Chichen Itza, Cenote Swim & Izamal Magic Town with Buffet Lunch

Recommended by 93% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Merida, Mexico

10 hours (approx.)
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Explore our promoted experiences

Merida, Riviera Maya & the Yucatan

The day your way Custom Van Ride, For 8 Passengers.

from $503

Per group

Merida, Riviera Maya & the Yucatan

Full Day Tour of 17th Century Hacienda with Cenotes

from $153

Merida, Riviera Maya & the Yucatan

Paddle Board at Dawn in Yucatan

from $165

Viator earns higher commissions on experiences featured here

Overview

Immerse yourself in Mayan culture without getting bogged down planning travel logistics on a full-day tour from Merida. Enjoy a tour of UNESCO-listed Chichen Itza in the early morning, before the crowds arrive and the heat peaks, then tuck into a delicious Mexican buffet lunch. End your day with a swim in a cenote to cool off. Entrance fees, lunch, and round-trip transportation from Merida are included for a seamless day out.

Explore one of the wonders of the world before it gets too hot
No hidden costs: Admission tickets and lunch are included
Prebooking your tour guarantees your entry to this popular attraction
Check off plenty of the area’s highlights in just one tour

What's Included

Round transportation from the meeting point
Professional guide
Entrance to cenote
Mexican buffet lunch

Chichen Itza tax

$41.50 per person

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting points

Select a meeting point

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Be ready for pickup at a central Merida location in the early morning. Climb into a comfortable tour vehicle and set off for Chichen Itza, where you arrive early in the morning. Before the crowds arrive at this popular site, follow your guide on a tour of the pre-Columbian city, which played a key role in Mayan civilization between 600 AD and 1200.

Enjoy free time to explore the archaeological site before heading off to a delicious Mexican buffet lunch at a local restaurant.

Then enjoy a swim in the magical Saamal cenote where you can cool off from the heat. Your day ends with a return transfer to central Merida.

Merida (Pass By)

Chichen Itza Yucatan

3 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

Cenote Yokdzonot

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Izamal

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate

Mexicans have a discount on the Chichen Itza tax upon presentation of their ID on the day of the tour. The discount will not be applicable without the official identification.
Please bear in mind that the tour involves a lot of movement and walking, which is why it is not accessible for wheelchair users.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 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

4.6

based on 318 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Chichén Itzá and izamal

mehebub_k, Mar 2026

Very educational and fun! Julian was a great guide! I am glad he took us there early before the heat descended

We loved the experience...

tyler_s, Jan 2026

We loved the experience overall. We’ve done a lot of tours and unfortunately, this guide was not our favourite. We also felt like this tour was rushed. Buffet food wasn’t very good. Beautiful cenote, and cool experience in this new places.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear tyler_s, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the cenote and discovering these new places. We’re sorry that aspects of the tour, such as the travel time and buffet, didn’t fully meet your expectations. Our guides are highly trained professionals, dedicated to providing quality information and service throughout the tour, however, we will take your comments into account to review and see how we can improve for future tours. We truly value your feedback, and we hope to have the chance to welcome you again on another tour in the future. Kind regards from Amigo Tours. -Alma

Don’t Miss This Tour!

Sheree_R, May 2025

So informative!!!! Freddy our tour guide was excellent and Raul our driver was great too! Ask for them!

Hot and sticky (using crutches in the sun!)

Ali_G, May 2025

Miguel, our guide, was incredibly knowledgeable and the tour set out well. However, be warned, the guided tour of Chichen Itza was one hour standing in scorching heat. Despite being warned and packing lots of water, I couldn't stand that long and so Miguel kindly found me later to repeat the tour virtually with me. I also decided later on that getting down to the cenote to swim was too difficult but the tequila tasting was great! Miguel made it for me so if you book this tour do ask for him! However, I do not advise this tour if you have difficulties with mobility.

Response from Host, May 2025

Dear Ali_G, We appreciate you taking the time to leave us your feedback. We work hard to ensure every customer experience is enjoyable, and we truly regret not being able to meet your expectations this time. We will follow up promptly. Kind regards from AMIGO TOURS. -Judy.

Lovely day!

Tim_K, Mar 2025

A wonderful day seeing Chichen Itza and visiting a cenote. Miguel, our guide was great in explaining everything and ensuring the group was accounted for which was needed at the pyramid as it got quite busy. It was very hot so it was a relief to cool down at the cenote. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We’d have given 5 stars if: - there wasn’t the faff of paying for extras. It’s always better to have just one price and not have to separately pay taxes etc - the buffet lunch at the cenote really wasn’t very good

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Dear Tim_K, Thank you so much for your review, your opinion is really important for us. We're looking forward to your details, and please rest assured that we'll take action to resolve this matter as soon as possible. Kind regards, AMIGO TOURS.

Family Day at Chichén Itza w/ Rodrigo!

Veronica_M, Feb 2025

Rodrigo was the best tour guide! He made the trip amazing! He gave us so much information and was truly invested in our experience. Even our driver David was very courteous and got us there and back safely. We had a large group of 10 and every single one of us enjoyed our tour with Rodrigo. He even did special things for our kids to be included. Rodrigo made this entire trip more than we could have expected. Thank you Rodrigo!

Great tour…..I recommend it.

Moira_O, Nov 2024

Miguel was a great tour guide….easy and relaxed. There seemed to be a mix up with our booking (we did book very late though) so he was the only guide for a group of 8 Spanish speakers and then us 2 English speaking. Speaking English is no problem for him (Gracias!) but it meant that he had to repeat everything twice so it took a bit of extra time. We covered a lot in the tour….visiting the Chitzen itza grounds 🤩, then the cenote, lunch and a tequila tasting…the last 3 were on the same place so you could do whatever activities you wanted for a couple of hours, which I appreciated. The cost of the tour was pretty good considering how much we covered. The rest of the people on the tour were also lovely so it was a really nice day. 💚

Perfect tour! Had the best time!

Morgane_M, Oct 2024

We had the best guide and driver, Freddy and Ramón. Freddy always got us to the places before all the others got there, this way we had the Cenote for ourselves the first time 15 minutes and didn’t have to burn in the sun in Chichen itza. He also gave us a lot of advise about souvenirs and knew a ton about history. All in all it was the perfect tour. Except the pick up location, or more like the logistics. I had to take an Uber because they said there was only one stop, which turned out to be not true, and this spot was right next to my hostel, but they didn’t tell me even though I asked.

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Dear Morgane_M, Thank you for your detailed feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that Freddy and Ramón provided you with such an exceptional experience, ensuring you enjoyed the Cenote and Chichen Itza without the crowds. We appreciate your comments about the pickup logistics, and we’ll work to improve communication regarding those details in the future. We hope to see you again for another fantastic tour! Best regards from the quality team at Amigo Tours. Renata

Awesome!

Georgeanna_A, Jul 2024

This was one of the greatest adventures of my life! The tour guide was amazing!! I highly recommend this adventure.

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Dear Georgeanna_A, Thank you for your review! We're happy to hear you had an amazing adventure with us and enjoyed the expertise of our tour guide. Your recommendation means a lot to us. Warm greetings from the entire quality team at Amigo Tours! Chelsea

Would not recommend

Lela_U, Jun 2024

I wish I could leave a better review of this tour. However, I genuinely would not recommend this experience to someone trying to visit chichen itza. While the timing of the tour was good (arriving early to Chichen Itza and the cenote to avoid the crowds), the lack of clear communication and misleading advertising leave me no option but to leave a low review. First, even though we booked a tour that was scheduled to start at 8AM, our pickup time was changed to 6AM. The tour company did not consult with us or formally notify us of this change—the information was simply different in the reminder email than it had been in the initial confirmation email. When we asked if we could be picked up at our hotel instead of the pickup point due to the earlier time and inconvenience of needing to get an Uber at 5:30 AM, we were bluntly told that we simply needed to be there at the scheduled time, even though it was not the time we had paid for. My biggest complaint with the tour, however, is the misleading nature of the advertised pricing. The tour is advertised as including both the entrance fee for Chichen Itza and the cenote. The website states that the expenses for which we would be responsible would be the culture tax at Chichen Itza (39 USD) and the life jacket fee at the cenote (no quoted price). On the day before my tour, I called Amigos Tours and verified that information. The employee that I spoke to confirmed that I would not need to pay the entrance fee at Chichen Itza or the cenote. However, when we were on the way to Chichen Itza, our guide informed us that we would need to pay the entrance fee to Chichen Itza (95 pesos each), in addition to the culture tax. Our guide called Amigos Tours to clarify, and the same employee with which I had spoken to the night before asked our guide to charge us for the entrance fee. This seemed misleading, dishonest, and, quite frankly, like price-gouging. A similar situation happened at the cenote. Even though I had been under the impression that I would only need to pay for the life jacket, I was informed that I needed to pay for a life jacket, a locker, and a drink in the restaurant. When I told them that I had already paid the entrance fee, I was told that it would “all come out to the same,” since I would need to pay for a drink and life jacket anyways. We were pressured to spend 200 pesos each on a full entrance ticket, even though this expense was supposedly included in the $80 USD tour price (approximately 1,500 pesos). I asked for clarity on the pricing various times, and each time I was brushed off and told that it would “all come out to the same.” All in all, I selected this tour because it seemed to be an affordable option, given that it included the entrance to the cenote and Chichen Itza. However, these expenses are not covered in actuality. I was frustrated by the misleading advertising and pressure to constantly purchase additional goods and services. In spite of the good things about this tour, I would recommend that a prospective visitor of Chichen Itza look elsewhere for a guided tour.

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Dear Lela_U, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience you experienced. Our tour descriptions clearly outline the costs, including the culture tax and additional fees for the life jacket and other services at the cenote. We strive to maintain transparency in all our communications and are sorry if there was any misunderstanding. Your feedback is valuable, and we will review our processes to ensure a better experience for our guests in the future. Best regards from the entire quality team at Amigo Tours. Chelsea

Well run, great tour, good food--all as advertised.

Matthew_C, Jun 2024

Our guide was really good and we did not have to wait long, despite the crowds in Chichen Itza. The lunch was really good with a wide variety of Mexican / Yucatecan food and some little kid pleasers. Make sure you pay attention to the obligatory Mexican tax and the life jackets. This was a solid operation.

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Dear Matthew_C, Thank you for your review! We're happy to hear you enjoyed your experience with us at Chichen Itza. Our team works hard to ensure minimal wait times and a delicious lunch selection. We hope to welcome you back on another adventure soon! Kind regards from the entire quality team at Amigo Tours. Chelsea

Great Tour

Brooke_B, May 2024

Excellent tour with great culture information and impact lead by Manolo and assisted by Alfredo. Enjoyed the centote too for an afternoon refresh - with a free fish pedicure.

Response from Host, May 2024

Dear Brooke_B, Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you had an excellent tour and enjoyed the cultural information provided by Manolo and Alfredo. We look forward to welcoming you on another adventure soon. Kind regards from the entire quality team at Amigo Tours. Chelsea

Great, fun, memorable

Zach_F, May 2024

This was a great experience. Manuel was a great guide and made it very pleasure able. We had just enough time at every place we went and he was very knowledgeable about the history of the Mayan people.

Response from Host, May 2024

Dear Zach_F, Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your tour and that Manuel made it a memorable one. Kind regards from the entire quality team at Amigo Tours. Chelsea

Incredible experience, highly recommend

Carly_M, Apr 2024

Wonderful tour, Miguel is an extremely knowledgeable tour guide and makes for a wonderful experience. Highly recommended if you are looking for a tour to explore some Mayan history

My Yucatán adventures.

William_M, Mar 2024

Seeing the pyramid for the first time really hit me. The history of Chichen Itza is amazing. To see the craftsmanship that went into building the entire complex, it’s hard to believe what the Mayans accomplished so long ago. Cenote was a refreshing change from the heat of the Yucatán. The icy water warms up in minutes, and to swim with tiny fish and turtles was very memorable. I sat with my feet in the water and the fish were giving me tiny bites as they looked for food. I highly recommend doing this if you go to Cenote.

Great Tour

Pierre_F, Feb 2024

Seeing the megalithic structures in person was priceless. Equally memorable was the guided tour by Miguel. He was very knowledgeable, patient and available to address any questions from the group. He was ver organized and provided clear instructions during the tour.

Would not suggest doing

Amanda_G, Feb 2024

Too long of a day. We were out 11 hours of which 5.5 hours was driving. Lunch was too late and the cenote was mediocre.. The ruins were overrun by vendors making the experience less about the history and more about being annoyed saying "No Thank You" 500 times. The bus was hot even with max air conditioning on. What makes this a 3 star was our tour guide. Zero for the tour and a 5 for the guide.

Great Tour and Tour guide!

Flynn_H, Feb 2024

Great Tour, perfect amount of time in the Chichen Itza. Buffet was great and cenote was really cool to swim in. Highly recommend this tour especially at the great price. Tour guide was very nice and helpful as well.

Great trip.

Barbara_C, Jan 2024

The ball court at Chitzen Ita. The time at the Cenote seemed too long. We would have liked more time at the ruins. But the guide, driver and bus were excellent.

Momentous!

Michelle_H, Jan 2024

Amazing experience! Our guide Miguel was full of knowledge and very kind. Our driver was excellent. Highly recommended.

Amazing visit to Chichen Itza

Angela_Z, Jan 2024

Miguel was a wonderful guide! We all had the best time and he took such good care us. We will definitely bokk with Amigo tours on our next trip

Worth doing!

Kayleigh_S, Dec 2023

Great tour. Good amount of time at each location. Buffet was surprisingly delicious! Centre steps were a little treacherous, but everyone seemed to handle them fine :) Longer day than advertised though. Says 10 hours, but is a full 12 hour day, so be mindful in case of evening plans. Main downside was that cenote entrance isn’t actually covered. You have to pay extra to go in the cenote, though they frame it as a “mandatory life jacket” fee.

Chichen Itza and cenote

Harriet_D, Nov 2023

As it was a 3 hr drive from Merida we chose to use a tour rather than the long drive. The bus was very comfortable and the driver excellent even though there was bad weather returning I felt safe. The site was very crowded but interesting. The buffet and ceynote after was not so nice. We only ate at 2:30 when thought it was noon. There was an additional charge for the cenote. We also stopped along the way to shop which was a waste. If not for the lovely bus I would have rather done it on my own.

Great tour guide hot tour bus

Yesenia_M, Oct 2023

Miguel was an excellent tour guide. He knows so much about the Mayan culture. One reason I would not go back on this tour is the van ac was not cool enough for about 20 people. I was hot the entire time. Too cramped. Small seats.

10/10 would recommend to a friend

Bradley_J, Oct 2023

This was a very memorable trip, it was made more engaging by the guides Michelle and Emilio. Michelle was more than happy to share the history of the site and answer anyway questions we might have. She was very engaging, energetic and made the trip more fun. The trip to the cenote was also a highlight of the trip, it was a unique experience and we had a ball there. They had a platform where you could jump in and we also spotted a turtle in there. Managed to take some great photos there.

This is a must see tour with an excellent knowledgeable guide

Jeoff_S, Oct 2023

The driver Emilio drove the group to and from the sites with the utmost care and efficiency. On the way back, rain poured in the last hour of the drive and he came through with flying colors! And Michelle the tour guide, I highly recommend - as she is brimming with very intriguing information about the culture and history of not only the Mayans and their structures, but the Cenotes and their process of formation too. I’d definitely recommend both of them hands down for a tour!

A fun day trip

Jayne_L, Oct 2023

My son and I enjoyed this tour. We like to thank our tour guide Miguel. Who made the tour very interesting. He was very knowledgeable about the history. The bus was very relaxing ride. Our group was mixed with a variety of different cultures. Miguel was able to communicate with us all. It was a fun trip.

Wonderful day trip

john_c, Oct 2023

Our guide Miguel was wonderful. Meeting up was simple, and the airconditioned van was very comfortable. Chichen Itza was a 2 hour stop with 1 hour free time to wander around. There is a “tourist fee of 524 pesos per person , and they take credit cards but not US dollars.The site is quite extensive with amazing ruins around every corner so bring lots of water! (There is a stop before entrance to buy souvenirs and water.)Chichen Note-Itza has lots of vendors hawking goods from carvings , T shirts to in expensive refrigerator magnets . Next stop was Chichikan Cenote with buffet lunch. The buffet was extensive, and they offered a Taco bar with lots of choices. Drinks were separate and cost about 60 pesos each. For the cenote you have to rent a life vest for 50 pesos and if you want to lock up your things you can rent a locker for 50 pesos. I would recommend leaving your valuables in your van and just bringing a change of clothes and towel. You have to walk down (and up) 201 steps to get to the cenote but its worth it. The cooling water is wonderful as you take in the greenery and the little fish swimming about. A nice instagram location! You get to spend about two hours here. There are hammocks available to rest in and a manicured walking area. The return trip takes about 2 hours. Overall a very enjoyable experience.

Payment confusion and no guide

Steven_P, Aug 2023

I have take this tour before with guests visiting Merida. First, payment for taxes was such a mess. I almost had to pay twice. Second, got in and was just told to come back at a certain time. No tour guide for the entire group and was left wondering around with no information. Would like some kind of refund for this.

Miguel was a great guide!...

Haley_R, Jul 2023

Miguel was a great guide! It rained a lot during our trip but it was still a really time. Cenote was beautiful. The buffet was great and vegetarian friendly.