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 kilometres from Playa del Carmen it is possible to discover it in all its splendour on guided tours

Chichén Itzá is characterised by its architecture and by the variety of buildings in 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 metres in diameter and has vertical walls of more than fifteen metres.

This is one of the most common excursions and is a full day tour of Chichen Itza. It travels by private bus from Playa del Carmen and back with hotel pick-up 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 Chichen Itza will take hours away from your time at the archaeological site.

This tour 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 return transfers, entrance fees to the ruins and the assistance of the local expert guide.
• Duration of the tour... Approximately 12 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... You will get to know Chichen Itza in detail and you have the option to include 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 besides the archaeological site of Chichen Itza you will visit the Sacred Cenote and the indigenous city of Valladolid, which is the second largest city of Merida and the oldest of the Yucatan Peninsula.

In Chichen Itza you will be assisted by an expert local guide, as you will throughout the trip, to see the temples, El Castillo and the rest of the buildings of the sacred site of the Mayan civilisation, and you will also have time to walk around 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 snorkelling experiences of 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 extensive monuments commemorating the uprisings of the indigenous resistance.

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

Details of interest

• Price of the tour... Starts from 49 euros per person, including return transfers and the assistance of the local expert guide. Please note that this price does not include entrance fees to the attractions and the entrance tax to Chichen Itza which is around 30 euros.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately 12 hours.
• Advantages of this tour... You will be able to visit several sites of the Yucatan Peninsula in one trip, including historical sites and spectacular natural sites.
• Disadvantages of this tour... The price does not include entrance fees to the attractions and 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 together 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, on 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 metres in diameter and 48 metres in height, covered by rocky walls.

This is undoubtedly one of the best cenotes experiences from Playa de Carmen.

These excursions include the assistance of an expert local guide for the entire 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 from 142 euros per person, including hotel pick-up and return transfers, the assistance of the local expert guide, entrance fees to the excursions and lunch with a typical Mexican menu.
• Duration of the tour... Approximately 11 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... You can combine the visit to the ancient city of Chichen Itza with the tour of the Cenote Ik Kil, 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 Chichen Itza with the assistance of an expert local guide, as well as 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 Chichen Itza, and the Cenote Hubiku, which is located in 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 is notable for its representation of the tomb of Ukit Kan Lec Tok, the ancient king of Ek Balam. Although rarely visited by tourists, it has a rich history linked to one of the few Mayan civilisations that were able to develop a culture of their own apart from the central empire.

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

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Starts from 86 euros per person, including hotel pick-up and return transfers, the assistance of the local expert guide, entrance fees to the excursions, breakfast and lunch with a typical Mexican menu.
• Duration of the tour... Approximately 13 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... This is one of the best value for money excursions and will allow you to get to know 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 travelling to the Riviera Maya during the high season, book 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 very popular with visitors, so to avoid delays I advise you to plan an itinerary that includes booking 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 turn, 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 organising your travel itinerary, as if you plan to do other excursions, such as a visit to the 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 on 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, Chichén Itzá is also the site of historical monuments such as El Castillo, the ball court, temples and magical spaces such as the Sacred Cenote.
• Coba 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 of Quintana Roo, outstanding for its temples and its 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 it keeps one of the most interesting buildings of the alternative cities of the Mayan civilisation.
• Cenote Ik-Kil: It is one of the largest in Mexico with an opening of 60 metres in diameter and walls 48 metres 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 travelling 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 go on 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 cheapest excursions, including entrance to Chichén Itzá, start at 70 euros for day trips. Tours that also include the Coba 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 starting at around 86 euros with round trip transfer from Playa del Carmen in a private air-conditioned bus and lunch in some cases.

Chichen Itza is Mexico's most famous Mayan archaeological site and also one of the new seven wonders of the modern world, so don't miss this interesting tourist destination.

You can make the most of your trip by combining a 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 civilisations.

It is not impossible to visit Chichen Itza on your own, but you will have to organise 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 of the details of Mexico's most famous archaeological site.

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