Private Tour: Coba And Tulum Ruins From Cancun

I booked a private tour of Tulum and Coba ruins with Viator for July 28, 2026 for my boyfriend and myself. Alejandro and Jose were excited to pick us up promptly and were extremely accommodating. Jose did an excellent job o navigating while Alejandro briefes us about the trip. During the drive, Alejandro gave us an informative masterclass of the Mayan culture's ways of life along with visual aids to make the information come alive. He has an indepth understanding of the advanced recording, timekeeping and mathematical systems of the Mayan people. Alejandro showed us housing structures, temples and paintings. We were in awe of his wealth of experience and knowledge. He dialoged with us to answer all of our questions into the past and how it connects with the present. Through his eyes, we learned so much and it was apparent rhat his passion for teaching has lifted his learners to higher levels of understanding. He offered us to climb Nohoch Mul, one of the only preserved ruins that vistors can access. We did so enthusiastically and he offered to record our photos for posterity. Alejandro was informative about the history of each ruin, specifically pointing out the development of the ball courts in Coba. We learned more in one session with Alejandro than I had learned in my previous trips to archeological sites combined. He was extremely fluent in English which we appreciated very much. We stopped for a buffet lunch at a wonderful restaurant in Coba. The cuisine and service were both excellent. I cannot thank Alejandro enough for the excellent tour and Jose for driving. With all of our gratitude-LeeAnn Farmer

Great tour of 2 sites: Coba was much more active (choice to bike through the site and climb) and Tulum was beautiful. Super convenient and comfortable to be picked up from our hotel and the van was well stocked with snacks. Guide and driver were both very friendly, knowledgeable and patient with the pace of my family that spanned the ages of 10-75.

Timely hotel pickup, driver and tour guide (Omar ) were attentive. Private Tour was educational and exactly what was needed to start the “cousin trip”. Take extra cash for the Cobá bike or bike “taxi” option

Excellent tour. The tour guide (Alberto) was very informative and helpful. Cova and Tulum are spectacular. Highly recommend.

The tour was amazing. The guides arrived on time. They were very professional and knowable about the sites and the stops we made along the way. Lunch was great and it’s nice to eat locally owned.

Lalo was our tour guide and was a wealth of knowledge about the Tulum Mayan ruins. We walked around and he explained the entire history about the ruins to us. This was a half day tour and was worth the money we paid. They picked us up from our hotel and dropped us off safely back to the resort.

We took a day trip to Tulum, Coba, and walked through the jungle to swim in the cenotes (I believe it was Rio Secreto). We also got to be part of a Mayan ceremony and eat traditional Mexican food in the Mayan community. Big shout out to Eli, we did this trip on Saturday April 30th. We booked through BD Experience, which was part of our Westjet vacation so there's a few levels of companies and I really hope I got to the right one on here because Eli really deserves a great review. He was very very patient with our group. He was also very informative, you could tell he truly knew his stuff and was very smart. He was also genuine with his knowledge, which was appreciative and made the experience personable. It was a long day in the heat and he remained energetic and professional throughout the entire trip. We did this on a very hot day (what it felt like to someone from Canada lol). Eli provided umbrellas which really helped. I recommend making sure to wear the appropriate clothing, especially in Tulum as there's really no shade through the tour of the ruins, this is why I appreciated the umbrellas. Also, wear the proper foot wear. There is a lot of walking, I felt comfortable in my Birkenstocks but saw some other people struggled in uncomfortable sandals. I highly recommend doing this excursion (speak to who ever you're booking from because there's so many different packages), you get to see a lot in one day AND you learn a lot. You also get to swim in the cenotes which was an incredible experience! Only thing, you can't take photos which is completely understandable but the cost to purchase them is a lot. We compared it in Canadian dollars of course and it was just not in our price range after paying for the excursion (plus other trip things). The money goes towards the Mayan community which is great so if you can afford it definitely get it because I wish I had photos of the Mayan ceremony because it was a highlight of the trip. It was truly a great day/excursion! Thank you to Eli :)

We had a wonderful tour of Coba with Victor Manuel and Alfonso. Victor Manuel was very knowledgeable and they were both very enjoyable and accommodating. I would highly recommend a tour with them!

It was my second excursion for my first trip to Mexico - the first excursion was through Cancun Adventures and the snorkeling/caterman/isla mujeres trip - we went for the Ruins excursion with the snorkeling to see sea turtles. Definitely not disappointed with the tour - we had two guides and our "spiritual leader" as Oliver liked to call him through the trip. Oliver made it fun and his counterpart did a great job explaining the history of what we were about to see. Oliver ended up being our main guide through the Coba Mayan Ruins and sea turtle trip. Both guides were awesome, but we got to know Oliver a lot more since he was our guide and you definitely won't be disappointed and enjoyed ourselves a lot. You definitely feel safe and the guides do a great job keeping up with everyone. They take the extra precautions to ensure the groups are taken care of and also making it fun and funny too. We appreciated our guides knowledge and humor - he made us laugh a lot. The lunch was simple sandwiches, chips and water/soda - so if you prefer another snack, then you can bring something that won't spoil. But we liked the lunch. We did have dinner with our tour at the end of it, and it was amazing. It was a nice lunch at a restaurant in Tulum and it is on the beach with an amazing view. We had some drinks after the food and hung out until our bus was ready to take us back. We did have one person who was a solo and the rest of the group was couples. But this trip could easily be enjoyed by a solo traveler. I would recommend brining a waterproof camera with a strap - we purchased waterproof cases for our phones and put them on video and just swam around the water. We took screenshots of different things we saw while snorkeling like all the fish, the coral, a stingray and the sea turtles. I'd take it to a pool and use it in and out of the water to get used to using the phone too - not all cases allow you to use it under water, and you have to bring it above water to get it to the camera mode and then start/stop with it above water too.

AMAZING! This day trip to climb the ruins at Coba and snorkel at the coral reef at Blue Deer was our first excursion for our family in Mexico, and it ended up being the highlight of our trip. Since we had 8 people in our party we were able to book a private tour and combine two events. This also allowed us to bring our children under 8 years old on the adventure. Our driver Nerio Jesus, general tour guide Heriberto, and the Mayan descendant specialist guide Moises helped our family have the best day possible! We felt safe and well taken care of throughout the entire trip. Snacks and water were provided on the spot every time one of us looked like we were melting, our little kids' snorkel masks were popped right back on their faces when they threatened to come off, and the entire day was handled with warmth and understanding (we were with 3 kids under 8 years old). In one day we were able to climb to the top of the tallest Mayan pyramid in the Yucatan Peninsula (and the only one you can still climb) and snorkel with sea turtles and stingray in the second largest coral reef in the world. The day was capped off with an amazing beach side buffet lunch. Try the cornbread, it was delicious!

learn about the mayan culture while walking along the ruins of there long past villages. excellent places to take pictures, memories to last a life time.

We had a really nice couple of tour guides. Mauricio was the driver who picked us up at the hotel and Alex who was the cultural guide and excellent linguist who we picked up at their hub. We were a party of 4 couples 2 English and 2 Spanish speaking and Alex switched between languages seamlessly. Everyone’s questions an needs were met throughout the day. The air conditioned minibus was a must as it was 35C and high humidity. We were offered water bananas and cookies and at Tulum umbrellas were issued as sunshades. The day was finished off with a nice buffet at a beach location. In short, Coba was impressive and being cycled to the ruins was refreshing as this was the only breeze available. Tulum extremely hot but interesting ruins and beautiful scenery and the beach buffet was very tasty. We are really glad that we went on this excursion with such a well prepared and knowledgeable operator.

As our first time in Mexico, we wanted to see Tulum as this was recommended to us. Our hotel rep then recommended including the Coba trip as well as Tulum as part of a day package – this offered 2 trips in one day. The coach arrived on time and was in good condition, the journey there from our hotel in Riviera Maya probably took around 1 hour. Our tour guide on the trip was really knowledgeable and gave us a historical insight into the area when driving towards the destination. On the way to our first stop (Coba) we drove through some villages which offered an insight into rural Mexican/Mayan life. We arrived at Coba first which had some different ancient ruins and a jungle path. There were also facilities such as toilets and a souvenir shop. One of the main highlights of Coba was the steps which just had to be climbed! The steps were quite steep so there is a rope up the middle which you can use to hold. Once you get to the top there are amazing views of the jungle area and you can see for miles, it is a great sense of achievement and would recommend it. The next day our legs were aching a bit so you could tell that we had done a fair bit of climbing! On the way back down from the steps, most people were shuffling down on their bums as the steps were steep and due to the height. After Coba, we stopped off at a Mexican restaurant for a delicious buffet lunch – with a mix of Mexican and international food (rice, spaghetti, wraps, meats etc). There was also a little gift shop there. Following lunch, we headed to Tulum which was just breath-taking – the ancient ruins are so well preserved, and our tour guide gave us a great history into what the buildings served as. You are unable to touch the ruins which are roped off, but as you can see from the photos you can still get great photos. Tulum is right next to the beach/cliff face, the pictures below show how beautiful this area is with pure white sand and the clearest blue waters. You are able to swim in the sea but it depends on the weather that day, we chose not to due to the seas being too choppy. It was nice to stand at this area as there was a nice breeze! Afterwards we had a look in the souvenir shops before heading back to the coach, which then took us back to our hotel. It was a blisteringly hot day with a little bit of shade but I would recommend taking sunglasses, trainers, sun-cream, insect repellent and a hat. As said above, wear a swimsuit under your clothes in case you want to go swimming. Overall - we really enjoyed the day and would recommend the trip for anyone who wants to find out about Mexican/Mayan history.

We had previously visited Tulum, the Cenotes and Punto Venado Eco Park through Cancun Adventures several years ago. This time, we wanted to scratch "Climb a Tall Pyramid" off our bucket list! (there are other tours to see Mayan ruins, but not all sites allow you to climb a pyramid for that once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity) We chose the Coba Express Tour and it did not disappoint! We had a wonderful time! We were picked up in front of our hotel promptly and on time. We were driven ( our driver, Mendoza) straight to Coba in a comfortable, air-conditioned van/shuttle.Our guide, Eduardo was very informative, and professional. He managed to give us a synopsis of Mayan history of the region that was both informative-and entertaining. After a private tour/ brief history of the main structures and the social hierarchy of the ancient Mayans, we were given time to explore, take photographs-and climb to the top of Nohoch Mul, the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan peninsula. I highly recommend this tour. Thank you Cancun Adventures and Eduardo for our #Bucketlist moment! (only drawback was the "lunch" that was included in the price of the tour: a simple (cheese?) sandwich, a handful of pretzels and a can of soda. For the pricepoint per person, they really could have come up with a better option!)

This is a belated review from November 2018. Angel and his driver did an amazing job handling a heat stroke medical emergency for my elderly father in Tulum. They also went above all expectations to adjust the itinerary to accommodate his health on the second stop at Coba, as well as making an effort for us to locate some elusive Mayan honey on the journey home to the hotel. Bravo, Angel and Cancun Adventure!

Very organized, knowledgeable, and on time. Eddie our guide was friendly, and had plenty of knowledge about the Mayan people and culture. Lunch and snack provided was very good too. Highly recommend this company for any tours as we took a second tour with them that was equally top notch.

<p>Highly recommend a private tour with Robert as your guide</p>

First time for us to go to Mexico. We took the half day tour at Tulum. The bus driver Rene and tour guide Moises were so nice and friendly. They made you feel safe and welcomed. They are an asset to your company.

<p>Brilliant tour helped by having an enthusiastic tour guide who knew the sites exceptionally well. He was friendly and helped us keep cool and planned rests. Very patient and nothing was of any trouble. Only issue we had was knowing what time we were being picked up. Original information said between 7 and 9. Apparently the local tour supplier sent email when we booked in June. But we never received it. There was no confirmation of pickup time nearer the date and I was unable to contact within the 24 hours specified. However I do not feel it is the responsibility of the customer to check and confirm times. We were picked up at 8 which was lovely and the tour was brilliant.</p>

<p>Our guide Sergio was fantastic! On the drive over he provided so much information that we all felt so well informed upon arrival. We had two toddlers with us and he was very understanding of their toddler-like behavior throughout the day. We first went to Tulum. It was hot but he managed to show us everything and keep us in the shade as much as possible. He answered ALL of our questions too. Next we walked around a little marketplace near the parking lot for Tulum. Not too exciting but if you want a little souvenir, they have plenty to choose from. I was just happy with a cool drink after a couple hours of toddler wearing. On to Coba. We stopped for a little lunch nothing special but filling. The BEST part of the day was our experience at Coba. We rented the tricycles and bicycles which saved us quite a bit of walking time but also helped the local earn a few bucks. Sergio's knowledge of each and every structure in this sprawling site was incredible. In some areas we were the only ones there. We got to climb the pyramid at Coba which was a little scary but totally worth it. We spend more time away from the hotel than anticipated and a lot more driving than I anticipated, but luckily my 2 year old twins were awesome and able to get a lot of walk-around time plus I brought a lot of snacks!. There were 9 of us in all: 3 teens 13-19, 4 adults, and the twins. We all had an incredibly memorable day. I would totally recommend this tour to anyone.</p>

<p>This was an excellent tour... our tour guide was great very knowledgeable, very patient and really wanted to make sure you had a wonderful experience.. Highly recommend this tour, both sites are excellent, really worth doing...</p>

<p>We spent the entire day with Sergio. He was so knowledgeable about Coba and Tulum. His deep appreciation for Mexico and the Mayan people was inspiring. He was funny and engaging too. I would highly recommend this tour and if you can request a guide, ask for Sergio. Only drawback was that I did not know that I could have requested an earlier pick up time. We got a bit of a late start which meant more traffic and mid day heat. Benjamin, our driver, got us to Coba/Tulum and back to Cancun with great ease and professionalism. All in all a great experience.</p>

<p>Brilliant tour. We were picked from our hotel by Sergio and we drove in a lovely air conditioned van. Sergio has an excellent grasp of Mexican history and enlightened us on the history of Mayan Civilisation along with that Tulum and Coba. The sites are wonderful and different. Definitely recommend.</p>

<p>Excellent guide, extremely knowledgeable. Our thanks to Angel, and to the driver Luciano</p>

<p>this was an excellent tour. the day we took the tour, we were the only couple so we had personal attention. our guide was very knowledgeable.</p>

<p>Our experience with Sergio excellent gude and Javier very safe, efficient driver was exceptional! The air conditioned van was fabulous, and since it was just the guide, the driver, my husband and I, we learned a lot and had a great interactive experience. The lunch was delicious at the buffet between monuments! The only down side was, due to the sargasso problem in the sea currently, a swim at Tulum was not a fun option, so we instead chose a cold drink, and a cool ride back to our hotel pool. Highly recommend!</p>