Cenotes Experiences and Tours

Cenotes are deep water wells that are fed by rainwater or by the tributaries of underground rivers that are born in the heart of the earth, so in addition to being a natural beauty difficult to find elsewhere, they are also natural attractions that are navigable and very refreshing.

The cenotes, moreover, were considered sacred by the Mayas, since they understood that through them they could achieve a contact with the centre of the earth. Visiting them is one of the best activities you can see and do in Cancun and they are the ideal excuse to visit some of the main sites of Quintana Roo, since they are part of the excursions to Chichen Itza or the tours to the Tulum Ruins.

On this excursion you will visit one of the most visited cenotes in Yucatan, located in a crystal clear lagoon where you can snorkel and swim with fish, trails and benches.

Its layout makes it ideal if you are travelling to Cancun with children and it also offers a half-day tour of the beaches of Akumal, where you can swim with three different species of turtles.

Akumal is home to the second largest barrier reef in the world, the Mesoamerican Reef, which ensures a permanent influx of turtles and other marine life, no matter what time of year you visit Cancun.

These excursions generally include hotel pick-up and drop-off, snorkelling equipment and round-trip bus transfer.

For an extra cost, you can opt for souvenir photos of the Akumal beach visit and turtle sighting. Please note that these tours do not usually include the turtle conservation fee of around 13 euros per visitor.

Interesting details

• Price of the tour... Starts from 95 euros per person, including return transfers and entrance fees to the attractions.
• Duration of the tour... Approximately five hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... You will be able to visit a low complexity cenote so it is ideal if you are travelling with children.

Although there are tours that take you to these cenotes separately, the combined option is ideal if you are looking to visit two of the underground cave paradises in the same day.

Sac Actun and Nohoch Nah Chich are two recently discovered cenotes, so it is a little exploited tourist site. There you can swim and snorkel to see the stalagmites in the cenote.

This type of tour usually also includes an off-road vehicle excursion through the Yucatan jungle. Once inside the Mayan jungle, you will be able to see different species of endemic flora and fauna and you will be able to rappel and zip-line.

This excursion is for small groups of up to ten people so you will have personalised assistance from the expert local guide.

Excursions usually include lunch with a typical Mexican menu, drinks, hotel pick-up, transfer to and from Cancun by bus and entrance fees to the attractions.

Details of interest

• Price of the tour... Starts from 106 euros per person, including return transfers, lunch and entrance fees to the attractions.
• Duration of tour... Approximately seven hours.
• Advantages of this tour... It's a complete experience and you'll get to see the Mayan jungle.
• Disadvantages of this excursion... It includes several stages of adventure circuit so it is not recommended for children and older adults.

It is one of the most complete excursions, as it allows you to visit the Sacred Cenote, one of the most beautiful and popular in Mexico, and the ancient city of Chichen Itza, one of the new seven wonders of the modern world, which was built around the year 600 and is characterized by its temples and the Castle that crowns the archaeological site as the highest of the place.

On these half-day excursions you will be accompanied by an expert local guide and round-trip bus transportation from Cancun.

Some options also include lunch with a typical Mexican menu and a visit to Valladolid, a colonial city on the Yucatan Peninsula that stands out for its picturesque temples and historical monuments as a town of indigenous resistance.

Please note that in some cases these excursions may not include entrance fees to the Sacred Cenote or the entrance ticket to Chichen Itza, which is about thirty euros.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Starts from 47 euros per person, including transfers and entrance fees to the attractions.
• Duration of the tour... Approximately twelve hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... On the same tour you can visit one of the best cenotes in Quintana Roo and the most famous Mayan archaeological site in the world.

On this excursion you can visit the Mayan archaeological site of Chichen Itza, one of the new seven wonders of the modern world, which is famous for the Temple of the Warriors and the Pyramid of Kukulkan, but also swim in the cenote Ik-Kil, one of the largest in Mexico, with 60 metres in diameter and 48 metres high, covered by rock walls.

Some of these excursions also include a visit to Valladolid, an indigenous town noted for its indigenous resistance and temples.

The day tour includes round-trip bus transfers, the assistance of an expert local guide, entrance fees to the excursions and in some cases also lunch with a typical Mexican menu.

This is an ideal excursion if you are travelling to Cancun in April, as the Ik-Kil cenote is very beautiful, but it is also a bit cold due to its location, so it is perfect for you to swim and cool off after a long tour.

Details of interest

• Price of the tour... Starts from 95 euros per person, including transfers to and from the cenote, entrance fees to the attractions and the assistance of the expert local guide.
• Duration of tour... Approximately twelve hours.
• Advantages of this tour... You will see Chichen Itza and one of Mexico's largest cenotes on the same tour. It is ideal if you are travelling to Cancun between March and May, when temperatures are very hot.

The Chen-Ha and Mariposa cenotes are two of the most scenic, as they are surrounded by the Kaan Luum lagoon , an oasis in the middle of Tulum's vegetation and with a picturesque wooden pier that runs from the shore to the centre.

In addition, this type of excursion includes the Tulum Ruins, one of the best-known Mayan archaeological sites, as well as its adjacent beaches.

The tour, which includes round-trip bus transfer from Cancun and the assistance of an expert local guide, normally begins with a visit to the Tulum Ruins, characterised by El Castillo, the Temple of the Frescoes and the Temple of the God of the Wind, which is at the foot of the main building of the archaeological site and in the area adjacent to the beach.

Tulum was the most advanced Mayan city, built with planned architecture and in a quadrangular system, to designate the importance of the cardinal points.

After your visit to Tulum you can cool off in the cenotes of Chen-Ha and Mariposa and get some of the best pictures of your trip.

These half-day excursions usually also include entrance to the archaeological site of Tulum Ruins and the cenotes. Lunch may be included in some options.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Starts from 31 euros per person, including return transfers and entrance fees to the excursions.
• Duration of the excursion... Between five and six hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... You will visit one of the most advanced archaeological sites of the Mayan civilisation and two of the most beautiful cenotes, surrounded by a lagoon that is considered a natural miracle.

Tickets can be booked online or purchased at a tour provider's office when you arrive in Cancun, but if you visit Cancun in May or the high season months, I recommend you book the excursions in advance to avoid problems with availability.

Also keep in mind that if you book online you will know the details of the service and transfer providers and also the activities that are included, as many times when you book them at the local offices they may inform you that certain services are included and then they are not, such as the entrance fees to the archaeological sites of Chichen Itza and the Tulum Ruins.

The answer depends on the excursion you choose. Full-day excursions, which include visits to Chichen Itza or the Tulum Ruins, usually last between ten and twelve hours, while those that include a quick visit to the cenotes or swimming with turtles can take between five and seven hours.

All excursion times are counted from departure from Cancun and transfer back to the hotel. Be aware of how many hours you will actually be at the cenote or archaeological sites at the time of booking, as some tours offer a very short time at each site and you may not have enough time to tour at your own pace.

On these tours you will have access to some of the best and most beautiful cenotes in Mexico but also to some historical sites.

Here's what you'll see.

• Tulum Ruins: Second only to Chichen Itza as the most visited and best known Mayan archaeological site in the world. This planned walled city is characterised by its site on a cliff facing the Caribbean Sea.
• Chichen Itza: Chosen as one of the new seven wonders of the modern world, mystical Chichen Itza is home to some of the most iconic sites such as El Castillo and the Temple of the Warriors.
• Valladolid: It is the oldest city in Quintana Roo, noted for its temples and monuments of indigenous resistance and also for its exquisite gastronomy, which is one of the best in the Yucatan Peninsula.
• Sacred Cenote: Also called Cenote Saamal, it is located very close to Chichen Itza and is one of the most popular cenotes in Mexico. It is one of the most recommended natural experiences.
• Cenote Yal-Kú: It is one of the most easily accessible cenotes, so it is ideal to visit with children. There you will be able to swim with fish and local species in the tranquillity of its crystalline waters.
• Cenotes Sac Actun and Nohoch Nah Chich: They are two recently discovered cenotes, characteristic for being located in the depth of a cavern.
• Cenote Ik-Kil: One of the largest in Mexico with an opening of 60 metres in diameter and walls 48 metres high.
• Cenotes Chen-Ha and Mariposa: They stand out for their crystalline and calm waters and for being surrounded by the Kaan Luum lagoon, an oasis in the middle of the Yucatan vegetation.

The cenotes are spaces of difficult access in general, so having the assistance of a guide and an organised tour will save you time and money. Ideally, you should hire a guided tour.

For the Chichen Itza and Tulum Ruins tours , which can be exhausting, I recommend you bring comfortable shoes and water for hydration, especially if you are visiting Cancun in March.

It will depend on the excursion you choose and the activities it includes, apart from the cenotes. The most economical are the tours to the Sacred Cenote and Chichen Itza and those that include a visit to the Chen-Ha and Mariposa cenotes. Half-day tours start at 31 euros.

Excursions that include more activities such as off-road vehicle tours in the Yucatan jungle or snorkelling and diving activities start at 95 euros and can last up to twelve hours.

Visiting the cenotes can be cumbersome to do on your own and in some cases not very productive. Ideally, combine a trip to the cenotes with another activity such as visiting archaeological sites or the Yucatan jungle. Or with scuba diving, snorkelling or abseiling.

The Yucatan Peninsula also hides many mysteries that can be revealed by your expert local guide if you opt for a guided tour. You will also learn more about the flora and fauna and some characteristic sites such as the Kaan Luum lagoon which is often difficult to access for private visitors.

Since the Yucatan Peninsula has long distances and uncomfortable roads, on a tour you will not only get to see other sites and do extra activities in addition to the visit to the cenotes, but you will also be able to relax and enjoy the visits in peace and quiet. In addition, you will have the assistance of a guide and a pre-arranged itinerary.

These excursions will save you time and money and allow you to leave the city early in the morning and return in the evening to continue with the best activities in Cancun the next day. And you, are you ready to enjoy the cenotes?