Bonampak & Yaxchilan: Hidden Maya Ruins in the Chiapas Jungle

It is a long day but entirely worth it! Mildred is the most wonderful guide. Very informative and friendly.

Very worthwile trip from Palenque into the Lacandon selva to Yaxchilan and Bonampak, two beautiful and fascinating Maya ruins. The trip requires a lot of driving but also a fantastic boat trip on the Rio Usumacinta to/from Yaxchillan which is inaccessible by land. The murals at Bonampak are beautiful and impressive. We loved this day trip.

We had booked a tour with an English guide. When we were collected from our hotel there was a person with the driver who didn’t introduce himself. He was sitting in the front passenger seat and had pushed his car seat back so far that I struggled to sit down, even though I am quite short. It became clear he was meant to translate the driver’s spanish into english. The problem was he didn’t actually speak english. He seemed quite put out that we couldn’t speak french…. The other couple on the tour spoke some spanish and also english. Once the “guide” realised this he gave up engaging with any of us on the tour and settled in for a day out taking photos, leaving the other couple to translate as required. He was the first to get on the boat to Yaxchilan and the first in the car to Bonampak and left it to us all to work out what was going on. I presume we paid extra for an english guide. If so we just paid for an obnoxious and entitled man to have a day out. I think the tour is worth doing but I suggest you book it without the english guide. We would have enjoyed the tour a lot more without him coming along. The driver was very polite and pleasant.

The tour is very well organized and are punctual in pickup. It is a very demanding tour because it is a long walk, so they go a little time to be able to meet the objectives, which are met 100%! Highly recommended both the visit and the agency that manages it.

This is by far the most amazing trip to see Mayan ruins I have ever taken in Mexico, if you are up for some climbing, lots of travel, and some absolutely breathtaking sites, go on this trip to Yaxchilan and Bonampak! I was solo, but made a ton of friends on the trip. It helped that I spoke spanish, as there are not so many US tourists in this part of Mexico. As a bonus, you get to do something few others from your home will have the opportunity to experience. Note that although the driver does not always speak english, the overall idea of the trip is very simple. You can hire an english speaking guide for either or both sites (note they do charge, this trip is for some meals, extensive transportation logistics and entry fees). Pay your guides well and tip the driver, they need and deserve that money. The trip is from Palenque and starts early in the day. You may not be able to sleep on the van due to road conditions and automatic transmission (no to topos!). After an hour and a half, you stop for breakfast which has eggs, meat, tortillas, beans, and fresh fruit and juices, along with a restroom break. Then another hour and a half to Frontera Corozal, the only access point to Yaxchilan, which is on a peninsula surrounded by the river and a forest reserve (no roads). You stop at the lunch place to make your order before heading to the harbor. That boat follows the river with Guatemala on the other side for about 30 minutes and is exhilarating. Yaxchilan is straight up Indiana Jones vibes, you enter the city through a maze labyrinth that has some friendly bats. Bring lots of bug spray, organic local versions are best but need to be reapplied every 45 minutes or so. The structures are incredible and feel very much like you stumbled upon a lost city in the dense jungle. They have a ball court, stelae, and great pyramids with unique design elements. Not sure I loved going up to the second acropolis, it was quite difficult climb in the heat and humidity and steep coming down. Maybe spend your time exploring the maze and other structures near the main plaza and climb the pyramid. Then it is back to the boats after two hours at the site (which fly by) and an amazing homecooked lunch at a local restaurant. Have the mole chiapaneco, the local mole variety that is outrageously good. Back in the van for not quite an hour and you are at Bonampak, which has the best preserved murals in the Mayan world. They are breathtakingly beautiful and intact. Pay for the local guide here, 1000% worth learning what is going on in each of the paintings and their significance. Amazing giant stelae, multiple layers of construction on the pyramid unveiled and the lintels are outstanding. The local Mayan guides are great. Try to support the community with a few pesos by buying bracelets and necklaces, they are inexpensive, made with local products, and help people who deserve it. Trip back to hotel is several hours, expect to be back around 8pm.

The length of the day is very long. The restaurants are "in the middle of nowhere". Nevertheless the food was good! Our guide/Deiver Pablo was quite a gentleman and knowledgable concerning most inquiries.

Overall 150 US $ for this tour is overpriced. The place is beautiful but I booked the one which also had a guided tour and learnt very little, as a matter of fact the tour guide barely spoke to us about the temples. I think the place is worth it but if you can find a way to gets you there for cheaper than it’s worth it. 80$ is a reasonable price.

The tour was super cute. Long van time but comfortable and with nice and punctual driver. Good food if you booked the tour with breakfast and lunch. The guide in Yaxchilán knew a lot and answered most of our questions (there foresee some cash as it is not included in the tour, but it is worth it). In addition, you feel the energy of the place, surrounded by pure nature. In Bonampak, I liked the experience a little less, because you are approached by the guides and they want to get on with you while you change vans to enter the place that is kept by the Maya. I had to demand to know the fare before to avoid bad surprises, because they want to give you the visit first and then see the price. Despite that, the guide was also super friendly and knew many things. Too bad we weren't in Bonampak any longer, it was a bit of a rush. I recommend this tour.

We had a great day on April 24, 2025. The drive is long but was interrupted by a nice breakfast. Then continue to Yaxcilan with a nice boat trip. We had a very good guide, (spoke well english ) who told us a lot of fascinating things about the mayas and Yacxzilan. Beautiful place! HhBeautiful nature and temples. Then n fine lunch and on to Bonampak. Again a great place and seen so much beauty!! What A special experience this excursion is. A lot of driving but you get one very special unforgettable experience in return

Everyone involved in this package tour were patient people with extremely positive outlooks- that includes the other members of the tour! Which, obviously, made for an optimal Chiapas experience!