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Chichen Itza & Ekbalam Tour From Playa del Carmen

Recommended by 90% of travelers
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
  • 12 hours (approx.)
  • Pickup offered
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Spend a day exploring ancient Maya cities and an underground pool on a full-day tour from Playa del Carmen to Chichen Itza, and Ek Balam. Visiting both Maya sites offers the chance to experience the most iconic ruins in the Yucatan, then tour a lesser-visited gem with vivid frescoes and a fascinating history. This tour includes pickup and drop-off in Playa del Carmen, entrance fees, breakfast and lunch, and it’s limited to 15 people for a personalized experience.
  • Full-day Maya city and cenote tour
  • Visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Learn about Maya history and culture
  • Swim in an underground pool
  • Breakfast and lunch included
  • All entrance fees included
  • Pickup and drop-off in Playa del Carmen

What's Included

  • Lunch
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Bottled water
  • Chichen Itza, Ekbalam and Cenote Saamal Admission
  • Guide
  • Gratuities
  • Taxes (66 usd pp)
  • Drinks are not included if you choose the basic option.

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

We offer pick up service in most hotels. In the event that your hotel does not have a pick-up service, we will let you know the closest meeting point the afternoon before the tour by sending a message to your telephone or a notification to the email address indicated in your reservation.

or

Meeting point

  • Viva Mexico
    5 Av. Nte. 38, Gonzalo Guerrero, 77720 Playa del Carmen, Q.R., Mexico

    7:00 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.7:00 am

Itinerary

Get an early start on the day with pickup at your hotel then enjoy a light breakfast during the 113-mile (182-km) trip to Chichen Itza, an ancient Maya city that’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Upon arrival at Chichen Itza, tour the sprawling complex with the guide, beginning with the Kukulkan Castle: also known as The Pyramid, this dramatic temple is aligned with the seasons, and a feathered serpent appears in shadow during the equinoxes. Continue to the ball court and the rest of the site, including the astronomical observatory, “The Church,” and more.

Following your time at Chichen Itza, travel to the Cenote Hubikku, an underground pool that’s perfect for a cooling swim. This is one of the many caverns that dot the Yucatan’s limestone plateau, and it’s often illuminated by a shaft of clear sunlight.

The final stop of the day is Ek Balam, where you can climb the acropolis to follow painted scenes from the Maya underworld, see the astronomers’ reflecting pools, and learn about the re-discovery of the site. Ek Balam is a less-visited site that’s still surrounded by thick jungle, and offers an explorer’s experience of Yucatan archeology. This tour concludes with return transfer to Playa del Carmen, and drop-off at your hotel.
1

CENOTE NOOLHA BY CHICHIKAN

1 hour Admission Ticket Included

2

Aldea Naayil Ku

1 hour Admission Ticket Included

3

Chichen Itza

1 hour 30 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

4

Zona Arqueológica de Ek Balam

1 hour Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
  • Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
  • It is recommended that you bring sports shoes, sandals or flip flops, swimsuit, towel, sunglasses, hat, biodegradable sunscreen and mosquito repellent, a camera and Mexican Pesos in cash for expenses and tips
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers

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 268 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Great spots, but catastrophic organization

MartinWalter_W, Feb 2026
The tour was supposed to start at Chichen Itza with a duration of 12 hours. We were picked up at the hotel at 7 am. Until 8:30 am we picked up other people, went to a gas station and exchanged people with different buses. There we were told that the tour would start with a visit of a cenote and we would arrive at Chichen Itza at approximate 2 pm. When we complained that this was as not the schedule of the tour be booked we were sarcastically offered to return to our hotel. We than were driven to a cenote. The whole tour the guide was talking, mainly to convince us to buy stuff at the cenote. After we arrived at the cenote we were transferred to another guide to start our tour with another bus, now without working ac. After that we went to Ekbalam, which is a nice spot and worth seeing. For unknown reasons the tour guide referrerd to us only as “familiy”. After that we went to a nearby cenote wich was nice. Information about the activity was given unsatisfactory, even when we asked (eg about the use of lockers: “ It’s your money, your choice, etc.). After that we went to Chichen Itza. The spot is great, but it was hot and crowded, the opposite to the description when we booked the tour. Another couple on the tour told the same story. After that we were told that the tour was “now finished”. We waited about 40-50 minutes in a nearby village for the transport back to the hotel, where we arrived after 14 (!) hours. In conclusion, visiting Chichen Itza and Ekbalam is great, but I would not recommend to booli it via viator or Nexus.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. We truly appreciate hearing from our guests, even when expectations were not fully met. Our Chichen Itza & Ek Balam tour is designed as a full-day experience that combines archaeological sites and cenotes, and due to the distances involved in the region, operational logistics may include scheduled passenger coordination and route adjustments. That said, we understand how important it is for guests to clearly understand the sequence of visits, and we regret if the flow of the day felt different from what you anticipated. Regarding the timing at Chichen Itza, arrival hours can vary depending on traffic conditions, road controls, and regional coordination. Crowd levels and weather conditions are unfortunately factors beyond any operator’s control, especially during high season. We are sorry to read that the communication style of the guide and certain moments during the day did not meet your expectations. Providing informative and respectful service is something we continuously reinforce with our team. Your comments about organization and timing are valuable to us and will be reviewed internally to improve clarity in our tour descriptions and on-site coordination. We appreciate that you still recognized the beauty of Chichen Itza and Ek Balam, and we thank you for sharing your perspective. Kind regards, Management Yalku Tours

Awful!

Theresa_G, Oct 2025
Spent less than an hour at Chitzenitza! This was such a disappointment… Only good thing was Jose our guide. Started off waiting over 30 minutes for a late passenger in our cramped rattle-wagon of a van. Ek Balam was fine, but It was downhill from there. We weren’t allowed to even LOOK AT the cenote without an extra $5 for a life jacket fee. EVEN IF YOU WERENT PLANNING ON SWIMMING! A number of us waited in the heat while the swimmers frolicked. Never being allowed to gaze on the magnificent water. Then, off to a tourist trap compound where we ate at a very basic/limited mexican buffet. Off to the ‘artisan stations’ then a WEIRD blessing ceremony by a fedora wearing ‘Shaman.’. Keep in mind, It was close to 3 pm and Chitzenitza closes at 4:00. Much to my horror, we were herded into a hard-sell gift shop. i expressed my concern about the looming closure of Chitzenitza to no avail. Yes, we finally got there, but it was sadly a rushed ordeal. I was sick with disappointment. By all means take another tour! Spending more time in a gift shop than A fabulous wonder of the world was criminal.

This tour is a super long...

Allison_M, Jun 2025
This tour is a super long day, but I think worth it if you want to be able to climb a Mayan ruin and see Chichén Itzá in the same day. The cenote is also refreshing after being in the heat. The whole tour took 14 hours (2 hours longer than advertised). Most of the day is spent on the bus, which we were aware of. We found the tour bus to be cramped compared to the other tours we took in Mexico and did not have enough air conditioning. I imagine the buses are not the same for each tour but FYI. We were a little put off by how much time our guide spent trying to convince us to buy things in the Mayan village / the personalized Mayan horoscopes. We know lots of people are interested in souvenirs but we would have appreciated more of a focus on Mayan history and culture than just trying to get us to buy stuff. They also sort of forced us to take turns taking pictures with a Mayan soldier-dressed man in a loincloth and then when we were eating lunch they printed it and put it on a bottle of alcohol to sell to us (we don’t drink). We felt uncomfortable posing with the man and then printing it felt like a guilt trip to get us to buy something. Overall we accomplished our goal to see these ruins but the amount of time spent trying to get us to buy stuff detracted from the experience.

Great day!

erik_t, May 2025
Absolutely amazing day! Our tour guides were very informative and went out of their way the entire day. Great way to see two different sites as well as a cenote. Would highly recommend!

Response from Host, Jun 2025

We're absolutely thrilled to hear you had an amazing day! It's wonderful to know our tour guides were very informative and went out of their way for you. We're also glad you found it a great way to see two different sites and a cenote. Thank you for your high recommendation! We hope to welcome you back for another fantastic experience soon.

Fantastic tour with an exceptional guide

Julija_J, Apr 2025
Loved the tour! Edwin the guide is a star! He is so knowledgeable and has a great ability to engage the audience, also with a sense of humour. The van was comfortable, and I loved the fact that the group size was intimate. When booking the tour, I felt it was rather overpriced, but as the amount of people was quite small, it definitely paid off. Loved all the cultural insights too!

Response from Host, May 2025

We're so thrilled to hear you loved the tour! Edwin is indeed a star, and we're delighted you appreciated his knowledge, engaging style, and sense of humor. It's fantastic that you found the van comfortable and enjoyed the intimate group size. We understand your initial thoughts on the price, but we're glad you felt it was worthwhile due to the smaller group and the overall experience, including the cultural insights! Thanks for the wonderful feedback

We went to three places...

Kelly_H, Jan 2025
We went to three places with the last being Chichen Itza. We arrived around 3:30pm and had an hour tour that ended around 4:30pm. Chichen Itza closes at 5:30pm with the guards on site asking people to starting heading out by 4:30pm. Our tour guide said we had an hour to explore and asked us to get back to the van by 5:25pm.. in actuality we didn’t have time to explore freely. If you want more time to explore Chichen Itza I wouldn’t recommend this tour.

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Hi @Kelly_H . We are sorry that you have had a negative experience with us, of course this is not the image we wish to project. We have made note of your comments to make improvements in our service. Please accept our apologies and we hope you’ll give us an opportunity in the future to bring you an excellent experience.

amazing

Eduardo_P, Jan 2025
our guide was exceptional. really impressed with his knowledge of the site, the whole day was just perfect, even so that they were late 50 minutes at pickup time

Best best guide and value to see Chichén Itzá and Ek Balan!

Natalie_D, Jan 2025
Elwin and Eric (driver) were amazing! Best tour guide team I have had in a long time and I vacation more than 3-4 times a year! Elwin is super knowledgeable and attentive to his guests. Not once was he not available for our group of 9! Totally recommend this exact itinerary - you get two different sets ruins plus Cenote and lunch! Best deal around!

Excellent tour

linda_c, Dec 2024
We really enjoyed our tour guide's explanations of the sites. We felt like we won the lottery with our tour guide Evan and our driver Antonio

Great day! Highly Recommend!

Vicki_K, Jun 2024
We had a great day on our tour. We got picked up at hotel promptly at 6:50 as requested as we had to pick up other guests from other hotels before we made our way to Ek Balam. Francisco (our tour guide) was super friendly , talking to us on the way there about local Mexican history and about Ek Balam, Chitchen Itza and cenotes. We started at Ek Balam, a lesser known Myan Ruin, and Francisco had all of our tickets ready for us, he was very informative about Ek Balam, educated us on the couple structures that were there. Next week made our way to a local restaurant/buffet for lunch. Food was good. They had something for everyone, tacos (get the pork tacos, they was awesome!), steamed veggies, rice, spaghetti, fresh fruit, it was very good. We were all satisfied. The food was included in our ticket, any alcoholic beverages were not. FYI. Then we went to Chitchen Itza. Again, Francisco took us around talking about the various structures there and what every thing was for. He was very knowledgeable. Then he let everyone explore on our own for about 45 min before meeting to head back to the van. Lastly, we visited a local cenote. The place we went to was so nice. The grounds themselves were really pretty, and the cenote was so cool! It was a big sink hole about 40 ft or so under ground, and they had about a 15ft jump that you could jump off of into the water, it was very cool. Plus there's places for some snacks and drinks (including alcohol) if you don't want to swim and just want to chill while you're there. Then we made our way back to the hotels. It was a long day, I'm not gonna lie. Getting picked up at 6:50 and being the last off the van at about 8:15 or so, it was a long day, spending most of it in the van. But we knew what to expect as the trip says it's about 12hrs. But with the stops in between it didn't seem so bad. The longest was the ride back from the cenote to Playa Del Carmen where our hotel was, but again, we expected that. All in all, it was a great day. Our tour guy Francisco was awesome. So friendly and knowledgeable. Our driver (I forget her name) was also friendly, didn't say too much throughout the day as she had to focus on driving, but she was also nice and got us back to the hotel safely. Definitely bring cash for various things. Tipping, any souvenirs /trinkets you might want to buy, there's plenty of places, alcohol if you want it, and cash for the life vest at the cenote. I would definitely give this tour 5 stars and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to get off of the resort for the day.

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Hi Vicki_K, thanks for sharing your experience with us and other travelers! We’re delighted that you had a great experience with us. We hope to see you again soon!

Badly organized tour, left late, lots of time picking up people

Gustavo_O, May 2024
TLDR: Stressful day, tour left 1 hour late, lots of time picking people up in places almost 1 hour afar, terrible logistics from the company, too little time on Chichen Itza because of their own delay, tour had more people than advertised. Definitely don't recommend this company Whole story: The reason we booked this tour was that it's advertised they leave at 7 a.m and we wanted to arrive early at Chichen Itza to avoid the big crowds and the hotness. Also we took into consideration it especifically says that the tour goes from and to Playa del Carmen, so we expected less picking up time The day before, they sent us a message telling us to be at 7:10 am at the pickup meeting point and that's the last good thing about it. There we were at 7:10 only to be left waiting for a whole hour standing on our feet with nowhere to sit The guide arrived there before the bus and all the time he'd come with a new excuse to explain the delay First one was that they had mixed up the order of the hotels of the people they were picking up first and because of that the bus was late Then he said those two people, whose hotel was out of order, didn't show up Funny thing is that when we finally got to the bus, an hour later, there were only a couple already there. Then, already running 1 hour late, we went to pickup other people in completely distant hotels. If the tour is from Playa del Carmen, why do you pick people that are located almost in Tulum? I wouldn't have booked if I knew this tour would go from both cities. Also, remember when the guide said they were late because of two people they went to pick up and that they didn't show up. Well... Glad they didn't because otherwise there wouldn't be seats available at the bus for everyone. See where they advertise the tour is limited of 15 people? Well, there were 20... plus the 2 people who allegedly didn't show up, we'd be 22 So, it was already 10 am when we STARTED going in the pyramid's direction Then, another surprise. The tour promises starting the day in Chichen Itza, but we went to Ek Balam first. So, we've booked this in order to arrive early to Chichen Itzá but we ended up going there only really late in the afternoon After Ek Balam, we went for lunch. But before that they made us spend 20 minutes in a overly priced craft store and it was already 14:30 pm (PDC time). Needless to say we only had lunch at 15h. Since we were in the meeting point at 7am, this means we spent 8 hours without any food Then it was finally time to meet Chichen Itzá. They say you have an hour and a half there, but we were only given 1 hour so we didn't even stay to listen to the explanation and went to explore it, otherwise there wouldn't be enough time to see the whole place. We had to rush through the whole site in order to see it. It was supposed to be the highlight of the day and I didn't even had time to see it properly. Then, it was time for the cenote. It was nice and we had proper time there so no complaints. To end the day, we finally got back to the meeting point almost 10 pm. Basically, that was a 15 hour tour even though the company says it should last around 12 hour. The three hours of difference basically were due to their own delay and their terrible logistics. Seriously, do better I guess the only people who must be happy after this are the two people who, allegedly, didn't show up. Good for them, wish I hadn't shown up either This tour isn't even one of the cheapest available in Viator, quite the opposite. I felt really disrespected to say the least. I mean, the places are most definitely worth it, really incredible. But the tour operator is not. Maybe this will be your only opportunity to visit Chichen Itzá and the other sites, make sure you do it propperly.

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Hi Gustavo_O. We are sorry that you have had a negative experience with us, of course this is not the image we wish to project. We have made note of your comments to make improvements in our service. Please accept our apologies and we hope you’ll give us an opportunity in the future to bring you an excellent experience.

Amazing day!

Samantha_V, May 2024
What a great day. Be prepared for a long day but the sight seeing and Cenote visit at the end is totally worth it. Driver and Tour guide are fantastic and keep you informed. Got a lot of information about the Mayans and really enjoyed the site visits. It is really hot tho so plenty of water/ suncream and a hat! The Cenote at the end is absolutely lush so enjoy!

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Hi Samantha_V! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your comment, we’re delighted that you enjoyed the tour, our service and our team. Hope to see you again soon!

Poor organization

Kimbolee_F, May 2024
We drove for four hours with no access to a washroom , there was one on the bus which was broken pick up was 6:50 am which meant we didn’t have breakfast . We had to drive around for another hour or two to get other persons at their respective hotels and same thing for drop off . It was exhausting and I don’t think I’ll ever book with Viator again . The tour guide was nice . Driver grumpy .

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Hi Kimbolee_F. We are sorry that you have had a negative experience with us, of course this is not the image we wish to project. We have made note of your comments to make improvements in our service. Please accept our apologies and we hope you’ll give us an opportunity in the future to bring you an excellent experience.

Great experience

CarloAlberto_B, May 2024
Great tour, great guide! If you like history this is the tour for you, the 2 sites are both very interesting.

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Hi CarloAlberto_B! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your comment, we’re delighted that you enjoyed the tour, our service and our team. Hope to see you again soon!

Amazing Tour

Aisha_S, Apr 2024
The cenote was amazing visiting the ruins was good as well. Nice bus ride great tour. We would recommend.

Great and great excursión!!!😎😄😂

mymorena_P, Apr 2024
The Marcela& Braulio ( driver and tour guide) they were wonderful we really had a good time. However, needed to clarify the fees is unclear since some passengers had a small breakfasts and drinks included in the payment that brought a lot unsatisfactorily between the passengers. All the changes it should be included in one payment. Hope the company resolved this inconvenience in order that anyone gets surprised. This company is so lucky to have a Marcela and Braulio to save the moments in this excursion. Thank you both of you for your dedication beyond your job. Take care and God blessed you

This and that

Myron_M, Apr 2024
The sales tax was unexpectedly high! Cost more than the trip.The trip and the driver and the guide where enjoyable!

Very good trip to Chichen itzá

Gisselle_C, Apr 2024
The trip was very good very good driver Marcela, and Braulio very friendly, the food was not great but in general the experience was pleasant.

No water, cold food

katherine_b, Mar 2024
Pros: you see all the sights listed. It was a small group. Cons: no water provided as advertised; NONE for a 12-hour tour in 85+ degree weather. Lunch buffet isn't until 3 in the afternoon. All the food was a cold! (Does anyone like cold tacos, cold refried beans and cold rice?) Our guide announced that two alcoholic drinks were included with our lunch; they were not. Our whole table got caught in the trap of having to pay what we were told was included. Website advertised a $3 required life vest fee at cenote--it was $5. Guide lost my husband's ticket to Chichen Itza. We watched our guide run around for 30 minutes looking to see where he might have dropped it. He kept asking us if we had it (we were never given it). I'm not sure if he ever found or just bought a new one. No way around the hundreds of other tourists visiting the same sights. LONG lines of vendors all selling the same tourist crap--while not harassing, definitely bothersome and a killjoy.

Great Experience

Blake_S, Mar 2024
Tour guide spoke great English and was a very gun person. Loved everything. Heads up to purchase souvenirs at Chichen Itza and not the first two. Asking prices for the same items at Chichen Itza were up to 50x cheaper. Some vendors at Chichen were selling hand crafting items for $1, big difference from them asking me to pay $40 at Ek Bulum for the same thing. Fun trip, save your money until Chichen Itza.

Enjoyed this tour

Donna_F, Mar 2024
We enjoyed this tour- relaxed pace and friendly guide (Braulio), and of course fantastic ruins to admire! The swim in the cenote at the end of the day was very refreshing.

Fun Experience!

Brent_D, Mar 2024
Great Tour! Our guides were great! Baulo(?) was very friendly and helpful and knowledgeable! Fabia (?) was the driver Ang got us to the destination quickly and safely. It was awesome! The food was Okay but not great. (Average). Our group was small and fun. Great day!

Everything went according...

Huy_T, Mar 2024
Everything went according to plan. If the cenote part could be skip, it would be perfecto; otherwise, its nothing there except a natural sinkhole

Awesome!

Keith_G, Mar 2024
Julio and our driver were awesome! Was the first excursion we did when we got here and was not disappointed at all. Be prepared for a 12-13 hour day with 6 hours of driving in air conditioned van, stopped at silver mine where we bought souvenirs and had a lunch, were also given a bagged meal with sandwich, fruit and juice. Stopped at cenote for a swim, a lot of people at this one and had a tourist area built around it. Ek Balam was awesome, got to climb a large building about 10 stories a look out over the area, steps are steep and uneven but very cool. Chiche nizea was the show though, so much astrological and mathematical aspects into the building area, pyramid was spectacular and ball court was huge. A LOT of souvenir stands in and out of walk into grounds, but a bucket list excursion for sure!

Communication a problem...

jane_b, Mar 2024
Communication a problem to start as hour late. Bumpy ride but wow. Patrick our guide was kind funny and knew so much. You must pay tax roughly £48. Lunch included. We had been up since 5.30 got back 8.45pm.

Excellent day!

NatalyV_P, Feb 2024
Excellent experience and knowledge from the tour guide. Great day, comfortable van. Good timing at the locations. Would recommend.

Perfect start for a Mayan Trip

LisaHeike_H, Feb 2024
Can’t remember the name of our guide, but his name started with a P and he was amazing. He was a Mayan descendant and told us a lot about the history, culture etc. Loved all three parts even though Ek Balam was the hightlight. It’s fast but the perfect way when you have limited time to see all the cool places.

Nice

Stefano_A, Jan 2024
Overall the trip was nice and the guide Patricio was polite and helpful. The sites are beautiful and the cenote was the cherry on top. The food quality and variety is low. I would have preferred not to have to listen to a promotion of the objects to buy in the shop near the restaurant, or how buying a small pyramid and putting it under the bed would stop people snoring. The driver Fabián was adding people on Facebook while driving.

Do not expect an english tour when booking small group tour.

Bernhard_N, Jan 2024
Great tour, nice guide with high amount of knowledge. But when you book an english tour, don't expect a real english guide. 80% Spanish, 20 % english. Small groups have only one guide which prefers to speak the language of the majority of guests. Some guests booked a Spanish tour, we booked an english, it was the same tour. So in terms of english explanations we got less than 50% of the information.

A dream adventure visiting the pyramids!!

Antonia_O, Dec 2023
Patricio was a magnificent, very charismatic and knowledgeable tour guide Definitely recommend it. The driver was also very good. The tour is around 12 hours, bring your good walking shoes as I did.

From $85.00

per person

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 22 days in advance.

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