Buy tickets with Viator. All Chichen Itza Tours include a tour of the ruins, a visit to a cenote, and lunch. Chichén Itza. Alternatively, this tour takes you to Chichen Itza and the Coba ruins. Don’t forget a Speaking of beating the heat, it’s important to note that there isn’t a whole lot of shade around the major points of interest at Chichen Itza.In fact, you can expect to be out in direct sunlight for most of the day.To prepare, do yourself a favor and bring sunscreen (the Here’s a tidbit of information I had no idea about when I first visited the site, There are extra charges for professional photography of the Mayan Ruins at Chichen Itza.Specifically, you’ll have to get a permit if you plan to film or use a tripod at the site. More travel . Until the early decades of the 20 th century, the ancient city of Chichen Itza was shrouded by the jungles of the Mexican Yucatan; hidden beneath blankets of sprawling vines and waxy tree boughs. Lunch is included at a cozy regional restaurant with all the appropriate facilities, with a buffet lunch with different options for all tastes. )That said, the tour doesn’t include hotel pick-up (you’ll have to meet at a designated meeting spot), beverages, or the entrance fee to Chichen Itza.10-hours long, this tour includes a bilingual tour guide, round-trip transportation, hotel pick-up and drop off lunch, and entrance fees to Chichen Itza and a cenote.You can absolutely visit Chichen Itza on your own, it just takes a little planning.To do this, you can take an ADO bus (the gold standard Mexican bus line) from any nearby major city or town to the site.ADO buses are very affordable, usually pretty new and comfortable, and in my experience, always clean.Personally, when I visited Chichen Itza, I stayed in Valladolid the night before and then got up at the crack of dawn to catch the bus. Enjoy one of our great Chichen Itza tours from Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Riviera Maya and admire the world famous Chichen Itza … "El Castillo" at Chichen Itza. El Castillo, The Temple of the Warriors, The Great Ball Court and The Sacred Cenote. The ratings are in – this is the best bang for your buck guided tour from Tulum!The tour includes a full guided experience with a certified archaeologist and includes private transportation, snorkeling equipment, drinks, lunch in Valladolid, and admission to Chichen Itza and Ik Kil.This is a little bit of a pricier tour, but it’s perfect for travelers who want to travel on their own schedule or who find crowded group tours uncomfortable.Especially if you’re an older traveler or have mobility issues – this tour will give you the flexibility you need to fully enjoy Chichen Itza and the surrounding area on your own time.If you’re looking beat the crowds, arrive in style, and have a totally unique Chichen Itza experience at the same time, then Leaving Merida around 6 AM, this tour will get you to Chichen Itza before the crowds, and you’ll even have private access to avoid any lines.The tour also gives you access to a Mayan Planetarium, use of a nearby hotel suite, the experience a spiritual Mayan ceremony and a blessing by a high priest, and you’ll get to do it all with a bilingual tour guide.Not to mention, the tour includes round trip transportation from many Merida hotels (in a Mercedes Benz, no less) and your food for the day.What it doesn’t include, however, is entrance fees to Chichen Itza.Even so, this is the best Chichen Itza tour from Merida.If you’re looking for a small group tour with some unique perks, then check out An 8-hour tour, this one will get you into Chichen Itza with a private entrance and includes a bilingual guide, buffet lunch, a dance performance, Mayan Planetarium access, and entrance to the Mayaland Hotel and their amenities (they have a swimming pool! Enjoy an express tour to Chichén Itzá, getting the opportunity to learn about Mayan history without taking up an entire day. Both of these permits cost extra, so look up the details in advance.In fact, a guy tried to swindle me out of $400 USD when he saw my tripod, so either be sure to secure a permit beforehand or stash your tripod away. However, admission into Chichén Itzá itself is included in the cost.Speaking of which, what makes this tour unique is that they’ll take you to Ik Kil Cenote The tour also includes a full buffet-style lunch that serves salads, soups, veggies, fish, chicken, rice, and regional delights.A highly-rated Chichen Itza and cenote tour from Playa, Which brings me to my next point – this is the tour to take if you want to prioritize going to Suytun Cenote, as most others will take you to Ik Kil. If you go with this option, be sure to check out our guide to As mentioned throughout this article, Valladolid is a cute colonial town close to Chichen Itza, and exploring it is one of the !Day tripping from Valladolid meant that I got to the site before the crowds and tours and beat the midday heat.You can also hire a personal tour guide when you get to Chichen Itza, or download an audio guide onto your phone via the “Chichen Itza Tour Guide Cancun” app.Sure, your tour guide will probably offer up water for your visit, but given Mexico’s recent endeavors to reduce their single-use plastic waste, do the environment a favor and bring a big reusable water bottle with you.No matter what day you visit Chichen Itza, you can expect it to get very busy at around 11 AM and for the rush to last until 5 or 6 PM.For these reasons, if you have any flexibility in your day, I recommend arriving at Chichen Itza as early as possible. Done. Chichén Itzá is located at the northern part of the Yucatán Peninsula, 74 miles away from Merida.