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 109–114 of 114

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…

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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.

Thomas · Jun 2020

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.

Jamy · Feb 2020

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…

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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!!

Explore F · May 2019

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…

Read full reviewShow less

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.

Michael · Feb 2019

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.

Richard · Dec 2016

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!

Bailee · Jul 2016

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.