Chichen Itza & Ekbalam with Cenote Swim from Cancun

Recommended by 97% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Cancun, Mexico

12 to 13 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

Skip the beaches and bars of Cancun for the day and soak up the region's cultural heritage. This half-day tour takes you to the archaeological sites of Chichen Itza and Ek Balam to explore and learn about the Mayans. Afterward, enjoy a refreshing dip in the sacred sinkhole of Cenote Saamal. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included for convenience.

Experience the wonder of Chichen Itza with a knowledgable guide
Hassle-free hotel pickup and drop-off included
Includes a light lunch and snack and drinks
Swim in a fabulous Mexican cenote, like you're in a fairy tale

What's Included

Lunch

Buffet lunch
Professional guide
Air-conditioned vehicle
Cenote admision

Life jacket rental in the cenote it is mandatory, 4 USD per person must be paid in cash at check in
Admission Fee - Chichen Itza

$33.00 per person
Admission Fee - Ek Balam

$26.00 per person
Entrance fee - Chichen Itza

$7.00 per person
Taxes of 66 USD to be paid at destination

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

We offer pick up service in most hotels. In the event that your hotel does not have a pick-up service, we will let you know the closest meeting point the afternoon before the tour by sending a message to your telephone or a notification to the email address indicated in your reservation.

Meeting point

Smart Cancun
Av. Tulúm 4, capilla ecumenica, 77500 Cancún, Q.R., Mexico
7:00 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.7:00 am

Itinerary

Chichen Itza

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Cenote Saamal

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Zona Arqueológica de Ek Balam

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible

Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.9

based on 89 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

The leg room in the van...

Richard_H, Apr 2026

The leg room in the van is a little small, but the trip is definitely worth it. Jesús and Alex were a great tour guide and driver. Being able to walk to the top of Ek'Balam is truly amazing, and of course Chichen Itza and the Cenote are both also great

Time was mismanaged, but fun to climb Ek Balam and see Chichen Itza. Cenote was very cool.

James_V, Apr 2026

It was fun and we got to climb Ek Balam and Chichen Itza, but time was mismanaged by our guide and we only had 1 hour at Chichen. We arrived at 4, and barely made it in time. Our tour was combined with folks from Cancun and Playa Del Carmen, pick up and Drop off were chopping and mismanaged. We spent a lot of time waiting for other transportation.

Not a good time

Sarah_C, Jul 2025

They were quite disorganized and picked us up late even after I gave them detailed hotel instructions. This ended up delaying the day by 30+ mins. We came from Cancun area so had a transfer somewhere in Playa del Carmen which was also uncoordinated and wasted even more time. The van was full and we were crammed like a sardines for 7+ hours drive with no AC on this part of the trip. As someone who is 5'6" my legs barely fit so if you're taller imagine sitting like that all day. Why would you use a van with barely functioning AC? Imagine being hot for 2+ hour car ride. Sweating while taking the tour only to get back to a hot van to the next stop. The final trip home was unbearable 3+ hours. It was a 14 hour trip all in all if you do it from north of Cancun. Honestly the stops were nice and I understand it's hot out but I did not enjoy it because of the crappy transportation. All of us come to Cancun on vacation to enjoy and relax and learn about Mayan culture. Why subject us to this type of treatment?

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We're truly sorry to hear about the issues you faced, especially with transportation—there’s no excuse for discomfort during such a long day, and your comments about the van conditions and poor coordination are very concerning. We understand how frustrating it must have been to experience delays, cramped seating, and a lack of working air conditioning, particularly in the heat. That’s not the standard we aim to offer, and it’s clear we fell short during your tour. We’re glad to hear you still appreciated the cultural stops, but we know that transportation plays a huge part in your overall enjoyment. Thank you again for your honesty—we take this seriously and are working on improvements.

It was great, but can be...

Jean_H, Mar 2025

It was great, but can be warm in the sun. Guide, Antonio, was super knowledgeable and friendly. Driver was very skilled. Our little group became fast friends

Excellent small group tour for a taste of Mayan ruins and a cenote swim

ChungHay_L, Feb 2025

My partner and I booked the Chichen Itza & Ekbalam with Cenote Swim from Cancun tour for Feb 15, 2025 operated by Cancun Bay Tours and had a great time! It was action packed: 7:20 am pickup, 1.5 hours at Ek Balam (half of which is a guided tour; 1.25 or so hours for Mayan ritual, shopping, and lunch buffet; 2 hours at Chichen Itza (50 mins or so for a guided tour); and about 45 mins at Selva Maya for the cenote. We were likely the last tour group in the cenote, so it was a short swim before we got ushered out around 5:15 pm. There’s an hour time difference, so we lost an hour heading back to Cancún and got back to our hotel around 9:20 pm as the first to be picked up and last to be dropped off. We weren’t able to walk through everything in Chichen Itza, but didn’t expect to given this itinerary includes Ek Balam. We loved this combination because we were allowed to climb the ruins in Ek Balam and could then imagine that feeling in Chichen Itza. We got hot and sweaty from those sites, so ending at the cenote was a perfect way to cool off! Our driver Gato Negro was solid; the van was fine, though we couldn’t find our seat belt buckles. Our guide Xiomana was so friendly, attentive, and organized despite some miscommunication in what was covered by our tickets. We paid $95.57 USD per person for the Plus option (snacks, drinks onboard), which seemed to be a surprise to Xiomana, who thought our ticket only included 2 drinks during lunch. She adapted and brought us hot empanadas (1 beef, 1 ham and cheese) and apples during a pit stop. All 9 of us regardless of tour package it seems got unlimited bottled water and beer in the van. It might not be worth paying an extra $13 USD for the Plus option unless you drink alcohol over lunch. We opted for Coca Colas and bottled water. For prep: we wore our swim suits to save time; brought a towel, flip flops, extra cover-up, plastic bags for wet clothes. We brought USD cash to pay for the admission tickets to the 2 sites ($66 USD per person. Alt: pay by credit card with fee), life vests required to swim in the cenote ($4 USD per person), optional umbrella to block the sun at Chichen Itza ($5 USD), and tips for the lunch and guide / driver. Xiomana looked after our stuff, so we didn’t need to rent a locker at the cenote.

Perfect Day of Adventures!

Sophia_L, Jul 2024

Jaime was the best tour guide I could ask for. He was very knowledgeable and his straightforward opinions were appreciated. And the itinerary was well planned-- I liked the contrast between Chichen Itza and the less crowded Ekbalam. Finishing the day with a cooling swim at the cenote was perfect (and my favorite activity of the three).

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Hi Sophia_L! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your comment, we’re delighted that you enjoyed the tour, our service and our team. Hope to see you again soon!

Inesquecível

Ric4000, Jan 2020

A civilização Maia é objeto de estudo no mundo inteiro e agora percebi a razão. Suas obras transcendem o seu tempo. O nosso Guia Juan Pastor nos deu uma aula e foi muito profissional!!