Chichen Itza Day Trips from Playa del Carmen

The Mayan city of Chichen Itza is not only the main archaeological site of the Yucatan Peninsula, but also a sacred space with more than 1500 years of history that was chosen as one of the new seven wonders of the modern world. A few kilometers from Playa del Carmen it is possible to discover it in all its splendor on guided tours

Chichen Itza is characterized by its architecture and the variety of buildings that houses a space of almost five hectares. Among the most outstanding are El Castillo, the most famous Mayan temple, the Great Ball Court, the Temple of the Warriors and the Sacred Cenote, which is 60 meters in diameter and has vertical walls of more than fifteen meters.

This is one of the most common excursions and is a full day tour of Chichén Itzá. It travels by private bus round trip from Playa del Carmen with pick up at the hotel and allows you to visit the Mayan archaeological site with the assistance of an expert local guide, to see the buildings of the ancient city, such as the classic Pyramid of Kukulkan and all its secrets.

These excursions, at an extra cost, can also include a visit to the city of Valladolid and the Sacred Cenote, or Cenote Saamal, as well as a lunch with a typical Mexican menu, although you should keep in mind that visits to other attractions besides Chichén Itzá will take hours away from your stay at the archaeological site.

This excursion lasts approximately twelve hours and allows you to immerse yourself in the Mayan culture, its customs and also in one of its sacred spaces since it was built around the year 600.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Approximately 70 euros per person, including round trip transfers, entrance fees to the ruins and the assistance of the local expert guide.
• Duration of the excursion... About 12 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... You will get to know Chichén Itzá in detail and you have the option of including other visits to the Sacred Cenote and the City of Valladolid in your itinerary.

Among the tours and excursions in Playa del Carmen this is one of the most complete activities, since in addition to the archaeological site of Chichen Itza you will visit the Sacred Cenote and the indigenous city of Valladolid, which is the second largest of Merida and the oldest of the Yucatan Peninsula.

In Chichen Itza you will have, as throughout the trip, the assistance of an expert local guide to visit the temples, El Castillo and the rest of the buildings of the sacred site of the Mayan civilization and you will also have time to walk on your own.

Afterwards, the tour continues to the Sacred Cenote, one of the largest and best known in the Yucatan and Mexico, where you can take a dip, swim and have one of the best snorkeling experiences on your trip to Playa del Carmen.

The last stop of the tour includes a visit to the city of Valladolid, which is known for the beauty of its temples and its extensive monuments commemorating the uprisings of the indigenous resistance.

Please note that this tour includes round-trip transfers from Playa del Carmen but does not include entrance to the attractions.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Starts from 49 euros per person, including round-trip transfers and the assistance of the local expert guide. Please note that this price does not include entrance fees to the attractions or the entrance tax to Chichén Itzá, which is around 30 euros.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately 12 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... You will be able to visit several sites of the Yucatan Peninsula in the same trip, including historical sites and spectacular natural sites.
• Disadvantages of this excursion... The price does not include entrance fees to the attractions or entrance taxes to the archaeological site, so you will have to take into account the extra costs.

On this tour, in addition to Chichen Itza, which along with the Tulum Ruins is the most visited Mayan archaeological site in Mexico, you will visit the Ruins of Coba, one of the Mayan cities of the classic period that stands out for the Pyramid of Nohoch Mul, a main construction of 120 steps that is the only one of the Mayan relics in which you will be allowed to climb.

In addition, in these tours you will also be able to visit the Ik Kil cenote, which is one of the most beautiful and largest in Mexico, with an opening of 60 meters in diameter and 48 meters high, covered by rocky walls.

Without a doubt, this is one of the best cenotes experiences from Playa de Carmen.

These excursions include the assistance of an expert local guide throughout the trip and usually also lunch, with a typical Meixcan menu, as well as hotel pick-up and return trip by minivan from Playa del Carmen, as these excursions are designed for small groups of up to ten visitors.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Starts at 142 euros per person, including round-trip transfers with hotel pick-up, the assistance of the local expert guide, the entrance fees to the excursions and lunch with a typical Mexican menu.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately 11 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... You will be able to combine the visit to the ancient city of Chichen Itza with the tour of the Cenote Ik Kil. You will also visit the only archaeological site in Mexico where you will be allowed to climb a pyramid!

On these excursions you can visit the archaeological site of Chichén Itzá with the assistance of an expert local guide, in addition to having free time to explore the site at your own pace.

With the same excursion you will also be able to visit the Sacred Cenote, or Cenote Saamal, close to Chichén Itzá, and the Cenote Hubiku, which is located on the outskirts of Valladolid and stands out for its darkness, being reached only by a beam of light.

These tours also include a visit to the ruins of Ek Balam, an archaeological site known as The Acropolis and containing the monumental entrance to the underworld.

This archaeological site stands out for the representation of the tomb of Ukit Kan Lec Tok, ancient king of Ek Balam. Although it is a place little visited by tourists, it has a very rich history linked to one of the few Mayan civilizations that were able to develop their own culture apart from the central empire.

These excursions usually include breakfast and lunch with a typical Mexican menu, round trip transfer from Playa del Carmen with hotel pick up and entrance fees to the activities.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Starts at 86 euros per person, including round trip transfers with hotel pick up, the assistance of the local expert guide, entrance fees to the excursions, breakfast and lunch with a typical Mexican menu.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately 13 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... It is one of the best excursions in terms of quality and price and it will allow you to visit a site as little visited by tourists as Ek Balam.

Excursions to Chichen Itza from Playa del Carmen can be booked online in advance or at a tourist services office once you arrive in the city.

Ideally, if you are traveling to the Riviera Maya during the high season, book the excursions in advance, as they may sell out or increase in price.

Visits to Mayan archaeological sites, especially Chichen Itza and the Tulum Ruins, are in high demand by visitors, so to avoid delays I advise you to plan an itinerary that includes hiring tours in advance.

The duration of the excursion will depend on the attractions included in the tour, since the Riviera Maya has paradisiacal areas to visit at every step, but they generally last between eight and twelve hours, so they are full day excursions.

The duration of the excursions should be taken into account when organizing your travel itinerary, because if you plan to do other excursions, such as a visit to Xcaret theme park or an excursion to Cozumel or Isla Mujeres, you will not be able to combine them on the same day as your visit to Chichen Itza.

The answer depends on the type of excursion you choose, because not all of them include the same thing, as some combine the Chichen Itza experience with other natural wonders such as the cenotes.

Here are the attractions you can discover in one of these excursions:

• Chichen Itza: It is the most visited archaeological site of the Mayan culture. Considered one of the new seven wonders of the modern world, Chichen Itza is also the site of historical monuments such as El Castillo, the ball court, temples and magical spaces such as the Sacred Cenote.
• Cobá Ruins: It is the largest archaeological site of the classic period of the Mayan culture. It has the Pyramid of Nohoch Mul, a main construction of 120 steps that is the only one of the Mayan relics where you will be allowed to climb.
• Valladolid: It is the oldest city in Quintana Roo, noted for its temples and monuments of indigenous resistance and also for its exquisite gastronomy, which is one of the best in the Yucatan Peninsula.
• Ruins of Ek Balam: They are little visited by tourists, but it is known as The Acropolis and keeps one of the most interesting buildings of the alternative cities of the Mayan civilization.
• Cenote Ik-Kil: It is one of the largest in Mexico with an opening of 60 meters in diameter and walls 48 meters high.
• Cenote Sagrado: Its official name is Cenote Saamal, it is located very close to Chichen Itza and is one of the most popular cenotes in Mexico. It is one of the most recommended natural experiences during your trip to the Riviera Maya.
• Cenote Hubiku: It is located in Valladolid and stands out for its darkness, since it only receives a small beam of light.

If you are traveling to Playa del Carmen during the high season, I advise you to book your tour in advance to avoid delays and price increases if you buy the excursions when you are already in town.

Also, if you have time, I recommend that to get the most out of your trip you book one of the tours that include other activities, such as visiting the cenotes or other archaeological sites.

From Playa del Carmen you have the possibility to take excursions to other beaches, such as Cozumel or Isla Mujeres, but also to the cenotes or archaeological sites. The best way to save time and money is to include other destinations in your visit to Chichen Itza.

The answer depends on the excursion you choose and the activities it includes. The most economical tours, with entrance to Chichén Itzá included, start at 70 euros for day trips. Tours that also include the Cobá Ruins and Cenote Ik Kil start at 142 euros.

The best excursion in terms of price and quality is the one that includes, in addition to the visit to the archaeological site of Chichen Itza, the Ruins of Ek Balam and the Cenote Hubiku, with prices around 86 euros with round trip transfer from Playa del Carmen in private bus with air conditioning and lunch in some cases.

Chichen Itza is the most famous Mayan archaeological site in Mexico and also one of the new seven wonders of the modern world, so I advise you not to miss this interesting tourist destination.

In addition, you can make the most of your trip by combining the visit to the ancient Mayan city with a tour of the cenotes or other archaeological sites.

An excursion to Chichen Itza with an expert local guide will also allow you to learn all about the Mayan culture and better enjoy your stay in Playa del Carmen, since everything in the Riviera Maya is related to the ancient local civilizations.

It is not impossible to visit Chichen Itza on your own, but you will have to organize the transfer from Playa del Carmen, which can be a bit cumbersome, and you will not have the assistance of a guide, so you might miss some details of Mexico's most famous archaeological site.

On the other hand, in general, access to the cenotes is somewhat complicated, so if you plan to hire an excursion that also includes them, a guided tour is the best option, simplifying your excursion and saving you time and money.