Early morning Chichen Itza Tour: Cenote and Tequila Tasting
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Cancun, Mexico
- 12 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
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Overview
Say goodbye to the Riviera Maya beaches and see a different side of the Yucatan. This guided tour explores Chichen Itza’s pyramid temples and colonial Valladolid, with a swim in an underground cenote. All options include a tequila tasting and buffet lunch, but upgrades are available for transfers from Cancun or Riviera Maya hotels and entrance tickets—or book a private tour with flexible pickup times.
- Discover the Yucatan's rich history, both Mayan and colonial Spanish
- Enjoy a guided tour of Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Avoid the crowds with an early visit to the World Wonder
- Choose from multiple tour options to fit your travel style and budget
What's Included
- Air-conditioned vehicleRound-trip transportation in a comfortable vehicle with onboard restroom
- Certified bilingual tour guide throughout the experience
- Early visit to Chichén Itzá with guided tour and free time to explore
- Access to Cenote Saamal with changing rooms and restroom facilities
- LunchTraditional Yucatecan buffet lunch at Hacienda Selva Maya (Included in all tour options)
- Free time at Valladolid’s historic main square
- Additional charges for lockers and life jackets$5.00 per person
- Admission Fee - Chichén Itzá (skip-the-line access included; included in All-Inclusive option)MX$780.00 per person
- Beverages during lunch
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to your preferred meeting point, or request pickup.
Itinerary
1
Chichen Itza
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
2
Cenote Saamal
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
3
Valladolid, Yucatan, Mexico
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- It is advisable to wear comfortable clothing, such as beach attire, and suitable footwear.
- Remember to pack sunscreen, sunglasses, a towel, your camera, and some extra cash.
- Please be aware that the pickup service is available only in Cancún and the Riviera Maya. For guests in Playa del Carmen and Tulum, we will assign a convenient meeting point.
- Please note that the entrance fee to Chichen Itza is not included. We recommend bringing cash for beverages, and optional lockers and life jackets.
- The use of lifejacket in the cenote is mandatory
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 6,897 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
We had a great experience on this tour. Our guide Alfredo was funny and entertaining you can tell he really enjoys his culture and sharing it with others. The tour was great and then swimming after was refreshing. The food was great and was unlimited buffet. We didn’t do the VIP ticket and I think that was perfect.
The experience was amazing and the whole crew took good care of us. Make sure to bring an umbrella. Only thing is I wish we could have stayed for lunch and swim longer.
The tour was nice, but it wasn't an early one. We arrived at the pyramids between 1 and 2 o'clock, and it was very hot there.
This is really a 2 star for the tour and 5 stars for Norma, who was awesome and very knowledgeable.
This was not the tour for us and it was very poorly advertised. Travelers need to understand that this tour is NOT early access in any way except that they take you to Chichen Itza before the cenote. But before that, you spend two hours picking up all the other guests, then spend an hour at a shopping center that is NOT on the listed itinerary.
Norma’s tour at Chichen Itza was great, but I do wish we’d had more time at the site. We had less than 20 minutes to walk around and see other things before we had to head back to the bus, which takes a very long time because there are so many vendors.
Speaking of vendors (which has nothing to do with the company, obviously they have no control over it) but they’re everywhere, which is really a shame. I’ve been to Teotihuacan and it was nothing like this. Once you got into the park, vendors were limited. At this site, they’re everywhere. It’s really too bad.
Also, the other guide seemed borderline hostile at the beginning of the day. I don’t know if he’d had problems with some of the guests, but the energy was very tense.
Finally, please don’t pay for the all inclusive package with all the “skip the line” nonsense. It’s not worth the money. There is no skipping any lines. I bought it because I thought it would be easier for my mom, but it ended up feeling like I just paid extra for the exact same tour as people who paid less.
It’s not “ beat the crowd” as advertised// we reached Chichen Itza noon.
We are the second or third pick up at 6AM, then we pick up more the last pick up at 08:00 ( I think!) or even later.
We were told we will stop for toilet break, but it was actually marketing strategy (they will stop you at the Mayan shops ( I get it they have to sell to tourists, I think they should just endeavour to get us on the best time / hr in chichen itza) and not kind of guilt trip you to buy first thing in the morning. I think better book a private tour.
The buffet lunch is 😬 limited. ( the place where u have lunch prices of drinks are exaggerated) ( the whole of Cancun I think prices are so inflated!) didn’t really have much time in chichen itza, aside from it’s too hot that we can’t really explore, time is very limited.
The tour Guide is very informative ( you wanted him to be your private tour guide) He is well versed in Mayan history as he himself is Mayan.
We booked this tour specifically for the Early Morning / Full VIP experience. We left Cancun at 7:15 AM, but first spent about an hour at a commercial shopping stop. We only reached Chichen Itza around noon and had just two hours there, which defeated the purpose of booking an early morning tour.
Despite booking Full VIP, we also had to walk to a meeting point instead of being picked up at our hotel.
The guide was friendly and knowledgeable, but talked excessively, making it difficult to concentrate and causing us to miss important information. On the way back, his speech became very slurred and difficult to understand. I cannot say whether he was extremely tired or had been drinking, but it did not feel professional.
Overall, we were disappointed with the tour and feel it did not deliver what we booked. However, we contacted the organization afterwards and they handled our complaint very well. We appreciate that they took our concerns seriously.
Chichen Itza and the cenote were definitely the highlights of the day.
So if you are in Cancun area you must see this part of 7 wonders of the world. Our guide was very knowledgeable and explained the amazing Mayan history, culture throughout the ride as well as explained the pyramid architecture.
It was really hot in high 90s so please bring an umbrella for the shade.
Only thing I didn’t like was that the stop at a Mayans cultural artifact store where they were trying to sell stuff at ridiculous prices. And selling a Mayan birth certificate as souvenir again at a big price like it was created by the Shamans. ChatGPTcan create one similar but I understand if some people want to save as a memory.
Also in Valladolid the tequila tasting was a store trying to sell his stuff.
The Cenote is actually part of a resort and the lunch was good. I didn’t swim.
I also think they should have given more time in Valladolid.
Hugo was a great tour guide! He had just the right touch of explaining history, sharing culture and allowing us time to explore on our own.
He had some funny jokes and was very friendly! Though I forget his name, the driver did a great job getting us everywhere safely.
10/10 recommend
Overall great activity. Chichenitza was very nice. The cenote was “ok” a bit crowded. The lunch was ok too , more food option would be nice. The guides were very knowledgeable and entertaining.
The staff were wonderful. I couldn’t have asked for a better staff than them. With that being said, it was a long day. One of the stops felt slightly unnecessary, but it was my choice to pick that excursion, so please read the excursion details carefully before selecting one.
The Chichen Itza experience felt overwhelming for me. The reason being, I couldn’t fully immerse myself in the experience because of the line of vendors from the beginning of the walkway all the way to the pyramids. For me, I need to be immersed in the culture—experiencing the past while connecting it with the present—not constantly being approached and harassed to purchase items.
I felt that the vendors should be stopped at a certain point rather than being allowed all the way around the pyramid.
This experience was AMAZING!!! Book it book it book it! It was a long day, but well worth it! We had an amazing tour guide Antoniou who is passionate about the culture and people of Mexico especially the Mayans. Chichen Itza was amazing and one experience to never forget! The lunch was good too. We got to swim in a cenote and had a tequila tasting in a nice quaint little town! Our driver Manny was so great and friendly and knows how to drive a tour bus and we felt safe with him and his driving! Just do it!!! Anyone who leaves a bad review doesn’t appreciate good people who are passionate!!!
Wonderful tour. Guides were funny and informative. Loved all the stops we made. I do wish that there was more time to explore more, especially chichen itza and valladolid but then the tour would be like 15hrs lol. Every place we went took card but if your wanting to pay cash for some items, bring more than you think you need.
The tour guide Hugo displayed a wealth of Mayan knowledge. The tour to the first location (Kaua) which presented the Sharman was interesting but the shopping portion could have waited! Seeing one of the seven wonders of the world (Chichen Itza) was very exciting but be prepared for a lot of walking and extreme heat; so wear comfortable shoes/breathable clothing. I enjoyed the cenotes; be careful walking down the stairs! I had a memorable experience and meet a really nice couple who invited me to eat lunch at their table; the lunch was tasty. The last leg of the tour was tequila tasting and it was fun but I wish we could have had time to really take pictures in the town of Valladolid. Would I do this tour again? Maybe…
Sincerely,
Linda
This tour was very disappointing. We spent 1.5-2 hours at a “Mayan” village where we were encouraged to buy very expensive souvenirs. The guide claimed the obsidian items were genuine and unique, but I later saw what appeared to be the same knives being sold inside Chichén Itzá. Because so much time was spent there, we barely had any free time to explore the pyramids.
We were also told we needed to pay about $45 per person for a “skip-the-line” pass, even though there wasn’t a line when we arrived. The cenote and buffet were combined into only 1.5 hours, which felt rushed. On top of that, we had to pay extra for lockers and life jackets at the cenote.
The buffet was one of the worst parts of the day. There were very few options, and the food quality was poor. We only had about 35 minutes in the final town before heading back.
It felt like the itinerary prioritized shopping over the actual attractions. If the lengthy stop at the first village had been shorter, we could have had much more time at Chichén Itzá, the cenote, and the final town. The only thing that kinda made it worth it was the cenote. In my opinion, just booke a private driver instead that can take you to these places. I would not book this tour again.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. We’re sorry that the itinerary felt rushed and that you felt too much time was dedicated to the first stop rather than the main attractions. We understand how this could negatively affect the overall experience, particularly the time available at Chichen Itza.
We would, however, like to clarify one point. The approximately $45 USD per person charge is the admission fee to Chichen Itza, not a fee charged simply to skip a line. Depending on the option booked, admission may be payable separately from the tour price.
Purchases during the tour are entirely optional, and guests should never feel pressured to purchase souvenirs or other products. We also appreciate your feedback regarding the buffet and the allocation of time between Chichen Itza, the cenote, and Valladolid, as these are important aspects of the experience.
Regarding lockers and life jackets, these services are operated by the cenote and may carry separate charges depending on the inclusions of the option booked.
We’re sorry that the overall experience did not meet your expectations, and we appreciate the specific feedback as we continue reviewing the itinerary and how each part of the tour is communicated to our guests.
It’s a long day, and if you come during their summer be prepared for the 42°C heat. Bring or rent an umbrella ($7usd to rent or buy a smaller version for $100 pesos, lots of people selling by the entrance), water and electrolytes, comfortable shoes for the walk and energy to endure the tour while the heat is scorching you from the ground up. It is indeed an incredible place to visit , the magnitude of the place for its time is incredible. The guide (Alfredo) explained and taught us a lot - he also walked around the place with us (which I heard some guides don’t do). We then had 40min of free time , which both me and my child preferred to go back to the bus and the AC. Be prepared to walk by lots and lots of people trying to sell their souvenirs and arts, cash is king and you should always negotiate. If you don’t want to buy anything, just keep going, say no thanks and move forward. The 1st stop of the tour was a local place where they try to sell you everything (the “selling” starts already in the bus for the Mayan birth certificate). I think it’s great to be able to buy from local communities but they I didn’t like the pressure- there is one vendor following each adult and trying to make you buy if you stop for 2 seconds looking at an item. I left the store without buying anything just because of how it made me feel. Yet, many people from our group were buying so the system works for them.
The 3rd stop is the cenote, which is inside a lovely place , it’s clean, very organized and the food was ok. You have to pay for the rental of the mandatory life jacket (80pesos) and a locker (optional). We had about 2h in the place including lunch (which was enough for us). The final destination is a colonial style town and only 30min, which felt not enough. The city has a very old church which was closed, and we did the tequila tasting near it. There are souvenirs stores , coffee shops and ice cream shops- but we didn’t have time for more than one thing ( I did the tequila tasting and didn’t have time to go get an ice cream) . Honestly it’s fine, it had already been a long day.
The tour included cold water bottles which was great . The bus is very comfortable and our driver was great too, I think his name was Tiberius.
Dont go on this scam of a tour. First off the Itinerary is a lie, the first stop is a tourist trap where they try and sell you fake authentic mayan calenders and $100 rocks. Then they take you to chichen itza but instead of an hour guided tour and an hour walking around, they give you 40 minutes by yourself to walk around the site and tell you that if you are late to the bus they will leave you behind. This is a scam plain and simple, dont book this.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
We’re sorry to hear that the tour did not meet your expectations. However, we would like to clarify that purchases at the additional stop are completely optional, and no guest is required to purchase any products.
Regarding Chichen Itza, our itinerary is designed to include both guided and free time at the archaeological site. We take your comments about the amount of time you received there seriously, as this should be consistent with the experience advertised.
Tour departure times are communicated to keep the group’s itinerary on schedule, but this should always be done professionally and without making guests feel threatened or uncomfortable.
We regret that your experience left you with this impression and are reviewing the concerns raised regarding both the itinerary and the time allocated at Chichen Itza.
This trip was not very pleasant for us. In the morning, we were told that the waiting time at the hotel gate was 6:30. We arrived at 6:20, but the tour guide didn't pick us up until 7:00. Later, we passed a place called kaua, where the tour guide took us to a shopping spot, but this place was not in the tour group itinerary at all. We waited there for more than an hour. Later, when we arrived at Chichen Itza, it was already 12:00 noon and we queued up for a long time to go in. There were a lot of people at noon and it was very sunny, which was completely inconsistent with the tour group's title that we arrived at Chichen Itza very early to avoid the crowd. Later, the tour guide asked us to gather under the tree at 2:20. We waited under the tree at 2:05, but there was no one else in the group except us and the other two groups. The four of us were sure that the meeting point we heard was here, so we waited until 2:20, but there was still no one else. The store next to The staff told us that our team had left and gathered at the entrance. We didn't have the contact information of the tour guide, so we quickly ran to the entrance, but found that our tour bus was not there. Later, we contacted the viator platform, and the customer service told us that they had left. We had no choice but to have four We spent 600 pesos to take a taxi to the next stop together, which greatly shortened our lunch and the playing time in the sinkhole.
Very good tour with Tony. The cenote was awesome. Bring an umbrella for summer tour for the pyramid area or rent it. Long day so pleas be prepared.
César was an amazing guide!! He was super knowledgeable and very funny as well. My boyfriend and I had such amazing time. I would definitely recommend this tour to my friends and family.
This was my second tour to chichen itza and Luis and Alfredo were fantastic. I learned a lot that I didn't know. We started by going to a small Mayan village and learning about obsidian and the Mayan people and how chichen itza was built. After we made it to the pyramids and had a guided tour followed by some free time. Again, Alfredo taught me things I hadn't learned on a precious tour. After we went to lunch which was hot and delicious and an opportunity to swim in a beautiful cenote. You had plenty of time for everything. We followed it up with a tour of the town Vallodid and a tequila tasting. The town was cute. Luis was a great driver. It was a long day but a great day
We booked for an early morning tour, paid more for this to avoid crowd and hot weather. They book you to a tour operator Sat Mexico/ San Mexico. They send you a different itenerary from what I booked from Aviator. I messaged the tour company making sure it is the one I booked for, they say it was. But it was not, they still bring you to this cultural shop before chichen itza. By the time you get there its noon time ot was so hot, my wife almost pass out. It was scary being a tourist. We would have avoided the experience if they gave us the right tour we booked for.
The whole tour was very nice, our guide Norma was exceptional. She is very knowledgeable and funny, it made the experience better. She explains very well we learned a lot from her.
Chichen Itza, Cenote, and some tequila tasting..
Tony is a veteran and experienced tour guide, he’s also good in marketing that you will find yourself buying something from the obsidian and tequila shop 😁. He speaks Spanish and English and explained well the location and important things that you need to know as a tourist. 5 out 5.
Jose is an excellent driver, I can easily spot the bus from the gate. 5 out 5.
Lunch buffet is fine, don’t expect too much. 2 out of 5.
Eventhough this is a large group tour, the experience is well organized and you can tell that the operator has been doing this tour for a long time. The customer service is responsive and you will even received a message once the bus is about to leave so there is no reason for you to missed the bus on each stop.
Where should I start? Carlos and Cesar from SAT Mexico were absolutely fantastic. It was honestly one of the best experiences I’ve ever had on a tour. Cesar was the most passionate and caring man you’ll ever meet about the history and deeply meaningful culture of the Mayan people. If you want a fun and engaging experience surrounding the rich culture of Mexico. Cesar and Carlos are your people.
The value for money is great, the excursion to the Cenote is a real fun experience with great food and better service.
But the highlight of the tour is the visit to the Chichen Itza. Cesar explains all of the intricate details of the historical site in fantastic fashion. Everything you ever wanted to know about the site is in his head, just ask.
Overall, my partner and I (Grace) could not of been happier with experience, we hope those who choose to use this tour in the future have as much fun as we did.
- Lucas and Grace - 02/07/26
What an awesome time! The air-conditioned bus that arrived to pick me up at a location near my hotel was big, spacious, and comfortable. Our tour guide, Alfredo, was absolutely the best. He shared some interesting historical facts with us on the way to Chichén Itzá, which made the ride not seem like such a long one. The Kukulkan Temple was so beautiful to see, along with hearing about its history! Alfredo kept us all very informed and entertained! Afterward, swimming in the cenote was an awesome experience! The buffet that accompanied the cenote had delicious choices and everything served was great! The last stop was tequila tasting and that was quick but fun and will leave you feeling good! Overall, an awesome time and Alfredo made the difference! Thanks Alfredo, you were great!
This was a really fun excursion. Our guide Luis was friendly, funny and extremely knowledgeable. I especially enjoyed learning about the Mayans today and meeting a shaman. Chichen Itza was fascinating. The lunch buffet delicious and felt authentic, the cenote was beautiful and refreshing. I am glad we stopped at VallaDolida but as tequila tastings go, it was short and ok. The tequila was delicious and the host was very nice. I was expecting longer and more info on how it was made. The town was interesting but we did not have quite enough time to enjoy it more. The bus was comfortable and they took good care of us. Highly recommend.
Average tour with all the characteristics of a tour to a place with mass tourism.
Cesar is a great guide with good enthusiasm and energy.
However, there is simply not enough time at the places you pay for the tour to take you to.
First stop was a giant gift shop with all the usual overpriced souvenirs. We spent far too long here. The weather was lovely while we were in the gift shop. When we finally arrived to Chitchen Itza, it started raining. It was frustrating to have spent so long in a gift shop while it was lovely weather. It felt like wasted time.
We were told we would have 2 hours in CI. By the time you factor in everyone getting from the bus to the gate, getting the tickets, renting the umbrellas, walking to CI and getting back to the bus again, it was realistically only 1 hr 20 mins more or less there.
At the cenote is where we had time to explore the cenote, swim and have lunch. 2 hours isn't enough to do it all without a rush. Also, they tell you at booking that it costs extra to rent a life jacket. What they don't tell you is that it is also now mandatory to rent a life jacket to swim. Don't rent a life jacket, no swimming in the cenote. It would be handy to know this beforehand. Also, it costs to rent a locker for your stuff while you swim. All just a way to make extra money.
All in all, an average tour for its money. It wasn't too expensive but it really needs to give more time in the key places and not feel so rushed.
Our guide, Rafa, gave us a nice history tour about the area and Mayans. The Chichen Itza portion, lunch and cenote were good highlights. The initial stop for souvenirs was understandable to support local Mayans, and I like the talks about the different kinds of rocks. As for the last stop at Valladolid, I would recommend providing additional experience about this colonial town other than dropping us at a shop to taste tequilas. Would recommend this tour to anyone.
Alfredo was an amazing host! Great job hosting and organizing this tour. Highly recommend this tour! We did this with a 2 yr old kid and it was an absolute blast.
This tour is highly recommended. Cesar & Tiburco did a great job! Cesar was wonderful & very knowledgeable about Chichen Itza. It would have been better if we spend less time in the souvenir shop and add it to the cenote.
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