Chichen Itza ruins and visit of Valladolid Private Tour
How many Wonders of the World have you visited? Visiting Chichen Itza makes one more on your list! Chichen Itza is the most famous Mayan site in the world. You will not want to miss the opportunity to immerse yourself in authentic Mayan culture. This Chichen Itza tour is perfect for those that want the informative feel for a guided tour, but the flexibility to move that their own pace.
Throughout this self-paced guided tour, you will have the opportunity to visit all parts of the site, with stops at the Kukulkan pyramid, the ball game, the temple of the warriors and several still-existing platforms from Mayan history. We will also walk till the Cenote Sagrado, the Observatory Area and oldest part of Chichen Itza ruins. AT the end of the visit, some free time will be offered to you to shop for souvenirs.
After Chichen Itza, we will head over to Valladolid. Valladolid showcases the main market place of the area and is home to a famous Cathedral and Convent San Bernardino de Siena (second biggest convent in the Yucatan). This trip will also allow you to dine at a local restaurant that specializes in gourmet Yucatan cuisine. You will not want to return home without trying authentic food and there is no better location than Valladolid.
Your trip will start at your hotel where one of our guides will pick you up in private transportation. We will start early in an effort to beat the crowds that generally surround these areas. After all of our activities, we will return you back to your hotel in the middle of the afternoon.
Please note that this tour does not include swimming in a cenote. If you want to add this experience to your tour, you can consult our other Chichen Itza tour.
Stephen –
We went on two tours with Absolute Adventure Mexico. Tulum, Turtles & Snorkelling and Chichen itzá & Valladolid. On both trips Alex was our guide and Carlos our driver. I can’t recommend the trips highly enough. Alex was a fantastic guide and Carlos a courteous driver. The Chichén itzá trip was great. We got there early and spent 3 hours there with expert commentary from Alex. He’s also a great photographer and took amazing photos of us together. Tasty Mayan lunch at a picturesque courtyard next to the church in Valladolid, but didn’t get much time to explore the city.
Stephen –
Our trip was absolutely awesome and will be remembered for a lifetime. It was our 34th anniversary and we couldn’t have spent it in a better way. Our guide, Dulce was extremely knowledgeable and informative throughout the ruins and the colonial town we visited for lunch, she even convinced the waiter to let us order from the breakfast menu, which was delicious. Omar, our driver, was very cautious navigating traffic on the busy roadways while also delivering us in a timely manner. Have already recommended this tour to friends/family and will do so in the future!!👍
OJay07 –
Exceeded expectations! Thank you Alex and Carlos for an amazing time on our private tour of Chichen Itza. It was one of the best days of our holiday. As Alex says a private tour is more like friends, relaxed and personal. You can ask lots of questions. There wasn’t a question Alex didn’t know the answer to. So much knowledge about the history of not just Chichen Itza but Mexico in general. We arrived to Chichen Itza early which was great because we were ahead of the crowds and could get great photos. It was worth setting off at 6am. Plenty of water on the mini bus to keep us refreshed. Honestly couldn’t fault the tour and will definitely use Absolute Adventure again if we return to Mexico.
Jessica –
I highly recommend Absolute Adventure tours! I planned a large group tour (30 people) to Chichen Itza and from the very first email they were professional and easy to work with. The day of the trip they were punctual for pick up, and our guides Alex and Dulce were incredible, so nice, and made sure everyone had a great time, and their history/tour on Mayan history was so interesting. The restaurant lunch was very tasty and in front of a beautiful cenote. Everyone had an amazing time and I will use them again the next time we are in Tulum. Highly recommend!!!!
Alex –
We LOVED our Chichen Itza tour and would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone! It was an incredible day and was exactly what we were looking for. Hands down, the highlight of the trip had to be our Tour Guides Alex and Omar.
Alex was incredibly knowledgeable, took great care of us and really made the day that much more special. We’ve already recommended our friends reach out to Absolute Adventures and request Alex on their trip to Tulum in November.
Thanks so much Alex, Omar and Absolute Adventures!
Jamie –
Loved our tour with Juan 😉 worth every penny and not really too much more than a group tour but you are able to arrive at Chichen when the gates open and walk around with very few people. Juan was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions. He conveyed the history of the site in an engaging and funny manner and we really enjoyed our day with him. Bonus points for managing to take a nice photo of us 🙂 Would highly recommend!
A.R. –
Dulce (guide) and Omar (driver) were excellent. Dulce had answers to all of our questions and they were both very accommodating. The lunch stop had excellent food — be sure to stick to the Mayan section of the menu for a treat.
Lisa –
Juan is very knowledgeable on Chitchen Itza. We learned a lot about the Mayan culture. It was a great experience. This was our third adventure with Absolute Adventures and our tour guide, Juan. He is awesome! Looking forward to more!
gumbisdad –
Great trip to Chichen Itza and Valladolid. Juan was excellent as always and very knowledgeable. Great idea to go early. Very crowded and 10 degrees hotter than Cancun.
Aine –
Best way to see Chichen Itza
Photos from Chichen Itza and Valladolid tour March 2, 2022. We were staying at a hotel in Playacar. Our guide, Juan, made the trip so fun and informative! Our driver, Josue, got us safely and conveniently to each stop and was always waiting with cold drinks and snacks. This was the second of two tours we took with Juan and Josue and they were the highlights of our time in Mexico!
We were picked up at 6:00 am at our hotel. This made all the difference in our experience because there were were among the first to enter Chichen Itza and had the chance to take photos without other tourist in the pictures and were also wrapping up before it got too warm to enjoy the site. The restaurant in Valladolid was outstanding!
Meghan –
What an amazing trip! Absolute adventure Mexico knows how to give a proper tour. Daniele our tour guide was so knowledgeable, friendly and fun to hang out with! If you want to have a fun and stress free trip I highly recommend Absolute Adventure Mexico!
Ashley –
Well worth it to have a private tour! No picking up others at different resorts and you choose the pace of the tour! From the time of booking the staff has been very helpful and communicative. We scheduled pick-up at 5:30 from Riviera Maya, but I would recommend 6 instead. We got coffee and a light breakfast at a gas station shortly after pick-up . From there the ride was enjoyable, we asked a lot of questions and got to know our guide Daniele and driver Jesue, but we could have slept if we wanted to. We were offered drinks to take into Chichen Itza and again drinks and snacks when we got back to the van. We went to Valladoid for a wonderful lunch in an outdoor garden setting with some time to shop around the city square. Our tour guide Daniele was very knowledgeable and friendly. Our driver Jesue was very kind and respectful. We had such an enjoyable time and look forward to our tour of Tulum in a few days! Many thanks!
Liezel and Marco –
It was a very good idea to come there early. There was not many people and we went to all around the temple. Chris explained everything very clear with humor ofcourse 😊 the cenote was very great and also not full. The local food in Valladolid was very delicious. Gonna book again for sure with Absolute adventure Mexico 🇲🇽
gpsd –
When I first booked the private tour it felt a little pricey. After having the full experience, it ended up being a great value! Having private transportation for a 2.5 hour drive is worth the price alone. Daniele and Pascual were friendly and knowledgeable. COVID protocols were in place and respected (everybody wore masks in the van and sanitizer was provided). We did do the recommended pickup time of 6:30 AM. We ended up getting to Chichen Itza right as it was opening and avoided large crowds and the heat. Well worth the early wake up call. Daniele gave us a guided tour of the site full of interesting facts about Chichen Itza and Mayan culture. It was ultimately up to us how much time we wanted to spend on site before heading off to Valladolid. We liked having the flexibility. The trip to Valladolid was fairly quick, but enough to see the Zocalo, do some shopping and have a nice lunch. The cost of lunch was included in the tour price and the food was delicious. I would highly recommend booking any of these private tours and would use this company again the next time I am in the Riviera Maya.
Karla –
Our party of 12 had an amazing experience. Chris and Daniele were our guides and were accommodating to both the young and old (our group was from ages 69 to 8). After Chichen Itza, we were taken to a great lunch in Valladolid right in front of the town square and next to the beautiful colonial church. I highly recommend Absolute Adventure and will be using them again the next time we are in the Riviera Maya.
khess –
My boyfriend and I just got back from Mexico today, and did the Chichén Itzá private tour. The experience all around was an absolute 10/10. Our tour guide Chris was knowledgeable, professional, and just an all around nice person to spend the day with. The extra money spent for this tour was more than worth it! We got to Chichén Itza early, and were able to have the place mostly to ourselves before hordes of people and tour buses started arriving. This was also beneficial as it was a hot day, and we beat the heat. There is very little shade available at the site. It was so nice to have a personal guide to take us around, explain the history, and answer our questions. The cenote that we visited was breathtakingly beautiful. I cannot describe it and do it justice. Though it was further away from Chichén Itza, it was worth the drive. It was not crowded at all. We got to spend a lot of time there and take it in. Throughout this trip I never felt rushed anywhere. By going to Valladolid I felt like we got to experience a more authentic experience in Mexico. I felt safe the entire time. We also had ample time in town to eat, shop and relax. The restaurant we stopped at was excellent, and the old Spanish architecture of the buildings was beautiful. Also, our driver was excellent as well and kept all of our belongings safe while we were out enjoying the sights. I plan on booking with Absolute Adventure again in the future, and would highly recommend this tour to anyone!
Kristen G –
We took the private tour to Chichen Itza and Valladolid today. Our guide picked us up promptly at 6am. We stopped for coffee (included) and were on our way. The driver also stopped whenever we needed to for restroom breaks as it is a bit of a long drive.
Once we got there, our guide was very knowledgeable about the ruins. What was most impressive was his own excitement and passion for Mayan culture. I loved that we were able to arrive right when the site opened. We were one of the first people there, so our photos are impeccable and without other tourists blocking our view of the ruins. You can tell that he truly enjoys the tours and talking about the history. The restaurant in Valladolid that was chosen for us was amazing. He recommended what to order and our meal was perfect. Valladolid is such a beautiful city and I’m so glad it was included in the tour.
Both our guide and driver were professional, safe and accommodating to our needs. 10/10 would take a tour with Absolute Adventure again.
Thomas –
The best excursion I’ve ever been on! Our group (4 of us) booked a private chichen itza tour with a stop for lunch and shopping in Valladolid. We were picked up right on time (6a) at hour hotel (Hard Rock Rivieria Maya) and we stopped at a local convience store to grab a small breakfast-on-the-go (paid for by Absolute Adventure). Then we hit the road for a 2-3 hour trek to the site. Our tour guide was awesome, he was kind and friendly and read the room well. We were tired from getting up early so he let us sleep with no distractions for a portion of the drive. When we were finally awake, he was talkative and told us stories and great info about the areas we were passing through. He taught us some fun Spanish words and phrases. He was just awesome, not sure how else to describe the experience with him. This is the best part, as we arrive at chichen itza he explains that he is going to get out before us to get to the front of the ticket line and our driver will escort us up to the waiting area. We didn’t have to wait in line for tickets or anything!!! He took care of all the accommodations at the site and we were literally the first people into the site! We got so many great pictures and because we were the first in there was no crowds to ruin the pictures! He took us through the whole site (which is way more than just the temple) and gave us some awesome info and history that was fascinating! It was so cool to see some of things we learned about in grade school. The site and tour were top notch and I’m so glad that we choose Absolute Adventure and a private tour, it was so worth it! Tour guide and driver were simply awesome and I can’t recommend this company enough.
Jamy –
We hired a private tour for three and had Manuel as well as pasqual as a driver. Very informative guide and pace was dictated by a handicap. Thoroughly enjoyed the entire day and cost was appropriate for the service. Highly recommend this small group for tours.
Explore F –
I reserved our private tour of Chichen Itza and Valladolid based on a lot of research and excellent reviews of Absolute Adventure Mexico online and I am happy to say that it was a great choice. Our tour guide Juan was amazing. He was extremely knowledgeable, professional and patient with our non-stop questions. He took care of all the details and made us feel like absolute VIPs. The lunch in Valladoilid was an awesome experience as well as we tried some local Mayan dishes which felt like true Mexican hospitality. I would highly recommend this company and diffidently book again. It was a great experience from easy booking online and communications before and after our trip with Claire regarding the logistics. Highly Highly recommended!!
Michael –
Early pick up at El Dorado Royale resort, breakfast on the go and arrival at Chichen Itza before the crowds was a terrific set up to a great day. Claire was wonderful with us, two over 55 year old couples. She was educating, entertaining and patient answering all our questions. She referenced a binder visually tieing in the past with what we saw in front of us at the ruins. Tremendously interesting, at our pace. Very good lunch followed at Valladolid providing more insight. Highly accommodating, extremely knowledgeable without sounding preechy, Claire is simply terrific and made the Mayan culture come alive for us.
Richard –
Incredible site with unbelievable history. Truly one of the great wonders of the world. This trip was made even more special by our guide, Juan. His knowledge and gifted personality made an amazing day even more remarkable.
Bailee –
We loved Chichen Itza and its gorgeous pyramid. Arturo shared plenty of information with us and took pictures during the tour. We went at our own pace, no rushing. Top Notch tour with Arturo! For sure I will recommend Absolute Adventure tours and hire this company again when coming back to Cancun!