The beauty of Chitzén Itzá

Visiting Chitzén Itzá is a must when in Mexico. This old Mayan town was voted one of the seven new world wonders in 2007 and when you visit, you will understand why.

History

Before we dive into the details of your visit, a brief history of Chichén Itzá. The world famous ruines are one of Mexico’s most iconic landmarks. Chichén Itzá was founded in 400 AD, but it took some time to become what it is today. Only after the arrival of the Toltec warriors in the 10th century, Chichén Itzá started to flourish. The Toltecs started the construction of the now famous El Castillo pyramid, which was build on top of an older Mayan structure. From that point, Chichén Itzá expanded to become a civilization of about 35.000 inhabitants.

Today the well-preserved town is the biggest tourist attraction in Mexico, welcoming a whopping 1.2 million visitors a year. Looking at the beauty the Mayans created, it is easy to see why.

Visiting Chichén Itzá

Chitzén Itzá is located in the Yucatán region in Mexico. It is a 45-minute drive away from Valladolid or a 90-minute driver from Mérida. The Mayan town is open to visit daily from 08:00 to 17:00, but it is recommended to arrive as early as possible. Due to the popularity, the town gets very crowded at the end of the morning due to all the tourist busses arriving. It is also recommended to avoid visiting Chichén Itzá on a Sunday. Mexican locals can enter Chichén Itzá for free on Sunday, making it extra crowded.

Prices

To visit Chichén Itzá you need to pay an entrance fee. The fees are different for Mexican Residents and international visitors. You can buy your tickets at the ticket booth, but you can buy your tickets online as well. When you purchase the tickets online, you can skip the line at the entrance. The admission fees in 2022 are $533 MXN for an adult, $80 MXN for a child (3-12), $237 MXN for Mexican Citizens and $80 MXN for locals. You can find the current ticket prices here.

Note that the fee consists of two types of fees: one for the Institute of History and Anthropology of Mexico (INAH) and another for the Ministry of Culture of Yucatán (Cultur). Important detail is that the Ministry of Culture of Yucatán part of the entrance fee (about $80 MXN) could only be paid in cash, so be sure to have some cash on hand! There is an ATM in the common area, but this can be crowded as well.

Tour Guides

Chichén Itzá offers a booth right at the entrance where you can book a tour guide for your visit. There are guides for tours in all common languages and they will tell you all about the Mayan civilization and ensures you will not miss out on important buildings. A tour guide will set you back between $650 MXN and $1000 MXN for a two to three hour tour.

A cheaper option is the audio tour which you can follow on your own smartphone through the Get Your Guide app. The app works offline and uses your phones GPS to guide you through the Mayan town.