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 289–297 of 326

First we would like to thank Omar for driving, waiting for us while we toured. He is an extremely safe and careful driver and greatly appreciated. Secondly, Manuel is the best guide we have ever had. He is knowledgeable, funny and doesn’t rush you through the sites. We love the restaurant in Valladolid, El Atrio. This meal was the best meal we’ve had so far…

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First we would like to thank Omar for driving, waiting for us while we toured. He is an extremely safe and careful driver and greatly appreciated.
Secondly, Manuel is the best guide we have ever had. He is knowledgeable, funny and doesn’t rush you through the sites. We love the restaurant in Valladolid, El Atrio. This meal was the best meal we’ve had so far on our trip. Manuel gave us suggestions on what to order and food that is native to the Mayan culture. We throughly enjoyed the meal and chatting with Manuel.
We started early and visited Chichén Itzá prior to the large crowd and heat.
Manuel educated us on the history and preservation of the ruins.
We cannot thank Manuel and Omar enough for this amazing tour! Manuel is a true gem!
Thank you again!
Andrea & Darlene

Andrea · Nov 2021

Thanks a lot for an amazing tour! We will be back, Julia & Fred

Julia · Sep 2021

Juan and Pasquale were amazing and made the trip for my family. Juan gives such a personal and informative tour of Chichen Itza that really makes you feel like you’re learning something you didn’t know before and you wouldn’t have known without someone like him. Chichen Itza is absolutely beautiful and rightfully one of the great wonders of the world (the Cenotes are the only…

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Juan and Pasquale were amazing and made the trip for my family. Juan gives such a personal and informative tour of Chichen Itza that really makes you feel like you’re learning something you didn’t know before and you wouldn’t have known without someone like him. Chichen Itza is absolutely beautiful and rightfully one of the great wonders of the world (the Cenotes are the only thing that could possibly give the ancient ruins a run for their money). The food at Valladolid is also something I will NEVER forget and I will be chasing that level of deliciousness for the rest of my life! Thank you Juan and Pasquale!!

Sabby · Aug 2021

I cannot recommend this day tour or these people enough! Chris was our guide and made the whole experience fun, entertaining & comfortable. All we did was show up in the lobby of our hotel and he took care of the rest. We never wanted for anything...coffee & danish for the ride there; snacks & beverages throughout the day. We started at the ruins, which…

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I cannot recommend this day tour or these people enough! Chris was our guide and made the whole experience fun, entertaining & comfortable. All we did was show up in the lobby of our hotel and he took care of the rest. We never wanted for anything...coffee & danish for the ride there; snacks & beverages throughout the day. We started at the ruins, which were incredible. Chris was extremely knowledgeable of the history & answered all our questions. Next stop, a refreshing swim in the beautifuI Cenotes. We ended our day with a fabulous lunch & shopping in Valladolid. Shout out to Juan as well - our faithful driver who kept all our belongings safe & secure while we were off adventuring. Thank you for an unforgettable experience. I would 100% book another tour with them.

Kenda · Apr 2021

My wife and I did both the Chichen Itza, Valladolid, and cenote tour as well as the Tulum and swimming with the sea turtles tour last week on our honeymoon in Cancun. Everything about both tours was absolutely amazing. Our driver was wonderful and safe and our guide was friendly, helpful, and very insightful. We thoroughly enjoyed our time and would definitely use Absolute Adventure…

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My wife and I did both the Chichen Itza, Valladolid, and cenote tour as well as the Tulum and swimming with the sea turtles tour last week on our honeymoon in Cancun. Everything about both tours was absolutely amazing. Our driver was wonderful and safe and our guide was friendly, helpful, and very insightful. We thoroughly enjoyed our time and would definitely use Absolute Adventure Mexico again. Thank you so much for an unforgettable time!

Aja · Dec 2020

This tour was the highlight of our trip! Highly recommend, ask for Claire!

Megan · Oct 2020

A group of four adults took the private tour of Chichen Itza through Absolute Adventure and had a great time. They promptly picked us up directly from our hotel and Chris was a fantastic tour guide the whole time. Very knowledgeable, and great conversation just getting to know the area. Absolutely follow their advice to leave EARLY. They’re not kidding when it goes from busy…

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A group of four adults took the private tour of Chichen Itza through Absolute Adventure and had a great time. They promptly picked us up directly from our hotel and Chris was a fantastic tour guide the whole time. Very knowledgeable, and great conversation just getting to know the area.
Absolutely follow their advice to leave EARLY. They’re not kidding when it goes from busy to packed later morning when dozens (if not hundreds) of tour buses arrive.
Lunch was a very delicious, authentic Mayan food.
The Cenotes were also really neat to see, and while they aren’t the best known ones, it means that it’s also much quieter and not super crowded.

I really appreciated that throughout the whole tour it really went at our pace. If we wanted to stay somewhere longer/shorter we did. Chris was very accommodating and did a great job throughout.

I would absolutely take another tour with Chris or Absolute Adventure again. And while it is more expensive than many of the other options, you get so much more out of it by having a private, personal guide the whole time.

James · Dec 2019

First of all having a private tour is a must if you want to be at Chichen-Itza without the crowds AND if you want to learn the most about the Toltec/Mayan structures and civilization. Our guide, Hector was incredibly knowledgeable and even shared some of his own personal theories. He seemed more excited than we were to share and leave us with not only an…

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First of all having a private tour is a must if you want to be at Chichen-Itza without the crowds AND if you want to learn the most about the Toltec/Mayan structures and civilization. Our guide, Hector was incredibly knowledgeable and even shared some of his own personal theories. He seemed more excited than we were to share and leave us with not only an unforgettable experience but with a much greater sense and history of the Mayan people.

Sun · Nov 2019

We loved Hector!! Best tour guide! We went to Chichen Itza & 2 Cenotes..Hector was so friendly and talkative. The private tours are the way to go..Clean van, early pick up at our resort, bathroom breaks, delicious mayan food, lots of knowledge, and photos! Thank you for the wonderful experience!

Kristen · Sep 2019

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!

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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.