YOUR OWN PRIVATE ADVENTURE

Tulum Express

99 tour reviews
PRIVATE TOUR: Uncover the Tulum Mayan ruins with a certified guide, followed by free time to snag the perfect souvenirs!
  • 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.
  • Set Your Own Pace: Stay longer or move on, the choice is entirely yours.
  • All-Inclusive at the Best Price: Transport, guide, entrance fees, water.

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.

Tulum Express Private Tour

  1. Experience Tulum Mayan Ruins like a VIP !

    Skip long lines, packed shuttles and crowded ruins. Our private Tulum Express tour give you the VIP treatment with direct access, private guide and more time at the ruins.

    Go beyond the basics with an in-depth cultural and historical tour led by experts.mOur local guides offer fascinating insights into Mayan life, religion, architecture and more. Uncover stories that bring the ruins to life and give you a new appreciation for this ancient civilization. You’ll walk away feeling like you’ve uncovered a hidden treasure of Tulum’s history.

    This Tulum express 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 Castillo, the temple of the paintings and several still-existing houses and palaces from Mayan history.

    At the end of the visit, some free time will be offered to you to shop for souvenirs.

    Your Tulum Express tour will start at your hotel where one of our guides will pick you up in private transportation. We recommend to start early in an effort to beat the crowds that generally surround these areas.

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
  • Tulum ruins entrance fees (INAH + CONANP + JAGUAR) with pre-purchased tickets for direct entry
  • Optional electric shuttle from the parking area to the ruins entrance (750 m / 0.5 mile), for guests who prefer not to walk
  • Cool drinks in the van (water, soda)

Price excludes

  • 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:
 3-5 hours (check the itinerary tab, as it depends on your pick-up location).
Physicality:
 Easy
Age:
 All ages

Itinerary options

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

Tulum Express

  1. Tulum ruins — 90 min

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

We can skip free time after the visit if you don't wish to shop.
This tour doesn't include Tulum centro/Tulum beach-hotel areas. Only Tulum Mayan ruins.

What to bring

  • Resusable water bottle: at Tulum Ruins, it is forbidden to enter the ruins with plastic water bottles. If you wish to bring water for the visit, please bring your own reusable water bottle. We’ll have water in the van for you to fill or refill.
  • 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 · 99 tour reviews

Showing reviews 82–90 of 99

Great experience with this tour company. We were on the fence about doing a day trip since our time was limited but we saw this express option to Tulum that was perfect so we booked last minute and they were able to accommodate us. Loved that we got a car, driver and guide all to ourselves. We’ve done tour bus style tours with 20-40 people…

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Great experience with this tour company. We were on the fence about doing a day trip since our time was limited but we saw this express option to Tulum that was perfect so we booked last minute and they were able to accommodate us. Loved that we got a car, driver and guide all to ourselves. We’ve done tour bus style tours with 20-40 people before and find that it’s worth the extra money to book a private tour.
Omar and Alex were promptly waiting for us at our hotel at 6:00 am to start our adventure which was the recommended time coming from Cancun. You can select a later start time but you will probably spend extra time stuck in traffic plus it will be more crowded and hotter when you do get there. Do yourself a favor and go with their recommended start time based on your point of departure. It will be a much more pleasant experience!
Since it was so early nothing at our resort was open for breakfast so we made a pit stop for coffee and pastries. On our ride there Alex shared a wealth of knowledge to prepare us for our visit. When we got there we walked right in and were blown away by the oasis we were surrounded by. It definitely maximized our appreciation of the site to have a guide provide perspective. It wouldn’t have been the same had we visited by ourselves. In total we spent about 2 hours on site. We headed back and arrived at our resort by noon with practically the whole day in front of us!

Dana · Sep 2023

SOLID Tour All Around… Arturo was our chaperone/guide, he was fantastic. Great car accommodations, knowledgeable, helpful with our 70 and 75 yr old parents, created a comfortable and safe experience. Coming from the US, we were concerned about safety, but I would recommend Awesome Adventures to any group. In a short period of time we had a very valuable and fun experience.

Sandesh · Jul 2023

Another excellent tour with absolute adventures mexico. Always a pleasure to deal with this company. We were picked up by the lovely Juan and Carlos (, who we had requested as we had gone with them last year,). Like meeting old friends... Juan guided myself and my 82 year old father around the Tulum ruins. Very knowledgeable about the ruins and gave plenty of opportunities…

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Another excellent tour with absolute adventures mexico.
Always a pleasure to deal with this company. We were picked up by the lovely Juan and Carlos (, who we had requested as we had gone with them last year,). Like meeting old friends...
Juan guided myself and my 82 year old father around the Tulum ruins. Very knowledgeable about the ruins and gave plenty of opportunities to stop.
Had no reservations about recommended company to friends who arrive later this month.
Thank you again for another great day....

Honeymonster27 · Jul 2023

Our guide Arturo was very knowledgeable & took great care of our group with breaks & help with any needs along the trip. We really enjoyed our tour.

Michelle · Jun 2023

Our Tulum Express tour was a great experience! Very knowledgeable guide, and both guide and driver were very accommodating to our needs.

Audrey · Jun 2023

Excellent Tour and Guide! Ruins site is small but our guide Alex brought up the whole culture and history alive for us in 2 hours. 5 stars for us here!

Dalc · Jun 2023

Had a great time with our tour guide Arturo! He was a really nice guy and very knowledgeable about the Mayan ruins. Having him with us made the experience much better. Would definitely use the company for an excursion again!!

Owen · Mar 2023

Dulce did a great job and was very knowledgeable taking us around Tulúm! We had an incredible time!

Megan · Feb 2023

Our family (2 adults, 1 teen) thoroughly enjoyed our private tour of the Tulum Mayan ruins. Our guide, Alex, provided a great overview of the Mayan culture on our drive from the resort to Tulum. We arrived at the site in the morning and before it got too crowded. Alex explained the importance of the city and the Mayans. We loved it. Afterwards we stopped…

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Our family (2 adults, 1 teen) thoroughly enjoyed our private tour of the Tulum Mayan ruins. Our guide, Alex, provided a great overview of the Mayan culture on our drive from the resort to Tulum. We arrived at the site in the morning and before it got too crowded. Alex explained the importance of the city and the Mayans. We loved it. Afterwards we stopped at the shops just outside the entrance and picked up a few things. Prices were better than in the Cancun Airport. We left our resort around 7:30 (stayed at Hilton Tulum) and were back by lunch. Perfect amount of time!

Bowerstravels · Dec 2022

A FEW THINGS TO KNOW

Your tour questions, answered.

Tour basics

Is the Tulum Ruins 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 Tulum ruins tour take?

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

It typically lasts between 3 to 5 hours, depending on your hotel location and how much time you’d like to spend at each site.

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

How much walking is there at the Tulum ruins?

We take a shuttle from the parking lot to the main ruins entrance, so you won’t need to walk far to get to the site.

The guided visit lasts about 45 minutes and we go at a comfortable pace, with breaks if needed.

Just a heads-up—there aren’t many spots to sit. If you have any limitations with walking or taking steps, keep in mind that a few are required to get in and out of the site and to reach the cliff area.

Can we spend some time at Tulum beach during the tour?

No, unfortunately, we cannot. The beach located within the Tulum ruins has been closed since 2020 and remains inaccessible to visitors.

Additionally, this tour does not include any stops at the Tulum beach area, the hotel zone, or Tulum town center.

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.

Clothing & Footwear: We recommend wearing comfortable shoes for exploring the ruins—tennis shoes are ideal. Light, breathable clothing is also suggested due to the warm weather.

Reusable Water Bottle: Please note that plastic water bottles are not allowed inside the Tulum Ruins. If you'd like to bring water with you, make sure to bring a reusable water bottle. We'll have water available in the van for you to fill or refill before the visit.

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

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

Tulum Express

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

Enjoy free cancellation up to 24 hours before your tour.