Chichen Itza

A tour seller named after the ruins

Chichen Itza (chichenitza.com) is a tour company that sells day trips to the Maya ruins of Chichen Itza in the state of Yucatan, Mexico. Despite the name, it is not the site's management: its own ticket section says the archaeological site "is handled by INAH (Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia)", and it lists INAH's and the site's phone numbers separately from its own booking line. It presents the tours as its own, describing "our deluxe air-conditioned panoramic buses" and "our expert tour guides", and says it has daily departures.

The trips start from hotels and meeting points in the resort areas. The tour pages mention hotel transport "in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, etc.", and the Luxury tour is described as reaching Chichen Itza "from Cancun or the Riviera Maya." The location page puts the ruins between Merida and Cancun and gives travel times such as 30 to 40 minutes from Valladolid, about 2.5 hours from Cancun or Playa del Carmen (180 kilometers from the latter) and about 2 hours from Tulum. Prices are in US dollars, the site runs in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Italian, and bookings go through a toll-free line for the USA and Canada, 1 855 577 9836.

The tour range

The tours page says "6 Tours found" and lists them from the simplest up.

Chichen Itza Tour Classic, from 97 USD for adults (regular price 149 USD) and 75 USD for children (regular 115 USD), with a "-35% APPLIED" label. It includes round-trip transport on air-conditioned panoramic buses, a shared transfer, certified guides "specialized in archaeology and Mayan culture", a buffet of regional food, bilingual guided access to Chichen Itza with free time, a cenote visit with swimming, and a brief stop in Valladolid. Drinks are not included. For a booking of 1 to 3 passengers, the homepage calculator shows 194 USD.

Chichen Itza Tour Plus, from 110 USD for adults (regular 169 USD) and 90 USD for children (regular 139 USD). It adds drinks on the bus, listed as bottled water, soft drinks and canned beer, plus a bottle of water at the site entrance.

Chichen Itza Deluxe Tour, from 170 USD (regular 189 USD, "-10%"), with "all the benefits of the Plus tour" plus a box lunch, premium drinks on the bus and an umbrella at Chichen Itza. The Plus page names the premium drinks as whiskey, tequila and xtabentun.

Chichen Itza Tour Diamante, from 224 USD (regular 249 USD). The site's description of it is circular, saying only that it gives "all the perks of a Chichen Itza Tour Diamante, including drinks and other amenities."

Private Chichen Itza Tour, from 699 USD, to "Go to Chichen Itza earlier than everyone, or later"; Luxury Chichen Itza Tour, from 1,400 USD, in a Suburban vehicle; and Premium Chichen Itza Tour, from 2,100 USD, in "a premium vehicle". A separate Chichen Itza tour guide service is listed from 120 USD.

How the day works

The Plus page gives the clearest timetable. Pick-up begins at 6:00 am, depending on the hotel or meeting point; the guided tour at Chichen Itza lasts an hour and a half, followed by free time; and the return is around 9:00 pm. The exact time and place are emailed at the end of booking, and the site asks guests to phone to confirm whether the bus can collect them at the hotel lobby or whether they must walk to a nearby meeting point. It notes that the trip crosses from Quintana Roo into Yucatan, where there is an hour's time difference.

At the cenote, life jackets are provided for 4 USD, and the Plus page lists life jacket and locker rental at 2 USD each among the extras; camera fees, tips, souvenirs and other activities are not included. The site's advice is practical: bring cash for extras, a hat, a towel and swimsuit, comfortable clothes and biodegradable sunscreen, and use the restroom before entering, since leaving the complex means paying the entrance fee again. It asks anyone with "any health problem or physical impairment" to contact the company before booking.

The site's information pages add that the ruins open from 8 am to 5 pm, with last entry at 4 pm, and that the entrance fee of $697 MXN (about $31.36 USD, by the site's conversion) is paid on site. Beyond the tours, the site works as a guide to the ruins themselves, pointing to the Chichen Itza Pyramid or El Castillo, El Caracol or Observatory, the Temple of the Warriors and the Mayan Ball Game, and it has pages on nearby Valladolid, the cenotes, the Ek Balam ruins and the pink lagoons of Rio Lagartos.

Children and booking

Child rates apply from 3 to 11 years, and children under 3 go free. The Plus page adds that children taller than 1.40 m but under 12 must show a photo ID to prove their age. Bookings are made on the site by choosing a date and the number of adults, children and infants, or by phone; the footer gives office hours of Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.

What the site leaves open

The site does not state a cancellation or refund policy, a deposit rule or payment methods, and they do not give a group size for the shared tours. The Diamante tier is described only by reference to itself, so what it adds over the Deluxe is unclear. The discounts shown against "regular" prices appear on most tours, without saying what the regular price refers to.

Who it suits

The site suits travelers in Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum who want a full organized day to Chichen Itza with a cenote swim, buffet lunch and a Valladolid stop, and who like choosing how much comfort to pay for, from the Classic bus tour to a private Suburban. The detailed lists of what is and is not included are useful.

It suits less well anyone who needs a clear cancellation policy before paying, or a small group, since the shared tours give no size.