Last Updated on October 26, 2024
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Chichen Itza in Mexico needs no introduction. It’s one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the top tourist attractions in the country. Out of all the archeological sites found in the Yucatán area, Chichén Itzá is the best known and most visited one, drawing over 2 million tourists each year.
Built and inhabited between AD 600 – 1200, Chichén Itzá was one of the largest cities in Mayan civilization and an important center of political and economic activity. Its development span over several centuries, which is reflected in many architectural styles of the structures i.e. Puuc, Toltec.
Most people associate Chichén Itzá with the main El Castillo pyramid, not realizing how huge the entire complex is. While El Castillo gets the most attention, there are many more incredible buildings spread over 4 square miles (10 square km). Temple of the Warriors, The Great Ball Court and El Caracol are just a few of many impressive structures you get to see during your visit.
Where is Chichén Itzá ?
The archeological site of Chichén Itzá is located in the Yucatán state, about 2 km from a small town Pisté, halfway between Cancún and Mérida. It’s very well connected with the nearby cities Valladolid and Mérida, and also easily accessible from many major tourist destinations in the Yucatán Peninsula (Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum). This sure contributes to it being the most visited Mayan ruins in the country.
Visiting Chichen Itza, Mexico
El Castillo (Temple of Kukulcán)
Right as you enter the archeological zone of Chichen Itza, you see El Castillo, also known as the Temple of Kukulcán . This is the most recognizable of all structures and one most people associate with Chichen Itza. Standing at close to 100 feet tall, the pyramid is truly impressive, not only in size but also the design.
The Temple of Kukulcán shows, that the Mayans knowledge of astrology and mathematics was really advanced. All four s des of the Temple have a staircase with 91 steps each and there is an extra step at the top. When you add them up, there are 365 of them, which represents 365 days in a year.
If you visit Chichen Itza on spring and autumn equinox (March 21 and September 23), you will be able to witness yet another phenomenon. On those two days, a shadow falls on the pyramid creating an image of a serpent and as the sun sets, the shadow moves down and joins the stone serpent’s head at the bottom.
What you’ve seen in photos does not even compare to how impressive the pyramid is, when you are standing right in front of it.
The Temple of the Warriors
Right next to the El Castillo, you will find another impressive structure, Temple of the Warriors. This large pyramid is surrounded by 200 columns, which contain carvings of warriors. There is a steep staircase in the middle leading to the top, where there are more columns, as well as a statue of Chac Mool. These very specific sculptures of a reclining man were very typical for the Pre-Columbian groups and were considered to be messenger of the Gods. There are several of them at Chichen Itza, one right on top of the Temple of the Warriors.
Plaza of a Thousand Columns
Connected to the Temple of Warriors, you will find rows of stone columns. It’s believed, that at some point those columns supported a roof.
The Market Place
A square shaped structure with wide stairs leading up to it and more stone pillars surrounding it. Archeologists believe, that this area used to be a market place.
Ball Court (Juego de Pelota)
The great ball court, Juego de Pelota, was another highlight of Chichen Itza for me. This is the biggest ball court in Mesoamerica. It features two large, vertical walls and temples on each end. It’s believed, that the ball court was used for ceremonies and playing ritual games, which was a way of settling political and social disputes.
When you look up, you will see that each wall has a round ring. The objective of the game was to put the 12 Ib rubber ball through the hoop without using your hands. It’s not clear whether it was the captain of the winning or losing team, that was sacrificed, although it’s believed it was the latter.
The Ball Court is also a place with amazing acoustics. Despite a rather long distance, a sound made on one side can be very well heard on the other.
The Tzonpantli (Wall of Skulls)
The Wall of Skulls, also known as the Tzonpantli, is definitely of the most gruesome structures at Chichen Itza, Mexico. The large platform has skull carvings on one side and snakes, eagles and warriors carrying human heads on the other.
This platform was used to display heads of the victims, which was a common practice among the Mayan people.
The Observatory (El Caracol)
El Caracol is a large structure with a circular viewing tower. It got its name from the spiral shaped staircase, that leads to the top. The building was used by Mayans for astronomical observations.
The Church (Iglesia)
You can find this beautiful building in the southernmost part of the Chichen Itza complex. The Church is covered in amazing details, which was very typical for the Puuc architecture.
The Sacred Cenote (Cenote Sagrado)
Cenotes can be found all over Yucatán, and there’s one within the Chichen Itza complex as well. But don’t pull out your bathing suit just yet, as swimming at this one is not allowed. If you look at the murky water, I doubt, you’d even want to take a dip.
Cenote Sagrado was a site of a lot of ceremonial sacrifices performed by the Mayans. Jade, gold and human remains were all discovered on the bottom of this sinkhole.
Visiting Cenote Ik Kil
While you can’t swim at the cenote right at Chichen Itza, there is one less than 10 minute drive away.
As beautiful as Ik Kil cenote is, it does get really crowded. Since it’s so close to Chichen Itza, a lot of group tours include a stop there after visiting the archeological zone. So if you are one of those tours, you are most likely going to make a stop there. If you plan on visiting Chichen Itza on your own, and you still want to go to Ik Kil despite the crowds, you can either drive ( if that’s how you got to Chichen Itza ), or take a taxi. As you exit the Chichen Itza complex, there will be several people offering to take you to Cenote Ik Kil.
Chichen Itza opening hours
Chichen Itza is open daily from 8 am – 5 pm, with the last admission at 4 pm.
Keep in mind, that the state of Quintana Roo (where Cancún, Tulum and Playa del Carmen are) is in a different time zone than Yucatán (where Chichén Itzá is). If you plan on visiting from those destinations between October to April, Quintana Roo will be one hour ahead. For the rest of the year, from April to October, both states are in the same time zone.
Chichén Itzá entrance fee
So how much does it cost to visit one of the 7 New Wonders of the World? Chichen Itza are one of the most expensive Mayan Ruins in Mexico to visit. The price doubled in 2019, and it keeps increasing. In 2024 it will cost you a total of 643 MXN to enter the complex. The price is split in two parts: general admission (548 MXN) and the government fee (95 MXN). Mexican citizens tickets pay 285 MXN, and they enter for free on Sundays. While the general admission part of the ticket can be paid by either credit card or cash, the government fee is cash only. So be sure to plan in advance and have some cash on you when you visit.
There is no way to buy Chichen Itza tickets online in advance, but you can book Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket.
How much time do you need?
It all depends on how much time you spend at each site and whether you hire a guide or not. But given the size of the entire place, I’d say plan on anywhere from 2.30 – 4 hours.
Do you need a guide at Chichen Itza?
Yes and no. What I think you do need is to know the history behind Chichén Itzá, because it will definitely make your visit so much better. If you are not into taking a group tour and prefer to visit on your own ( which is something I recommend ), you can either read and learn about Chichén Itzá before you come, or hire a guide once you get there. When you arrive, there will be plenty of guides offering to take you around. The average price is between 600 -1000 MXN. If you don’t know much about Chichén Itzá, I highly recommend it. You really will get so much more out of your visit vs just walking around and photographing structures at the site. Even though there are plaques in front of most structures, the information is very minimal.
Can you climb Chichen Itza, Mexico?
After a tragic accident in 2006, when a women fell to her death while descending El Castillo, climbing is no longer allowed and the pyramid is roped off. Which is probably for the best, as it not only prevents more accidents, but also preserves this incredible structure.
How to get to Chichen Itza, Mexico
Car
Driving in the Yucatán Peninsula is fairly easy and many people visit Chichen Itza as part of the Yucatán road trip. The roads are well maintained and well marked. Keep in mind, that some of the fast roads are toll roads ( i.e.180D ), and those are paid in cash only. Once you get to Chichen Itza, there is a huge parking lot and it costs 80 MXN to park for the day.
If you need a rental car, I recommend using Discover Cars. It’s a price comparison website, that searches only reputable car companies to find the best deal.
Colectivo
If you are based in Valladolid, you can easily get to Chichen Itza by catching a ride on a Colectivo. Colectivos are small, 12 passenger vans, that have no set schedule and leave when full. However, the wait until enough people show up is usually no longer than 15-20 minutes. You can find the Colectivo stop on Calle 39 ( between 46 and 48 ), near the main Bus Terminal. The vans leave frequently between 7 am – 6 pm. If you take the first one at 7 am, you will arrive minutes before Chichen Itza opens. One way ride costs 40 MXN.
When you are ready to head back to Valladolid, head to the spot right across the Mercado de Artesanias ( Market Place ), where the big tree and 3 wooden benches are. That’s where the buses and Colectivos stop.
ADO bus
Another great way to get to Chichen Itza on your own from many tourist destinations in Yucatán is by taking the ADO bus. The buses are very comfortable and cheap. You can check the schedule and pricing on the official ADO website.
I do recommend pre-booking your ticket online, especially that there are only a handful of departures daily. Be aware though, that some foreign bank cards don’t work on the ADO site. If you run into that problem, you can purchase the same ticket on Busbud.com.
Group Tours
If you are not one who likes to travel independently, you can always visit Chichen Itza on a group tour. There are plenty of them to choose from, from many major tourist places across Yucatán Peninsula. Since it’s a few hour drive from places like Cancún or Playa del Carmen, the tours usually combine the visit to Chichen Itza with a cenote stop, a quick visit to Valladolid.
By joining a group tour, you don’t need to worry about anything. Transportation, guide and all the logistics are all taken care for you. The downside of course is, that you are on a schedule and will be there when Chichen Itza is the busiest. If you still prefer booking a guided tour vs visiting on your own, these are some of the higher rated tours.
- From Cancún/ Riviera Maya: Chichén Itzá, Valladolid & Cenote Tour
- From Tulum – Chichen Itza, Cenote and Valladolid Tour
How to visit Chichen Itza without the crowds
For most group tours, it takes about 2-3 hours to get to Chichén Itzá, so they usually don’t start arriving until 10-10.30 am. By being there right when it opens at 8 am, you have at least 2 good hours without the massive crowds. Don’t expect to be the only person there, but the number of people is just a small fraction of the crowds, that show up later.
If you plan on driving from Cancún, Playa del Carmen or Tulum, that means leaving very early. Trust me, it will be well worth it.
However, the best scenario and my recommendation is to base yourself in Valladolid for a couple of days and take a half day trip to Chichén Itzá from there. This beautiful, Colonial town is just 45 min away and if you take the first Colectivo at 7 am, you arrive at Chichén Itzá a few minutes before it opens. The convenient location is not the only thing Valladolid has going for it. With beautiful architecture, colorful streets, delicious Yucatan cuisine and cenote right in town, it’s one of the most charming and authentic destinations in Mexico.
Hotels near Chichén Itzá
If you want to stay really close to Chichén Itzá ruins, there are a couple of hotels, basically next door. Staying at one of these properties will give you a chance to be a walking distance to the ruins, arrive first thing in the morning and beat the crowds.
Mayaland Hotel & Bungalows – a beautiful property right next door. A lot of the rooms have views of the El Caracol observatory. Extra perks of staying at the hotel are a private entrance to Chichén Itzá , as well as the ability to access the site as early as 6 am. However, both have been suspended due to the pandemic, so make sure to check before booking, if that’s a selling point for you. In the meantime, they do offer a free shuttle to the entrance.
Hacienda Chichen Resort and Yaxkin Spa – this eco friendly boutique hotel is another great choice, if you want to be just a stone’s throw away from the entrance to Chichen Itza, Mexico. It’s a converted 16th century hacienda, set in the lush gardens, with a big swimming pool, restaurant and spa services.
Tips for visiting Chichén Itzá, Mexico
- Get there when it opens at 8 am – beating the crowds is one of the main reasons I recommend getting there right when it opens, but not the only one. By arriving early, you will also avoid the strongest sun and heat. There’s very little shade and the sun can really get to you, especially mid day. Also, for the first couple of hours, the vendors are just arriving and setting up their stands, so they will leave you alone for the most part.
- Go to El Castillo first – this is the highlight of Chichen Itza for most people and where the most crowds are. If you arrive early, take advantage of it being relatively empty to get your perfect shots without people in it. It will be mission impossible once the tour buses start arriving.
- Tripods and drones are not allowed – both fall into the category of professional camera gear, which requires a special permit for a hefty fee. If you do bring either one ,you’ll be asked to leave it in your car or use one of the lockers.
- Wear a hat and use sunscreen – even though you are technically in the jungle, most of the grounds at have very little shade. The sun is really strong, especially if you visit later in the day.
- Avoid visiting on a Sunday – this is when Mexican citizens and residents get free admission, so it gets even more crowded than usual. Same applies to National Holidays.
- Luggage storage – if you have a bigger bag or luggage you don’t want to carry around the site, there’s plenty of storage.
- Bring cash in Pesos – Even though there is an ATM on site, my trips to Mexico taught me not to rely on it. In case you wondered, US dollars are NOT accepted, so make sure to bring enough pesos to cover the admission, water, snacks and whatever else you think you’ll buy.
READ MORE:
- How to visit Coba Ruins – one of the best Mayan sites in Mexico
- How to visit the Pyramids of Teotihuacán from Mexico City on you own
- Valladolid in Mexico – a hidden gem in the Yucatán Peninsula
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