Ek Balam Ruins, Cenote and Valladolid Private Tour

Recommended by 100% of travelers

Cancun, Mexico

8 to 10 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Discover three Mexican attractions all in one day on this private tour, which makes stops at the ancient Mayan archaeological site of Ek Balam, the colonial city of Valladolid, and a Mayan cenote. Enjoy personalized attention from your dedicated guide as you wander pre-Colombian ruins, exploring stepped pyramids and listening to the latest archaeological findings. From there, enjoy free time in the picturesque, 16th-century town of Valladolid, before ending the day over a savory lunch buffet and cenote views.

This three-in-one tour is great for first-time or time-pressed visitors
Round-trip transit from your hotel makes exploring hassle-free
A private tour lets you see the sights in a more personal way
Enjoy a delicious buffet lunch, plus drinks aboard your vehicle

What's Included

Guided tour with a certified bilingual guide
Hacienda Selva Maya (buffet lunch)
Visit to Valladolid city (1 hour approximately)
Visit to Cenote Saamal
Private transportation
On board cooler with beers, sodas and bottled water

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Vacation Rentals

Itinerary

Ek Balam

3 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Valladolid

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Wear comfortable clothing and shoes
Hat or cap
Biodegradable sunscreen and repellent
Change of clothe
Swimsuit and towel

Extra cash (for Souvenirs)
Infant seats available
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

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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

5.0

based on 13 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Perfect full day Ek Balam, Cenote Saamal and Valladolid

Victoria_E, May 2026

Absolutely outstanding cultural and historical tour. Our guide was Norma and driver Gerardo. Informative, warm, attentive, kind. Ek Balam is special, so much more to see than Chichen Itza honestly, far less crowded and you can climb to ruins. We got to see original architecture they had just uncovered. Also shaded in part. Then Cenote Saamal and Selva Maya. Stunning cenote, tropical paradise, great changing rooms and lockers. Lunch was 10 out of 10 with many choices of pork, chicken, vegetables all authentic Mexican dishes. Then finally Valladolid, charming historical town with lovely church and great coffee shop. Would do this tour again, suitable for all ages, our tour was private and we'll worth the fees.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that Norma and Gerardo made your experience so memorable with their warmth and knowledge. Ek Balam, the cenotes, authentic lunch, and beautiful Valladolid truly make this tour special, and we’re so happy you enjoyed every part of it. It was a pleasure having you with us, and we’d love to welcome you again anytime!

Don't think just book this trip!

Gail_S, Jan 2025

We loved this tour! They picked us up right on time and we had the best time. Ek Balam was amazing. The cenote just an amazing experience. Lunch buffet was incredible as well and to cap off the trip some shopping time. We took the 7am tour and we were back to our resort before 4pm we had plenty of time and caught a nap during the drive to and from. Just an awesome day trip! Thank you so much Alberto!

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Thank you for the perfect rating! We’re so happy you had a great time!

Thank you to Alberto and...

Burt, Jan 2025

Thank you to Alberto and the driver (George?) I can't remember his name but the tour was fantastic! Pick up was on time and early and I am glad we book a private tour. The tour was awesome and we visited Ek Balam, a close by cenote with lunch and a short walk around in Valalodid. I wish we could have spent more time in the city of Valalodid because we only have 20 minutes. Overall the trip was nice and as expected. I look for more tours from Alberto and Co for your next trip to Cancun! 😊😊

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Thanks for the 5-star rating! We hope to see you again soon!

Discover Something New

Minerva_P, Dec 2024

Amazing day spent with our guide Alberto and driver Julio! We were able arrange this private tour according to what we wanted to do an see, my parents are 84 and they took great care of us. Alberto is very knowledgeable about the Mayan history and has a wealth of knowledge about Mexico in general! We absolutely loved Ek Balem it is a must do!! Lunch was delicious and the cenote gorgeous. Would definitely book with them again for a private!!

Incredible day

Tom_P, Nov 2024

As per all the other 5 star reviews, Alberto did not disappoint. Very smooth excursion from pick up to drop off. 100% recommend.

Private Ek Balam adventure!

Tamara_C, Jan 2024

We decided on choosing a private tour for our family of five, simply because we thought we could control our day a little bit. Our day began with Allonzo(driver) and Alberto(tour guide) picking us up at our resort at 7AM. Both spoke great English. During our two hour drive, Alberto educated us about Ek Belem and the history surrounding it. He had pictures and explained so much about Mexico and Mayan culture. Once at Ek Belem, he did a walking tour with us and then gave us plenty of time to explore on our own. Next stop, lunch and cenote swim. My family and I have done several tours in Mexico, but the lunch buffet provided was the best we have ever had! The cenote was beautiful. I would highly recommend this tour.

Dive into Mayan History!

Carole_C, Jul 2023

We just had the best vacation with our family of 11 from ages 11-74. This tour was one of three we took and it was a huge hit with everyone despite the heat! Our tour guides were excellent and well prepared to keep us engaged and comfortable. Ek Balam is a fantastic choice of ruins to see because you can still climb these very impressive ruins. This was followed by a most welcome and delicious lunch buffet. The chicken mole was the best mole sauce I’ve ever had! Lots of choices and all you can eat. The cherry on top was our swim in a Cenote. It was the perfect way to really cool off. It was complete with a platform for jumping or diving! Beautiful setting. Because of a heavy downpour we chose to have a short stop at the charming center of the town of Valladolid to get ice cream. A fun way to end a great tour. Huge shout outs for our driver, Rudolph’s, and guide, Victor Manuel!!!

Highlight of our trip to the Yucatan

Karen H, Jan 2020

We hired a private car with drivers to take us to Ek Balam, Cenote Maya and Valladolid. The trip was five stars from start to finish. The drivers were polite in the extreme and gave us a safe, comfortable ride. Upon arriving at Ek Balam, they introduced us to our English-speaking guide whose name I wish I could remember because he was amazing. A native Mayan speaker, he spoke both English and Spanish fluently. He was an expert on the archaeological site, providing in-depth explanations of what we were seeing, including the Mayan hieroglyphs. It was truly impressive. This is a lesser known site but all the more special because of the quality of the tour and the fact that it was not overrun with tour groups. We proceeded to the colonial city of Valladolid for a little walking and shopping and then to Cenote Maya. We opted not to swim but enjoyed photographing the site. The lunch buffet that was included in our tour was superb. The drivers told us the food was excellent and they did not exaggerate. I could tell they were really looking forward to the meal. Frankly, it was some of the best food we had during our week-long stay in the area. Loved this tour. Highly recommend.