EK BALAMPRIVATE TOURfrom Riviera Maya

On the way to the site your private local expert will tell you several stories about MEXICO, the Peninsula of Yucatan, the Riviera Maya, Mexican traditions, local life, he will also give you a broad explanation of the Mayan culture so that when you are at the ruins, you can focus more on architecture and specific facts of the ancient city of Chichen Itza. Your local expert will answer ALL your questions, he will also give you space to relax and, if you prefer, to sleep during this 2-hour 15 minutes ride.

The van has plenty cold bottles of WATER for you to take.

This private tour normally uses a Volkswagen Transporter, however we offer upgrades to SUVs and luxury cars (Mercedes Benz) for an extra fee. If you would like to explore this option, please contact one of our local experts.

ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE

EK-BALAM (Black Jaguar) a MAGICAL ruins less crowed than Chichen Itza due is unknown for the tourists. Ek Balam’s majestic constructions are hidden in the middle of the jungle and are about 70 km from CHICHEN ITZA. Live the experience to climb one of most beautiful ruins and admire the ACROPOLIS that has 30 meters tall, which hides amazing stucco sculptures that are well preserved. Besides you can climb other buildings like the OVAL PALACE and TWIN BUILDINGS. Feel the experience of this place surrounded by the jungle.

The archeological site of Ek Balam was excavated in the late 1980´s and was open for the public in the late 1990´s. However only 20% has been excavated. The most important buildings to see in Ek Balam are 1)Acropolis 2)Twin Buildings 3)Oval Palace 4)Ball Court 5)Tomb of the ruler named Ukil-Kan-Lek-Tok. Please note that around 11.30 am star getting hot so please take several bottle of water.

Remember that EVERYTHING is DONE at YOUR PACE and you can stay in the site as long as you want. Your guide, who is fluent in ENGLISH and certified by the INAH  (National Institute of Anthropology and History), will give you an extensive narrative about the site and the Mayan culture and most importantly he will answer ALL your questions. Our guides love deep, complex and funny conversations so feel free to ask him anything you want.

DEEP CENOTE

After all the walking we want that you RELAX and COOL DOWN and the best way to do that is inside of a wonderful Cenote. The Mayas believe that Cenotes are SACRED PLACES with MAGICAL POWERS and their cold crystal-clear water will make you feel like in a spa. Cenotes are UNIQUE to the Peninsula of Yucatan; they were formed circa 55 million years ago and there are several types. The region of Chichen Itza is around 30 meters (90 feet) above sea level and it has 2 types of Cenotes 1) deep cylinder sinkholes and 2) big caves. If you would like to read more about the history of Cenotes, please see the article “The birth of Cenotes & Underground Rivers” in our blog.

The Cenote we currently go to (and believe us we are constantly looking for the best) is Hacienda CHUKUM. This Cenote is a combination from a DEEP CYLINDER sinkhole and BIG CAVE  We love this place because the setting and the BLUE COLOR of the water when the sunlight enters is amazing. Also, this Cenote is LESS crowded and if we arrive early you will be able to enjoy this place almost by yourself and take the BEST photos.

The Hacienda CHUKUM  has changing rooms so please don’t forget to bring your SWIMSUIT and a TOWEL also has LOCKERS . It is important to know that to enjoy this beautiful place, we will need to go down around 50 steps (the water is at sea level because ALL Cenotes are connected through UNDERGROUND RIVERS that end up in the sea). To enter the water before you need take a shower and then, you can calmly walk the final steps on ladders  or, if you are more ADVENTUROUS, you can use the zip line  or jump from the differents platforms to get to the water. If you jump, ask your local expert to take a SLOW-MOTION video, you will LOVE it!! Swimming in the Cenote is safe but in case you need, we always bring our own life jackets, they are CLEANED and DISINFECTED every day. The time at the Cenote is free, we will stay in the Cenote AS LONG AS YOU WANT, you tell us when to leave.

Hacienda CHUKUM is 40 minutes from Ek-Balam. To get there we need to take the regular road and we will pass several small VILLAGES and COMMUNITIES so you will get to see the rural side of Yucatan State and some of the local life. 

LUNCH AT VALLADOLID

5 minutes away from Hacienda OXMAN is the COLONIAL town of VALLADOLID. Founded in 1543 AC, one of the oldest cities in YUCATAN, At this point you will be very hungry so local expert will take for lunch in a local restaurant in the main square. Your private guide will explain the menu and give you recommendations depending on what you want to taste. If you are VEGETARIAN, don’t worry, only let us know so we can take you to a local restaurant with right options for you. The food is included in the tour but the beverages drinks and desserts during the lunch are not (this is the only thing that is not included in the tour). Unfortunately, the bottles of water that we give you cannot be used inside.

Valladolid is a great place to wonder. After lunch you can take some photographs the main square or zocalo. We recommend having an ice cream, visiting the main cathedral and exploring the small streets next by with its amazing MEXICAN COLORS and local life. If you are looking for LOCAL HANDCRAFTS, there are little shops or small markets where you can find beautiful things.

If you are not tired, we recommend walking the charming street of Calzada de los Frailes with its beautiful Spanish architecture, boutique stores and small cafes. At the end of the street you will arrive at the Ex Convento de San Bernardino de Siena, admire this beautiful monastery and take incredible pictures.

If you are tired and you don’t want to walk in Valladolid is no problem, just ask your local expert to drive you through the town and show you these attractions from the comfort of the van.

TRAVELING BACK

When you are ready admiring Valladolid we will head back to the hotel or your Airbnb. For the ride back we will take the TOLL HIGHWAY. From Valladolid to Riviera Maya is a 1 hour and 45 minutes ride. 

This private tour was planned to be back in your hotel or Airbnb at 17.45 p.m. but since everything is done at your pace the exact time of the return will depend on you. Also please note that this is your private tour and so you have the FLEXIBILITY to go back to the hotel at any point or skip any activity you don’t want to do.

We have created this private tour thinking in EVERY DETAIL, making sure that the schedule is perfect. Our final product is not only a tour to Chichen Itza, it’s your TOTAL SATISFACTION and an unforgettable experience. If you would like to read the REVIEWS that past clients have left on TripAdvisor about this tour, please click HERE.