Chichen Itza Self-Guided Tour

Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)

Chichen Itza was one of the great cities of the ancient Maya world, a regional capital of northern Yucatan that thrived from roughly the 800s until its decline around 1100. This tour walks you through it without a hired guide.

The loop has 12 stops and takes about two and a half hours at an easy pace. It starts at the main visitor entrance, crosses the Great Plaza to the ball court and its neighbors, follows a stone causeway north to the Sacred Cenote, returns past the Temple of the Warriors and El Castillo, then heads south to the Ossuary, the round observatory called El Caracol and the palace of Las Monjas before returning to the entrance.

Paths are flat but unpaved, and there is very little shade. Arrive when the gates open, carry plenty of water, and wear a hat and sunscreen. Climbing the buildings is not permitted, so enjoy everything from the ground. Check the INAH website for current hours and ticket prices before you go.

12 stops on this tour:

Main Entrance - Gateway to a Maya City

Great Ball Court - The Biggest Game in Town

Temple of the Jaguars - Best Seat at the Game

Tzompantli - The Wall of Skulls

Platform of Venus - Tracking the Morning Star

Sacred Cenote - The Well of Offerings

Temple of the Warriors - A Tula Look-Alike

Group of a Thousand Columns - A Forest of Stone

El Castillo - The Pyramid of Kukulcan

The Ossuary - High Priest's Grave

El Caracol - The Maya Observatory

Las Monjas - The Palace They Called a Convent

Plan your visit

Route: 12 stops · about 1.8 miles · walking, one way
Time: about 2.5 hours at an easy pace, with stops
Start: Main Entrance (directions)
Cost: free tour; the site itself charges an entrance fee

Stops on this tour

All international tours →