Chichen Itza Day Trip Exclusive Nool-Ha Cenote & Valladolid Visit
Cancun, Mexico
- 12 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Explore spectacular Chichen Itza on this full-day tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stop for a swim in a nearby cenote before a certified guide leads you through the ancient capital of the Maya Empire, considered the most important archaeological zone of the Yucatán. Visit the ball court, El Castillo (the Castle), Pyramid of Kukulkan, and Temple of the Warriors. Then, indulge in a buffet lunch of regional dishes. Your Chichen Itza day trip includes round-trip hotel transport from Cancun.
- Explore the observatory, a sacred cenote, the ball court, and the castle
- Enjoy a delicious buffet-style lunch
- Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site and its fascinating temples
- Complimentary pickup and drop off from most Cancun hotels
What's Included
- Certified bilingual guide
- Visit to Colonial Valladolid
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Swim in Cenote Nool-ha Life Vest Included
- Lunch Buffet (drinks not included)
- 2 Water Bottles during the tour.
- Gratuities ( Optional )
- Government Fees$40.00 per person
- Pictures or Souveniers
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to your preferred meeting point, or request pickup.
Operating hours.7:00 am
Itinerary
From your hotel in Cancun, you’re picked up in the morning for the drive to Chichen Itza, considered the most important archaeological zone in the Yucatán.
Start your tour of significant locations at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the ball court, el Castillo (the Castle), the Pyramid of Kukulkan and Temple of the Warriors. Learn from your certified guide why the extraordinary architectural beauty and geographical location have led to Chichen Itza's designation as one of the New7Wonders of the World.
Then, stop to explore the natural wonders of a nearby cenote. Play in the deep, aquamarine waters of an underground swimming hole formed from a collapsed limestone cavern.
Head to a local restaurant for a buffet lunch of fresh salads, soups, rice, meat, chicken, fish, vegetables and other regional fare (drinks at own expense).
Stop in the “magic town” of Valladolid on the way back to Cancun for a brief tour of its town center.
Your Chichen Itza full-day tour ends with return transport to your Cancun hotel.
Start your tour of significant locations at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the ball court, el Castillo (the Castle), the Pyramid of Kukulkan and Temple of the Warriors. Learn from your certified guide why the extraordinary architectural beauty and geographical location have led to Chichen Itza's designation as one of the New7Wonders of the World.
Then, stop to explore the natural wonders of a nearby cenote. Play in the deep, aquamarine waters of an underground swimming hole formed from a collapsed limestone cavern.
Head to a local restaurant for a buffet lunch of fresh salads, soups, rice, meat, chicken, fish, vegetables and other regional fare (drinks at own expense).
Stop in the “magic town” of Valladolid on the way back to Cancun for a brief tour of its town center.
Your Chichen Itza full-day tour ends with return transport to your Cancun hotel.
1
Chichen Itza Yucatan
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
2
Kaua
1 hour 20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Valladolid
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
4
Valladolid
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Children ages 3 years and under are free, but their seats are subject to availability. They may have to ride on their parents' laps if seats are not available
- Comfortable lightweight clothing
- Good walking shoes or sneakers
- Hat
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Sunglasses
- Biodegradable sun block
- Swimming suit and towel
- Extra change of clothing
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 55 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.2
based on 1,502 reviews
Gerald_M, Jun 2024
We were told the onsite Chichen Itza vendors sell Chinese crap. Fair enough, BUT taking us to a village for lunch ( was included and food was good ) and shopping turned out to be tourist trap. Obsidian, for example was OUTRAGEOUSLY priced there. Like $85 usd for an obsidian bracelet. I got the same for $20 usd in Valladolid.
Alona_T, Mar 2024
What an incredible experience! Recardo and his team are not only fabulous guides but absolutely knowledgeable, super charismatic, and just really good humans who love to share their knowledge and take care of people. You won’t want to miss this outstanding excursion. It is an all day experience but so worth it!
John_S, Feb 2024
Our tour guide was so passionate and informative about the Mayan culture and history. He has first hand knowledge of the current progress of the site. Absolutely, a must see when visiting this part of the country.
Brittany_H, Dec 2023
Overall, this trip was a little disappointing! I will start with the good things.
Pros: our tour guide, Francisco, was very informative and nice. The food at the Mayan reservation was pretty good. The three destinations were beautiful and great experiences.
Cons: the day is 14 hours long, not 12. We were picked up at 7:30 and did not get into the bus until at least 9:30. It was a waste of time and not very organized. You spend the majority of the day on the bus. The first leg of the trip was over 2.5 hours long. The itinerary of the trip on Viator also did not match the order in which we did things. First, we went to Valladolid with only 30 min to get out. We were advised not to buy anything because the crafts/food at the Mayan reservation will be better (don’t listen to that!). Then it was 30 minutes to the Mayan reservation. We were told we would have 20 minutes to shop and then eat, but it took more like 45 minutes to get food. Then we were told it would be 20ish minutes to Chichén Itza but with the traffic, it took over an hour. On the bus they tried selling us Mayan liquor. Then lastly we went to the cenote but it was DARK outside. We arrived to the cenote at 5:45 pm despite the place saying it was closed at 5:00. We were extremely rushed and all of the restaurants/bars were closed. It was so dark that you couldn’t see anything or take photos of the cenote.
Overall, I was disappointed in the organization and order of the trip. The cenote should not have been last and less time should have been spent at the Mayan reservation.
Joshua_P, Nov 2023
You get up at 7 only to wait 2 hours for everyone to check in. Other than that it was good. Good tour guide.
Ippei_Y, Nov 2023
Although the website said two bottles of water will be provided, it never happened. I asked a guide about it, but he insisted this tour does not include any water. I was always dehydrated through the tour.
Response from Host, Nov 2023
Thank you very much for sharing your comments, we will verify the reason why the guide did not provide water, it is included with the tour, we hope you enjoyed the rest of this amazing experience.
Fernando_P, Sep 2023
I'd like to thank all the people involved. You guys provide an amazing, unforgettable experience. I am so glad to have taken this trip and that I used you to be my tour guide.
I had a blast, cannot thank you guys enough for all you have done. May god repay you
Reyes_P, Sep 2023
Ricardo was a great and knowledgeable tour guide!!!
Definitely recommend him As a guide!
He shared his knowledge and was able to keep a group of people engaged thought the whole tour!
Response from Host, Sep 2023
Thank you for sharing your comments, so glad you enjoy the tour and had a great experience
aaron_f, Aug 2023
Chichen Itza, Cenote and Valladolid trip
Chichen Itza is ok but too many vendors inside. I feel that government could do better to make the ground area with less vendors and or organized.
The Cenote i think is the best part of this trip but we were rushed.
Valladolid was 30 mins stop and it could be longer.
This is too long of a trip from when we were picked up, where we were gathered. We first made a stop in a Mayan Village where we had lunch(buffet lunch is terrible). Wish we had more time to enjoy the Cenote and Valladolid.
Overall - i think this is Overrated trip and be ready for the upsell on things here and there.
I would not recommend and if i am to suggest, look for a private tour and have a better meal somewhere of your choice.
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Thank you very much for your review, we are sure this will be useful for us to enhance the points you mention. we are really sorry that you do not like the buffet. We will definitely analyse and take action pretty soon,
PETER_C, Jul 2023
The day was way too long with hard selling not only at the stops, but on the bus . The bus was sub par, with a non working toilet ( for solid waste), a severely cracked windshield and non working individual light & air controls. Our guide was more interested in selling than in ensuring that we had an enjoyable transportation experience. We had one family (one person in it the worst) who made the trip miserable for the rest of us on the bus, being loud, obnoxious and talking about inappropriate subjects without ever being addressed by the guide. The stay at the cenote was too short, at the lunch location (and hard sell souvenir shop) too long, and the stop in Valladolid unnecessary. Having been a travel agent for over 40 years having been on hundreds of excursions world wide. I would advise this company to address these issues and to rearrange the trip order to go to Chichen Itza first, then go to the Cenote and then lunch and souvenir stop and then return to Cancun. AND STOP SELLING ONBOARD THE BUS. Several people we're not aware that the $25 "Mayan birth certificate" was OPTIONAL. Also, I would include any MANDATORY fees in the up front cost. ( This would also benefit the tour operator as well as any no-shows will have already paid. Those fees and you would not waste time collecting from every passenger.)
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Thank you very much for your feedback, we will take this review as a serious opportunity area to enhance the way the drivers make sales of extras on board the bus. As you mention, the purchase is optional, however the way how the guides did is no ethic and we will take measeures
Samuel_L, Jul 2023
The Chichen IIza was wonderful. The guide Victor was very knowledgeable and funny. He was great with explaining in Spanish and English. He also taught us some Mayan phrases.
Response from Host, Aug 2023
We are very happy to learn that your activity was a pleasant one and that you were highly satisfied with our service. We strive to deliver the most memorable experience to our valued guests. We highly appreciate your gracious comments here and have shared them with our team.
Michael_H, Jul 2023
Francisco and Roberto were great guides; got to see many different things and they made the long bus ride fun and entertaining.
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Thank you!
Your comments will serve as an inspiration to our team to continue working with passion, ensuring our valued guests have an enjoyable and memorable experience with us.
Giulia_F, Jul 2023
Our tour guide, Roberto, was amazing! He was very knowledgeable and he made the experience a marvel. The only little thing was that we didn’t have a lot of time in the Cenote.
Gwenaelle_C, Jul 2023
Chichen Itzà and the Cenote were awesome but the organization was awful! The shuttle came to pick us up at 6:40am as planned but then, they dropped us off in a mall where we had to wait more than 2h!! Then we took another bus and we picked up more people on the side of the road!
The first stop was in a tourist place with stuffs to buy and we had lunch without a drink. It was mandatory to buy a drink.
A lot of extra expenses during the day (drinks at the restaurant, life jackets and lockers at the Cenote…) It was very disappointing!
Because we waited so long before our departure we had only 1h to spend in the Cenote, a beautiful place where you can easily spend 2h.
Christophe_T, Jun 2023
Being picked up at 6.40am and finally departing Cancun 2 hours after is not a great experience at all… poor organisation, for an expensive trip.
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Thank you for sharing your experience, as this is a shared tour we concentrate all our passengers leaving from Plaza la Isla, this probably takes a while but it is important to us. We will take in consideration the comments on this review.
Magdalena_V, Jun 2023
The trip on time the explanation on the chicken itza site exelent, my husband and I, enjoyed every moment
Response from Host, Jul 2023
So glad you had a good time and enjoy the experince, thank you for your kind words and taking the time to share with us.
Malin_H, Jun 2023
Beautiful tour, we saw many great things. The guides gave us a very detailed information of the Maya people and their culture, as-well as an informative guided tour at the archeological site.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
We would like to thank you for choosing our company as your host on your recent tour in our destination. It was a pleasure having you and we appreciate that you have taken the time to share your experience on
Tripadvisor
Amanda_S, May 2023
I thought it was an amazing tour for the time we had. They picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel, which was amazing. 3 hrs drive to go have lunch. Then drove to Chichen Itza. We were partnered with an amazing tour guide Caeser! Learned a lot!! We had 2 hrs there. An hour tour and hour of playtime. They have a lot of vendors. Bring lots pesos with you on this day trip. We then went to the centotes. Was crowed the day we went but still very nice. We only had an hour there which we thought was plenty. Did some jumping into the centote and hang out. Then we went to the Valladolid square. More vendors, amazing food and snacks. Get the street corn!! Great end to the trip before the 3 hr drive back. Bus had AC, seats were comfortable, bus was clean, had a bathroom in the bus, whole crew was amazing. I would recommend this trip to anyone's first time going!!
Danielle_B, May 2023
Our tour guide was amazing! Pick up and drop offs from hotel were easy and smooth. The lunch stop was fantastic. Definitely a memorable experience.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Thank you for taking the time to write and share your recent experience on this activity
Victoria_S, Apr 2023
Very nice experience.
A little confusing when tax and admission are listed as two different things. We spent a great deal of time figuring out that it was actially the same.
A bit long stops in the heat. Great memorable day
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Thank you for sharing, we are so glad you enjoyed and had a good time.
Tarachand_V, Apr 2023
Simply awesome. Well arranged. Picked up on time and walked us thru entire history of mayans. Great fun.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
We are very happy that you have been able to fully enjoy our history and the importance of Mayan history, we hope that you have been able to have a wonderful experience on this magical tour.
Tim_G, Mar 2023
The trip was a disaster: in fact, it never happened. They told me to meet the bus for my pick up at the entrance of the Hacienda Isabel at 9:20 AM. I was told verbally over the phone to meet at the entrance of the Hacienda Isabel and not the entrance of the resort I stayed at, which is about 150 yards further in. Fine. By written notification my confirmation email said, "Your pick-up time is scheduled at 9:20 am from the Hacienda Isabel, located at the main entrance of the Bahia Principe Complex. So, I waited at the entrance of the Hacienda Isabel, even 40 minutes early. By 9:18 AM, I walked across the driveway to the guard station and he called the tour. They said the bus was 4 min. away. It never came to the entrance of the resort or the Hacienda Isabel. It parked on the highway and waited, then drove off! Really? The guard called the tour at 9:25, only 5 minutes later, and the driver refused to come back. I pleaded with the tour company and they said he won't do it. $140 down the drain after I followed explicit instructions to the tee. The grouchy lady I spoke with mentioned 4 other "no shows." Gee I wonder why??? I told her in their email confirmation to say, "Meet at the entrance of the resort complex RIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY!!!, not at the entrance of the Hacienda Isabel, which is inside the guard gate of the resort complex. Just leave the "Hacienda Isabel" out of the description. That's an entire other building. It cost me an additional $350 to have a taxi replicate the tour that day. So, grand total was almost $500 US.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Dear Mr. Gnazale,
Thank you for sharing your feedback, this helps us a lot to know every visitor’s experience and improve our service.
We are sorry for the misunderstanding with your pick-up, we confirmed with a photo attached of the exact meeting point. Our staff tried to reach you several times on your phone with no success. We had more pick-ups scheduled, and this is the reason we could not get back to you. We gave you the option to reschedule free of charge; however, you did not want to.
On the other hand, is important to clarify that we have 3 categories for the Chichen-itzá tour and none of them cost US 140 per person. You paid US$ 70 for the classic tour.
Kind regards
Shalyn_M, Feb 2023
Everything we did was fun but the day was entirely too long. The guides were kind but they asked for money a lot. Pack an umbrella so you don’t have to rent one.
We had the premier experience. The included lunch was a bologna sandwich and fruit so I’d avoid that. The drinks were included at the buffet lunch but you’re kind of in a rush to eat. The buffet was decent food, better than I expected.
Life jacket rentals are required at the cenotes. And the last stop which is the best dinner option is too short. There’s not enough time to eat. Definitely bring snacks and buy some on the way.
We had to arrive at transport at 6:50 am and we didn’t get back home until 10 pm. So the reviews are true it is a LONG day. There’s a lot of waiting and the English translation wasn’t the best, but it was fun.
For the price, I’d rather have driven myself to chichen Itza than to have been stuck all day with little food.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Thank you very much for your feedback about the guides, we are really glad you enjoyed the experience, yes, as you mention we suggest packing an umbrella, and sun protection Chichen Itza is really Hot, Please recommed us to your friends.
Chris_R, Feb 2023
The tour feels rushed and you don't get much time to actually experience Chichen Itza or the cenote.
The first part we wasted a lot of time waiting to get food, and we were pushed in line to get things quickly. About an hour before that is wasted standing around.
The town tour is only about 25 min and you are rushed back to the bus.
In Chichen Itza you arrive with less than two hours to explore. The tour guide did not communicate what time to be back, and the first hour he had us standing in the rain pushing us to ask him questions. We only got about 50 min to explore independently.
The arrival to the cenote gave us about 55 min for everything (changing, waiting in line for a locker key, showering, coming back and doing it all again). We got to swim in the cenote for about 15 min before we had to race back to the bus.
The tour guide, driver, and rest of staff are very friendly and mostly helpful. What they need in the future is better communication about time for activities, and more honesty up front.
Marcus_S, Feb 2023
They did not pick me up. They left me and I need a refund. They did this to other people that where there waiting like me. They need to refund my money . I think I'm going on social media and let everyone know that they steel money from tourist
yiroenrique_g, Jan 2023
The Cenote was very nice and the best thing in my opinion. The thing that was most disappointing to me and my family was the tour guide explanation, that felt like a conversation preaching into his pagan beliefs. I recommend you find another tour wherein the guide will be more history base and more accurate.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Thank you very much, your opinion is very important to us, we will convey this to the manager of the guides in order to provide the proper feedback to the guide. we are really ashamed this detail turns the complete tour into a bad experience.
Maitreyee_M, Jan 2023
This is a great option if you want to visit the Chichen Itza, Valladolid, and have a quick 30-40 minute swim in a cenote. The cenote was quite busy and the lunch was not flavorful at all. Apart from that it was a great experience. The tour guide explains in English and Spanish.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Thank you very much for sharing with us your wonderful experience on this incredible tour.
We hope that you have been able to take with you an incomparable experience on your vacation.
We hope to have you back with us very soon.
Ted_L, Dec 2022
One of our tour guide maro was very knowledgeable I highly recommend. Traveled with 2 young kids and worried it if it would have been too much but it wasn’t
Response from Host, Jan 2023
We are very grateful that you have taken the time to share your opinion with us, it is a pleasure to serve customers like you.
Jeff_L, Dec 2022
Pickup at the hotel brings you to La Isla shopping mall to pay taxes and gather ppl from other buses. After an hour or so in the bus, the tour guide starts to give you background on the Mayans. Very good info. First stop is for lunch and shopping. Most of the items will be for sale at chichen Itza for less. The lunch was very good. Eat up. It's a long day that goes quickly. Then off to chicken Itza. 1hr guided tour goes very fast. Then one hour on your own. Now you should buy things. Lots of opportunities there. It'll be hot. They give you a water back on the bus. Then off to the cenote for an hour. Do it. Very refreshing and fun! Unique experience. Then off to Valladolid for 30 minutes. Neat town with the second oldest church in the Americas. Then a long drive back to the hotels. It's a long day but packed with good fun. The tour guides are very knowledgeable. Bring cash to purchase and tip.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
We cannot thank you enough for your kind words about our trip to Chichen Itza, definately a must see. Your review means a lot to us and makes us see that we are on the right track!
Timothy_C, Dec 2022
The pickup was over 30 minutes late. The bus seats were extremely cramped for the 6HOURS we spent on it. The "upgrade box lunch" was ridiculously awful. I feel like I got scammed. Chichen Itza was beautiful, just don't use this tour group! Valladolid was ridiculous because they stopped in the middle of the street and kicked us off the bus while the police were arguing to get our bus moved. We had only 30 minutes to get food and try to find the bus. As a last stop before a 2.5 hr drive, it was completely useless. We didn't have time to find food and were hungry by the time we returned to hotel at 10:15pm! Additionally, as the cherry on top of this trash cake, they repeatedly lectured us on tipping high and only buying the highest price goods. They literally took 20 minutes at the end of the tour to lecture us on how their pay is structured and that it's our responsibility to take care of them. I've been to Mexico many times, and around the world a dozen, and I've never before been treated as poorly as this. DON'T USE THIS TOUR GROUP!
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