PRIVATE TOUR: Uncover the Tulum Mayan ruins with a certified guide, followed by free time to snag the perfect souvenirs!
Scroll down for detailed info, inclusions and itinerary.
Book your tour now and if your plans happen to change, you can cancel for free up to 24 hours prior to the tour!
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.
If you are looking to do more activities in one day, you can consult the following private tours:
You can bring personal belongings you require during the tour (phone,
camera, extra set of clothes…). While you are visiting or snorkeling you
can leave the things you don’t need in the van. Our driver will always
be in the van, so keeping your things safe!
You must be logged in to post a review.
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.
If you are looking to do more activities in one day, you can consult the following private tours:
You can bring personal belongings you require during the tour (phone,
camera, extra set of clothes…). While you are visiting or snorkeling you
can leave the things you don’t need in the van. Our driver will always
be in the van, so keeping your things safe!
You must be logged in to post a review.
You’ll have a dedicated guide and vehicle all to yourselves—no crowds, no waiting, just a smooth and personalized experience.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Elena –
Cristina was so informative!
The best bang for your buck for the Tulum ruins. Went with a group of 8 women, which included one archeologist and it was great seeing her nerd out with all her questions. Cristina was very knowledgeable and also patient for those of us more picture-taking-focused. Definitely wear a hat and lots of sunscreen (or bring your own umbrella and/or fan), as the highlights/attractions in the ruins don’t have too much shade. Drinks (waters/sodas) were available in an ice cooler in the van, which was much appreciated. Bring cash if you wanted to buy souvenirs on site (some places accept card)
Grace –
Amazing tour with Cristina! Excellent value and the tour was a perfect length of time (2-3 excursion). Omar and Cristina came to pick us up promptly in the morning. Omar was a safe and smooth driver. The van was well air conditioned and they provided us with a cooler with a variety do beverages including water, soda, and juice. Cristina led us around the ruins and patiently and knowledgeably answered all of our questions. She even used an Ipad to present additional visuals to explain Mayan mythology as well as the architectural magnificence during the summer solstice and spring equinox. Highly recommend and look forward to returning to the Yucatan! I hope one day to take more tours of sites like Coba with Cristina and Omar.
Inspire –
Magnificent Private Tulum Archaeological Tour
Amazing tour with Cristina! Omar and Cristina came to pick us up promptly in the morning. Omar was a safe and smooth driver. The van was well air conditioned and they provided us with a cooler with a variety do beverages including water, soda, and juice. Cristina led us around the ruins and patiently and knowledgeably answered all of our questions. She even used an Ipad to present additional visuals to explain Mayan mythology as well as the architectural magnificence during the summer solstice and spring equinox. Highly recommend and look forward to returning to the Yucatan! I hope one day to take more tours of sites like Coba with Cristina and Omar.
Mark –
Great Tulum ruins tour with Juan as our host!
Orlando –
Great tour
Outstanding experience with Alex and Rodrigo. Our guide Alex was very knowledgeable and made the experience fun and informative. He was instrumental in arranging accessibility for our daughter who uses a wheelchair as well!
Steve –
Great tour of Tulum archaeological site
Our guide was very pleasant and knowledgeable. She did a great job with the local history and other information not available on the signage. We had a bit of a mix up as to which hotel was the pickup point, but they squared it away quickly. She was also able to help identify the safe shops.
EngineeringChef –
Tulum Express Tour
Josh was a fantastic guide. Very knowledgeable and polite. The ride from Playa del Carmen was about 1 hour and very smooth. They were very prompt. We took the suggestion and left the resort at 7am, which was great. We got in and out before the majority of people showed up so it was almost empty when we walked through the park. The shops at the end are very touristy, you may find a few unique blankets and things. Josh “warned” us in advance that they people will want to take a picture with you and they charge $10-15 USD. It was neat to walk through, but didn’t buy anything there. 10/10 would recommend using Absolute Adventures for a private tour!
Debbie –
Alex provides a wonderful experience on his tours. He shares so much history and information, as well as being very personable and friendly. Alex and Omar are a great team.
Bryan –
Highly recommended!
Our tour was fabulous! Joshua and Rodrigo were a great pair. The ride to and from our resort was comfortable and they provided water and soft drinks. Joshua really shined within the park- fabulous information from before we entered to the entire path through the park. He was great at stopping in shaded areas and giving us wonderful history data and pictures to supplement the story! I have mobility challenges and Joshua matched my pace- and did a great job interacting with/ answering questions etc. We can’t recommend this option enough in the heat! We got through before the heat of the day and did not see too many people before we were halfway through the tour! Well done Absolute Adventure!
Sightsee33197676543 –
Beautiful tour of Tulum with friends
Fantastic experience, loved learning about the history and culture. Jason and Rodrigo were wonderful, on time and very service oriented. Jason was very knowledgeable and really brought the past to life with his stories. The scenery and views were beautiful. Highly recommend.
Tanya –
Great time in Tulum
Prompt pickup, excellent guide Arturo. There was a group of 10 of us and we had a great
time. Cold beverages upon our return to the van.
Susan –
Our guide, Arturo, was polite, and considerate of our needs to stay in the shade, avoid crowds, and enjoy our tour. We learned so much about the history and culture, adding a personal dimension to the sights. I will definitely ask for Arturo again.
Tiffany –
Reasonably priced private tour of Tulum. The guide was very knowledgeable and knew exactly where the best photo opportunities were.
D.A. –
I highly recommend this tour. Our guide, Jose was fantastic – he has a wide breadth of knowledge and was able to answer all of our questions. He was also personable and funny which made for a relaxing and enjoyable tour.
Debbie –
My family and I took the Tulum Ruins morning tour. Our guide, Jose was fantastic – he has a wide breadth of knowledge and was able to answer all of our questions. He was also personable and funny which made for a relaxing and enjoyable tour. I highly recommend!
Relax142502 –
Great Trip To Tulum!
We had a great trip to Tulum! Our guide Josh was knowledgeable, informative, and helpful!
As we toured the site, Josh provided us with insights and perspective of the Mian culture. It
was a great day and we all had a lot of fun! 5-Stars!!
Chris –
We scheduled a private Tulum tour with Absolute Adventure and it ended up being one of the top highlights of our trip to the area. We had been to Tulum previously and had a good experience but brought some family that had not been before and this visit was incredible. Are tour guide was Arturo and he made all the difference. His knowledge of the history and this specific site were very in depth and it made for such a rich visit and learning experience. Arturo has not only an impressive knowledge of the history but it’s clearly passionate about the history traditions and sites of this region. It was like having an archaeologist spend the day with us versus just a tour guide. Whenever we return to the region for private tours we will turn to absolute adventure and Arturo for our visits.
Brandon –
The Tulum Express Tour was perfect for those of us trying to maximize our day! We were picked up promptly at our Airbnb in Playa Del Carmen at 7:00am and were back home about four hours later. Highly recommend arriving at the ruins as early as possible to avoid the crowds and the heat. Our tour guide, Arturo, was so friendly and knowledgeable. He told us all of the facts and legends of the Mayans in Tulum and answered all of our questions. Thank you Arturo and team!
Daydream04568675979 –
Great experience and guide
Our guide Alex and driver Rodrigo were amazing! So informative and was able to answer all the questions from our group. Everyone really enjoyed his insights and enthusiasm for Tulum’s history and culture. Also communicating with the tour operator was very fast. Would 100% book with this company again.
P. –
Wow!! Incredible!! Our wedding party went with Alex and Rodrigo to Tulum from Playa Del Carmen, Alex was so knowledgeable but also so engaging and funny!! I strongly recommend Alex as your guide. He was amazing! All our wedding guests were so happy.