How long is a trip to Chichen Itza?

It typically lasts approximately 9-10 hours.

Transportation to Chichen Itza: 2.30 minutes
Time at Chichen Itza: 2-3 hours
Time for lunch: 1 hour
Time to visit a cenote: 1 hour
Return trip to your hotel: 2.30 minutes

For example, if you depart at 7:00 AM, you will arrive back at your hotel between 4-5 PM. Therefore, Chichen Itza is an excursion that usually requires dedicating an entire day of your vacation

Its distance from the Riviera Maya adds an air of mystery, but it's important to be realistic: it's not a place that is 10-30 minutes away and then you can return to your hotel in 2-3 hours. That's simply not possible due to the distance

This is a brief overview. If you would like to delve deeper into this topic, we can provide more details

How far away is Chichen Itza?

The estimated time of 9-10 hours is based on a fast-paced excursion or a private vehicle tour.

However, the actual duration can vary greatly. A Chichen Itza excursion length depends on several factors, including:

The number of people in the group
The type of transportation used
The specific locations visited

Before we delve into specifics, it's important to note that Chichen Itza is located a significant distance from the main tourist centers of the Riviera Maya

If you check Google Maps, the shortest route from Cancun is approximately 2 hours and 19 minutes. However, this time can increase considerably due to traffic congestion at the city's entrances and exits. Additionally, road construction on the highway is common, which can further extend travel time. Based on my experience, the total journey typically takes between 2.5 and 3 hours

Check this map

From Playa del Carmen, Google Maps estimates a travel time of 2 hours and 14 minutes, but traffic conditions at the city's entrances and exits should also be factored in

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From Tulum, Google Maps estimates a travel time of 2 hours and 2 minutes

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Many people ask us if we offer an excursion that goes directly to Chichen Itza and back. We do, and it's called the Chichen Express or the Half-Day Chichen Itza tour

However, if we consider the travel time to and from the site, it's important to note that it takes approximately 2.5 hours each way, solely for transportation. This means that transportation alone accounts for around 5 hours of the trip. To this, we must add the time spent exploring the archaeological site, which is usually between 2-3 hour

Visit a Cenote

Cenotes are iconic natural wonders of the Yucatán Peninsula, and the area around Chichen Itzá is home to some of the most impressive ones, such as Ik Kil, Xcajum, Saamal, Suytun, Oxman, and Hubiku

Imagine, after a long drive and the heat of exploring Chichen Itza, cooling off in a cenote is the perfect way to relax. However, this means allocating more time to your itinerary and budgeting for the additional entrance fee

Allow 15-30 minutes for transportation to the cenote, plus time for parking, purchasing tickets, changing clothes, renting a locker, and showering before entering the water

Plan to spend approximately 45-60 minutes swimming and enjoying the cenote. Some cenotes offer platforms for cliff jumping

Yucatecan Regional Cuisine

Now, consider this: if you've already invested 7-8 hours in getting to Chichen Itza (5 hours of travel and approximately 3 hours at the archaeological site), it's highly unlikely that you'll be able to combine Chichen Itza with another excursion. It's best to explore the surrounding areas of Chichen Itza and enjoy a meal. After walking around Chichen Itza for 2-3 hours, trust me, you'll be hungry! What better excuse to try the delicious Yucatecan cuisine that characterizes this region, such as cochinita, salbutes, panuchos, lime soup, and poc-chuc?

There are many dining options nearby. If you're on a tour, your meal is likely included. But if you're traveling independently, there are some delicious places to eat in Valladolid, for example, or you could try the smoked meat in the nearby town of Temozon.

Like visiting a cenote, you'll need to allocate additional time to your itinerary and budget for the cost of the meal. However, I assure you it's worth it

Plan to spend an extra 45-60 minutes for your meal

Conclusions

In my personal opinion, and considering the distance (it's not nearby), the best idea is to dedicate an entire day of your vacation to visiting Chichen Itza

Depending on factors such as staying at an all-inclusive resort and wanting to return as soon as possible, or if you're staying at a hotel just to sleep, it's best to complement your visit to Chichen Itza with a visit to a cenote, a regional meal, and if you can, a quick visit to the colonial city of Valladolid

If you do everything we know as the classic Chichen Itza excursion, you should be prepared to allocate approximately 12-13 hours to your itinerary

But believe me, when you arrive back at your hotel in the evening, after having left very early in the morning, you will feel satisfied for having experienced a modern wonder of the world and for having explored the most iconic places around Chichen Itza

Enjoy your trip!

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