Riviera Maya · PRIVATE
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 15 private tours worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Start around 6:30 am in a private air-conditioned vehicle, reach Chichen Itza near opening, then swim at Cenote San Lorenzo Oxman and eat a la carte in Valladolid. Guides such as Abraham, Carlos, Heriberto, and Arnulfo tailor the day to your pace.
“We had a fastistic tour with Antonio. He was knowledgeable, friendly, organized and did a great job engaging our three kids. The tour was definitely a highlight of our vacation!”
Travel privately from Playa del Carmen, Cancun, or the Riviera Maya to Chichen Itza with a licensed archaeological guide. Guides such as Alberto, Claudia, David, and Beto bring the ruins to life, while your day also includes a cenote swim, Yucatecan lunch, and Valladolid.
“Our Chichén Itzá tour with Betto was fantastic! He was incredibly punctual and supremely professional from start to finish. Betto's subject matter knowledge is truly impressive; he brought the ancient city to life, going above and beyond to explain everything in detail. He genuinely went out of his way to make sure we had a great time, ensuring we were comfortable and enjoying the experience. Just be warned, after learning so much about Mayan mathematics, you might be expected to pass a pop quiz at the end of the day!”
You get a private Riviera Maya pickup, four cenotes in the Tankah area, jungle zip-lines, canoeing, swimming, snorkeling, and cliff jumping at your own pace. Guides such as Alberto, Marianna, Hugo, and Yair add local context, take photos, and finish with a home-cooked Maya lunch.
“Danny our tour guide was amazing. Super knowledgeable and very flexible with us. He helped us to get in all the things we wanted to see and do within our time restraint and truly customized our tour to us. One of the best tour guides I’ve ever had!”
Start with Tulum’s coastal Maya ruins and a private bilingual guide, then snorkel with turtles and rays at Akumal Beach before swimming through a freshwater cenote. Your private group gets hotel pickup, equipment, tacos, bottled water, and a driver. Guides such as Claudia, Carlos, and JP are available by assignment.
“Claudia at Ocean tours was amazing. She was an amazing guide and thought of all the details. Would highly recommend her for this tour!”
Start early with a private pickup, explore Tulum with guides such as Juan, Isaac, or Abraham, then swim at open-air Cenote Xunaan Ha and the cave passages of Taak Bi Ha. Entry fees, water, transport, and snorkeling gear are included, while lunch is extra.
“We booked a private tour for four of us to Tulumn .Our guide Israel was on time and very knowledgeable about the history of the Mayan people and the Yucatán peninsula. We had a fun, interesting time visiting the ruins. He also took us to two different cenotes. One was above ground and that was ok but the second one was in a cave and we swam with flashlights in the dark. It was the highlight of our trip! Afterwards he took us to local restaurant for seafood tacos. We treated him to lunch and met another local guide. I would recommend taking water shoes as the rocks in the…”
Travel privately from Playa del Carmen to Chichén Itzá with a certified guide, air-conditioned transport, Mexican snacks, drinks, lunch, a swim at Cenote Saamal, and time in Valladolid. Guides such as Miguel, Claudia, James, and Hugo tailor the day to your pace.
“Our tour was excellent from start to finish. Guillermo, our driver, arrived exactly on time, and Yolo, our guide, was incredibly knowledgeable and generous in answering all our questions. The trip was well-planned to arrive at Chichén Itz”
Sail from Puerto Aventuras to the INAH coral reef and a quiet beach on a private 48-foot yacht. Your crew may include Captain Francisco and chefs such as Valeria or Ronald. Snorkel, paddleboard, eat fresh ceviche and guacamole, and enjoy drinks for four hours.
“We had a great time. The kids all agree this was their favorite activity. Eddy, Rogelio and Antonio were fantastic. They made us fell like family.”
Travel by private air-conditioned vehicle from Playa del Carmen to Chichen Itza, Valladolid, and Cenote Xux-Ha. Guides such as Alan, Julio, Jesús, Eduardo, Hisa, and Joel are praised for clear explanations and flexible pacing. Expect an early start, local food, a swim, and added taxes and tolls.
“We decided to book one day trip while in Playa Del Carmen and are so glad we did. This private tour was totally worth the price. We were picked up at our Airbnb and got an early start out to Chichen Itza. We beat most of the crowds (and for low season, it got full quick!). Eduardo was so knowledgeable and gave us all kinds of history and insight on our trip out. We had a great tour and afterwards visited a local place for traditional Mexican food. It felt like we were part of their family - the place all to ourselves and food was fantastic. From there we…”
Leave your hotel or condo with a private bilingual guide such as Alejandra or Juan Pablo, snorkel with sea turtles near Puerto Aventuras, then swim in a freshwater cenote surrounded by stalactites. Gear, snacks, transport, and flexible pacing are included.
“Our entire team was great, Juan Paplo was our guide. Explained everything well and it wasn’t rushed. Highly recommended.”
Swim and snorkel in a private cave at Parque Dos Ojos with a guide such as Yosua, Angela, Samuel, Yuri, or Edwin. Expect crystal-clear water, ancient rock formations, snacks, drinks, private transport, and a 3 to 4 hour outing from anywhere in the Riviera Maya.
“Pictures don’t do this experience justice - I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see the cenotes. We went early and saw nobody else the entire time we were there. It was truly a private tour and unlike anything we’d ever done before. We had the most special time with our tour guide Yuri. She was knowledgeable, beyond helpful and a lot of fun as well!”
Start early from Playa del Carmen for a private, English-language outing to three distinct cenotes, including Gran Cenote and cavern-like Taak Bi Ha. Snorkel with your guide, see turtles and fish, enjoy Mexican brunch, and return by early afternoon. Guides may include Ulises, Jorge, Jhony, Alex, or others.
“My husband and I booked a private tour of 3 cenotes while vacationing in Tulum. Our tour guide was Laura and she was amazing. She was not only very knowledgeable but easy to talk to and very friendly. The beauty of each cenote was indescribable and I’m so happy we had Laura as our guide. I will recommend this experience to all my family and friends.”
Leave early in a private, air-conditioned vehicle for Chichen Itza, where guides such as Juan, Eric, and Abraham bring Maya culture to life before the crowds arrive. Swim at Cenote San Lorenzo Oxman, enjoy included a la carte lunch in Valladolid, and return at your own pace.
“Irving was a great guide, very knowledgeable and kept the kids engaged with renderings and stories. Will recommend.”
Meet Darwin and Marlene at Akumal Beach for a private, one-hour swim through the official CONANP circuit. You’ll wear provided gear and a required life jacket, then look for guaranteed green turtles, rays, tropical fish, and reef life. Bring swimming skills, water, and patience for changing sea conditions.
“Guide was great ! We saw turtles and amazing fish. Highly recommend! Guide was very knowledgeable. He was very informative.”
Book a private, air-conditioned ride between Cancun International Airport and hotels or rentals in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Akumal, or Puerto Aventuras. Your driver meets arrivals with a name sign or collects you from your hotel lobby. One-way and roundtrip options are available.
“The flight was changed because of weather and I let the tour operator know. The communication was extremely poor and I had to send multiple requests to get a response. Even when I arrived at the airport, their communication remained poor. Eventually, I sent them a message requesting they communicate better and that helped. Other than that, the transportation and driver was excellent. The three stars is just for the poor communication. There are plenty of other transportation options from the Cancun airport, so avoid one with poor communication”
Book a private 40-foot Bali catamaran for up to 10 people and cruise from Puerto Aventuras toward the Mexican Caribbean reef. Your four-hour outing includes snorkeling gear, a gourmet lunch menu, premium drinks, alcohol, and time to play your own music. Food choices are selected for the group.
“Wonderful crew. Beautiful surroundings. Played our own music, had good food and drinks. Lovely way to end our Mexico trip. Highly recommend.”
Pick a cenote, a ruin or a stretch of reef.
