Chichen Itzá, Tsukan Cenote, & Valladolid
- Katharine
- Apr 7, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 30
While researching excursions in Cancun/Playa del Carmen, Chichen Itza was at the top of the list and so was to swim in a cenote. I looked at many tours, but the one that really caught my eye was through Xcaret Expeditions and we had no regrets!
XCARET EXPEDITIONS
Xcaret Expeditions offers three tours that explore Chichen Itzá:
Xichen Clasico Tour (1 Day),
ADULT: $125.99
CHILD: $94.49
Xichen Deluxe Tour (1 Day),
ADULT: $143.99
CHILD: $107.99
Xichen Clasico Tour & Xcaret (2 Days).
ADULT: $295.78
CHILD: There is a 25% discount for children between the ages of 5-11 yrs old.
XICHEN DELUXE TOUR
We opted to go with the Xichen Deluxe Tour because it had the most amenities (Food & Transportation) in a 1 Day (Approx. 12 Hrs) Tour, which fit well with our already scheduled plans. We did the tour on a Friday (03/31/23). This tour came with:
Transportation from and to our Hotel
Pick-Up between 7am - 9am depending on the Hotel
Light Breakfast
Chichen Itzá Archaeological Site
1 Hr &15 Min.(Approx.) of Guided Tour (English or Spanish) via audio guide
1 Hr of Free Time to Explore
1Hr & 15 Min.(Approx.) visit to swim
Locker Rentals are not included
Life Vests are included and mandatory
La Casona de Valladolid (Lunch Buffet - Yucatan Specialties)
Beverages (Water, soda, beer)
Reusable Water Bottle (Souvenir)
Our tour guides & driver were amazing! We had Salvador and Eduardo as the guides and Cesar as our driver (Bus No. 256). We left them a tip/gratuity at the end of the tour because they really did deserve it. If you care, they informed us that they split the gratuities evenly because they are a team.
Transportation
We were picked up from our Hotel Allegro Playacar at 7:20 am in one of their Pink Xcaret Buses that took us to Xel-Ha Transportation Hub where we did our Bus Transfer for our specified Tour. After the tour was over the same thing was done. We returned to Xel-Ha Transportation Hub and did a bus transfer which took us back to our hotel.
Chichén Itzá
The trip to Chichen Itza was about a 2 Hrs from Xel-Ha. When we arrived, we were given our refillable water bottle with cold water and if we wanted umbrellas they were being offered. The umbrellas are big and good for two people and perfect for a sunny day, we took them. We were a part of the Spanish guide tour with Salvador, and we learned lots of information about Chichen Itza and the Mayan culture.
It was a very nice touch to have the audio guide as it helped to hear everything, he was saying without having to be next to him or him yelling the information to us. The guided tour and information were about 1 Hr and Salvador gave us an hour of free time. We went around and took photos and bought some souvenirs.
Tsukan Santuario Cenote
This place was beyond beautiful and more than we expected! The water was cold but the perfect activity to do after a long and hot day at Chichen Itza. The water was so clear and blue, you could see the fish! Looking down could be a little scary if you aren't into heights or the dark unknown depth of the water. The entrance to this place is literally like a "Santuario" which in English is "Sanctuary".
It is mandatory to wear a life vest. If you don't know, cenotes have no salt. No salt means you don't float. Locker rentals are not a part of your admission so you will need to rent one or take your bags with you, but it is at your own risk. You must shower before you go into the cenote. This is a cenote I would return to if given an opportunity!
LA CASONA DE VALLADOLID
After a long day of walking and swimming FOOD was HEAVEN! There were so much yummy food and refreshments! The food is Yucatan specialties and buffet style. It was all tasty and amazing! The restaurant is beautiful and has a beautiful courtyard in the middle. They gave us about another hour to eat and let us explore the town.
The town is very cute and colorful. The park was a great place to relax and feel the sun and breeze at the same time after the meal.
FINAL THOUGHTS
We really enjoyed this tour! In our group we had people who had been to Chichen Itza before and those who never been and the one thing we all agreed on was that from start to finish the Xcaret team took care of us. They were clear, communicative, fun, funny, and informative. Everything you could ask for in a tour. I would recommend this to everyone. If we ever go back I would definitely be interested in checking out some of their other tours, specially there Xenotes Tour!
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