YOUR OWN PRIVATE ADVENTURE

Chichen Itza and Cenote Tour

326 tour reviews
PRIVATE TOUR: Explore Chichen Itza with a personal certified guide, take a refreshing dip in a cenote, and savor a delicious lunch at a local restaurant in Valladolid.
  • Exclusive Experience: Just you, your personal local guide, and driver!
  • Private Transportation: Convenient pick-up from your hotel or rental.
  • Escape the Crowds & Beat the Heat: Skip the lines & enjoy a relaxed, stress-free guided tour.
  • Breathtaking Cenotes! Pick from Oxman, Samula or Xkeken - You’ll love the adventure!
  • Lunch in the colonial city of Valladolid: Savor authentic Mexican flavors, à la carte menu, not a buffet!
  • Set Your Own Pace: Stay longer or move on, the choice is entirely yours.
  • All-Inclusive at the Best Price: Transport, guide, entrance fees, lunch & more

Early bird discountBook 60+ days ahead and save 10%.

Multi-tour discountBook 2+ tours and save 10%.

Offers cannot be combined. Holiday exclusions apply. See terms and conditions.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

The details of your private day.

Chichen Itza and Cenote Tour – Private & All-Inclusive

 

Dreaming of visiting one of the New Seven Wonders of the World? Our all-inclusive Chichen Itza and cenote tour is the perfect Riviera Maya day trip for travelers who love history, culture, and nature. Designed exclusively for your group, this private experience blends world-famous Mayan ruins, a refreshing cenote swim, and authentic Yucatec flavors—at your pace and without the crowds.

  1. Skip the Crowds at Chichen Itza with Your Private Guide

    Upon arrival, your entrance tickets are ready so you can skip the lines and begin exploring right away. With your certified private guide, you’ll discover Chichen Itza at a comfortable pace and enjoy commentary tailored to your interests.

    Stand before the legendary El Castillo (Temple of Kukulcán), walk the vast Great Ball Court, and learn the symbolism etched into sacred temples and ceremonial platforms. Your guide brings the site to life with insights on Mayan astronomy, architecture, and traditions that shaped this ancient city.

  2. Refreshing Swim in a Stunning Cenote

    After your journey through history, cool off in one of Yucatán’s most beautiful cenotes—either Cenote Oxman, Cenote Xkeken or Cenote Samula. These crystal-clear freshwater pools lie within dramatic limestone caverns, creating a magical setting for swimming, floating, and relaxing.

    We provide life vests for comfort and safety, and your guide shares the geological and cultural importance of cenotes in Mayan life. Whether you take a dip or simply admire the view, this stop is often a highlight of the day.

  3. Traditional Lunch & Free Time in Valladolid

    To round out the experience, we’ll visit the colonial city of Valladolid, one of the most charming towns in Yucatán. Enjoy a delicious lunch featuring regional dishes such as cochinita pibil, sopa de lima, and handmade tortillas.

    After lunch, enjoy free time to stroll colorful streets, browse local shops for handicrafts, or relax in the main square before returning to your hotel.

  4. Why Travelers Love This Chichen Itza Cenote Tour

    Private & all-inclusive: just your group and your guide, with logistics handled for a seamless day.

    Flexible pace: explore comfortably, avoid crowds, and focus on what interests you most.

    Award-winning service: trusted local team with thousands of 5-star reviews.

    Join us for an unforgettable Chichen Itza and cenote tour and see why it’s our most popular private day trip in the Riviera Maya.

     

     

Price includes

  • Pick up and drop off at your hotel with private air-conditioned transportation (Booster car seat and baby car seat available on request)
  • Experienced certified private guide
  • Toll road when pick up from Playa del Carmen and Cancun
  • Chichen Itza entrance fees and state tax
  • Cenote entrance fee and life vests
  • Coffee and snacks in the vans
  • Cool drinks in the van (waters, soda)
  • Lunch in a restaurant with one main course a la carte

Price excludes

  • Drinks at the restaurant
  • Ruins: If you bring a GoPro, video camera, or phone with a selfie stick, a fee of 60 pesos (about USD 3) per device is charged at the entrance to each archaeological site and must be paid in pesos (INAH fee). Drones and camera/video tripods are prohibited.
  • Tips

General Info

Private Tour:
Only you, the guide and the driver, nobody else!
Duration:
 11-12 hours
Physicality:
 Easy
Age:
 All ages
Swimming:
 Basic swimming skills required. This excursion suits everyone from novices to experts.
Which cenote will you visit? 
The day of your tour, you can choose between Cenote Oxman, Xkeken or Samula.
What’s on the menu?
Selection of best specialities from Yucatan Cuisime… with vegetarian, fish, chicken & meat options. With corn or flour tortillas. We can accommodate special diets and allergies, just let us know!

Itinerary options

Times at each stop are estimates. Driving and your exact pickup location affect the schedule.

Chichen Itza, cenote & Valladolid

  1. Chichen Itza — 210 min
  2. Cenote swim — 75 min
  3. Lunch in Valladolid — 75 min
  4. Free time in Valladolid — 60 min

The recommended early pick-up time helps you avoid traffic, crowds, and heat at Chichen Itza, but you can opt for a later pick-up when booking.
Discover the 3 benefits of early departure to visit Chichen Itza.
Timing may vary based on traffic and your exact location.
We can spend more or less time at Chichen Itza, the cenote, and Valladolid, moving at your own pace.

Transportation takes less than 3 hours, and there is a one-hour time difference between Cancun/Playa del Carmen/Tulum and Chichen Itza/Valladolid.

What to Bring

  • Beach Towels
  • Swimsuit (We recommend wearing it in the morning and feel free to change after snorkeling activities)
  • Comfortable shoes for the ruins (We recommend tennis shoes)
  • Flip flops or sandals for water activities (Water shoes are optional but can be worn for added comfort)
  • Hat and sunglasses
  • Sunscreen and we recommend wearing a rash-guard/UV-Shirt for water activities*
  • Mosquito repellent*
  • Cash (for tour payment, tips, souvenirs…)
  • Camera/Underwater camera/Waterproof case for your phone

FROM OUR GUESTS

A day worth remembering.

5.00/5 · 326 tour reviews

Showing reviews 181–189 of 326

Very informative and fun- Worth it to get there early! It was SO worth it to book VIP and private. We got in right as it opened so we beat all the crowds inside the ruins and the long line of cars just trying to get in the area. Seeing the ruins was an amazing experience. We went to Cenote Samula and it was beautiful…

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Very informative and fun- Worth it to get there early!
It was SO worth it to book VIP and private. We got in right as it opened so we beat all the crowds inside the ruins and the long line of cars just trying to get in the area. Seeing the ruins was an amazing experience. We went to Cenote Samula and it was beautiful and not too crowded. We stopped and had a delicious authentic Mayan dinner in Valladolid. They had a great mezcal selection as well.
Arturo was very kind, informative and respectful and had a nice soothing tour guide voice.
Omar was also a great driver.

Gayle · Jan 2025

Chris and Enrique were wonderful. Very chill, down to earth and knowledgeable. Appreciated Chris getting us in to Chichen Itza and moving ahead of the crowds. Highly recommend this tour

Angela · Jan 2025

This private tour was everything my family could have hoped for and more. Arturo was an excellent tour guide and took very good care of us. His English was great, and he did a great job communicating all of the information we needed throughout the day.

Ethan · Jan 2025

Chris and his team took amazing care of us, and knows how to beat the crowds!

Mitch · Dec 2024

We had a grear time! Definitely worth going on the private tour. Would definitely recommend!

Jamie · Dec 2024

We did two tours on two separate days. The 3 cenotes one near tulum first and the chichen itza plus 1 cenote and lunch in Valladolid the next day. Both were amazing and worth every penny. We had Arturo for both days and he was really great together with the driver Omar. His knowledge of chichen itza is second to none and the cenotes he…

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We did two tours on two separate days. The 3 cenotes one near tulum first and the chichen itza plus 1 cenote and lunch in Valladolid the next day. Both were amazing and worth every penny. We had Arturo for both days and he was really great together with the driver Omar. His knowledge of chichen itza is second to none and the cenotes he helped us pick were incredible. Lunch at Valladolid was the cherry on the top, it really was authentic and delicious!

Yuval · Dec 2024

Don't think twice - book it! The reviews don't lie! This is the best tour we've ever been on. Our guide, Alex, and driver, Omar, were fantastic. It was just our family (4 of us) and it was like having our own history professor along for the ride. Alex knows so much about Mayan history and culture, and spent a ton of time answering our…

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Don't think twice - book it!
The reviews don't lie! This is the best tour we've ever been on. Our guide, Alex, and driver, Omar, were fantastic. It was just our family (4 of us) and it was like having our own history professor along for the ride. Alex knows so much about Mayan history and culture, and spent a ton of time answering our questions and explaining the significance of what we were seeing.
We were so glad we got to Chichen Itza early, as Alex knew exactly where to go for the best family photos before the crowds arrived. We couldn't believe how long the line was when we left!!! Alex took my husband to see some more ruins on the site while my daughters and I shopped, and then Omar had the van ready to go when we were done. I really don't think we would have fully appreciated the culture and the symbolism in what we were seeing if we hadn't had Alex there with us.
Then we went to Cenote Samula - they said we could choose a different one, but this is the one they recommended because it's not crowded. They were right! There were only a couple of other people in the cenote when we got there, and we had all the time we wanted in it. I hate cold water, and this water wasn't bad. It was refreshing, but not uncomfortably cold.
Then the restaurant we went to for lunch was fantastic. A totally nondescript, authentic restaurant with great service. Alex joined us and we got to talk even more about Mexico.
By that time we were pretty exhausted, but we stopped in the town to check out the oldest church in Mexico, and then headed back to our hotel. I LOVED that our schedule was our own - we didn't have to wait for anyone else or rush through anything because the whole tour was just ours.
There are some destinations that are fine DIY, but I highly recommend booking a guided, private tour for Chichen Itza. The driving, navigating, tolls, etc., are theirs to worry about, not yours.
I want to especially thank Omar and Alex for their professionalism. They really made the tour even more amazing for all of us!

Bethany · Dec 2024

Amazing guides. Great private tour company in the Riviera Maya! Joshua our tour guide and Enrique our driver were amazing. Joshua was very knowledgeable and gave us an amazing tour of Chichen Itzá. Followed by a visit to an amazing Cenote and ended with a delicious lunch at a true authentic Yucatán food restaurant. They were on time and were paying attention to every single…

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Amazing guides. Great private tour company in the Riviera Maya!
Joshua our tour guide and Enrique our driver were amazing. Joshua was very knowledgeable and gave us an amazing tour of Chichen Itzá. Followed by a visit to an amazing Cenote and ended with a delicious lunch at a true authentic Yucatán food restaurant. They were on time and were paying attention to every single detail to make sure we had an amazing experience.

Roberto · Nov 2024

Great guide, a terrific day trip to our visit and good for families. Our families had a fantastic day with Arturo as our guide. Besides being warm and friendly he is extremely knowledgable about all that you are seeing and experiencing and makes sure he moves at the pace you would like to go. We had teenagers with us and he made sure they were…

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Great guide, a terrific day trip to our visit and good for families.
Our families had a fantastic day with Arturo as our guide. Besides being warm and friendly he is extremely knowledgable about all that you are seeing and experiencing and makes sure he moves at the pace you would like to go.
We had teenagers with us and he made sure they were included and were enjoying the tour.
Our afternoon lunch after the ruins was a top notch local restaurant that gave you an authentic taste of this part of Mexico and was yummy.
I would highly recommend this tour to our family and friends and I hope your guide is a terrific as Arturo.

Jeff · Nov 2024

A FEW THINGS TO KNOW

Your tour questions, answered.

Tour basics

Is the Chichen Itza Cenote tour private or shared?

This is a private tour, just for you and your group.

You’ll have a dedicated guide and vehicle all to yourselves—no crowds, no waiting, just a smooth and personalized experience.

Is the driver also the guide?

No. The driver and guide are two different professionals.

All our tours include a dedicated driver and a separate certified guide. 

While some companies offer a guide-driver, we believe this is not safe. Having a driver focused solely on the road and a guide fully dedicated to our guests ensures a safer and higher-quality experience.

How long is the drive to Chichen Itza?

The drive to Chichen Itza from the coast takes approximately 2 hours and 30 to 40 minutes.

Our professional drivers always respect speed limits to ensure a safe and comfortable journey for everyone.

Pickup & transport

Is transportation included from my hotel or Airbnb?

Yes, round-trip transportation is included from Cancun, Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras, Akumal and Tulum. We’ll pick you up right from your hotel, resort, or Airbnb for a stress-free start to your day.

Please note: we don’t offer pick up from Cancun Playa Mujeres hotels unless your group has 6 or more adults.

What vehicles do you use for your tours?

We offer a range of modern, air-conditioned vans to suit the size of your group and ensure a safe and comfortable journey.

Visit our fleet page for more details.

Can I change the pick up time?

Yes, you’re welcome to choose your preferred pick-up time when booking.

That said, we recommend an early morning start to help you beat the crowds, skip the traffic, and enjoy cooler temperatures—it really makes a difference!

Activities & facilities

Can we make bathroom stops on the way?

Yes, absolutely! There are 1 or 2 bathroom stops available along the way at gas stations and convenience stores, where you can take a break whenever needed.

How much walking is there at the Chichen Itza ruins?

During the guided visit at Chichen Itza, we typically spend about 2 to 2 hours and 15 minutes exploring the site.

We go at your own pace, taking breaks whenever needed to ensure your comfort.

If you wish, we can also adjust the visit to be shorter or longer depending on your preferences.

Our goal is to make the experience as enjoyable and flexible as possible for you.

Which cenote do we visit on this tour?

You can view the list of cenotes available for this tour under the ‘Tour Description and General Info’ tab, where you'll also find links to full descriptions of each cenote.

Unless you've already made your choice, you can decide which cenote to visit together with your tour guide on the day of your tour.

Is swimming experience required for this tour?

No previous swimming experience is required.

We provide mandatory life vests, and our guide ensures a safe and comfortable experience for everyone.

Are there showers or changing rooms at the cenote?

Yes. Facilities include clean showers, restrooms, and changing areas at both locations.

Planning & booking

What should I bring for the tour? Where can I leave my belongings?

Check the "What to bring" tab on the tour page for the full packing list.

Essentials include swimwear, a towel and comfortable shoes.

You can safely leave your belongings in the van—our driver stays with it the entire time while you're out enjoying the activities.

Are vegetarian or special dietary meals available?

Yes, we’re happy to accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other dietary needs or allergies.

After booking, you can let us know your needs by filling out the check-in form—just follow the link in your booking confirmation email.

What is the cancellation policy?

Go ahead and plan with confidence—your booking is fully flexible!

You can cancel free of charge or reschedule (subject to availability) up to 24 hours before your tour.

We’re a small team and often fully booked 1–2 weeks in advance, so we recommend booking early to secure your spot.

Bonus: if you book at least 2 months in advance (60 days), you’ll qualify for our early bird discount*!

For full details, check out our booking policy page.

More questions?

Visit our main FAQ page or contact us by email, WhatsApp or via chat, we're happy to help!

Come explore the Riviera Maya with us.

Private adventures, thoughtfully planned by our local team.

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Coupon terms & conditions

EARLY2MONTHS — 10% off
Book at least 60 days before your tour date.

MULTITOUR — 10% off
Book at least 2 tours in one transaction.

If part of a multi-tour booking is canceled and only one tour remains, the discount becomes void and the remaining balance will be adjusted.

Enter your coupon code at checkout.

Tour photos

MAKE IT YOUR DAY

Book with Confidence

Chichen Itza and Cenote Tour

Choose your date, number of guests and pickup location to see your exact price.

Enjoy free cancellation up to 24 hours before your tour.