Chichen Itza, and Cenote Tsukán PREMIUM

This premium private tour from Mérida takes you to Chichén Itzá and a cenote, with lunch of regional dishes. It is private, so only you and your group take part. The operator suggests booking the 6:00 AM option, which lets you arrive first, avoid lines and crowds and take your best photos.

Chichén Itzá is famous for the Temple of Kukulcán, where a play of light and shadow can be admired at the equinoxes and solstices, marking important dates in the Mayan worldview. A certified guide explains these details and many others at temples and platforms, the ball court and the sacred cenote associated with human sacrifice. The guided walk through the archaeological zone takes about 120 minutes.

Then comes the cenote, called a dzonot in Maya. You swim in one, and the source notes these underground pools are admired for their freshness and are typical of the Yucatán Peninsula. The guide gives instructions for access and attends to your needs, and this part takes around an hour.

Lunch is a regional buffet at the Hotel Puerta Chichen restaurant, with a variety of Yucatecan dishes including cochinita pibil, and vegan options are available. Allow about 60 minutes.

Plan for a long day of about 480 minutes, including roughly two hours each way between your Mérida hotel and Chichén Itzá. The tour is wheelchair accessible, as is the transportation, and suitable for all physical fitness levels, but it is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health. Infants must sit on an adult's lap.

The price covers entrance to Chichén Itzá, private transportation, bottled water, cenote entrance and a life jacket, a SECTUR-certified guide and the buffet. Tips and drinks are not included. Pickup is only in the defined areas of the state of Yucatán.