Coming down was a whole nother thing! The Kukulkan Pyramid in Chichen-Itza which known as "El Castillo" (the castle), is one of the new seven wonders of the world elected in 07.07.2007. Chichen Itza is a pretty large site, and be prepared to spend here three to four hours minimum. This is what my husband, Justin, and I did and I was super thankful to have had an hour or two of quiet time to explore the site. The drive is easy, really well paved roads along the toll route. The small city of Valladolid makes for a great base as it has several museums and a cenote to visit, and there are other (much less visited) Mayan ruins nearby, including Ek Balam. Ohand Im Canadian. The archeological site is located in Tinm Municipality, Yucatn State, Mexico.. Chichn Itz was a major focal point in the Northern Maya Lowlands from the Late Classic (c. AD 600-900) through the Terminal Classic (c . Chichen Itza, a ruined ancient Maya city occupying an area of 4 square miles (10 square km) in south-central Yucatan state, Mexico. Thats awesome! Sitting on the north end of the Ball Court, the Temple of the Bearded Man is so named because, well, theres a strange bearded man carved into it. Mexican Mayan ruins usually got two different rates, for Mexicans and for international visitors. Hard work but doable. Or like, how, if you stand at a certain spot at the base of the pyramids stairs and clap, youll hear a chirping echo. Required fields are marked *. After you purchase your tickets, a security guard will go through any bags youre taking in and check. This post may contain affiliate links, which Globe Guide receives compensation for with each click or purchase at no additional cost to you. At the top of the staircase leading up the temple is a Chac Mool statue, a reclining figure with a plate on its stomach, that was believed to be a messenger of the gods. Plan your arrival times accordingly! These groups usually arrive at Chichen Itza in the middle of the day, when the crowds peak, and often include a scheduled lunch stop on the itinerary. Today, all that remains of this city are the temples and ballcourts. During ritual games here, players tried to hit a 12-pound (5.4 . In Tikal, Guatemala you can! I visited in the fall of 1982. We are planning a trip in August 2023. All Rights Reserved. There are also several cenotes nearby that you can fit into the same day (some tours will stop at these, or you can reach them by car or colectivo). per adult (price varies by group size) Skip the Line Chichen Itza Private Tour, Sacred Cenote & Lunch. You could climb el castillo, swim in the cenotes and they accepted us currebcy. From Cancun & Riviera Maya: Chichen Itza, Valladolid & Cenote Tour, From Cancun & PDC: Chichen Itz, Ik Kil and Coba Small Group Tour, From Cancun & Riviera Maya: Chichn Itz, Hubiku Cenote, most popular archeological sites in Mexico, 10 Best Trail-Running Shoes for Men & Women, 3 Best Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours in Dublin. Definitely a Bucket List journey. After exploring Chichen Itzas temples, take a colectivo back along the main road towards Valladolid and jump out at the entrance to Cenote Ik Kil. Chichn Itz (often spelled Chichen Itza in English and traditional Yucatec Maya) was a large pre-Columbian city built by the Maya people of the Terminal Classic period. With beautiful restorations and a wealth of Mayan history to explore, Chichen Itza has earned its rightful place as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. And while this might be one of the busiest and most popular archeological sites in Mexico, a first glimpse of the towering Temple of Kukulcan will leave you in instant awe. The Spanish name for the temple is El Caracol (or the snail), a reference either to the shape of the observatory or the spiral staircase inside that led to an observation area. The city of Chichen Itza (which is so much more than a pyramid! These are great tips! Use Bookmarks for private storage. By the 10th century, Chichen Itza was a sprawling city with a dense trade network that reached as far as the Caribbean coastline. Compare all bus providers and find all bus schedules with a single click - and book the ride that suits you best! Its a great site- I could spend hours there if it werent so darn hot! On the other hand, if you choose to explore on your own, youll have complete flexibility as to when you get to Chichen Itza, as well as what sites you want to hit. I jumped up, my husband had to catch me & those fish were enormous! Of particular interest at Chichen Itza is the sacred cenote, a sinkhole . The list goes on and on. Some tourists choose to park for free along the side of the road just before entering the site, but keep in mind your vehicle could be at greater risk of dents and dings since the road is narrow. We were also allowed to climb on all the structures back then. Heres a complete guide to everything you need to know about visiting Chichen Itza, a not-to-be-missed site on any Mexico bucket list. Going up was relatively easy. I visited Chichen Itza a few years back and wholeheartedly agree with your recommendations. On-site explanations are comparatively limited, so keen archaeological explorers might want to bring along a specialist book purchased beforehand. Loved your tip to head outside and eat in Pist. If i am to get it right we can use the same entrance ticket to re-enter that very day ? These hotels are located on the road into the archeological area, but they are limited in number and wont offer as good value as the hotels in nearby Valladolid. Youll also need to pay 80 MEX for access to Cenote Ik Kil, as this is privately owned and run separately from the archeological site. One of the New 7 Wonders of the World, Chichn Itz is among Mexico's most visited and iconic archaeological sites. Im sure Im not alone in loving the more mystical aspects of the Mayans and El Castillo is FULL of little mystical nuggets. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. The tour itself was so-so. A car park is available near the archaeological site. Yes, thats actually a thing, and it is literally the worst. Ive just visited numerous villages and towns in the Yucatan, and they all seem pretty authentic to me. But I know very well, this Chichen Itza place has a plenty look with full of beautiful scenery & most important is the climate is so good to visit. The cheapest tickets for a bus from Mrida, YN to Chichn Itz cost $7.85 and the fastest trip takes 1h 50m. Quite a few people froze when confronted with the steep descent! Many visitors simply take day-trips from wherever theyre staying in the Yucatan peninsula- Ive outlined below how to get from the most popular destinations in the area to Chichen Itza. We went many years ago and climbed it. Players would use their hips, thighs, knees, and elbows to hit a heavy rubber ball through a hoop, poised 20 feet in the air. While the crowds can be daunting in peak season, the mysterious Mayan pyramids rarely fail to awe even the most experienced of travelers. Would love to hear how it went. As you pointed out, theres a lot more to the site to explore aside from El Castillo. It is exactly 24 m. high considering the upper platform. It has. But when I plugged in Chichen Itza into our Google Maps, we wound up on some random road full of hotels and had to scramble to figure out where we needed to go to actually enter the site. With this Chichen Itza Tour you'll enjoy a journey full of adventure, exploration, culture and Mayan knowledge. Their study of astronomy was closely linked with their spiritual beliefs and their understanding of how the universe was formed. A center of religious fervor, the citys temples and sacred cenotes (natural sinkholes filled with fresh water) attracted pilgrims from across the Mayan world (although Chichen Itza never had the power or riches that other Mayan cities, such as Tikal or Palenque, could claim). Things get busier from around 10am onward, at which point the site can usually get quite crowded, although current restrictions mean that it will not be as congested as in previous years. To minimize the chance of damaging the rental car, pay to access the shaded lot right in front of the entrance which is only 30 pesos (about $2 USD)a small price to pay for peace of mind. The journey costs just a few pesos and takes only 45 minutes. This makes it a good time to see the site without having to compete with the sheer number of visitors one usually finds here. This was, perhaps, in part, because of its location right near a massive cenote (a sinkhole in the limestone bedrock, filled with fresh water), which would have kept the town supplied with precious water (which was kinda hard to come by in the middle of the Mexican jungle back in the day!) There are other cafes and restaurants within a short drive of the Chichen Itza site itself. Avoid the long lines at one of the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico with this Chichn Itz skip-the-line entry ticket. Wow that sounds like an amazing experience! Standing almost 100 feet tall, the temple has been marvelously restored to its former glory and is the first major sight that youll see when you walk from the entrance into the archaeological area. Archaeological excavation helped reveal more of the site in the 19th and early 20th centuries, after which several of the buildings were partly reconstructed to help capture their former splendour. Share your current itinerary: Chichn Itz's ball court is the largest known in the Americas, measuring 554 feet (168 meters) long and 231 feet (70 meters) wide. Click here to search for hotels in Chichen Itza. Once it is closed, we want to go have dinner and then return for the light/laser show. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. Be prepared for some sellers to behave in a particularly pushy manner; it is not unknown for sellers to hand you one of their wares unrequested and then demand payment. Holding the title as one of the new seven wonders of the world, its no surprise the Chichn Itz ruins are one of Mexicos top attractions. At its height, Chichen Itza may have had over 30,000 inhabitants, and with a spectacular pyramid, enormous ball court, observatory and several temples, the builders of this city exceeded even those at Uxmal in developing the use of columns and exterior relief decoration. Chichen Itza is incredible, but as one of the most popular attractions in Mexico (receiving over 2 MILLION visitors per year! The Chichn Itz entrance fee is 232 pesos for adults (about $13 USD), and in true Mexican fashion theres a good chance the credit card machine wont be workingoh, and they only accept pesos. This post may contain affiliate links. But theres also a cluster of buildings to the south of this area, which you can access through a pathway in the Plaza of a Thousand Columns (more on that later, but if youre trying to find it, keep an eye out for, well, a whole bunch of columns). One has an early start that allows you to miss the midday crowds. Wow, great advise! What is the entry fee for adult/child? Unless youre visiting as part of a guided Chichn Itz tour from Cancun or Playa del Carmen, chances are youll travel by car. As a premium member, you will have private and public lists, as well as default core lists (favorites, bookmarks, already been there, bucket list). The menu is based largely on traditional Mexican cuisine, although has been adapted to international tourist tastes. Your email address will not be published. Travelers. There are some great hotels near Chichen Itza, and booking a spot in the heart of the action means you can be the first one through the gates in the morning and avoid the crowds. It really is little surprise that when a major international poll was undertaken in the early 21st century, Chichn Itz was declared one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, having already been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. There are also regular ADO buses from Merida central bus station to Chichen Itza. The earlier you get to Chichen Itza, the better. ), theres definitely some things that will help make your trip as epic as possible. Pool, tennis courts, billiards. First locate Chichen Itza on the map, and zoom in to the site using the + button in the lower right corner. Full description. Starts at 8am. From outdoor adventures to offbeat experiences, follow along as we help others travel more and adventure boldly! This area, known as the Osario, is home to some of the most interesting buildings in Chichen Itza, including a Mayan astronomical observatory, and sees just a tiny fraction of the visitors as the Great North Platform. Two brilliant pieces of advice for all touristy places: Timing is everything and eat off site. Did you regret wearing sandals or was it not that big of a deal? We are staying nearby and want to hire a guide, but all the tours start from Cancun or Merida with transportation and we dont need that. You say not to wear flip-flops, but youre wearing them in your picture. Timing is everything, particularly when it comes to seeing of the worlds most popular tourist attractions. No matter shade or lots of water. Free during the beta phase . Sure, you could simply snap a selfie in front of El Castillo and call it a day, but then youd be missing spots like the enormous Great Ballcourt where Mayan sportsmen used to compete. There are souvenir stands absolutely everywhere, selling the likes of t-shirts, wood carvings, shot glasses and figurines. I need to get some exercise ; We'll need the whole bag of tricks for repairing your car This area is known as the Great North Platform and contains the majority of the most famous ruins at the site, like the Great Ball Court or the Temple of the Warriors (which well talk about a bit more further below). The site is just off the main highway that runs between the city of Mrida (115 km away) and the seaside resort of Cancun (200 km away). for drinking, cleaning, agricultural, and religious purposes. There are many tour companies that offer transfers, so it is important to do some research to find the best option for you. I think these are 2 options you can use anywhere. 0 Comments. Of particular interest at Chichen Itza is the sacred cenote, a sinkhole . Security acts fast when it comes to this, and will check for permits if you pull the tripod out for a shot. Years ago the Cenotes were not gross & you could swim in them. Chichen Itza was largely forgotten about by most of the world, tucked away in the jungle, until two explorers, John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood, published their experience about coming across the great ruins in 1841. Looking for a virtual tour of the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, click through to our Interactive Map of Mexico. A swimsuitdespite the promise of not one but two cenotes on site. Leave the tripod at your hotel to avoid any questions. In fact, thats likely where the city got its name, which roughly translates to at the mouth of the well of the enchanter of water.. Tours can be booked at the entrance. It can also be extremely hot, especially around El Castillo and the Great Ballcourt where there isnt any shade. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I just wanted to ask was there a state tax you had to pay also from the entrance fee? Be sure to book tickets in advance to reserve your spot there and back if you are day tripping. For this, you are expected to have pre-arranged (and expensive) permits. There were several platforms built over the cenotetwo where observers of the offerings likely sat and another where the offerings were made. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Be a good traveler and stick to the rules. As soon as you see what colour they are, youll understand why theyre not exactly popular for swimming in. $80.00 x 1 Adult $80.00. This is what my husband and I want to do: Although Spanish invaders tried to establish their own base at Chichen Itza in the 16th century, their plans were scuppered by violent opposition from the local Maya population. We highly recommend visiting another Mayan ruin first, if possible, to get some of the basics out of the way before you arrive. From Playa del Carmen, the ADO bus leaves at 8:10 am from the station on 5th Ave and departs Chichen Itza at 4 pm. No where near enough time. Not surprisingly then, you would normally expect to see the site along with many other people. Pist, the nearest town, is just 2.5 km away. A sun hat, sun cream, and plenty of drinking water is a must. Hi! The Temple of the Warriors, as you might expect, is thought to have been dedicated to or a place of worship for Mayan warriors. Youll miss the rains and hurricane season, but temperatures can still rise to over 30 degrees Celsius.