CENOTES EXPRESS PRIVATE TOURS

Your English-speaking local snorkeling expert will be waiting for you at your hotel or Airbnb lobby from Tulum with a great smile at 7:00 a.m. We recommend this time so we arrive early and avoid the crowds and the midday sun.

We take the highway straight to our first stop, arriving at the Open Cenote at 8:45 a.m. — we want to be the first to arrive and the first to jump in the water. Since this is your private tour, we always take the shortest route and won't make additional stops unless you want. On the way, your local expert shares stories about Mexico, the Riviera Maya, Mexican traditions and local life, plus how the cenotes were formed and how the Yucatán Peninsula was created, and gives you space to relax — or sleep — during the 1 hour 45 minute ride. The van carries plenty of cold water for you.

This adventure was planned by our snorkeling expert, a local who has swum in more than 300 cenotes and built the perfect itinerary. We want you to visit the best cenotes in the Riviera Maya — not crowded, clean, totally crystalline and above all authentic. These might not be the most popular cenotes online, because we've gone the extra mile to find unique places not everyone knows.

In this express private tour, you'll visit two totally different water ecosystems in half a day (about 4 hours in the morning): an open cenote in the middle of the jungle where you'll connect with nature, and a cave under the jungle with underground rivers.

Your guide keeps you safe and protected at all times — if you don't know how to snorkel, he'll teach you, and even if you're a pro, he'll give you tips to improve your experience. He carries a water rattle for guide-tourist communication underwater, and a floater ("the taxi") if you want to look around more relaxed or need a rest. We use professional, no-fogging, leak-proof snorkel equipment, deep cleaned and sanitized every day. If you wear glasses, we have graduated masks — just tell us your prescription when booking.

The Maya believed cenotes are sacred places with magical powers, unique to the Yucatán Peninsula, formed roughly 55 million years ago. Our first stop is an open cenote — a natural pool of crystal-clear water in the middle of the jungle, with an incredible landscape. You can jump from a platform or use the stairs.

Our second and last stop, 12 minutes into the jungle in the middle of a Mayan community, is a cave — a window into the underground and, as the Maya saw it, a door to the underworld. You'll snorkel through underground tunnels and unique rock formations, an experience you won't forget. If you're more adventurous, ask your guide to take you to the back side of the cave.

Both cenotes have restrooms and changing rooms, so bring your swimsuit, towel and dry clothes to change afterward. Time at each cenote is free — you stay as long as you want and tell us when to leave. Photos from your guide are included too.

After an active morning you'll have a big appetite. If you'd like, we can take you to eat at a local, authentic restaurant in Playa del Carmen — fresh fruit, enchiladas, tacos de guisado, whatever you're craving. If you'd rather skip it, we'll take you back to your hotel or Airbnb as fast as possible so you can keep enjoying your day at the pool or the beach. You decide if and when you want brunch — we adjust the schedule to what works best for you.

This private tour is planned so you arrive at brunch around noon in Playa del Carmen, or if you skip it, at your hotel around 1:00 p.m. Since everything runs at your pace, the exact return time depends on you — you're free to head back early or skip any activity. If you do have brunch, add roughly 1 to 1.5 hours; you should be back at your hotel or Airbnb between 2:30 and 3:00 p.m.