YOUR OWN PRIVATE ADVENTURE

Chichen Itza ruins and Valladolid

114 tour reviews
PRIVATE TOUR: Don’t miss this exclusive private tour with a guided visit to the Chichen Itza ruins! Enjoy a stop in the charming colonial city of Valladolid and savor a delicious lunch at a local restaurant..
  • 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.
  • Capture Perfect Photos: Be the first to arrive at the best spots for stunning shots.
  • 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 ruins and visit of Valladolid Private Tour

 

How many Wonders of the World have you visited? Adding Chichen Itza to your list is a truly unforgettable experience! As the most famous Mayan archaeological site globally, Chichen Itza invites you to immerse yourself in authentic Mayan culture and history. This private tour to Chichen Itza is ideal for travelers who want the benefits of an expert guided visit combined with the freedom to explore at their own pace.

  1. Self-Paced Guided Visit of Chichen Itza

    During this self-paced guided tour, you’ll have the chance to explore every corner of the site. Your expert guide will take you to the awe-inspiring Kukulkan Pyramid, the Great Ball Game court, the Temple of the Warriors, and several well-preserved platforms that tell the story of ancient Mayan civilization. You’ll also visit the sacred Cenote Sagrado, the Observatory Area, and the oldest sections of the ruins, gaining fascinating insights along the way.

    To ensure you make the most of your visit, your guide will have your entrance tickets ready so you can skip the long lines and start exploring immediately. At the end of the tour, you’ll have some free time to browse the local stalls and shop for authentic souvenirs to remember your visit.

  2. Valladolid & Traditional Yucatec Lunch

    After exploring Chichen Itza, the tour continues to the charming colonial town of Valladolid. Known for its vibrant main marketplace and the impressive San Bernardino de Siena Cathedral and Convent—the second largest convent in the Yucatán—Valladolid offers a delightful cultural experience. Here, you will enjoy a delicious lunch featuring typical Yucatec dishes served at a local restaurant, giving you a true taste of the region’s culinary heritage.

    After lunch, take some free time to wander the colorful streets, admire colonial architecture, visit quaint shops, or simply relax and soak in the atmosphere of this picturesque town.

  3. Tour Logistics & Comfort

    Your private tour to Chichen Itza begins with a convenient hotel pickup by your dedicated guide and private transportation. We start early in the day to help you avoid the crowds and make the most of cooler morning hours. Following your day of exploration and relaxation, you’ll be comfortably returned to your hotel by mid-afternoon, leaving you plenty of time to unwind or enjoy your evening.

     

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
  • All entrance fees and state tax
  • 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:
 10 hours
Physicality:
 Easy
Age:
 All ages
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 & Valladolid

  1. Chichen Itza — 165 min
  2. Lunch in Valladolid — 40 min
  3. 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 and Valladolid, moving at your own pace.
Want a faster tour? Free time can be reduced or skipped; your guide can adjust the pace on the day of the tour.

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

  • Comfortable shoes for the ruins (We recommend tennis shoes)
  • Hat and sunglasses
  • Sunscreen
  • Mosquito repellent
  • Cash (for tour payment, tips, souvenirs…)
  • Camera

FROM OUR GUESTS

A day worth remembering.

5.00/5 · 114 tour reviews

Showing reviews 91–99 of 114

We loved our private group excursion to Chichen Itza and Valladolid. Dulce and Arturo were very professional and accommodating and led us on an excellent tour. Rodrigo was a great driver as well.

Mark · Apr 2023

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…

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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 · Feb 2023

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,…

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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!!👍

Stephen · Jan 2023

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…

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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.

OJay07 · Dec 2022

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…

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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!!!!

Jessica · Dec 2022

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…

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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!

Alex · Oct 2022

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…

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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!

Jamie · Jul 2022

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.

A.R. · May 2022

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!

Lisa · Mar 2022

A FEW THINGS TO KNOW

Your tour questions, answered.

Tour basics

Is the Chichen Itza Valladolid 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 does a private Chichen Itza Cenote tour take?

Please check the full itinerary in the “Itinerary” tab for more details.

It typically lasts between 9 to 10 hours, depending on your hotel location and how much time you’d like to spend at each site. 

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.

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 ruins and Valladolid

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

Enjoy free cancellation up to 24 hours before your tour.