4 Best Chichen Itza Day Trips from Playa del Carmen

The Mayan city of Chichén Itzá is not only the main archaeological site on the Yucatán Peninsula, but also a sacred place with more than 1,500 years of history that was chosen as one of the new seven wonders of the modern world. Just a few kilometres from Playa del Carmen, you can discover it in all its splendour on guided tours

Chichén Itzá is characterised by its architecture and the variety of buildings it houses in an area of almost five hectares. Among the most notable 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 over 15 metres high.

This is one of the most popular excursions and is a full-day tour of Chichén Itzá. You will travel by private bus from Playa del Carmen with hotel pick-up and drop-off , and you will visit the Mayan archaeological site with the assistance of an expert local guide to learn about the buildings of the ancient city , such as the classic Pyramid of Kukulkán 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 typical Mexican lunch, although you should bear in mind that visits to other attractions in addition to Chichén Itzá will take away from the time you have at the archaeological site.

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

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Approximately £60 per person, including round-trip transfers, entrance fees to the ruins and the assistance of an expert local guide.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately 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 available in Playa del Carmen, this is one of the most comprehensive activities, as in addition to the archaeological site of Chichén Itzá, you will visit the Sacred Cenote and the indigenous city of Valladolid, which is the second largest city in Mérida and the oldest on the Yucatan Peninsula.

In Chichén Itzá, as throughout the trip, you will have the assistance of an expert local guide to learn about the temples, El Castillo and the rest of the buildings at this 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 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 on the tour includes a visit to the city of Valladolid, which is known for the beauty of its temples and its large monuments commemorating the indigenous resistance uprisings.

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

Important details

• Tour price... Starting from £49 per person, including round-trip transfers and the assistance of an expert local guide. Please note that this price does not include admission to attractions or the entrance fee to Chichén Itzá, which is around £30.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately 12 hours.
• Advantages of this tour... You will be able to visit several sites on 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 attractions or entrance fees to the archaeological site, so you should take these extra costs into account.

On this excursion, in addition to Chichén Itzá, which together with the ruins of Tulum is the most visited Mayan archaeological site in Mexico, you will visit the ruins of Cobá, one of the Mayan cities of the classical period, notable for the Pyramid of Nohoch Mul, a main construction with 120 steps that is the only Mayan relic that you are allowed to climb.

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

Without a doubt, this is one of the best cenote experiences from Playa del Carmen.

These excursions include the assistance of an expert local guide throughout the trip and, generally, lunch with a typical Mexican 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... Starting from £142 per person, including round-trip transfers with hotel pick-up, assistance from an expert local guide, entrance fees to the excursions and lunch with a typical Mexican menu.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately 11 hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... You can combine a visit to the ancient city of Chichén Itzá with a tour of the Ik Kil Cenote. You will also visit the only archaeological site in Mexico where you can climb a pyramid!

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

The same excursion also includes a visit to the Sacred Cenote, or Cenote Saamal, near Chichén Itzá, and the Hubiku Cenote, located on the outskirts of Valladolid, which is notable for its darkness, illuminated only by a beam of light.

These tours also include a visit to the ruins of Ek Balam, an archaeological site known as La Acrópolis, which contains the monumental entrance to the underworld

This archaeological site is notable for its representation of the tomb of Ukit Kan Lec Tok, ancient king of Ek Balam. Although it is a place rarely visited by tourists, it has a very rich history linked to one of the few Mayan civilisations 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, return transport from Playa del Carmen with hotel pick-up and entrance fees for the activities.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Starting from £86 per person, including round-trip transfers with hotel pick-up, the assistance of an expert local 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 value for money and will allow you to discover a place rarely visited by tourists, such as Ek Balam.

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

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

Visits to Mayan archaeological sites, especially Chichén Itzá and the Ruins of Tulum, are very popular with visitors, so to avoid delays, I recommend planning an itinerary that includes booking tours in advance.

The duration of the excursion will depend on the attractions included in the tour, as the Riviera Maya has idyllic areas to discover at every turn, but they generally last between eight and twelve hours, making them full-day excursions.

You should take the duration of the excursions into account when organising your travel itinerary, as if you plan to do others, 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 Chichén Itzá.

The answer will depend on the type of excursion you choose, as not all of them include the same things. Some combine the Chichén Itzá experience with other natural wonders such as cenotes.

Below is a list of the attractions you can discover on one of these excursions:

• Chichén Itzá: This 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 home to historical monuments such as El Castillo, the ball court, temples and magical places such as the Sacred Cenote.
• Ruins of Cobá: This is the largest archaeological site from the classical period of Mayan culture. It features the Pyramid of Nohoch Mul, a main structure with 120 steps that is the only Mayan relic that you are allowed to climb.
• Valladolid: This is the oldest city in Quintana Roo, notable for its temples and monuments of indigenous resistance, as well as its exquisite cuisine, which is among the best on the Yucatan Peninsula.
• Ruins of Ek Balam: These ruins are rarely visited by tourists, but they are known as La Acrópolis (The Acropolis) and contain one of the most interesting buildings of the alternative cities of the Mayan civilisation.
• Ik-Kil Cenote: This is one of the largest cenotes in Mexico, with an opening 60 metres in diameter and walls 48 metres high.
• Sacred Cenote: Its official name is Cenote Saamal, it is located very close to Chichén Itzá and is one of the most popular cenotes in Mexico. It is one of the natural experiences that I highly recommend during your trip to the Riviera Maya.
• Hubiku Cenote: Located in Valladolid, it stands out for its darkness, as it only receives a small beam of light.

If you are travelling to Playa del Carmen during the high season, I recommend booking your tour in advance to avoid delays and price increases if you buy your excursions once you are in the city.

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

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

The answer depends on the excursion you choose and the activities it includes. The cheapest excursions, with admission to Chichén Itzá included, start at £65 for day trips. Tours that also include the ruins of Cobá and the Ik Kil cenote start at £120.

The best value for money tour is the one that includes, in addition to a visit to the archaeological site of Chichén Itzá, the ruins of Ek Balam and the Hubiku Cenote, with prices around £76 including return transport from Playa del Carmen in an air-conditioned private bus and lunch in some cases.

Chichén Itzá is the most famous Mayan archaeological site in Mexico and also one of the new seven wonders of the modern world, so I recommend that you don't miss out on this interesting tourist destination.

In addition, 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 Chichén Itzá with an expert local guide will also allow you to learn all about Mayan culture and enjoy your stay in Playa del Carmen even more, as everything in the Riviera Maya is related to the ancient local civilisations.

It is not impossible to visit Chichén Itzá on your own, but you will have to organise your own transport from Playa del Carmen, which can be a bit of a hassle, and you will not have the assistance of a guide, so you could miss out on some of the details of Mexico's most famous archaeological site.

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