Chichen Itza Tour: Guided Trip, Mexican Buffet and Saamal Cenote

Description

Leave Riviera Maya behind for a full-day trip into the cultural heart of Yucatán, where ancient Maya history, regional food, sacred freshwater, and colonial charm come together in one complete experience. This shared tour takes travelers to Chichen Itza, Cenote Saamal, and Valladolid, creating a balanced route for those who want to see more than just the beach side of Mexico. The day begins with pickup in Cancun before the road leads inland toward the Chichen Itza region. Along the way, the experience unfolds with local flavor through a buffet lunch near the archaeological area, followed by a guided visit inside one of the most important ancient Maya cities. After learning about its temples, architecture, and cultural meaning, travelers will have free time to explore. The route then changes from stone ruins to clear cenote waters at Cenote Saamal, a refreshing natural stop surrounded by Yucatán scenery. To finish, Valladolid adds a colorful colonial touch before the return journey.

Tour Options

Itinerary

What's included

Pickup Locations & Times

We offer roundtrip transportation (from hotel or meeting point, as applicable) for all travelers who book this tour. Areas to which the transportation service applies: CANCUN: • Downtown Cancun • Hotel zone • Puerto Juarez • Playa Mujeres • Costa Mujeres • Puerto Cancun PUERTO MORELOS: • Bus stop at Chedraui Puerto Morelos supermarket PLAYA DEL CARMEN: • Downtown Playa del Carmen (for hotels on the coast, due to the narrow streets, the closest meeting point applies) • Hotel zone • Playacar • Dorado Royale • Playa Paraiso • Punta Maroma • El Caracol • Paa Mul RIVIERA MAYA: • Puerto Aventuras • Xpu Ha • Akumal • Chemuyil TULUM: • Downtown Tulum, hotel zone and metropolitan area: Only one meeting point applies within the city, Super Akí Tulum supermarket. • Tulsayab • Jacinto Pat • Xcacel NOTE: Some hotels or hotel complexes on the list do not allow access to the facilities, so pick-up at the closest possible access or entrance applies. NOTE 2: Some hotels or lodging centers are located in areas with difficult access (very narrow streets, alleys, streets in poor condition, blockages, or for security reasons), so pick-up at the closest possible point applies. NOTE 3: The exact pick-up time varies by hotel. Some estimated times are: Cancun: 6:40 AM / 7:40 AM Puerto Morelos: 7:30 AM / 8:30 AM Playa del Carmen: 7:30 AM / 9:00 AM Riviera Maya: 9:30 AM / 10:30 AM Tulum: 9:30 AM / 10:30 AM The time that appears on your ticket (7:00 AM) is the general pick-up time in Cancun, where our buses depart and pick up. *** If your hotel is not listed, please ask us if we can pick you up there, or what would be the closest possible meeting point. *** *** You will receive a final confirmation message (one day before the scheduled date of your excursion) with the exact pick-up time and point, to your contact information. ***

Important Information

• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Suitcases, large bags, or extra luggage are not automatically accepted on this experience. They may only be brought when our team has reviewed the request before the tour date and confirmed that the assigned vehicle has enough available space. If you need to travel with luggage, please contact us in advance. Our team will check the transportation assigned to your reservation and let you know whether it can be accommodated. Space is limited, and authorization is never guaranteed.
• Archaeological sites in Mexico have applied stricter entry controls since April 21, 2026. Under these measures, visitors are not allowed to enter with luggage, backpacks, or similar items. We recommend carrying only what you truly need for the visit, such as small personal belongings that fit in your pockets or in a compact personal bag. Some items, such as diaper bags, may be considered exceptions, but the decision is made only by the security team at the entrance of the site. We cannot be held responsible for belongings that site personnel refuse to allow inside. During this tour, guests may leave personal items inside the transportation vehicle while completing the scheduled visits.
• Once the group arrives at a stop, guests may not return to the transportation vehicle until the guide or staff announces the official boarding time. Entering the bus or minibus before the scheduled return time, or staying inside the vehicle while the rest of the group is away, is not permitted. Other travelers may have belongings stored inside, so vehicle access must remain controlled for security reasons.
• Vehicles and seats are organized by the operations team according to the day’s logistics, route, group size, and availability. Guests are not able to select, reserve, or request a specific bus, minibus, vehicle, row, or seat through the booking platform, during pickup, or directly with our staff. Our team will always try to make the ride comfortable, but specific seats or vehicle spaces cannot be guaranteed.
• If your friends, relatives, or travel companions booked separately and you would like to ride in the same vehicle, please notify our team before the tour date. We may try to coordinate this when all travelers are departing from the same accommodation, but it is not guaranteed. If the pickups are located in the same city but at different hotels, we can review the possibility, although traveling together still cannot be assured. When reservations depart from different cities, this type of coordination cannot be arranged.
• This experience only includes pickup from the cities and areas listed in the Transportation section of the product. Travelers may not join the tour directly at Chichen Itza, at any attraction included in the route, or at any place outside the authorized pickup zones. For example, arriving at Chichen Itza in your own car and joining the group there is not allowed. Pickup from a hotel located within the listed service area, such as Moon Palace Resort, may be possible depending on the coverage shown for the product. For safety, communication, and proper organization, every traveler must meet the team in the morning at the assigned pickup location, board the official tour transportation, and complete the required check-in process before the experience begins.
• If your reservation still does not include a confirmed hotel or meeting point, you must send this information to our team no later than the day before the tour. From Monday to Saturday, the cutoff time is 21:50 hrs, GMT-5. On Sundays, the cutoff time is 8:00 PM, GMT-5. You may provide the information through any available contact channel. After the cutoff time, last-minute pickup arrangements can no longer be processed. If the hotel or meeting point is not received before the deadline, the booking will be automatically rescheduled to the next available date. This change does not generate an extra fee, penalty, or additional charge. However, once the reservation has been rescheduled for this reason, it will no longer be refundable.
• The durations listed in the itinerary represent the complete time assigned to each part of the route. These times may include transfers between locations, time at the stop, activity time, boarding, group organization, and the time required to continue or return along the route. They should not be interpreted as the exact amount of time spent only inside each attraction. Please review the itinerary as an approximate guide to the flow of the day.
• Our team works to keep the tour as close as possible to the scheduled plan. However, the timing of the experience also depends on travelers being ready at the assigned pickup time and returning promptly at every stop. Traffic, road conditions, and route-related delays may also affect the schedule and are outside our control. Please respect the meeting times indicated by the guide and the time allowed at each location. Even a very short delay can accumulate during the day and affect a large part of the overall itinerary.
• The box lunch included with this tour is a fixed standard option. It cannot be changed, replaced, or adapted for special diets, allergies, food restrictions, or personal meal preferences.
• This experience includes extended walking during the day, especially during the visits and sightseeing portions of the itinerary. Comfortable footwear and light, practical clothing are recommended so travelers can move around more easily.
• Lunch is served buffet-style with regional Mexican dishes. Guests may choose from the food available at the restaurant, including vegetarian options. At this time, the buffet service cannot be customized for other specific diets, food restrictions, allergies, or personal meal preferences.

Frequently asked questions