Are you thinking of visiting Chichen Itza in Mexico and wondering whether it’s worth it or not to get a guide? You’ve come to the right place!
Chichen Itza is one of the new wonders of the world and it’s the most famous Mayan city in the world.
It’s located about 45 minutes drive from Valladolid in Yucatan. It’s open every day and you can choose to visit it by yourself or with a guide.
⭐ IN A RUSH? Yes, a guided tour of Chichen Itza is absolutely worth it. I recommend this one. It’s incredibly interesting, easy to book and reasonably priced. See prices here.
As a tour leader, I’ve been on many guided tours in the world and I’ve learned to identify whether they are truly worth it or not.
In this article, I tell you everything you need to know about guided tours at Chichen Itza and whether they are worth it or not.
Is a Chichen Itza walking tour worth it? My honest opinion
Yes, absolutely. Of all the walking tours you could do in the world, this one is definitely worth it.
Chichen Itza is an amazing place and there is so much to know about the Mayan culture.
While it’s true that there are some signs around, nothing beats having a guide who can actually explain to you what you see and what is what.
The Mayan architecture is incredible and you can only truly understand it if you have a guide, especially since there are some sound effects.
It’s also a great way to learn more about how the Mayan lived and Mexican culture in general.
Finally, you get to see a lot more than you would if you were by yourself.
I recommend booking this guided tour of Chichen Itza. It’s very reasonably priced and the guide is amazing.
She was extremely knowledgeable, spoke great English and even messaged us the day before to give us some tips.
We were a very small group which made the experience a lot more enjoyable.
Click here to see the latest availability and prices.
Why is a guided tour of Chichen Itza worth it?
There are many reasons why having a guide in Chichen Itza is worth it and here are all the reasons.
1. You learn plenty about the Mayan culture
The Mayan culture and history is incredibly interesting and unlike the Inca in Peru, they left a lot of written traces which means we know a lot more about the Mayans than other ancient civilisations.
They used to live in a very different way compared to us and it was a very organised society.
Unless you are particularly knowledgeable on the topic (but to be fair, if you are then you’ll also enjoy the tour), there is no way you can guess what they were doing and why they built things the way they did.
One of the main aspects of the Mayan culture that can be difficult to comprehend now is everything that has to do with the human sacrifices.
While Mayans were fairly peaceful, they were also influenced, especially in Chichen Itza, by the Toltecs and human sacrifices were an important part of the culture.
In Chichen Itza, you can learn a lot about that but that’s something you would miss without a guide.
2. You jump the queue
Since the guide can provide the entrance tickets to Chichen Itza (at the same price as if you were to buy them yourself), that means you avoid having to queue at the entrance. This will save you a lot of time.
3. You don’t have to figure out where to go
The guide will bring you to all the main spots and explain everything you need to know.
This means you don’t have to try to find your way in Chichen Itza, you can simply follow.
4. You get to see more and not miss out
If you are visiting by yourself, there are a lot of things you won’t get to see.
Firstly because you will simply not see them, because there is no sign pointing out at these specific elements or because you don’t understand them.
This is the case of a lot of sculpted walls. There are a lot of elements about the Mayan god, the ball game and more and you will only see and understand them with a guide.
5. The guide has other material
Usually the guide comes with an Ipad with images on it.
This means you get to understand what you see better because they can show you photos with different angles, maps and historical photos.
They can also show you photos of the sites you see during the equinox.
A lot of Mayan buildings were built in a way that the sun would hit certain walls in a certain ways on the days of the equinox and that’s not something you can see unless you are visiting on the exact day and at the exact time.
6. You’ll understand the sound effects
The main pyramid in Chichen Itza (called the castle) features a set of impressive stairs. They were built in a way that it would create a sound effect.
This means that if music was played in front of the stairs, it would amplify that sound.
The guide will tell you all about it but also make you clap your hands at the right spots so you can hear the sound.
7. You’ll beat the crowds (with the online walking tour)
If you book this walking tour online then you will start at 8:30AM which is only 30 minutes after Chichen Itza opens its doors.
This means that you will beat the crowds and get to see the ancient city without it being packed.
8. You don’t need to haggle (with the online walking tour)
There are a lot of guides who will try to offer their services at Chichen Itza and they all offer different prices.
This means you have to try to get the price down and it’s always hard to know whether you paid the right price or not.
This walking tour is very reasonably priced (actually a lot cheaper than getting it at Chichen Itza) and you don’t have to haggle.
9. The guide knows where the best photo spots are
Obviously since all these guides are at Chichen Itza every day, they learnt where the best photo opportunities were and they are usually happy to help you take some photos.
This comes in handy because you don’t have to look for the best spots and you can leave with stunning photos.
How to book a guided tour of Chichen Itza
There are three ways you can book a guided tour of Chichen Itza. Here is the breakdown.
1. Go to Chichen Itza + Book your guided tour online (Best & Cheapest Option)
If you have a vehicle and can make your way to Chichen Itza on your own, then this is by far the best option.
A couple of days before visiting, I recommend booking this tour online. This is very easy to do on the Get Your Guide app or website.
The day before the tour, the guide will message you on Whatsapp to give you all the information and some tips.
It’s very easy, you have nothing to do but it’s very reassuring to get this information.
On the day of the tour, head to Chichen Itza for the opening time at 8AM. The tour guide will meet you at the big sign saying ‘Chichen Itza’ and then you can start the tour.
PLEASE NOTE: This tour doesn’t include the entrance to Chichen Itza, you can either book it through Get Your Guide or pay in cash on the day.
WHY IS IT THE BEST OPTION: Firstly, you know the price beforehand and it’s very reasonable and cheaper compared to the guides you will get on site. It’s also very easy to book and the service provided is incredible.
It’s also cheaper and convenient since you can drive to Chichen Itza yourself and then spend as much time as you want there.
It starts at 8:30AM which means you beat the crowds and can get beautiful photos.
Finally, the guide is incredibly knowledgeable and you’ll have a great time.
2. Book a Day Tour to Chichen Itza
If you don’t have your own vehicle or are staying a bit far, then a day tour with transport included is a great option. That way you don’t have to worry about a thing.
You can opt for a day tour from Cancun or the Riviera Maya. It includes transport, a guided tour of Chichen Itza and a stop at a cenote near Valladolid.
This is overall a great option and the price is reasonable when we take into consideration all the things it includes.
It’s also the easiest option overall.
The only downside is that you will be given a certain amount of time at Chichen Itza and have to stick to it. It’s less flexible than option 1.
3. Go to Chichen Itza and get a guide there
The last option is to go to Chichen Itza by yourself and try to get a guide there.
Finding the guide will be no problem, they are everywhere and they will try to convince you.
While this is true that they are official guides and will provide good knowledge, it is also the most expensive way to get a guide.
Unfortunately, they will all tell you different prices and often try to charge you more than you should.
This means you should be trying to haggle which can be stressful for some.
Now that you know everything about guided tours at Chichen Itza and why they are worth it, it’s time to go and discover this beautiful site.
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