Chichen Itza, Ek Balam & Valladolid
Prices
1 person : USD 570
2 person : USD 680
3 person : USD 825
4 person : USD 900
Ages 0-95
Duration 12+ hours
Start Time 06:30 (depends on pick-up location)
Live Guide: English, Spanish, French, German
About Tour
This is a variation on the 'classic' tour from Cancun and the Riviera Maya, replacing a visit to a cenote with a visit to a second Mayan archaeological site, Ek Balam. Get to know Mexico's Modern Wonder of the World, Chichen Itza, learning about a wide range of Mayan architectural, scientific and astronomical achievements. After spending the time you want at Chichen Itza, continue to Ek Balam, a second Mayan archaeological site and experience Mayan buildings in a very different way. Climb a pyramid, enter Mayan rooms within a temple and the palace, and see a totally different style of sculpture (stucco rather than stone) and see examples of Mayan glyphs, the first written language of the Americas. Finally, visit Valladolid, once the region's capital, a Spanish colonial town with quaint streets, boutique shops and a cathedral on its charming main square. Choose the VW Beetle or a modern car, and the tour includes all photos by a former professional photographer at the end of the day.
What’s included
Pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation
Private transportation
All tolls and entry fees (no surprises)
Guided tour of Chichen Itza with a licensed guide
Guided tour of Ek Balam archaeological site
Guided tour of Valladolid
Bottled water
What’s not included
The tour does not include lunch. The guide will make a recommendation of a restaurant after understanding your preferred tastes and budget.
What to expect
Pick-up can be at any address in Cancun, Puerto Morelos or Playa del Carmen. If staying in a hotel with a security gate, please advise Señor Travel Bug in advance of your room number which will be required to gain access and pick you up.
The first place visited is Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since the 1980s and voted a modern Wonder of the World in 2007. It is considered the most important of the Mayan sites primarily because it has buildings from the two Mayan eras and therefore differing styles of architecture reflecting the changing politics, beliefs and culture from 435AD to the Spanish Conquest in the 16th century, but also for its religious importance to the Mayans as a place of pilgrimage. Unlike most guided tours, Señor Travel Bug will take you to the older and newer parts of Chichen Itza and explain their relevance. We drive for 2-2:30 hours to arrive at Chichen Itza, depending on pick-up location, and your tour will typically last about 2:30 hours.
Either before or after Ek Balam we will stop to eat lunch, again depending on the visitors’ preferences - likely to be in Kaua, Temozon or Valladolid. The food is not included, but the guide will make recommendations from his experience and knowledge reflecting your tastes and budget. This could be (tried and tested) street food, a locals' restaurant where you can visit the kitchen and see tortillas being made, a high end Mayan restaurant or somewhere with international food. We will drive for 20-45 minutes to arrive at lunch, depending on the restaurant selected for your private tour.
The second of your Mayan sites this day will be Ek Balam, a site which had its prime in the 8th and 9th centuries. This is an excellent complementary site to Chichen Itza. Ek Balam has far fewer visitors and is therefore the only site where you can still climb a pyramid, and go into a couple of rooms within the temples and palace. It also has discreet style of art, with sculpts made from stucco rather than carved not stone, making it quite unique in this area. The tour typically lasts about 60-90 minutes.
The final stop of your Mexican classic tour is in Valladolid, a Mexican pueblo magico or 'magic town'. Valladolid is the nearest Spanish colonial town to Cancun and the Riviera Maya, making it well worthwhile visiting to see another 'face' of Mexico. We will wander the most attractive streets of Valladolid, perhaps browsing in its boutiques and also the central square, and we often close out the day with a local ice cream or pulled pork sandwich near the cathedral. We will drive for about 30 minutes to arrive at Valladolid, and after touring the magic town will drive for approximately 2 hours to return to your pick-up point in Cancun, Puerto Morelos or Playa del Carmen.
The tour will deliver you back to your pick-up point (or any other destination in Cancun, Puerto Morelos or Playa del Carmen if preferred)