Chichen Itza Deluxe Experience with Cenote & Transportation

Travel in style and comfort aboard a deluxe bus to Chichen Itza, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and a can’t-miss part of your Cancun or Riviera Maya vacation. Follow your expert guide through the hallowed grounds of this ancient Mayan city and prepare to be enthralled by world-class landmarks like the iconic Temple of Kukulcan, the Observatory, more pyramids and other impressive temples. Then refuel with an authentic Yucatec buffet lunch, refresh at a cenote (freshwater sinkhole), and enjoy more food and drinks along the way for a truly exclusive adventure.

• Enjoy a comfortable ride on a deluxe bus from your resort to the majestic archaeological site of Chichen Itza
• Follow your bilingual guide as you visit the highlights of Chichen Itza, including the Temple of Kukulcan and the Observatory
• Stop for lunch and taste local delicacies at the Pueblo Maya restaurant
• Cool down with a magnificent dip in the crystal-clear waters of a magnificent cenote
• Refresh with beer and soft drinks on the return ride to your resort
• Activity duration: Full day, 13 hrs approximately (including transportation time to and from activity)
• Hotel pick-up and drop-off included

Live a Chichen Itza Deluxe Experience with VIP transportation!

Your journey into the most majestic archaeological complex of the Mayan Empire starts early in the morning with a pick-up from your Cancun or Riviera Maya resort. The transportation will be on a deluxe, air-conditioned bus with pleasant seats with a headrest built in to ensure a comfortable journey from beginning to end.

During your time on the road to Chichen Itza, you get to enjoy VIP service that kicks off the day with a continental breakfast that includes pastries, whole fruits, coffee, and juice. If you’re coming in a group of four people, you could have a space with four seats facing each other, all separated by a wooden table so the group can converse freely during breakfast. You'll also have the convenience of an outlet for both USB and regular cables, plus WiFi and bathrooms.

Take a guided tour of Chichen Itza and the Temple of Kukulcan

When you finally arrive to the sacred site of Chichen Itza, the passengers will be split off into two groups of 22, each group assigned to one personal bilingual guide. This is optimal so the group is intimate enough to ask personal questions to the guide and to keep the information interesting and vibrant. Groups can also be separated by the languages they’re more comfortable speaking, this way the guide will make sure to communicate thoroughly to the guests about all the details of the tour and your breathtaking surroundings.

Follow your assigned guide and enter the grounds. You'll no doubt be immediately captivated by the glorious Temple of Kukulcan, which dominates the scene at 98 feet high. If you visit during the spring and autumn equinoxes, you could witness the presence of Kukulcan, the Serpent God, whose shadow slithers down the staircase of the temple named after him. There are 91 steps on each of the four sides of the temple. When you add all the steps together and include the top platform as the final step, you get a total of 365 steps, which equals the number of days in a year. This is the type of information you can hear on your excursion.


See more structures and stunning temples at Chichen Itza

Continue your trek through the Chichen Itza complex and listen to your guide give you even more insight into the Mayans' geometrical and astronomical genius. Besides the iconic Temple of Kukulcan, you'll find that the mathematical precision is exemplified by the Observatory. Mayan astronomers used this structure to watch the heavens above and predict celestial events with total accuracy. Nearby, you'll also visit the Nunnery and the Monastery, two of the complex's more intricately decorated temples that housed the kingdom’s revered clergy.

Your tour of the Chichen Itza archaeological site can't end without a stop at the Ball Court, one of the most impressive of its kind. On this field, the Mayans used to play an ancient ball game that served as a sacred rite of passage for many young men. There's also the Temple of the Warriors, which shaped the young Mayan soldiers into fierce protectors of their lands. Your guide will be attuned to the group's curiosity and thirst for knowledge, as well as your need to try hands-on experiences like an exercise of clapping near-certain structures and hearing the echo come back like a bird's chirp.

Stop for a lunch buffet to taste the flavors created by the Mayans

After you've exited Chichen Itza, return to your deluxe air-conditioned bus and sit back in your comfortable seat to relax after your walk through the amazing complex. Your bus will take a very short drive to the nearby town of Piste for a magnificent lunch buffet at the Pueblo Maya restaurant, which highlights the best of the local cuisine from Yucatan state. The restaurant offers a very private space, with tables for up to 4 people, allowing each couple to have one table all to themselves.

Savor the vibrant flavor of the region with local delicacies laid out in a buffet row for you to select and sample as much as you wish. Many of these dishes date back to when the Mayan people were still preparing meals by hand at the zenith of the empire. Enjoy staples such as cochinita pibil, pork cooked in sauce in an underground fire pit; sopa de lima, a chicken soup with lime slices for extra flavor; Yucatec tamales; chicken fajitas; breaded fish and even mini burgers. Vegan and vegetarian options are also available, and certain meatless items not on the menu can be requested ahead of time.


Refresh your essence at a magnificent cenote

Follow up your heavenly meal with the most refreshing part of your day — a swim in the naturally gorgeous cenote, a freshwater sinkhole below ground. The Mayans considered cenotes a sacred water source, a portal to their gods, and their connection to the mighty oceans, as the underground river system extends throughout the Yucatan Peninsula.

Go down almost 100 steps to take a dip in the crystalline waters of a cenote. You can simply get into the water or be adventurous by jumping from a taller height. You will no doubt feel reinvigorated as you’re delighting in an unbelievable swim, which some locals describe as a serenity akin to returning to their mother’s womb. If you’re not much of a water person, however, you can simply sit and admire the green setting that encapsulates this natural masterpiece.

Pass through Valladolid and relax on your return ride

Once you’ve felt soul-deep refreshment at the cenote, dry yourself, change clothes and return to your deluxe transportation for the drive back to your resort. Your full day of exploration will call for more refreshment and relaxation, so kick back with a couple of Coronas served in glass bottles for a more special taste. You can also unwind with unlimited soft drinks such as water or authentic Coca-Cola products, including Coke, Sprite, and Fanta.

On the roads of Yucatan state, your bus will pass through the town of Valladolid, a colorful place with colonial architecture and centuries’ worth of history. You’ll get a quick but memorable glimpse of the vibrant downtown square and its churches and structures, all before returning to the highway for a smooth ride back to Cancun or the Riviera Maya.

• Round-trip transportation in a deluxe, air-conditioned bus
• Continental breakfast on the way to Chichen Itza, served with coffee and juice
• Bilingual tour guide
• Entrance fee to the archaeological site
• Lunch buffet at the Pueblo Maya restaurant, including flavored or natural water in a glass (bottled drinks are at additional cost)
• Visit a magnificent cenote and enjoy a swim
• Water, soft drinks and beer on the return trip
• Panoramic ride through the colonial town of Valladolid (no stops allowed) on the return

• Pick-up times run from 7 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. and vary according to your resort, so ask your Amstar representative for more information
• Wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes, as this excursion requires plenty of walking
• Bring insect repellent, sunglasses, a camera, a swimsuit and a towel
• Bring extra money for shopping, tips, bottled beverages, snacks, souvenirs, mandatory life jacket, and locker at the cenote (tipping is optional)
• Times, duration, and order of excursion activities can vary depending on weather conditions, unexpected events, and operations of the day
• Wheelchairs with wider wheels are suggested for easier movement in the archaeological zone
• Wheelchair users must be able to move independently or be moved by a family member or companion
• Infants from 0 to 4 years of age must ride on their parent’s laps or pay a recovery rate to ensure they have a seat
• Note: The duration varies depending on the hotel of pick up. The times are approximate, because it depends on the daily operation, on the equinox dates the itinerary is reversed to be able to enjoy the effect of light and shadow.
• Please note that our partner will be providing transportation in their vehicle so that you can enjoy this exciting excursion.
• Important: If you are in Cozumel and wish to have this experience, please select your pick-up location at the meeting point that best suits you.