Tulum · EK BALAM & VALLADOLID ESCAPES
12 reviewed
Ek Balam still has its carved stucco jaguars and a pyramid open to climb, and colonial Valladolid sits half an hour on with a cenote in the middle of town. These are the best Ek Balam and Valladolid day trips from Tulum — what each stop includes, how the day is paced, and which ones add a swim before the ride home.
Small-group day trip from Tulum to Chichén Itzá, Valladolid, and Cenote Xux-Há with guided history, included meals, and hotel pickup.
“Friendly and knowledgeable guide, good service, and great diverse tour of different places. Suitable for solo travellers.”
Small-group Tulum day trip to Chichén Itzá, Valladolid lunch, and community-run XUX-HA cenote snorkeling with early entry and great guides.
“It was fantastic. The tour guide Leire is so professional and has a lot of knowledge. She explained everything in details making the trip a way more enjoyable. Ernesto the driver was amazing too. I do recommend this trip.”
Chichen Itza ruins, Mayan food stops in Valladolid, and a cenote swim, all in one guided day from Tulum in English.
“My first time to use Viator and it was the worst experience ever ! Never will i use it again. I'm an Expedia user. We bought tickets to see Chichen Itza, a cenote, and Villadolid. It was supposed to be a 12 hour trip. We got up at the crack of dawn for a 7am pick up which we had to cab to from our hotel resort (600 Mxn pesos). We got to the pick up point and after waiting for 15 min called the phone number online (EKINOX TOURS) and was informed they had no space for us. The tour was full. We had digital tickets, a confirmation number,…”
Chichén Itzá, exclusive Cenote Maya swim, and Valladolid free time on a small-group Yucatán day with lunch and hotel pickup.
“Definitely a modern wonder. Sara our guide and George our driver were right on time with pick up and made the day one to remember. Could not recommend them more.”
Guided Chichen Itza, a life-jacket cenote swim, and Valladolid streets from Tulum for $70, with admissions and lunch included.
“we were told to .5 hours free time at Itza, that was okay ( not really needed that much ) we were told to give 2.5 hours free time at Cenote caves ( only 30 min given ) and that is also it was cancelled before and everyone got so annoyed and last moment finally visited. Mainly, we were taken for a shopping which was not a part of our trip at all. it was just a waste of 3 hours of our time for no reason. we were supposed to reach to hotel at 7 p.m but reached at 10 p.m. Whole day was a wasted. very disappointing”
Tulum day trip to Chichen Itza, Cenote Saamal and Valladolid. Great Mayan-guided history, but pacing and comfort can be hit-or-miss for $98.
“Unfortunately, this tour was disappointing and not value for money. The transportation was unsuitable for the number and size of passengers, with cramped seating and no legroom for over 2 hours at a time during a 13-hour day. Despite raising this with the guide, no adjustments were made. The schedule was also poorly organised: only 50 minutes at the cenote, which was not enough time to get changed, shower, swim, and enjoy the experience. This should have been at least 2 hours, and having it as the first stop left us wet and uncomfortable for the rest of the tour. Meanwhile, we had 50 minutes at a shop but only…”
Private guided day from Tulum to Chichen Itza, Cenote Xux Ha swim, and Valladolid lunch. Tickets and guide included for a smooth day.
“We are SO glad we did this private trip with Said! He was an incredible tour guide and gave us the best experience! The tour through Chichen Itza was so interesting, he had a laser pointer that he used to show us certain details throughout the site! Lunch at Valladolid was delicious! It was nice having a table already reserved for us. And the Cenote! Amazing! I loved going to a Cenote off the beaten track- there was only one other group while we were there!”
Small-group day trip from Tulum to Chichén Itzá, Ik Kil Cenote, and Valladolid with pickup, meals, and skip-the-ticket-lines value.
“Great guide who was full of information and jokes, and looked after us every step of the way. Early start enabled us to arrive at the attractions before the coaches, a real bonus.”
Small-group Chichén Itzá, Noolha cenote swim and Valladolid visit with bilingual guide, air-conditioned ride, and included lunch.
“The tour was fantastic. In September it wasn't crowded and we had a beautiful weather. Our guide Perfecto was perfect ! And the bus driver was amazing.”
Private day trip from Tulum to Chichén Itzá and cenotes with pickup, a certified English guide, included tickets, and a big Yucatán buffet lunch.
“Our guide, Hugo, was awesome! Got us there early to beat the crowd. Very informative and very personable. Ask for him if you book the tour!”
Small-group day trip from Tulum to Chichén Itzá, Cenote Noolha and Valladolid with air-conditioned comfort, lunch, and expert Maya guides.
“Villalobos and star made the excursion my wife and I, all very well, excellent Service and punctuality in all aspects.Auto-translated”
Private Ek Balam, X’Canche cenote, and Valladolid tour from Tulum: climb Mayan ruins, swim in crystal water, lunch included, 8–10 hrs.
“Excellent driver and host Leo— helpful in very way and a joy to be with. Excellent transportation. Guide at Ek Balam, Guierrmo, very knowledgeable/ amiable. Cenote experience fun and uncrowded (wear hiking shoes at ruins if you wish to climb pyramids; change to flip flops when you arrive cenote). Mayan themed cultural lunch unexpectedly tasty home cooking. Highly recommend. May repeat trip someday with other family members.”
Small-group Chichen Itza plus Ik Kil cenote from Tulum. Entry fees, lunch, and transfers included with an expert guide.
“We had such a great time during this tour. It was definitely worth it. Alvaro and Santiago were both very knowledgeable and we had so much fun!”
Tulum day trip packed with Chichen Itza and two cenotes, plus Valladolid. Long day, great swimming, smart food breaks, clear logistics.
“It’s difficult to give a star rating because what you see is great but there are also negatives. Chichen Itza is amazing. To do it justice I’d you’re really interested in the history etc you need longer and a proper guide talking you through the whole site. I would recommend going private or independently with an audio guide. The two cenotes are great. Both very different. Valladolid is nice to visit. The negatives… Transportation is not comfortable and you are in it for a looooong time! Very cramped and a little claustrophobic (I’m a small person too!) It is a long day. From Tulum it was 15 hours until we…”
Early-access Chichén Itzá plus a cenote swim at Hubikú and a climb at Ek Balam, with small-group guidance from Tulum.
“Chichen Itza? Mind-blowing and far more expansive then expected… with everything grounded in precise math or calendar references. Cenote Hibiku? It was a magical plunge into frigid, calming waters beneath a small waterfall coming from the entrance of the cenote. Ek Balam? Stairmaster meets Indiana Jones with the unique opportunity to climb the temples. Our guide Carmen made history hilarious and knew EVERYTHING. Our driver Luis drove like a legend. Muchas Gracias!”
