Chichén Itzá is the day trip guests ask us about most, and it's a real day. You leave in the morning and you're back for dinner. Here's how we'd plan it.
How far is Chichén Itzá from Tulum?
Chichén Itzá is about 150 km (roughly 93 miles) from Tulum, which works out to 2 to 2.5 hours by car each way. That's the honest number for the drive itself. Add time at the site, a stop for lunch, and maybe a swim, and most people are gone eight hours or more.
We're south of town on the Carretera Tulum-Boca Paila, so the drive starts with the run back up the beach road before you're on the highway. Plan on the longer end of that range.
What time does Chichén Itzá open?
Chichén Itzá is open daily from 8:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:00. Those are Yucatán hours.
This is the catch most people miss. Chichén Itzá sits in the state of Yucatán, and Yucatán is one hour behind us here in Quintana Roo. So if your phone is still on Tulum time, the gates open at 9:00 and last entry is 17:00.
It changes when you should leave. Head out at 7:00 Tulum time and you'll pull in somewhere around opening. Leave at 9:00 and you'll arrive close to midday, when the site is at its fullest.
How much does it cost to get in?
Entry was 671 MXN per person in 2026. It's charged in two parts: 571 MXN for general admission and the rest as a separate state fee. Prices are set by the authorities and can change, so treat that figure as a guide and bring a card that works in Mexico.
That's the gate only. Transport, a guide, and any cenote stop are separate, which is why the way you get there matters more to the total than the ticket does.
Booking it through us
We book Chichén Itzá as part of The Voyage Within, alongside Cobá, cenotes, pottery and temazcal. Tell us how you like to travel and we'll arrange it. The concierge books it, you decide how far you go.
If you'd rather not drive, ask about a private transfer. We arrange those for airport runs too, and a car with someone else at the wheel makes a five-hour round trip a lot easier to sit through. Our concierge is awake at any hour, so an early start isn't a problem on our end.
We'd rather not quote a price for the day here. It depends on group size, the stops you add and the season, and we'd rather give you a real number than a guess. Message us before you arrive and we'll lay out the options.
Is it worth adding Valladolid?
Yes, if you have the energy. Valladolid is 40 to 60 minutes from Chichén Itzá by road, and many Tulum day trips pair the two with a cenote in between. It turns a ruins visit into a proper loop of the Yucatán: pyramid in the morning, a swim, then a colonial town in the afternoon.
The trade is time. Each stop pushes your return later, and the drive home is still a couple of hours. If you're only doing one long day trip on your stay, the three-stop version is the one most people come back glad they did. If you'd rather have the evening, keep it to Chichén Itzá and come straight back.
Or stay closer: Cobá
Cobá is the other set of ruins in The Voyage Within, and it's the one we'd suggest if you want Maya ruins without giving up the whole day. Ask us about it when you're here and we'll help you pick between the two.
Coming back to the beach
You'll be tired and dusty. That's the point of having somewhere quiet to come back to. We keep things quiet here. No schedules unless you want one.
If you've got anything left, book a table at NÜ Tulum. It's our jungle-side restaurant, dinner only, and it's been in the Michelin Guide three years running. If you've got dietary needs, gluten or dairy free for example, tell us when you book and the kitchen will plan around it.
Or skip all of that, take a shower, and sit on the terrace until it gets dark. That's allowed too.
A few things to sort before you go
- Leave early: 7:00 Tulum time gets you near opening, once you account for the drive and the one-hour time change.
- Check the clock: set a reminder that the site runs on Yucatán time, so last entry is 17:00 on a Tulum phone.
- Bring a card: we're a cash-free hotel, but the road and the site may not be, so ask us what to carry.
- Tell us the night before: if we're booking it through The Voyage Within, the more notice the better.