How to get from Tulum to Chichén Itzá
One of the new Seven Wonders of the World, Chichén Itzá is a truly remarkable site to visit in the Riviera Maya region of Mexico.
With towering temples, hidden ancient mysteries and a site which was once the focal point of the Mayan kingdom, we think that visiting Chichén Itzá is a must on any trip to Mexico.
How to get from Tulum to Chichén Itzá
In this guide we’ll explore some of the most popular ways of getting from Tulum to Chichén Itzá. We’ll also take a look at where to stay as well as some other tips based on our time spent visiting this awesome site.
Chichén Itzá Quick Summary:
- 📍 Where is it: Southern Mexico
- 🗺 Difficulty Getting There: Very Easy
- ⏱ Time needed: 1 day
- ☀️ Best Time to Visit: November/February (or March & September to see the Equinox effects)
- How To Beat The Crowds – One of the most popular sites in all of Northern America (let alone just Mexico), Chichén Itzá is going to be pretty busy 24/7. However by buying an early bird tour you can explore the site in much more tranquility with less groups getting in the way of your photos.
- Easy To Get To – Of course this guide focuses on how to get to Chichén Itzá from Tulum, where we highlight the best ways. However, various tours make it really easy to get here from all of the Riviera Maya, including destinations such as Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Mérida.
- Temperatures are Really Hot – Not only are we in a tropical area which is hot year-round, the site here itself has little shade and wind. This means you’ll need to bring lots of water to avoid getting dehydrated, as well as to lather on lots of sunscreen (and reapply) to avoid getting sunburnt.
Where is Chichén Itzá?
These sprawling ruins are found in the region of the Yucatán, which lies in the extreme south-east of Mexico. Given it’s located close to Cancún on the Caribbean coast, there’s two things we must note. The first is that it can get quite hot here year-round, so be sure to bring lots of water.
Secondly, is that it will be quite popular year-round regardless of when you visit (given how easy it is to get here from Cancún’s international airport).
It’s also important to note that travelers often confuse the regions of the Yucatán, Yucatán Peninsula and Quintana Roo. The Yucatán is a state of Mexico, whilst Quintana Roo is another state further south where Playa del Carmen and Tulum are situated. Finally the Yucatán Península is the region of which is made up by both of these states together.
Is Chichén Itzá worth visiting from Tulum?
There’s many incredible things to do in and around Tulum, however if we had to pick a few of the must-sees, then Chichén Itzá would be one of them.
Whilst we can also see ancient Mayan history in Tulum Ruins, nothing can beat the giant sprawling temples dotted around Chichén Itzá.
Yes of course there are crowds that gather here which can somewhat taint the experience, however if you head here early (either at the opening hour or on an early-bird day tour) then you can really get an authentic feel to the archaeological site.
Heading on a tour like this is also a great idea since you’ll have a private guide really paint the scene on how things were here before, as well as being able to visit a cenote too – which is an ancient cave which the Mayans once used to drink from (as well as make occasional sacrifices in).
Things to know BEFORE visiting Chichen Itza
The Best Time to Visit Chichen Itza
Naturally the dry period is the best (which runs from December until April), given this is when you have the best chance of visiting Chichén Itzá with clear blue skies.
However certain months will be best for your overall experience, especially when factoring in busier tourist seasons. For example, February and late November are less tourist-heavy whilst still having great weather.
We also have the special months of March and September – which fall on the Spring and Autumn equinoxes (respectively). During these particular dates, the Sun lines up perfectly to reveal a shadow of Kukulkan (the Mayan snake god) along the main temple in Chichén Itzá.
Pre-booking Transport and Tours
Whilst we love spontaneous travel, there are certain times when booking tours in advance is a good idea. This includes when visiting popular tourist sites such as Chichén Itzá.
The main benefit of doing so (aside from sorting your travel plans all in advance), is that various tours include an early-bird entrance ticket to the ancient site. This way you can explore without the crowds when Chichén Itzá is at its most quiet.
You can pre-book your early bird ticket tour here, which includes all entrance tickets, a guided tour around Valladolid, a buffet lunch, tequila tasting as well as a visit to a local cenote.
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Getting from Tulum to Chichén Itzá
Having visited Chichén Itzá previously, we’ll now list the 4 main ways of getting to this ancient Mayan site (at this time of writing).
ADO Bus from Tulum to Chichén Itzá
Travelers who are looking to keep things cheap will prefer the bus that runs directly between Tulum and Chichén Itzá.
It’s served by the popular bus company ADO, who are one of the most reliable and provide air-conditioning and comfortable seats. A one-way ticket costs $22, and the journey takes around 3 hours to get there.
Join a Day Trip from Tulum to Chichen Itza
Visiting Chichén Itzá on an organized day trip has plenty of advantages. As already mentioned, you will have all logistics sorted for you, as well as some extra perks included too.
We highly recommend heading here with this day tour which includes hotel pick-up and drop-off in Tulum, as well as a skip the line entrance ticket.
Here your private guide will give you a tour around the ancient Mayan site, where you will also visit a cenote for a nice cool-off. As well as this, you’ll also have a buffet lunch and guided tour of Valladolid included in your tour.
If you are interested in the early-bird entrance then you can join this highly-rated tour. Please be aware that the closest pick-up point is near the town of Puerto Aventuras (about a 45 minute ride north of Tulum) – so you’ll need to make your way here yourself before starting the tour.
Car Rental from Tulum to Chichén Itzá
Another option is driving, although it’s probably the least popular of all on this list. You can easily rent a car in Cancún Airport, and then start driving around the Riviera Maya region. Alternatively you can rent a car in Tulum.
From here it will take roughly 2 hours to drive from Tulum to Chichén Itzá, where you’ll cover a distance of 152 km. It’s quite a simple route to take, although it’s worth using GoogleMaps if you’re not confident in your Spanish skills.
The main benefit of driving is that you can leave and head back at any time you want. This means you can also head into Valladolid or visit the nearby Ik Kil cenote as you wish.
Please remember that Chichén Itzá has its standard opening times, so even if you arrive early you’ll have to wait until they open their doors for tourists.
Private Transport from Tulum to Chichén Itzá
Finally we have the option of pre-booking your own private transport from Tulum to Chichén Itzá. Firstly you’ll get picked-up from your accommodation, where you can then have the freedom of coming back whenever you like.
Whilst the most expensive option on this list, it’s definitely best for those who want the most convenience. Not only can you head there with a safe driver and with bottled water included, your driver will also share local tips and history about the areas you pass by.
How to get from Tulum to Chichén Itzá
And that’s all for this guide on how to get from Tulum to Chichén Itzá.
One of the new Seven Wonders of the World, Chichén Itzá truly is a remarkable site.
Here we can see a site which was once the heart of the Mayan empire, whilst also admiring the intricately-designed pyramids (which are especially impressive during the equinoxes).
In this guide we’ve explored how to get from Tulum to Chichén Itzá, as well as where to stay and what to do.
Be sure to read our Riviera Maya Itinerary to learn what else you can do with your time in this region of Mexico (as well as how to plan your own itinerary well).
👉🏽 P.S. If you’ve found this guide helpful, buy us a coffee here to say thanks! Or, support us by downloading our South America Travel Bible to get our best content.
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