Chichen Itza by Van: Reduced Group, Tour Guide, Fast Trip & Lunch

Recommended by 95% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

High interest

Booked 3 times today.

3 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.8

· Jaime_C ·

Jun 2026

Small group tour is the best to see Chichen Itza including snacks, lunch, and tour guide. You’ll be pick up from your hotel as well and dropped off to your hotel

· Federico_R ·

Apr 2026

Can’t recommend this enough. Lalo was an excellent guide, I had read a lot about the Mayans, the Yucatán and Chichén Itza itself and I still got away with so much more information / knowledge and an unforgettable experience. Thanks to Jorge as well for getting us there and back quickly and safely!

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Overview

Optimize your time in the Yucatan on this full-day tour to Chichen Itza from Playa del Carmen. Pose for pictures in front of the Kukulcan structure, explore the Great Ball Court, and learn about the site’s history from your bilingual guide. Lunch, snacks, hotel pickup, and return transfer via air-conditioned vehicle are included, so there are no hidden extras.

Dedicate a full day to exploring the iconic Chichen Itza
Snap memorable pictures in front of the Kukulcan and Great Ball Court
Benefit from your bilingual guide’s explanations and insights
Hotel pickup and return transfer ensure a hassle-free trip

What's Included

Round-trip transportation from most hotels in Cancun and Riviera Maya.
Professional bilingual guides.
Lunch

Box lunch
Light Snacks.
Bottled water

Water, soda and beer
Umbrella.

Gratuity
Entrance fee - Park Fees and Taxes

$50.00 per person

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Round-trip transportation in a comfortable air-conditioned van from most hotels in Cancun (available on Tuesday to Saturday only) and Riviera Maya (available the whole week). Before booking, please ensure that your preferred date aligns with the transportation schedule for your accommodation location. IMPORTANT: the Start Time is NOT your Pickup time. It depends on your hotel's location. Please be aware of your pickup details.

Operating hours
.9:00 am

Itinerary

Chichen Itza

2 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Minimum age is 6

Not recommended for guests with limited mobility
The pickup time depends on your hotel's location
GoPro devices, tablets, and selfie sticks are subject to fees payable directly at the box office in the Chichen Itza Ruins. Professional photography equipment and drones are strictly prohibited
We offer two booking options: One with Chichen Itza entrance tickets included, and one without tickets. Please reviwew carefully before booking.
Please consider that the travel time to Chichen Itza may take up to 2 ½ to 3 hours each way, depending on your hotel’s location
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 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

4.8

based on 666 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Only do cash for fees

Miranda_S, Jul 2026

Make sure you are comfortable with heat and walking a lot you will be in the humid jungle are for about 3 hours. Ride is fast but still long Do. Not take the option. Of card authorization. Pay cash. It is done through PayPal And they hound you for the money. People are not communicating well to the office where they send the link from. Drivers were great and knowledgeable would say 10/10 there. As well as sandwich box lunch after and cold towel service

Go with Fernando and Arturo!

David_M, Jul 2026

The van was excellent with great AC! Arturo was very friendly and accommodating, and made the tour very interesting.

Chichen Itza

Jaime_C, Jun 2026

Small group tour is the best to see Chichen Itza including snacks, lunch, and tour guide. You’ll be pick up from your hotel as well and dropped off to your hotel

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for your great review! We're so happy to hear you enjoyed your Chichén Itzá experience and that the small group format, snacks, lunch, and guided tour made your visit more comfortable and enjoyable. It’s also great to know that the hotel pickup and drop-off added convenience to your day. We truly appreciate you choosing Cancun Adventures and hope to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable experience! Cancun Adventures

We enjoyed this tour. Our...

Asia_W, Jun 2026

We enjoyed this tour. Our guide, Jano was great! His in depth explanations of the archeological site made the trip even better.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to Chichén Itzá and that Jano helped make your day even more memorable. A knowledgeable guide can truly transform a visit to such an extraordinary archaeological site, and we are pleased that Jano's in-depth explanations enriched your understanding and appreciation of its history and cultural significance. We will be sure to share your kind words with him, as recognition like yours means a great deal to our team. Thank you for choosing Cancun Adventures for this unforgettable journey through one of Mexico's most iconic treasures. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back soon for another remarkable experience and to help you discover even more of the wonders the region has to offer. Cancun Adventures

Awesome experience

Edward_H, Jun 2026

The trip was wonderful. Our tour guide was awesome and gave detailed information not only at the pyramid, but also of places we were passing en route. Make sure you read the fine print as there is an addl charge that has to be paid for entrance to the destination. This is paid to the tour company and can be paid via cash or PayPal (credit/debit). Also read the email message as the correct pickup time for your hotel will be there. Do not base pickup time on the time printed on the ticket. Our ticket showed 9am and the actual pickup time at the hotel was 7am. They arrived on time promptly at 7am and picked us up at Secrets Akumal. They also gave us plenty of drinks (water, soda, corona) and provided sandwiches and chips for lunch. If you are coming to see the snake shadow on the pyramid steps on March 21st , we were told its super packed that day and the shadow is still visible on the 22nd & 23rd with much less of a crowd. Hope this helps someone.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for your thoughtful and detailed review! We're delighted to hear that you had a wonderful experience on your Chichén Itzá tour and that your guide helped bring the journey to life by sharing fascinating insights not only at the archaeological site but throughout the drive as well. Creating enriching experiences that combine history, culture, and comfort is something we truly value. We also appreciate you highlighting the importance of reviewing the pre-trip information regarding pickup times and additional fees. Feedback like yours can be incredibly helpful for future travelers preparing for their adventure. It's wonderful to know that you enjoyed the refreshments and lunch provided along the way, and thank you for sharing your helpful tip regarding visiting during the equinox season. Thank you for choosing Cancun Adventures. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for another unforgettable experience in the future! Cancun Adventures

Great tour with none of the added extras

Susan_P, May 2026

This is the tour to choose if you want to visit Chichen Itza and that's it. No forced stops a souvenir shops or other towns. Pickup is early so that you are there before all the big tour busses. We were back at our resort by 3:30. Our tour guide, Paula, did a great job explaining the cultural site and Mayan history. The group was small (maybe 12-14). Highly recommend.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear the tour was exactly what you were looking for and that you appreciated the direct experience without unnecessary stops. Paula will be very happy to hear your kind words—we’ll be sure to share your compliments with her. We’re also glad you enjoyed the early arrival, small group atmosphere, and learning about Mayan history at Chichén Itzá. Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable adventure! Warm regards, Cancun Adventures

Perfect small group tour with great guide and driver

Terri_B, May 2026

My partner are lovers of history and culture and but were looking for a smaller, more personal tour of Chichen Itza with a knowledgeable guide, and without side trips that make for a long day on a big bus packed with touristy stops. This tour was perfect for us. We were picked up at our hotel and spent the duration of the drive with Ana and around 8 other guests. Ana is full of information and answered all of our questions expertly. She is an amazing translator and managed to do a seamless bilingual tour that met the needs of all of her guests. We got off to an early start, Ana prepped us with information, gave us a tour of the larger structures in the park, and gave us free time to wander around. On the way back she followed up with more info and answered questions while we enjoyed beverages and a bagged lunch. It was a really great fit for us, and we made friends along the way who we hung out with later in our trip. I highly recommend this for others who don't love the giant tour bus operations and who want to tour the site with someone who is passionate about the history. I regret I can't remember our drivers name, but he was also wonderful. 11 out of 10 stars.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you so much for this incredible review! We’re truly delighted to hear the tour was the perfect fit for the experience you were looking for. Ana will be so happy to know her passion, knowledge, and seamless bilingual guiding made such a positive impact on your day. We also appreciate your kind words about our driver and the comfortable small-group atmosphere we strive to create. It means a lot to know you connected not only with the history and culture of Chichén Itzá, but also with fellow travelers along the way. Thank you for your recommendation and for choosing Cancun Adventures for such a special experience. — Cancun Adventures

Disappointed

Lisa_S, Apr 2026

This was cancelled weeks ago,but you charged me for it anyway. I chatted 4 days in a row and every time they advised that this was cancelled. I will not be using you ever again. More trouble than it’s worth.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We’re truly sorry to hear about your experience and understand how frustrating this situation must be. This is certainly not the experience we want for our guests. Please allow us to look into this matter further and ensure it is properly resolved. We kindly ask you to contact us directly with your booking details so we can assist you as quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience and the opportunity to make this right. Warm regards, Cancun Adventures

New Cancun Adventure Family

Craig_P, Apr 2026

Lalo and Ricardo (Sexy Richie) were excellent hosts and guide. We felt welcomed from 1st introductions to the very end. Lalo was personable and helped us all get to know each other. We were well taken care of from the driving to the tour. So much history of the site and Mexico in general was shared. I would recommend this experience to anyone. The half day tour began early for hotel pick up (6am) but that meant less crowds when we arrived. Be prepared for the heat and the walking.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that Lalo and Ricardo made you feel like part of the family and took such great care of you throughout the experience. It’s great to know you enjoyed the history, the early access to avoid crowds, and the overall tour. We truly appreciate your recommendation! We hope to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable adventure. Warm regards, Cancun Adventures

Just ok not great

Sanjiv_M, Apr 2026

The tour was fine, but misleading. They don’t charge you for everything upfront and I’m not sure why. They tell you start time of 9 AM but it is actually 630! You only find out all this in the fine print. Van is cramped.. guide was good. Pyramids not impressive not worth the long drive.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that the experience did not fully meet your expectations. We understand how the start time and additional details may have felt unclear, and we truly appreciate you pointing this out—clear communication is very important to us, and we’ll continue working to improve it. We also regret that the comfort of the van and the long drive impacted your overall impression. We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the guide, and we hope you might consider giving us another opportunity in the future to provide you with a much better experience. Warm regards, Cancun Adventures

Excellent trip, exactly...

Chloe_R, Apr 2026

Excellent trip, exactly as advertised with no hidden fees. Perfect if you just want to see Chichen Itza without additional stops in Cenotes/Valladolid/Gift shops. Van was comfortable (14 people) and even as first pick up at 6:20 route felt quick. It was also very clear pick up was 6am not 9am as other reviews say. Stop en route at a public free bathroom was offered there and back. We were not staying in a resort and were able to easily arrange pick up from outside a hotel nearby our Airbnb using the chat function on Viator. We were the last drop off at 3:10pm. Vegetarian sandwich lunch provided. My partner is vegan and had the crisps, fruit, and drinks provided and brought sandwiches for lunch on journey home. Tour was informative and given in English. Clear communication from the guide about pick up and meeting points. Getting there early was a positive as it was cooler and quieter. Guided tour was 1 hr 20, and then had 50 minutes free time which felt enough time to see it all and take pictures.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you so much for your detailed and thoughtful review! We’re thrilled to hear the experience met your expectations and that everything—from communication and pickup to timing and comfort—worked smoothly for you. It’s great to know you appreciated the early arrival, the guided tour, and the overall organization of the day. We also value your notes regarding dietary options and flexibility with pickup arrangements. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back soon for another fantastic adventure! Warm regards, Cancun Adventures

Great trip if you just...

Fionn_G, Apr 2026

Great trip if you just want to see Chichen Itza and not go to Cenotes/Valladolid. Miguel & Omar were both great.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you so much for your kind review! We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the experience and that Miguel and Omar made it even better. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back soon for another amazing adventure! Warm regards, Cancun Adventures

Small Group Tour Chichen Itza Only

Andrew_M, Apr 2026

Exactly as advertised but with great guide and driver. 14 People, comfortable air conditioned transport directly to Chichen Itza from PDC. Got to the site between 0900 and 1000 with water and umbrellas provided(really needed them). Knowledgeable tour on the ruins and Mayan culture followed by free time for pics. Had a box lunch and drinks provided on return trip. If you just want to seethe cultural site, this is the tour. We were on the road at 0640, back before 1500. Highly recommend

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you so much for your detailed and wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear the tour met your expectations and that you enjoyed the комфорт, timing, and overall organization of the experience. It’s great to know our guide and driver made a positive impact, and that you appreciated the early arrival, shade items, and informative tour of Chichen Itza. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable adventure! Warm regards, Cancun Adventures

Deception

Esther_F, Apr 2026

Never happen the tour driver never showed to pick us up we miss the trip not recommended if you.go on vacations plan all your tours with your hotel is better and will not be miscommunication.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for your feedback. We’re very sorry to hear about your experience and understand how disappointing it must have been to miss your tour. This is certainly not the service we strive to provide. We would really appreciate the opportunity to look into what happened and assist you further. Please contact us directly with your booking details so we can investigate and work toward a resolution. We value your comments and hope to have the chance to regain your trust in the future. Warm regards, Cancun Adventures

This was an excellent excursion, exactly what we wanted

Federico_R, Apr 2026

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear the experience was exactly what you were looking for and that it exceeded your expectations. Lalo will be delighted to know his knowledge made such an impact, and we’ll be sure to share your kind words with Jorge as well for his safe and smooth driving. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable adventure! Warm regards, Cancun Adventures

Good experience

Alejandro_C, Mar 2026

Amazing visit to the Chichén Itzá Mayan ruins. Guide and driver were super helpful and polite. I would recommend the tour company gets a more comfortable van, for the price we paid, I would expect more room and comfort for a 2 hour drive each way. I felt like a sardine in a can, the guide had o sacrifice sitting on a cooler so we could have more room. Not cool.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad to hear you enjoyed visiting Chichén Itzá and that our guide and driver took great care of you. We’re truly sorry to hear that the comfort of the van did not meet your expectations. Your comments are very important to us, and we will share them with our team as we continuously work to improve our transportation experience. We appreciate your honesty and hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back for a more comfortable and enjoyable adventure in the future. Warm regards, Cancun Adventures

This experience was...

Jennifer_G, Mar 2026

This experience was everything that we could have wanted. We had the transportation there (even though we were the 1st stop on pickups and it was early), a very informative guide and time to explore on our own. We would have not gained the knowledge if it had not been for our guide. This made it totally worth it.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear the experience was everything you hoped for and that the transportation, timing, and overall organization worked well for you. It’s especially great to know your guide made such a positive impact and helped bring the history to life—that truly makes all the difference. We hope to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable adventure! Warm regards, Cancun Adventures

Great excursion and Tour guide!!

Cindy_M, Feb 2026

Very organized. Our tour guide Ricardo was informative, very interesting, fun and really friendly. Ricardo and our driver Ruben were great team. It was a 6am pickup for me, and I was the last to get picked up, for a 9am start time in Chichen Itza. Travel time was 2 hours but it went by quickly. The tour was a perfect size (17 total) I recommend going early because it was hot and we were able to avoid the really hot temps by going so early. Great excursion.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for your feedback. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with us. We’re glad you had a positive overall impression, and we also value your comments on how we can improve. Your input helps us continue enhancing our tours and services for all our guests. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back soon for an even better experience. Warm regards, Cancun Adventures

Horrible Communication. Very scam like.

Annalou_H, Feb 2026

Horrible Communication. Our Excursion Tickets stated the excursion was supposed to start 9:00am and we never received a message or call that the excursion actually starts at 6:30am for our pick-up. This is very deceiving as I also did not know they don’t text and use What’s App which is not stated in the instructions anywhere. The only reason I saw their message that morning was because I was using the application to communicate with a sales person and happened to see a message from an unknown number. By the time I checked the message it was 8:30am and we were waiting for pick up at 9:00am and had no idea pick was supposed to be 6:30am and we missed it. We never received any other messages or a call to confirm the earlier pick-up. They should have called as they can see I never received the What’s App message. This was very scam like since they did not make an effort to try and contact me in any other way and the tickets say 9:00am with no other details. I will be contesting this with my credit card as they also don’t know how to refund me per person messaging. Bad experience.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for your feedback. We’re truly sorry to hear about your experience and understand how frustrating this situation must have been. We regret any confusion regarding the pickup time and communication. Clear and timely information is very important to us, and we understand your concern about relying on a single communication channel. Your comments highlight an area where we need to improve to ensure all guests are properly informed. This is not the experience we want to provide, and we would appreciate the opportunity to review your case in detail. Please contact us directly with your booking information so we can investigate and assist you further. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Warm regards, Cancun Adventures

Fantastic trip if you just want to do Chichen Itza and get back early!

Anasuya_B, Feb 2026

Ivan was a fantastic tour guide so knowledgeable and he explained things to us in a way that didn’t go over our heads. Manuel was a terrific driver and got us there and back safely. I think we were back at the hotel by 3:30. We left early (6:30am) had about an hour and a half with Ivan guiding us then had another hour and a half just exploring on our own. When we got back to the van they had lovely pre boxed and sealed sandwiches chips and iced cold water sodas and beers. It was a perfect trip and we were back in time to enjoy our resort for the rest of the day.

Response from Host, May 2026

Relatively true to description but missing key information

John_P, Feb 2026

As for those who can not or don’t want to spend a full day tour (10-12hr) this, on the surface, makes sense. Brief but sufficient tour of the ruins time wise with fair (no more) amount of info from guide but lacked information others were receiving from what could be heard from proximity to other tour groups. What did not make any sense whatsoever (and was not info given forthright) was the transportation itself (which is a major reason why the tour is the cost it is compared to other longer, more inclusive tours). Not stated anywhere or given in the info following booking (beyond some of these comments) was the idea of a “meet up” spot where you may change vans - not a huge deal but waited ~15-20min at a gas station waiting for others before we could leave. The worst of it being the return, again with a similar meet up point/scenario. Where this tour for me gets a 3 star review is the horrible time suck of logistics that had us being picked up first (6:20am) and dropped of last (3:40pm) while enduring ~10-15min wait times (each time, done twice) to cross the active highway then then additional ~10min to the given beach resort then the same amount of time back to the highway. We reached the meet up point on the way back around 1:45pm and again didn’t get back until just after 3:40pm - 2 hrs spent in the fan from essentially the airport to our lodging. It took just about that same amount of time to drive the ruins itself following the first meeting point stop. Also the same amount of time we were alotted at the ruins (8:50am-11:50am; account for 1hr time change entering Yucutan) which is understandingly frustrating and disappointing (dare I say unfair with others pickup around 7:30am and dropped off before 2:30pm), especially given the lack of communication surrounding this.

Response from Host, May 2026

Great direct tour

Diana_H, Feb 2026

This was a good tour and I’d recommend for anyone just wanting to go to Chichen Itza without other stops. There was good communication prior to the tour on pick up and it was really nice they picked up/dropped off directly at our hotel. Our guide, Arun, and our driver, Victor, were wonderful. They were on time and Arun was very knowledgeable and made the experience welcoming and interactive. We had a good balance at the ruins of a guided tour with great information and time to explore on our own. They did a good job polling the group on ideal timing for the day and making brief rest stops on the way there/back as well. The lunch was standard and they supplied snacks and drinks as you want as well. The van was standard as well and I didn’t find it uncomfortable like some other reviewers mentioned. It had enough room and A/C. The only thing I’d adjust is having a bit of additional time at the ruins to explore around. Our group got back close to an hour before we thought we would, which was nice to have extra time to do other things with the day, but I think another 30-45 minutes at the ruins would’ve been perfect. Overall I’d recommend the tour and appreciated Arun and Victor - thank you!

Response from Host, May 2026

Mayan history up close

Katie_R, Feb 2026

Very interesting to see this world heritage site of one of the 7 wonders of the world. Our guide was very informative about history and the Mayan culture. Original construction is still available to view. Be prepared for lots of dust on the walk and lots of vendors. The tour provides water and a sandwich lunch. Guides watched out for everyone.

Response from Host, May 2026

Depending on the time of...

Brad_R, Feb 2026

Depending on the time of year it can be hot. Fair amount of walking and some uneven terrain. Pack a wide brim hat, sunscreen and water

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you so much for your helpful review! We’re glad you had a good experience and really appreciate you sharing these great tips for future travelers. Being prepared for the heat and terrain definitely makes the visit even more enjoyable, and your advice will surely help others. We hope to welcome you back soon for another fantastic adventure! Warm regards, Cancun Adventures

Chichen Itza

EvelioJr_G, Feb 2026

Miguel, Michael, and bus driver were AWESOME. The tour said small van, yes, we had a small van but that small group/van led us to a big bus of 37. So, I dont consider that a small bus excursion

Chechen Itza

Nachappa_G, Feb 2026

Chechen Itza is a big tourist attraction. We went early to beat the crowd. The guide explained the details of the pyramid's architecture, its historical significance, and the Mayan culture.

Chichén Itzá only-Just Right

Mary_W, Feb 2026

This is the perfect tour if you want a shorter day away from the resort or don’t have the energy for an all day tour. We were some of the first people into Chichén Itzá. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and we were home in time for a nap, afternoon on the beach and dinner!

An interesting place...

Graham_G, Feb 2026

An interesting place suitably described by the guide both verbally and pictures. Nothing was too much trouble

Do not use this company!

Jennifer_B, Feb 2026

Poor pickup time guidelines. When they say 9am they really pick up at 7am. They just take your money. We are out $189 per person for 2 people! It’s a compete horrible thing for a vacation. I will never use this company again.

Excellent tour

Ann_G, Feb 2026

Wonderful sites, lots of walking, crowds but our small group arrived fairly early so biggest crowds were as we were leaving. The guide is wonderful, sandwich and snacks provided. The guide would benefit from using a microphone connected to earpieces for the guests.