Chichen Itza Elite Private Tour From Merida

We had a wonderful time on this tour with our fantastic tour guide, Riccardo and driver Abe. We were picked up from our hotel by both of them, and they were very friendly and ensured we were comfortable throughout the day. We were able to have some very interesting and enjoyable conversations throughout the drive to Chichen Itza. Riccardo, was very knowledgeable and gave us great insight into the history of this impressive site. He was able to bring to life the impressive buildings and pyramids, through sharing information about historical Mayan culture and some mythology. We were able to go at a relaxed pace and take pictures, with Riccardo showing us the best spots of this site. After the Chichen Itza we were taken to the Cenote, we had ample time to explore the Cenote and have a tasty lunch. The Cenote was very impressive with clear water and fish swimming around, it also had excellent facilities. Then it was time to head home. Riccardo and Abe were once again very accommodating and made us feel comfortable. We had a great conversation and plenty of laughs on the drive home.

A very well-thought-out tour. A knowledgeable guide. A lot of road dust—dress accordingly. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

We had a great time! In addition to Chichen Itza, we also took the Celestun tour and the Uxmal tour. We had the same guide for all three. His English was very good, and he was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about everywhere we went. Our guide was also very accommodating, helping my mother with any light climbing there happened to be. He also happily took pictures for us, and even knew where particularly photogenic places at the sites were. I would absolutely recommend Merida Elite to anyone who wanted to visit.

I cannot recommend this experience & your enough. Our guide, Ricardo, and our driver, Alex, were the best. We got picked up directly at our hotel in the morning by a spacious, clean, and cool van. We even got to stop for coffee and a quick bite for breakfast on the way. Ricardo provided a great tour of Chichen Itza, along with its history and fun facts! We then proceeded to go swimming in a beautiful Cenote, arriving in time to be the first and only ones there. Afterwards we had lunch and then Alex drove us home. I could not recommend this tour and our guides any more. As a bonus, they had cold water, soda, beer and snacks for us for the car ride. Simply an incredible experience and worth every penny!

Great experience; appreciate the knowledge and enthusiasm of our guide, Ricardo, and the friendliness of the driver, Alex. We were also very pleased that they were able to accommodate a last minute change of itinerary.

It was excellent! Vicente was very knowledgeable, courteous, right on time and a pleasure to be with!

A really enjoyable trip with an excellent guide. Vincente spoke very good English and provided us with just the right amount of information.

Really great!! José was extremely knowledgeable about everything and the facts he have were very amusing. Also conversation other than the tour were extremely entertaining as well. The driver, Abimael was very polite and was always attentive to what I needed whether it be drinks or a break.

My sister and I did a tour of Chichen Itza, followed by a swim in a nearby cenote. The entire experience was absolutely amazing! The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable about the historical archeological site, which made it even more interesting. I would highly recommend taking this tour!!

Our guide Javier was amazing and kept us captivated with his knowledge on Mayan culture and Mexican history and facts from the minute we got in the van to when we left Chichen Itza. The service too was professional and seamless and we could just enjoy the whole experience without a worry. The itinerary was well timed allowing us flexibility at each spot. The buffet lunch, included, was good too. The van was clean and cool with water and snacks. We put 4 stars instead of 5 as we wanted to hire our guide again the following day for a more customized tour and had to call the manager to arrange it. Unfortunately, although we tried all three phone numbers provided several times, nobody answered and we had to make alternative plans.

It was an eye-opening trip. We learned much about Mayan culture and civilization. After walking around during the tour, it was nice to have a refreshing dipping and a nice lunch.

We took the private tour of Chichen Itza, and it was incredible! Our guide, Javi, was able to give us detailed information about each of the specific areas of the site. He also gave us time to enjoy the area and walk around to take pictures. Chichen Itza is deservedly one of the Seven Wonders of the World because when you stand near the main pyramid (El Castillo), it is utterly jaw dropping. We also went to the cenote Ik-Kun, which was stunning. We got there early to avoid the crowds, and had plenty of time to swim around in the clear waters. The trip was smooth, comfortable, and everything about this excursion was memorable.

This is a beautiful area with a rich history. Yes, we made it to and from the nice area without any issues. The tour guide was okay. He knew a lot, but seemed irritated when I asked questions (replying with I already told you what that was, for example when he didn't go into really any detail). We were dropped off at a vendor where they added an extra zero to the cost (what we bought probably should have been $20USD-- when asking other vendors, and the bracelet I bought broke within a week. The price they said was around $30USD but they charged my card ~$300 USD which soured the experience. When telling the tour guide he was like that is your responsibility (although he dropped us off there)-- then the tour guide recommended another friend in Merida-- when I looked up the place the first thing that popped up was that they add extra zeros to the cost. At that point I was like forget it, I'm not going to go somewhere where I'm being set up to be ripped off again. The cenote was really nice though-- I appreciate the actual places but the interaction/ professional service was not there.

This was a very interesting, educational, and entertaining tour. The guide was very knowledgeable and gave us some really great insights into the amazing chronology-aligned design of Chichen Itza. We had a wonderful experience.

Raul and Jose took care of us very well during our trip to Chichen Itza, cenote, and Izmal. Actually, we didn't have Izmal originally in the itinerary, but we asked them if they could take us and they did. They picked us up on time at 7am from our hotel. They stop to grab a coffee on the way per our request. We arrived early to Chicken Itza, they took care of getting us the tickets. We recommend getting early to avoid crows. Raul was providing valuable information along the way and providing tips to avoid crowds. When we returned to the van after Chicken Itza, they had cold water, soda, beers, and a cold wet towel to refresh. We enjoyed our tour and recomend Raul and Elite tours to anyone visiting the region.

We were lucky to have Raul as our guide and Abi as our driver. Raul is an encyclopedia of knowledge about Chichen Itza, and explained the significance of all of the buildings, their ages, and uses. Additionally, he provided a great deal of background on the Maya and their culture. After our excellent tour, we met Abi back at the van (comfortable and cool, which was most welcome on the very hot day we visited) and he handed us cold, wet towels to refresh ourselves. A variety of drinks were offered as well. We then went to lunch at Ik Kil - tasty! Our next stop was a dip in the beautiful, otherworldly cenote at Ik Kil. The quite cool water was wonderful and we spent about 45 minutes floating around. Because we left Mérida around 6:00 a.m., we missed much of the crowd at both the ruins and cenote. We ended with a pleasant trip back to our Air BNB. Wonderful experience!

Such an amazing tour! We learnt so much about Mexico's history and felt really well looked after by our tour guide Vincente and driver Alex. They went above and beyond to ensure we had a great experience. This tour is worth every penny - I can't recommend it highly enough. Thank you Vincente and Alex.

This was our family reunion just my siblings and me. It was their first time in Mexico and our first time visiting La Peninsula de Yucatan. Vicente (our tour guide) and Aby (our driver) made the difference. It was a hot Yucatecan day and they brought a cooler with water, pop and snacks. We were told a lot of information from the Mayan culture and specifics on Chichén Itzá. From picking us up at the hotel to lunch and bringing us back to the hotel we felt safe, welcomed and eager to come back with these gentlemen in our next visit to Yucatan. I highly recommend Vicente and Abi they are just awesome.

We rented this service for 12 adult guests. The driver and tour guide were extremely knowledgeable and kind. The vehicle was well maintained, had strong air-conditioning, and included coolers of plenty of water, soda and beer. It was plenty of time at the ruins and at the Ik Kil Cenote. The cenote had a restaurant, showers, changing rooms, and more onsite so it reduced time traveling in the shuttle. Would highly recommend!

This was such a perfect trip! Vicente was an incredible tour guide - he was friendly, extremely knowledgeable and really easy going. He gave us lots of time to see everything and had lots of great suggestions. We really enjoyed how knowledgeable he was. The tour was so interesting and fun! We loved our driver. Abe as well! He made sure we always had cold drinks and was so kind throughout the trip. We felt very safe the entire day. Vicente also takes beautiful pictures, and we are so thankful for the amazing pictures he took for us so we can cherish the memories we made. Highly recommend this tour - you will love it! Make sure to ask for the best guide and driver - Vicente and Abe!

Great excursion! Learned so much about Chichén Itzá. Our tour guide Javier was informative and friendly. The cenote was cool to swim in. The food was not so great at Cenote.

Our guide, Carlos, was exceptionally knowledgeable and friendly. He led us on a wonderful tour of Chichen Itza.

Great weather for our trip to Chichen Itza. Carlos was a superb guide giving us all kinds of new information as well as great new sources to update my library. Alex was a great driver and we all had such a good time. The cenote was really a nice break if I could have found my wife's swimming suit. Lunch was really good as well as relaxing. Carlos and Alex are the best team. If you want to really learning about the Maya these are your people. I taught Pre Columbian hist for 27 years and I learned so much new data. Awesome experience.

I recommend the guide and driver. Excellent! Learned new information about Mayan history. However, the dozens of vendors at Chicken Itza inside the grounds, and near these magnificent structures ruin the entire experience, and the restaurant at the cenote was so-so; food geared towards the masses that visit. Recommend booking same guide and driver but go to Uxmal from Merida instead. Uxmal is serene and beautiful. Chicken looks like a slum on the way to the sight and inside. Shame on the Mexican government for letting it happen. In addition, there appears to be no effort to control the numbers allowed inside. Hoards of tourists from Cancun. If you do go to Chichén, go early.

The booking was easy and clear, all questions were answered and arrangements for pick up was easily sorted out. Driver Alex and guide Vicente arrived on time and were friendly and immediately offered us refreshments for the long drive ahead. Along the way we were told the story of the re-discovering of the ruins and some of the colonial history... showing us pictures of the early drawings and photos of the restoration efforts. At the site he told us of the Inca and Mayan people and the mystics and legends they followed. Very informative and descriptive guide! Next came cold towels, more drinks and snacks and a short drive to Cenote Ik Kil. Lunch buffet was small, but adequate. Definitely enough to eat and was tasty.. try the "monkey blood drink" tart and refreshing (no actual monkey though) Cenote was BEAUTIFUL! Clear water, not too crowded. Magical.

We had a fantastic time seeing Chichén Itzá and the cenote on this well organized tour. Vincente is a great tour guide with lots of knowledge about Mayan civilization, and he could answer all our questions. We were able to skip the line and focus on seeing the sights at a relaxed pace. Highly recommended!

Vicente was excellent. Very knowledgeable and friendly. We appreciated that he was dedicated to sharing an evidence based history of the region. We also got to skip the lines !

We had a great time with Vicente and Alex. They were very accommodating, informative, and always ready with a cold drink, snack or towel. Both the Mayan temple and Cenote are must sees! One of the best private tours we have had.

It was an incredible experience! Definitely glad we opted for a private tour! Beautiful place and Vincente was so knowledgeable and fun to spend the day with!!

Beautiful sight. There is more than only the Chichen-Itzá pyramid. The guide and driver were very polite and helpful. Chichen-Itzá and cenote Il Kil were packed with people. I wish I had gone earlier :) but still possible to make nice pictures.

This was an extremely well-run tour. They came to pick us up promptly. Carlos, our guide, spoke excellent English for those of us who needed it, and smoothly went back and forth between English and Spanish. He was very knowledgeable about the history of the Maya and about Chichen Itza in particular. Since we were less interested in swimming in a cenote as part of the tour, he allowed us extra time at the archaeological site, and so we were able to cover more ground, going to both the main site that everyone sees, but also going to through the woods to the Caracol area. He gave us details that we didn't know (even though we are pretty knowledgeable about Maya history and archaeology), and also was personable and answered all of our questions. When we returned to the car, hot and sweaty, he and the driver were there with snacks, cold drinks, and cold wet towels to meet us. We then went to one of the cenotes for lunch and took a few pictures (again, swimming was an option that we turned down) and came back to the hotel. This was not an inexpensive tour, but if you have a group (there were five of us), it was actually quite reasonably priced. Added benefits: we already had tickets, and so didn't have to wait in line, and we got in early before all of hordes of tour buses. What a line was waiting to get in as we were just leaving! All in all, an excellent tour by a company I would very much recommend.

Went on a private tour with my family of five; cost around $150 USD per person. Vicente was our guide, and Alex was our driver. Alex and Vicente picked us up at our AirBNB in Merida and drove us to Chichen Itza (1.5 hour drive). Alex was a great driver, and Vicente gave us a wonderful history lesson of the region. The access road to Chichen Itza (appx one mile) was lined on both sides with vendor stalls selling trinkets and carvings. Since we were on a tour bus, we were able to park at the entrance and avoid walking past the stalls. Inside the grounds, there were hundreds of vendor stalls selling the same trinkets. The vendor stalls are interfused with the ancient temple grounds, which gave it a feeling of being a flea market rather than a sacred site. The vendors hold up trinkets and yell out, "One Dollar." If you give a dollar and take the trinket, the vendor will tell you that it's a dollar to look at the trinket and then demand more money to purchase it. If you try to give it back, they will refuse. Vicente led us around to the temples and playing field, stopping at various points to show us things we certainly would have missed without a guide. He also told us more about the history and customs of the temples. We spent about two hours at Chichen Itza before going to a cenote. At the cenote site, we had a buffet lunch and swim in the water. The lunch was decent, but nothing to write home about. It was easy to get into the cenote water, after making it down several flights of stone steps. The water was a great temperature: not too cold and not too hot. Overall it was a wonderful adventure. Highly recommend this tour company!!

Our guide, Vicente, was great. He was knowledgeable and gave us good information but was also aware when we were ready to move on. We won’t soon forget this trip. Chichen Itza is amazing, and the cenote was beautiful and refreshing. The buffet was fine, nothing special. Another local restaurant with better food would make this tour perfect.

Good transport. Guide really knew his history & covered many things. Great lunch. Very happy with the tour.

Amazing place that is jaw dropping! Vincente was an incredible guide -his English was very good and he is very knowledgeable. He shared photos of our destination with its history while we traveled to the ruin. Alex was a great driver and purchased our tix so there was no line to wait in. He had cold beverages and cold washcloths for our return to the already cooled off van. They are a great team!

Excellent private tour. Early departure from our Merida hotel helped beat the crowds that eventually appear at Chichen Itza. Our half-Mayan guide, Raul, spoke excellent English and gave an interesting presentation on Mayan cosmology, culture and traditions on the ride there. His explanations of the symbology represented in the reliefs on the pyramids, temples and other structures really enhanced the experience of visiting the ruins of this magnificent Mayan city. After a buffet lunch of Yucatán cuisine, we got to enjoy a refreshing dip in the cool waters of the Ik-Kil Cenote, again one step ahead of the crowds of visitors to follow. Roger, our driver, skillfully navigated our return trip to Merida by a different route that passed through several small villages established around cenotes.

Had a great experience. Our guide, Vicente, was very knowledgeable about the Mayan culture and history of the site. We learned a lot. They picked us up in their van at our hotel in Merida, and it was about a 2-hr drive. Vicente spent most of the drive answering our (my) questions about the history of the Mayan culture. All tickets including lunch was covered, and having that covered in advance enabled us to skip a fairly long line at the entrance to Chichen Itza. We went on a Friday and there were quite a few tourists at the site, but it's a large area with lots of ruins so people were spread out. We left Merida at 7am and arrived at Chichen Itza around 9am. I'm glad we decided to go fairly early. Vicente did a great job describing the different structures, and explaining the glyphs and carvings. The Ik Kil cenote was a great experience as well. It was a little touristy, but had nice accommodations with dressing room, lockers, life vests, and restaurant and bar, and the cenote itself is awesome! We ate lunch at the restaurant at the cenote (covered in the cost) - it was buffet style and was ok, but you go for the cenote experience, not for the food. The water in the cenote was cool and refreshing on a hot summer day! Overall, it was a great experience!

Our guide was absolutely fantastic, well worth the effort. Made the day such a breeze having someone dedicated to just us. Super knowledgeable and let us dictate the day. Skipped all the lines, perfect way to see the site!

Brilliant day - Vincent was incredibly knowledgable, really easy to learn from, happy to answer questions and very considerate of walking around the site in the heat! The cenote was a lovely refreshing break too. Plus Alex was a great driver and made the whole day easy. Would highly recommend!

Absolutely wonderful experience. Alex is a top-tier driver and Vincente told a beautiful narrative around the Mayan culture and the history of the Yucatan. Both were wonderful with our 3 year old daughter, too. Without hesitation I would recommend this tour and these guides. Five stars!

Wonderful day with Saul and Alex our driver. Chichen Itza was spectacular in the early morning and the Ik Kil Ceynote went beyond expectations. Clean changing areas and amazing hygiene and care for the environment.

Vicento was the greatest tour guide ever. Extremely knowledgeable and so friendly and engaged with us. We learned a great deal about the social, political, economic , agricultural, and geologic history of the area - I even got recommendations for a documentary and books I’ve purchased. He and his driver Alex thought of everything to make us comfortable. They told us when we started the trip that they had a cooler of beverages for us - sodas, waters, and beer - as well as snacks. After the tour of Chichen Itza, Allen greet us with cold towels infused with essential oils of mint. The lunch at the denote was included in the price of the tour (which was not the case with our tour the next day through a different company). I would tour with them again in a heartbeat. My only regret is that we didn’t tip them more!

The ride from Merida is about 1 1/2 hours and our guide Carlos made the trip memorable. A font of knowledge and insight into the people and history. Once onsite he made Chichen Itza come alive. Highly recommend

Look! I have to admit I was worried when I booked this tour because there were only 9 reviews but this tour was so so good! Everything I read said to get a private tour because there is SO MUCH at Chichen Itza and you need the time there. It was worth it! Vincente knew so much!! He was a fantastic tour guide. He was so patient with our group. There were 4 of us. He answered all of our questions and anticipated our needs. He waited when we talked to the vendors at Chichen Itza, or when we needed to use the bathroom...etc. He had drinks and snacks on hand for us. Alex the driver was also fantastic. After getting very hot walking around Chichen Itza Alex was waiting for us with chilled towels to get cool. The Cenote was incredible as well. I highly recommend this tour!

Vicente and Alex took such great care of us! Vicente was very knowledgeable about Chichen Itza and answered all of our crazy questions. He was very patient when we shopped and talked with the vendors too.

We had the best time! Vicente was so knowledgeable and I truly enjoyed our time at Chichen Itza and the cenote.

We recently hired Merida Elite for a private tour of Chichen Itza and a trip to nearby cenote. Our guide was absolutely incredible! Our shuttle was very well maintained, including drinks and cold rags, and the driver was exceptional. Highly recommend!

Our guide and driver were excellent and experience was awesome! They made sure we experienced the history in comfort.

Of course, Chichen Itza is amazing. And the stop at the cenote for a swim and lunch was great. But what really made the tour special was the impeccable service of our guide and driver. They were both awesome!