What to expect from Cenote Ik Kil
Cenote Ik Kil is one of the most visited cenotes in the Yucatan, and it was undoubtedly very beautiful before mass tourism. Before you book a tour to Ik Kil Cenote, here’s what you really need to know…
Reality vs Expectation!
One of the reasons that Ik Kil is so well visited is its location. It is less than 3,7 miles from Chichen Itza on the busy road to Valladolid. Every tour bus passes by and generally includes a stop. This means:
- Cenote Ik Kil is very crowded with hundreds of visitors every hour
- You’re unlikely to get photographs without lots of people in them
- With so many bathers, it is not the peaceful, pristine experience visitors expect
- It is highly commercialized and has lost some of its natural serenity
- There are lines for everything – tickets, restrooms, changing rooms, drinks etc.
- You’ll be swimming in 132 feet-deep water with many other bodies – a frightening experience for less confident bathers
- For most visitors, tours to Ik Kil Cenote are disappointing due to the commercialism and crowds. It is not at all what they expected.
But there’s a better way…
Discover Unspoiled Cenotes
If you want to experience the peaceful atmosphere and breathtaking natural beauty of a cenote, there are thousand cenotes to choose from in the Yucatan alone, great alternatives are Cenote Oxman, or Xkeken and Samula. These natural limestone sinkholes are fed by clear underwater springs and were once a sacred place for Mayan rituals, gifts and sacrifices.
Private Chichen Itza Tours
Take the time to find an agency that offers a totally different tour experience for visitors to Riviera Maya who want to visit, photograph and swim in a cenote.
Forget the Express tours that offer Ik-Kil Cenote as a brief add-on to a Chichen Itza tour. Experience a tour with a private guide, your guide will take you off-the-beaten-path to some of the most beautiful and peaceful cenotes in the Yucatan, far from mass tourism.
Another advantage with a private tour, you will have plenty of time to swim in the crystal clear water, learn how they are formed, and take beautiful pictures to share on Instagram.
Isn’t that what at tour is really all about?