15 Ek Balam Tours near Valladolid to Build a Day Around

1.Ek Balam, Chichen Itza, Cenote & buffet lunch Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 588 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $89Our pick

Leave Playa del Carmen early for guided visits to Ek Balam and Chichén Itzá, with time to climb selected Ek Balam structures, then swim at Cenote Chichikan and eat a Mexican buffet. Guides such as Marcela, Beto, Pastor, and Kevin are known for lively history talks and helpful photography tips.

“We enjoyed everything. The guide, Izakc was so knowledgeable. I was able to know Maya culture. EkBalam was interesting ruins!”

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2.Chichen Itza & Ekbalam Tour From Playa del Carmen

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 267 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $85

Travel from Playa del Carmen to Chichen Itza, Ek Balam, and Cenote Saamal with an English-speaking guide. Expect a long day of ruins, jungle views, a refreshing underground swim, included meals, and several hours in a shared van. Guides such as Edwin, Francisco, and Patricio have earned especially strong praise.

“Communication a problem to start as hour late. Bumpy ride but wow. Patrick our guide was kind funny and knew so much. You must pay tax roughly £48. Lunch included. We had been up since 5.30 got back 8.45pm.”

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3.Small group tour to Chichen Itza early access + Cenote + Ekbalam

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 204 reviews · 11 to 12 hours (approx.) · from $143Top rated

Start early from Playa del Carmen for guided visits to Chichen Itza and Ek Balam, plus a swim at Cenote Hubiku and a Mexican buffet lunch. Groups are capped at 15. Guides such as Miguel, Carmen, Eder, and Ezekiel have led especially engaging visits.

“Chichen Itza is as impressive as you expect and it's definitely worth waking up early to skip the crowds. Our guide was nice, knowledgeable and gave us enough time to visit on our own at each site. The cenote was also very beautiful. It wasn't crowded at all, at least when we visited, so we had a really nice time swimming there. Lunch was ok, nothing special, but you have enough choices and it's conveniently next to the center. Ek balam is also a nice archaeological site, but if it was up to me, it could have been skipped to make such a long day a bit shorter. Overall, I…”

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4.Chichen Itza, Ek Balam, and Hubiku Cenote- Small Group

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 176 reviews · from $179

Visit Chichen Itza with a guide, cool off in Hubiku Cenote, then climb Ek Balam’s main pyramid. The small group, often capped at 14, includes hotel transport, breakfast, buffet lunch, water, and entrance fees for Hubiku and Ek Balam. Chichen Itza admission costs extra.

“Our driver Julian and our guide Eder were both so great! Eder answered all of our questions and had lots of information about local history culture. The Hubiku Cenote was breathtaking and the buffet lunch was delicious!”

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5.Chichen Itza & Ekbalam with Cenote swim from Playa del Carmen

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 171 reviews · 12 to 13 hours (approx.) · from $83

Leave Playa del Carmen early for Chichen Itza, Cenote Saamal, and Ek Balam with an English-speaking guide. Expect a long day, a small group of up to 18 people, buffet lunch, air-conditioned transport, and extra fees for both archaeological sites and a cenote life jacket.

“be prepared for a very long day ours was about 14hrs from pick up to drop off at our resort and the seats are very tight so not a very comfortable drive, bring snacks or buy some at the convenience store where they pick up your tour guide from. you dont get much time to explore on your own at chichen itza but it is well worth the experience. and the best part at ek balam is climbing up all the buildings for a beautiful view.”

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6.Small Group with early access to Chichen Itza, Ekbalam and Cenote

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 166 reviews · 12 to 13 hours (approx.) · from $155

Leave Playa del Carmen early with an English-speaking guide, reach Chichen Itza as it opens, then swim beneath stalactites at Cenote Hubiku and climb Ek Balam’s Acropolis. The group is limited to 14, lunch and transport are included, and guides named Miguel and Rodrigo have earned warm praise.

“Miguel and Rodriguez were awesome! I enjoyed this tour soo much and it was an amazing experience , I learnt to count in Mayan, I learned so much! Amazing tour. amazing tour guide and driver!”

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7.Chichen Itza, Cenote Hubiku, and Ek Balam- Small Group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 160 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $185

Travel by air-conditioned minibus from Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Puerto Morelos, or Riviera Maya to Chichen Itza, Cenote Hubiku, and Ek Balam. Expect an early start, a buffet lunch, a cenote swim, and a small group capped at 15. Guides such as Maria, Jesus, and Joel bring Maya history to life.

“Maria is an amazing tour guide. She is super knowledgeable about the Mayan civilization and is well prepared with magazines and iPad for explanations. She also offered to take multiple pictures for us. She is kind, enthusiastic and extremely helpful.”

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8.Ek Balam, Mayan Cenote and Valladolid

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 94 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $199

Travel from Cancun or Riviera Maya to Ek Balam with a bilingual guide, then swim in a clear open-air cenote at Yalcobá, enjoy a Mayan ceremony, tastings, lunch, and a short Valladolid visit. Guides such as Ricardo and Felix bring history and humor to this long but rewarding day.

“We had an amazing time on the tour to Ek Balam, the Mayan cenote, and Valladolid! The entire day was well organized, and each stop offered something unique and memorable. Ricardo, our tour guide, was absolutely wonderful. He was very knowledgeable about Mayan history, culture, and archaeology. He explained everything with such passion and clarity, and he made the entire group feel engaged and taken care of. You can truly tell he loves what he does. A huge thank you as well to Luis, our driver, who kept us safe and comfortable throughout the trip. The ride was smooth, and he was always friendly and attentive. One thing we really…”

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9.From Riviera Maya: Ek Balam & Cenote Tour w/ Lunch & Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 84 reviews · 12 hours · from $77

Travel from Riviera Maya to Ek Balam, where you can climb the acropolis with a bilingual guide, then swim at Chichikan cenote and enjoy a local buffet with more than 20 choices. Finish in Uayma, known for its striking church. Pickup is available from selected hotels or meeting points.

“Amazing Tour! Our guide Jesus Cuevas he was very good and very prepared!”

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10.Ek Balam Majestic Mayan Ruins and Cenote Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 39 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $169

Spend about 10 hours visiting Ek Balam, swimming at Hacienda Oxman Cenote, eating a Yucatecan buffet, and seeing a Maya blessing. Small groups, INAH-certified guides, hotel pickup, and the chance to climb Ek Balam’s Acropolis make this a strong choice for active history lovers.

“This tour is a must. There were a few hiccups that were completely out of the operators control but they handled it well and kept us on track. Our guide was very helpful and informative. This is a very long day so come prepared.”

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11.VIP Ek Balam Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 23 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $320

Travel privately from Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Tulum, or nearby Riviera Maya hotels to Ek Balam with a certified guide, then swim at Cenote San Lorenzo Oxman and eat an included Mexican lunch in Valladolid. Guide Benicio is praised for clear Mayan history and easy communication.

“We had a really great day with our guide Benicio. He was able to tell us a lot about the Mayan history, about Ek Balam, Valladolid and a lot on the way.”

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12.Private Ek Balam, Cenote & Valladolid tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · 8 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $320

Travel from Tulum with driver-host Leo and a private English-speaking guide. Climb Ek Balam’s carved buildings, cycle to X’Canche Cenote, enjoy Mayan-style lunch in Temozón, and visit Valladolid. Transport, admissions, lunch, and drinks are included.

“Excellent driver and host Leo— helpful in very way and a joy to be with. Excellent transportation. Guide at Ek Balam, Guierrmo, very knowledgeable/ amiable. Cenote experience fun and uncrowded (wear hiking shoes at ruins if you wish to climb pyramids; change to flip flops when you arrive cenote). Mayan themed cultural lunch unexpectedly tasty home cooking. Highly recommend. May repeat trip someday with other family members.”

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13.Ek Balam, Mayan traditions and cenote Chichikan

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · 10 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $69Best value

Travel from Playa del Carmen to Ek Balam, where a guide explains the ancient Maya city before you swim at Chichikan Cenote. The day also includes Mayan food, cacao, tortillas, rituals, a buffet lunch, and Uayma’s Santo Domingo Temple. Pickup is available, with groups capped at 19.

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14.Small group tour to Chichen Itza early access + Cenote + Ekbalam

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $149

Leave Tulum at 7 a.m. for early access to Chichen Itza, with guided time at El Castillo, the Temple of the Warriors, the ball court, and older ruins. Swim beneath stalactites at Cenote Hubiku, eat a regional buffet, then climb Ek Balam with a guide such as Carmen or Miguel.

“Chichen Itza? Mind-blowing and far more expansive then expected… with everything grounded in precise math or calendar references. Cenote Hibiku? It was a magical plunge into frigid, calming waters beneath a small waterfall coming from the entrance of the cenote. Ek Balam? Stairmaster meets Indiana Jones with the unique opportunity to climb the temples. Our guide Carmen made history hilarious and knew EVERYTHING. Our driver Luis drove like a legend. Muchas Gracias!”

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15.Chichen Itza, Cenote Hubiku and Ek Balam Reduced Group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $179

Visit Chichen Itza, swim or look around Cenote Hubiku, and explore Ek Balam on an 11-hour small-group trip from Playa del Carmen. Air-conditioned transport, lunch, guide service, hotel pickup, and most entrance fees are included. Chichen Itza requires an extra cash payment.

“Wonderful especially Javier, the driver, and our tour guide Joel. They were incredibly informative, helpful, patient and caring!!!!”

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