Chichen Itza Tour Plus with Cenote Swim from Cancun & Playa Del Carmen

Outside of the comforts of your resort, there is much to see and experience in the Mayan world. Get going with this wonderful excursion to the heart of the Yucatán! The tour starts with picking you up at your hotel at 7am, so plan the tour ahead of time. If you have time for one tour, we recommend this excursion to Chichen itza, a cenote called Silver Maya (Semal Maya), a Mayan cultural center and a short stop in Valladolid city. Our tour guide Alfredo was very insightful, and it’s not a surprise because he majored in history at university. He has studied Mayan culture all his life. He explained the Mayan world with passion, which opened our eyes to information about the Mayans we didn’t know before the tour. On the way, Alfredo explained with visuals and prepared us for the sights. At the points of interest, he showed us interesting intricacies we would have missed had we went alone to the points of interest. In Valladolid, he shared the importance of the symbols on the St. Bernardine church. At Chichen Itza, he showed us how the clever Mayans replicated the sound of a bird by clapping your own hands that echo at the top of the pyramid. Amazing. At the Mayan Cultural center, we had the opportunity to buy handicrafts and learn more about the shamans in Mayan culture. We actually met one! All purchases of the handicrafts help to restore the Mayan culture, supporting young people who want to teach Mayan language, history and culture. If you do choose to buy a handicraft, you can bargain for a fair price. Keep in mind, these handicrafts are made by the local Mayans. With a very hard year for tourism, they have suffered quite a bit. Javier the driver was very skilled and attentive. He looked out for us when we lagged behind the group upon our return to the van at two locations. We didn’t want to leave the places we visited! This is how good the trip is to the locations Alfredo and Javier toured us. We appreciated the fresh cheese sandwich, fruit and apple juice in a bag at the start of our trip. Cool bottled water is offered at all times. Our hotel made a breakfast to go so we could eat it on the tour. Bring some snacks. Prepare to tip the driver and tour guide, and other people at the restaurant at lunch. So bring small denominations of currency. It’s very hot in the Yucatán, we suggest cool comfortable clothes. A hat would be good to deflect the hot sun. Wear walking shoes at Chichen Itza, because the grounds are made of grass and small gravel rocks dirt. Don’t wear flip flops to Chichen Itza. Wear sunscreen. A swimsuit under your clothes is helpful so you don’t have to change at the cenote. There are lockers at the cenote. One person from our group chose not to swim in the cenote because he was afraid of water. It was a pity, because it is absolutely gorgeous. Bring a waterproof camera or protector for your smart phone. Be careful walking down the stairs to the cenote. I don’t recommend wearing flip flops down the stairs. Prevent slipping. Use your bare feet or wear water booties. Do not wear sunscreen here because it will contaminate the fresh water. You have to shower before getting in anyway. The van’s seats are small, so be prepared to be slightly squeezed for a 2.5 hour drive. But you don’t notice the small seats as you are getting to know fellow travelers, which made the trip nice. We met a lovely family from San Diego and another couple from Florida. One of our fellow travelers is the trainer for the first Down syndrome competitor in the Ironman competition! Hector’s story will be on NBC on Jan. 19, 2021. We highly recommend this tour! Ask for Alfredo! Remember to tip your tour guide and driver. They go out of their way to make the experience one of a kind.

Muy buen tour solo q el guía q nos asignaron en Chichen Itzá no fue muy bueno era un guía local tienen q mejorar eso por lo demás la excursión estuvo excelente

Fue una excursión mágica,gracias a nuestro guía Rodrigo Cat que con sus explicaciones,su amabilidad,su simpatia y sobretodo sus conocimientos hizo que una excursión de muchas horas fuera un día inolvidable. Y no me puedo olvidar de Carlos nuestro conductor, todo un profesional al volante que manejó durante muchas horas más de 500 KM y que cuidó de nuestras pertenencias. Muchísimas gracias Carlos y muchísimas gracias Rodrigo Cat. Enrique y Manoli del Ocean Riviera Paradise.