Chichén Itzá is an ancient archaeological site located in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. It is one of the most famous and well-preserved examples of a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican city and was once a major center of the Maya civilization. The site is renowned for its impressive architecture, astronomical significance, and historical importance. Chichen Itza was founded by the Maya people around the 6th century AD and grew to become a prominent city during the Late Classic period (approximately 600-900 AD). It continued to thrive well into the Postclassic period (around 900-1200 AD) even after the decline of many other Maya city-states.

Chichen Itza was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 and in 2007 it was voted in a global survey as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

The Tour of the

Archeological Site

at Chichén Itzá

On one of our trips to Cancun, we chose to take a guided tour to Chichén Itzá. They picked us up from our accommodations and we took a bus to the site. A good part about this tour is that it is not a hike. There is a decent amount of walking to go around the different ruins but it is all on flat ground.

The tour guide gave us a history lesson and showed us the cool tricks. The main pyramid in the center (Pyramid of Kukulcan) also creates a bird like noise when you clap. He explained the Great Ball Court and how the games were played, including discussing the sacrifices that took place. Another area of the ruins is the Temple of Warriors which includes a lot of intricate carvings throughout the stone work. After giving us a tour, we were free to look around the different areas of the site on our own.

The Cenote

The second portion of this guided tour was to the Sacred Cenote. We started this portion by getting lunch at the buffet which is included with the ticket price. The food was decent and there was delicious chips and salsa included. To swim in the cenote, you have to go to the shower area and rinse off first. They then give you a life jacket before letting you walk down the stairs. The water was extremely cold making it a big adjustment compared to the outside temperature. There was a small bridge area where people were able to jump in. We had plenty of time to swim around the area and under the waterfall portion. After drying off in the sun, we walked around the stores that sold salsa and tequila.

The Good and the Bad

A big positive of this trip was that we were on a really nice bus. The seats were comfortable and the tour guide spoke English and Spanish. This made for a great trip because we felt comfortable and were able to ask a lot of questions. Lunch included was definitely a pro to this trip.

A big negative that we didn’t expect was the level of tourism within the ruins area. Once entering the area, scattered around the ruins were tons of small booths of people selling trinkets and things. Some of the trinkets were pretty cool that were Mayan related tools, etc. This wouldn’t have been a big deal if they were all on the outside of the ruins but they were all inside the area. This really took away from the ambience of the experience.

Overall, this was a fun experience. I am glad we were able to mark this off the list for the World Wonders. If you are interested in taking a similar tour, there are some links below for scheduling!

We also have a few other posts and videos for our experiences in Mexico like these – Dream Sapphire Luxury Resort Cancun Experience and Review and The Beautiful Island Experience in Isla Mujeres, Mexico.

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