Small Group Tour to Chichen Itza, Cenote and Ekbalam from Cancun
Cancun, Mexico
Small Group Tour to Chichen Itza, Cenote and Ekbalam from Cancun
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Cancun, Mexico
- 12 to 13 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
If you want to see Maya ruins without the crowds or unwanted shopping stops, choose this small-group excursion from Cancun, which visits Chichen Itza before most other travelers arrive. After learning about the history and culture behind the archaeological site, you’ll cool off in a nearby cenote, savor a buffet lunch, and then visit another Maya archaeological site at Ek Balam. The full tour lasts about 12 to 13 hours, including transportation and visits.
- Enjoy guided tours of both Chichen Itza and Ek Balam
- Communicate easily with an English-speaking guide
- Skip the large sightseeing tours in a group capped at 15
- Buffet lunch and bottled water included
What's Included
Meeting and Pickup
Itinerary
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 152 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
This is a great deal on a great trip. It was really really hot in July. Carmen and Rodrigo always had cold water for us at every stop. We went to Chichan itza, hubiku cenote, and ekbalam ruins. The cenote was one of the most beautiful things I have seen. Rodrigo was an amazing driver who agreed to drop us off with other guests as opposed to our hotel. Carmen was an amazing guide. She had to do a bilingual tour which was challenging for everybody, but she did it seamlessly. The sites are worth seeing, these two guides are worth their weight in gold. I highly recommend this trip.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi Peggy
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
Both Chichen Itza and Ek Balam were awesome. Make sure you have plenty of endurance and calories when you Climb Ek Balam. Shout out to Miguel for keeping an eye on me. Rodrigo got us there safe and sound. Thank you for that. Make sure you take a packed lunch because the food at the buffet was utterly terrible. Swimming at the cenote is a must because you are gonna need to cool down after Chichen Itza. Thank you guys so much for this experience. It was a pleasure.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi Charles
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
Miguel was an excellent guide and we also had a wonderful driver. We had 14 people in our group. Half were picked up directly from our hotels in the van we traveled in and the other half met us as a gas station where we could get a coffee/drink/snacks and exchange money if needed. Miguel made good use of the long ride by sharing history along the way. Chechen Itza was amazing but we found the Ek balam to be the highlight because it was far less crowded and more accessible. Hubiku Cenote was also excellent. Along with a nice cool swim we also enjoyed the quiet grounds and buffet. The entire trip from pickup to drop off was about 13 hours. Miguel and our driver took great care of us all day long. This day was a highlight of our entire trip.
Things to know:
1. Extra fees not included cover taxes and entrance fees and must be in Pesos. That way if the systems are down there are no problems getting in. There’s a money exchange at the meeting point if needed but most hotels also have an ATM.
2. Great communication through WhatsApp. We received our exact pick up time the day before and they arrived promptly on time.
3. The Cenote has nice grounds and sitting areas so if you don’t want to swim it’s still a peaceful and calm experience.
4. They provide cold bottled water throughout the day which was really nice.
Overall, I’d highly recommend this tour. It was informative, fun, and relaxing.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hi Emily
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
The provided price is not a final price! You have to add 50% for taxes and service fees. This is not disclosed. In addition, the restaurant serves cheap food which is included in the price of the tour, but we had to pay $5 per bottle of water. Basically, you are paying for a meal one way or the other.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Good afternoon Marek
Thanks for your review
All the information about the taxes payment is released at the tour description. Is your responsability to know what is included and what is not included. Also the information is realeased in "important information you must to know" . The problem is that you booked and didnt read the tour description.
About the restaurant is a buffet lunch with several options, we dont think so was "cheap food" as you described. We have very possitive reviews about the buffet lunch.
Restaurant drinks fee is not under our control
Kind regards
1. You need an extra $160 USD for taxes to get in to these places that they text you about less than 24hrs before so you don’t have time to cancel.
2. They provided “lunch” at Habiku which was an outdoor buffet. It was terrible and I experience food poisoning for the first time.
3. Be prepared to get hassled at every step.. we experienced this everywhere we went and some people are very sneaky. You can get much better quality things for the same price or better at the airport.
3. The tour guide and driver were nice and did a good job explaining the history of chichen itza but I would have gone through my hotel for this excursion if I had known better.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Good afternoon Shawn, about your points:
1. All the information about the taxes payment is released at the tour description. Is your responsability to know what is included and what is not included. Also the information is realeased in "important information you must to know" . The problem is that you booked and didnt read the tour description.
2. We are so sorry for it , we are goign to talk with the cenote about it. Have you got a medical report please ? Really was for the cenote food?
3. Who hassled you at every step, the sellers at Chichen Itza? Imagine booked a tour in your hotel, almost are tourist trap and also be hassled in every step
4. Our staff is very professional and always do a good job as you can see in all the good reviews, we provided you the service to a group of 8 people, if you will booked a tour in your hotel you will be in a big bus, with other 50 people, stoping in several places for shoping, tourist trap, Very different service that we provided you, 2 archeological sites and 1 cenote. This kind of service is not provide for the agencies in the hotels.
Kind regards
This was a wonderful excursion. Our guide Miguel was very knowledgeable and Rodrigo got us where we needed to go. Ek Balam was a highlight of the trip. It is a long day and be prepared for a lot of walking.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hi Sean
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
Me and my wife had an amazing time on this tour. Alex was awesome and we would definitely recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hi Blake
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
It is fairly grueling with the Yucatan humidity but well worth it for the experience. They are professional and knowledgeable. Highly recommended for your trip to the area.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hi Dan
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
Very enjoyable trip to see and learn about Mayan ruins. Miguel was very informative and passionate about the history of the Mayans and their culture. It is quite a long day so be prepared for a lot of walking and bring snacks for the bus.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hi Eoin
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
Excellent experience! Miguel was answered all questions with knowlege kindness. It was great to swim in the cenote and thr lunch was great.
Response from Host, May 2026
Hi Daniel
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
The tour guide was average. He shared information on Chichenitza that most people know about of the Mayans. Sometimes his information was inaccurate as my goddaughter is an archaeology major with a concentration in mezo-American studies and would correct on the side. The cenote was amazing as well as the lunch. Be aware that taxes are not minimal. This information should clearly state the amount on the website as I was sticker shocked when I was informed- an hour after the cancellation deadline-that tax fees would be $89 usd per person and in pesos only. This caused undue stress to locate a working atm the day before the event. Another thing to be aware about is the order of stops. When we finally got to Ek balam it was 2 pm…the hottest time of the day. The guide mentioned the many times people had gotten heat stroke on this tour. Since the cenote/ restaurant are only 15 minutes away, going to the 2 archaeological sites in the morning would make more sense, then cool off in cenote or do lunch.
Response from Host, May 2026
Hi Magdalena
Thanks for your review, help us to improve
About the taxes payment all the information is at the tour description in 2 areas, "what is not included" and "Important Information you must know"
We provide a tour with 6 people , with a guide with very good reviews in this and other tours.
We do the lunch between the ruins because our pick ups are so early and almost people want to have lunch before 3:00pm
We are so sorry if you didnt enjoy the tour and service provided as the rest of the customers that shared to you the day
Kind regards
This was a long day, but well worth it. We entered Chichen Itza before the crowds arrived. Next we visited a beautiful cenote for a chilly but refreshing swim. The buffet lunch afterwards was very good and offered a variety of foods. The final stop was Ek Balam. There were very few visitors here, and we were able to climb the pyramid. Our guide, Alex, and our driver, Edgar, were fabulous. I highly recommend this tour. We visited in May 2026.
Response from Host, May 2026
Hi Stephanie
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
We chose this trip because it included Ek Balam as well as Chichen Itza, and it was so worth it for us! We had the fortune of having Marcella and Edgar as our guides for a small group of 6.
Edgar kept the ride smooth and comfortable, and he always had ice cold water to share, no matter how many we needed and when. He also kept the van very neat and tidy it up at stops.
Marcella shared lots of information on the guided tours of each spot. She was energetic and friendly, and took us through many places, perfectly bilingual in both Spanish and English.
It's a very nicely sized group. I'm actually on the introverted side, but the size of the group made it easier to connect with other folks on the tour! In the free time slots, we were able to take photos for one another (although, Marcella is very good at photoshoots, and she even got down flat on the ground to get the best shots for one of our tour members).
The stops themselves are great. Chichen Itza is crowded but for good reason. Ek Balam and the Hubiku cenote were actually very quiet when we went (Monday late April). And it was in ways more enjoyable, an older ruin and a refreshing quiet cenote with lots of little fish that will come to you if you sit still.
I would only caution that it can be a very hot day! And to remember to bring pesos for the entry fee. That said, I would still recommend this tour, and I feel that it's one of the better ones we've been on throughout our travels, even outside of Mexico.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Sydney
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
I researched many trips before selecting this one. I wanted to make sure I got to spend time at the destinations and not travelling/stopping for tourist merchandise like other tours.
This one did not disappoint!
We got to spend more than plenty enough time at each location, our guide was very knowledgeable and shared lots of neat facts. I also enjoyed that the cenote and Ek Belam are not as busy so we got to enjoy the sites without being overcrowded.
Recommend 12/10!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Danielle
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
Great van pick up and driving by Albert. Interesting history lessons with Carmen. (37 years of experience) Temples were “cool” in the heat! Carmen took great pics, and led us to get the best out of our experience.
Cenote was cool, refreshing, and mysterious. Good filling food.
Felt like we made friends out of strangers in our small group before we were back! Thank you! Timm on a tiger, Sandy on a snail!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Sandy
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
Solo lady travelers go have fun. Carmen is an excellent guide and this tour is perfectly quaint. Not too large to get lost in big crowds or on tour busses. Not too small that you feel uncomfortably restricted in your ability to move freely about. OR feel like a bother constantly asking your guide to take photos(you'll have tourmates for that). This tour is safe and the group is small so you can easily describe your guide and they can describe you. Bonus is the reverse schedule for large crowds and high temps!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Charity
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
A new shuttle bus was very comfortable provided safe transportation to and from Chichen Itza and other historical and interesting locations. Wear sunscreen and prepare for a long hike.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Michael
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
The tour guide Carmen was awesome. Lunch was good, the cenote was beautiful. It's a long day in the sun so make sure you stay hydrated.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Corinne
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
After lots of research we settled on this tour so that we could avoid long pick up and drop offs of a large bus tour. Also so that we could arrive earlier in the day. The communications were excellent (though WhatsApp messages). They confirmed pick up time with us at 6:30am and even texted in the morning that they were running a few minutes late. We were the last pick up. I think the air conditioned van could hold 14 but we had 8 which made for comfortable ride. Before the toll road we stopped for a potty break and snacks at a local gas station (10 paso for the toilet). The drive is ~2.5 hours to Chichen Itza. One other plus of the small van is we were able to park much closer to the entrance than the big buses.
The highlight of this tour was Carmen our guide. It was clear she was extremely educated on Mayan history and culture. On the drive she taught us about the history, the beliefs and how the created the Mayan calendar which was all very interesting and informative. You could tell that Carmen had passion and pride for sharing the history with us.
Once we arrived, Carmen rushed us through the ticket area and entrance in the site. We first stopped at the iconic pyramid and she gave us some free time for photos and to walk the perimeter. Then Carmen taught us all about the construction and history of the site. At every point she had new informative details we would have never seen or understood if we went on our own. She had well informed details answers to every question we had. She was truly a joy to be with.
We did not expect the site to be so huge so then we moved to see other structures and areas of the site that many people likely miss. We spent a few hours there and found it to be really educational. It was in the 90s and there is little shade so be prepared for the heat.
After this we returned to the van to go to lunch at a Cenote about 30 minutes away. This was really refreshing after the heat at Chechen Itza. Again we beat the larger tours to this attraction so it was not very crowded when we arrived. After swimming in the cool water we had a buffet lunch which did not include drinks so have Pasos ready. The food was really good and then we returned to the van to go to Ek Balam.
Ek Balam was a real surprise as we were unaware of it before our trip. Its a more recent find and has not had much restoration. The highlight was that were were allowed to walk/climb on the structures and to the top of the pyramid.
The trip is not difficult but we were exhausted partly do to the heat so when we returned to the van most took a nap for the long drive home.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Brett
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
Very friendly staff.
Well organized on time. Small group of 7 participants was perfect to get the most out of it.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Ruth
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
The guide and driver took excellent care of our party. We learned so much and had a wonderful time. The member of our party ranged in age from 11 to 60 and everyone was very happy and entertained.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Charlotte
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
Early morning is probably the best time to visit Chichén Itzá. I wish we could spend more time at cenote. Ek balam is worth visiting too. Overall, the tour meet our expectations.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Ran
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
This tour is worth every peso! The only thing you need to pay attention to is the taxes are a cash payment In pesos day of trip. I hadn’t prepared so day before was figuring it out. Viator sends you information in the app- I missed the message in the app.
Carmen our tour guide was exceptionally friendly and full of information. She helps keep you on schedule and handles everything with ease- even the occasional rogue passenger- lol. The tour is very educational and interactive and planned with a few stops both ways to stretch legs.
Communication was excellent- our trip moved a day and communication was quick and efficient. On our trip the first pickup was late we got a message right away letting us know the arrival change, when they arrived, etc.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Teresa
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
This tour was great. Carmen was our guide and Edgar was our driver. They picked us up at our hotel. They was only one other family of three on the trip. We were all very comfortable in the van. The van was very nice with charging stations. The guide was very knowledgeable and you could tell she loved her work. The driver was always on time and greeted us with cold water. They also stopped at a nice gas station for us to buy snacks, water, and go to the bathroom. I only have one better if. Admission to the sites are not included in the fees. They want you to bring 1500 pesos per person for the tickets and tax. However, the tickets per person is actually around 1000 pesos (Chichen Itza 592 ticket + tax 105 & Ek Balam ticket 210 + tax 105). You have to bring pesos and give the 1500 to the guide. They buy the tickets for you. It says in the booking that admission and tips are not included. But not how much it will be and that this payment includes a guide fee. I don’t have a problem with any of it, but I would have liked to known up front. The guide and the driver deserve it. It just wasn’t clear. We did tip $20 a person for the tour in addition to paying this.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Maria
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
Long day to see both Chitchen Itzá and Ek Balam. I thought this tour’s higher price included entry fees but I was wrong. It only reflected a smaller group. Rodrigo our driver was very competent and safe. Carmen our guide offered detailed explanations. Both were excellent.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Margaret
all the information about what is included and what is not included is released at the tour description in 2 areas and the day bofore to the tour we remind it to the customer when we provide the pick up details and all the necesary bring to the tour.
The higher price than others tour operator is for several reasons:
Small group, Early access without big lines, Not tourist trap, not mandatory shopping time, culture and history tour information.
Best regads
We had an incredible experience on this small group tour easily a 5-star day, even if it was a long one!
Traveling in a group of just 9 people in a comfortable Toyota van made a huge difference. Everyone was punctual and ready to go, which helped the day run smoothly from start to finish. Our guide, Eder, did an excellent job keeping us on schedule while also sharing interesting and engaging insights especially at Chichén Itzá. He made the history come alive in a way that kept everyone interested.
Arriving at Chichén Itzá at 8:20 AM was absolutely the right move. It was already getting busy, but still manageable and by the time we left at 10:50, the parking lot was packed with large tour buses. Definitely a huge advantage of this tour! There are lots of vendors throughout the site, so be prepared if you like to browse or shop, and there are a few spots to grab cold drinks and snacks as well.
The cenote stop was a really fun experience especially for a first visit. It’s a beautiful place, though with about an hour and a half there, it felt like we only scratched the surface since there are so many activities available.
Ek Balam was another highlight. It offered a different perspective on Maya architecture and felt less crowded, which made it a great complement to Chichén Itzá. If you’re interested in seeing more than one archaeological site, this is a fantastic way to do it.
Edgar, our driver, was excellent safe, smooth, and professional throughout the entire journey. He was always offering ice cold water at the different stops and that was appreciated.
Yes, it’s a very long day, and we definitely needed a full recovery day afterward—but given the distance from Cancun, this tour felt like the perfect balance. If you want to see multiple major sites in one trip without the chaos of large bus tours, this is absolutely the way to go.
Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Christina
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
Wonderful experience! Wonderful tour! Very educational! Carmen and Edgar were incredible. We had such a great time with them. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Oscar
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
Excursion was really good. We were pleased to visit Chichen Itza and Ek Balam. You can climb in Ek Balam that give you different perspective. Cenote Hubiku that we visit I would change for different one because water was way too cold.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Wojciech
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
This excursion was one of the main reasons I came to Cancun and it was 1000% worth it! Chichen Itza was so much more than the main pyramid, even though seeing that Wonder of the World was mesmerizing! Our tour guide was so informative with incites about the Mayans that you would be challenged to learn anywhere else. The Cenote was amazing, the water energizing and almost spiritual! The food they served at the restaurant was basic but still delicious and just what was needed during the middle of the long day. Finally Ek Balam was so fantastic! Climbing 102 very steep steps to the top was a once in a lifetime feeling. The best part of this tour was the timing, 6am pickup, back by 6:45pm. Other tours were 4am,5am or 7am. 4 & 5am way too early for us, and 7am get you back a little too late for a reasonable dinner time. We had reservations at 8pm and it worked perfectly! Perfect tour!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hi Ronald
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
Alex and driver Edgar were awesome. We had a great time and learned so much from Alex about the Mayan city. My wife and I highly recommend them. It’s a long day but it’s worth it.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Larry
We are so glad to know you enjoyed the activities with us.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review.
Kind regards
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