centre of the Maya city of Copán, with the Hieroglyphic Stairway, which according to the IHAH bears the longest carved text in the Maya area. The Copán valley has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980; it is run by the Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History (IHAH).
Status unconfirmed: the IHAH publishes fees (table of 18 November 2025), but visiting hours are unconfirmed, and part of the tunnels is closed to the public after collapses (EFE, August 2025).
Practical details and sources
Entry
According to the IHAH (table of 18 November 2025), fees in US dollars are paid in dollars or the equivalent in lempiras: entry to the park and Las Sepulturas costs US$20 for visitors from outside Central America and US$10 for Central Americans; the tunnels (US$15), the Sculpture Museum (US$10 and US$5) and the Archaeology Museum (US$5) cost extra. For Hondurans, the national ticket includes Las Sepulturas and both museums and costs L100 (L50 for senior citizens, pensioners and people with disabilities; L40 for identified national students); the tunnels cost L50, and Honduran children under 6 enter the site and the tunnels free.
Hours
Visiting hours are unconfirmed; the IHAH's filming form sets the park's working hours at 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. A local shop in Copán Ruinas (La Casa de Todo) gives every day, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Source
IHAH – Sitio Maya de Copán, Tarifas de ingreso (18 nov. 2025) · 2025 · +5
Tip: According to the IHAH's manager (EFE, 17 August 2025), some sections of the tunnels are closed to the public after collapses while they are repaired; the Margarita tomb has been closed for years and the Rosalila temple can be seen partly through glass. In its filming and photography requests, the IHAH says drones are not allowed.
Nearby: Maya Sculpture Museum (0.4 km) · Las Sepulturas (1.1 km) · Museum of Maya Archaeology (1.3 km)
Sources: IHAH – Sitio Maya de Copán, Tarifas de ingreso (18 nov. 2025) · IHAH – Solicitud de autorización de fotografías y videos, Parque Arqueológico de Copán (PDF; jul. 2026) · E&N (EFE) – Intervenidos por deterioro túneles de Copán Ruinas (17 ago. 2025) · IHAH – Sitio Maya de Copán, Contacto (ubicación) · UNESCO – Maya Site of Copan (copia del 13 ene. 2026 en Internet Archive) · La Casa de Todo (comercio local de Copán Ruinas) – Horarios y tarifas
According to the IHAH, on the CA-4 road, 1 km before the town of Copán Ruinas. The pin is the centre of the monument's protected area in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.1 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Las Sepulturas
CultureStatus unconfirmed
A residential compound of the Late Classic Maya elite, with Residence 9N-8 or «House of the Scribes», a few minutes from the Archaeological Park; the IHAH presents it as a quieter, less crowded visit.
Status unconfirmed: the IHAH includes it in the park ticket, but its visiting hours are unconfirmed.
Practical details and sources
Entry
Included in the Archaeological Park ticket: US$20 for visitors from outside Central America, US$10 for Central Americans and, for Hondurans, the national ticket (L100; L50 or L40 in the reduced categories) (IHAH, table of 18 November 2025).
Hours
Visiting hours unconfirmed; a local shop in Copán Ruinas (La Casa de Todo) gives every day, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Source
IHAH – Las Sepulturas · 2025 · +2
Nearby: Copán Archaeological Park (1.1 km) · Maya Sculpture Museum (1.3 km) · Museum of Maya Archaeology (2.3 km)
Sources: IHAH – Las Sepulturas · IHAH – Sitio Maya de Copán, Tarifas de ingreso (18 nov. 2025) · La Casa de Todo (comercio local de Copán Ruinas) – Horarios y tarifas
Copán Ruinas. The pin is the site in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.1.2 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Maya Sculpture Museum
CultureStatus unconfirmed
A museum opened in 1996 inside the Archaeological Park, with more than 3,000 original pieces and replicas, including a full-scale replica of the Rosalila temple, according to the IHAH.
Status unconfirmed: La Casa de Todo, a local business, lists it as temporarily closed for refurbishment, with no reopening date given. The IHAH describes it and publishes a fee, but its current status is unconfirmed.
Practical details and sources
Entry
US$10 for visitors from outside Central America and US$5 for Central Americans, on top of the park ticket; for Hondurans, included in the national ticket (IHAH, table of 18 November 2025).
Source
IHAH – Museo de la Escultura Maya de Copán · 2025 · +2
Nearby: Copán Archaeological Park (0.4 km) · Museum of Maya Archaeology (1 km) · Las Sepulturas (1.3 km)
Sources: IHAH – Museo de la Escultura Maya de Copán · IHAH – Sitio Maya de Copán, Tarifas de ingreso (18 nov. 2025) · La Casa de Todo (comercio local de Copán Ruinas) – Horarios y tarifas
Inside the Copán Archaeological Park, according to the IHAH. The pin is the museum building in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.0.7 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Museum of Maya Archaeology
CultureStatus unconfirmed
An IHAH museum in central Copán Ruinas, opened in the 1930s, with sculptures, pottery and jade and shell objects from the valley. According to a La Prensa report dated 28 September 2024, it had reopened after several years closed, with previously unseen pieces and a virtual reality room.
Status unconfirmed: the La Prensa report of September 2024 is the latest news on its reopening, and its hours are unconfirmed.
Practical details and sources
Entry
US$5 for foreign visitors, Central Americans included; for Hondurans, included in the national ticket (IHAH, table of 18 November 2025).
Hours
Hours unconfirmed; a local shop in Copán Ruinas (La Casa de Todo) gives Wednesday to Sunday, 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Source
IHAH – Museo de Arqueología Maya de Copán · 2025 · +3
Nearby: Maya Sculpture Museum (1 km) · Copán Archaeological Park (1.3 km) · Macaw Mountain (1.7 km)
Sources: IHAH – Museo de Arqueología Maya de Copán · La Prensa – Museo de Arqueología Maya reabre (28 sep. 2024) · IHAH – Sitio Maya de Copán, Tarifas de ingreso (18 nov. 2025) · La Casa de Todo (comercio local de Copán Ruinas) – Horarios y tarifas
Central Copán Ruinas, according to the IHAH. The pin is the museum in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.1.4 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

Before you go, understand the place.

Our view

Themed guides

The Maya site

Town and valley

Plan your visit

The essentials

Where to stay

Tips and precautions

Safety and precautions

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Everything you can do

Nature and jungle · 1

Macaw Mountain

Living culture · 4

Copán Archaeological Park

Las Sepulturas

Maya Sculpture Museum

Museum of Maya Archaeology

Keep exploring Honduras