Chichén Itzá before the crowds cenote and lunch

Duration9h - 10h

Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before

Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away

TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted

LanguagesEnglish, Italian, Spanish

Group sizeUp to 24 travelers

Overview

Most Chichén Itzá tours put you on a 40-seat bus, reach the site when it’s already packed, rush you past the pyramid, and detour you through a souvenir or tequila shop before a hurried lunch stop.

We do the opposite. We leave early and arrive well ahead of the big tour groups; our groups top out at 12 travelers, your federally licensed guide actually takes the time to explain what you’re looking at, and there are zero shopping stops, ever.

In one unhurried day you get the three things most people fly to the Yucatán for: Chichén Itzá, a swim in a real cenote, and a walk through colonial Valladolid, with a hearty regional lunch in between.

Everything is included up front: tickets, guide, cenote access, lunch and a drink, transportation. No surprises added later.

Prefer it just for your group? Our private option includes pickup and drop-off at your hotel or Airbnb in Playa del Carmen.

If you want the postcard version of the Yucatán without the tour-bus experience, this is it.

Options

Private Tour; Your Group Only

Private tour; your group only: Just you, your companions and your own certified federal guide; no strangers and no waiting for others.
Lunch together, included: Share a relaxed lunch with your own group, away from the bustle; it is already included in the price.
Chichén, cenote & Valladolid: The same unforgettable route, made yours; skip a stop or head back earlier whenever your group prefers.
Ideal for families & friends: A great choice for families, couples and friends traveling together; from 2 travelers, minimum age 8.

Shared Small-Group Tour

Small group; max 12 travelers: Travel with no more than 12 guests; easy to ask questions, make new friends and truly enjoy the day.
Lunch included; no extras: A well-deserved lunch is part of the day, so you can simply relax and enjoy; no surprise costs along the way.
Before the crowds + Valladolid: Walk Chichén Itzá while it's still quiet, swim in a jungle cenote, then wander the colorful streets of Valladolid.
Federal guide; Maya stories: Your certified federal guide reveals the astronomy, rituals and daily life behind the stones of Chichén Itzá.

What's included

A full buffet meal with authentic Yucatecan dishes is included at the hacienda restaurant
Your cenote entrance fee also includes locker use, so you can safely store your belongings while you swim.
If you arrive in your own rental car, you can leave it parked for free at Lara&Luca, safely, until you return from the tour.
LIfejackets included at the cenote
Lunch includes one drink of your choice per person, soda, bottled water or agua fresca.
Round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned van is included, from pickup at Lara&Luca all the way back at the end of the day.
Your Chichén Itzá entrance ticket already includes your federally licensed guide for the day
Cold bottled water is provided in the van throughout the day, so you stay hydrated between stops.

Tips for your guide and driver are not included, but they are always welcome if you enjoyed the day.

What to expect

Chichen Itza
2h

At Soul Experiences Mexico, we believe Chichen Itza deserves more than a rushed photo stop squeezed between souvenir shops.
We visit in small groups only, up to 12 travelers, with a federally licensed guide who takes time to explain what you're looking at: the astronomy behind the pyramid, the meaning of the ball court, the layered history written into every stone.
No forced detours to jewelry or tequila stores, no herding between buses, no reciting a script to fifty people at once.

Just a group small enough to ask questions, walk at a human pace, and take in a place that has stood for well over a thousand years.

We keep it eco-conscious too: no single-use plastic is allowed inside the site, so we ask every guest to bring a reusable bottle.

Whether you're a history lover or simply curious, our style stays the same: unhurried, well-informed, and centered on the site itself, not on selling you something along the way.

That is how a New7Wonders site should be visited.
Cenote Saamal
1h 30m · Admission ticket included

After a morning walking through ancient stone, Cenote Saamal is the perfect change of pace: a spring-fed pool of clear, cool water tucked inside the grounds of the Selva Maya hacienda, just minutes from Valladolid.

We don't rush the swim. Life vests are provided, the setting is relaxed, and you're free to float, swim or simply sit at the edge for as long as you like before lunch.

Speaking of which, we don't drag the group to a separate restaurant afterward: lunch is served right there on the hacienda grounds, so no time is lost finding a place to eat.
It's a hearty regional buffet, real Yucatecan flavors like cochinita pibil and fresh tortillas, with one drink included per guest. It's simple, honest food in a beautiful setting, not a rushed stop between activities.

By the time you leave for Valladolid, you've properly cooled off, eaten well, and you're ready for an afternoon exploring the city on foot.
Valladolid
1h

Valladolid closes out the day on a completely different note: colorful colonial streets instead of ancient stone, and a relaxed walk instead of another guided lecture.

Your guide leads the way through the historic center, past the cathedral's striking facade and, more often than not, past traditional dances taking place in the main square, an unscripted, lively slice of everyday local life rather than a staged show.

We keep the route flexible on purpose. Your guide decides where to linger depending on what's happening that day, so there's always time for photos, a slower pace after a long morning, and, if you'd like, a taste of Valladolid's famous lime sorbet from one of the stands around the plaza.

It's a gentle, human-scale way to end the day: not a checklist of monuments, but a real feel for one of the Yucatan's most beautiful colonial towns before the drive back to the coast.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Lara&Luca restaurant, at Playa del Carmen

End point

Lara&Luca restaurant, at Playa del Carmen

Additional information

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.