Ek Balam & Cenote Hubiku Sunday Tour | Cancun 100

Ek Balam and Cenote Hubiku Tour: the only Mayan pyramid you can still climb, plus Valladolid Pueblo Mágico

Experience the Ek Balam tour from Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum, a unique Mayan experience: Ek Balam is one of the few archaeological zones in Mexico where you can still CLIMB the pyramid, the majestic 32-meter-tall Acropolis (taller than the Pyramid of Kukulkan in Chichen Itza). A panoramic view of the Yucatan jungle that no other tour offers.

This exclusive Sunday tour also includes the spectacular Cenote Hubiku to swim 1 hour with life vest, regional Mexican buffet, hammocks to rest, Don Tadeo tequila tasting, and an hour in Valladolid Pueblo Mágico. Round-trip transport in a van with A/C from your hotel door and box lunch for the road. A different cultural alternative to Chichen Itza, with fewer tourists and more authentic connection.

Highlights

• Ek Balam: the ONLY major Maya pyramid you can still climb, 32 meters tall
• Unique panoramic view of the Yucatan jungle from atop the Acropolis
• Cenote Hubiku: 1 hour swimming with life vest included
• Don Tadeo tequila tasting, local artisanal spirit
• Hammocks to rest between visits
• Visit to Valladolid Pueblo Mágico (1 hour)
• Regional Mexican buffet lunch
• Box lunch on the road: juice, sandwich, fruit and cookie
• Round-trip A/C van transport from your hotel
• Bilingual guide for 45-minute explanation at the zone
• Exclusive Sunday tour: maximum tranquility without crowds

Your day, step by step

1. Hotel pick-up. Shared pick-up at your hotel door early in the morning. Comfortable A/C van transport to northern Yucatan.
2. Box lunch on the road. During the journey enjoy box lunch with juice, sandwich, fruit and cookie. Approximately 2:30 to 3 hours of road to Ek Balam.
3. Ek Balam archaeological zone. Arrival at Ek Balam, Maya city whose name means Black Jaguar or Star Jaguar. 45-minute guided tour explaining the history of the site, the Acropolis, the decorative frieze unique in the Maya world, and the entrance to the palace of king Ukit Kan Le’t Tok. You have free time to climb the Acropolis pyramid (32 meters, exterior staircase, 360-degree jungle view).
4. Cenote Hubiku. Visit Cenote Hubiku, semi-enclosed with natural light through an open circle in the ceiling. 1 hour of swimming with life vest included in fresh crystal-clear waters 20 meters deep.
5. Tequila tasting and lunch. Don Tadeo tequila tasting, a local artisanal spirit. Then enjoy regional Mexican buffet with typical Yucatan dishes and rest in traditional hammocks.
6. Valladolid Pueblo Mágico. 1 hour in Valladolid, colonial city founded in 1543 and declared Pueblo Mágico. Visit the main square, San Servacio church and walk through the colorful colonial streets.
7. Return. We return to your hotel at the end of the day, arriving between 8:00 and 10:00 PM depending on departure point.

What’s included

• Round-trip A/C van transport
• Shared pick-up from your hotel door in Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum
• Box lunch on board: juice, sandwich, fruit and cookie
• Admission to Ek Balam Archaeological Zone
• Bilingual guide for 45-minute explanation inside Ek Balam
• Free time in the archaeological zone (includes climbing the pyramid)
• Admission to Cenote Hubiku to swim 1 hour
• Life vest at Cenote Hubiku
• Don Tadeo tequila tasting
• Regional Mexican buffet lunch
• Hammocks to rest
• Guided visit to Valladolid (1 hour)

What’s not included

• Beverages at the restaurant during lunch
• INAH federal taxes (paid directly at the booth)
• Tips for guide and driver, suggested and voluntary
• Professional photos
• Souvenir shopping in Valladolid
• Sunscreen, you must bring biodegradable reef-safe sunscreen

General information

• Duration: Approximately 13 to 15 hours including transfers
• Guide languages: Spanish and English
• Cancellation: Free until 7:30 PM the day before the tour; after that a 50 percent charge applies
• Operating days: Sundays only; one weekly departure

Departure and meeting point

• From Cancun: hotel door pick-up early in the morning
• From Playa del Carmen: hotel door pick-up
• From Tulum: hotel door pick-up

Important notes

• Ek Balam means Black Jaguar or Star Jaguar in Mayan. It was one of the most important Maya city-states of the late classic period
• The Acropolis of Ek Balam is 32 meters tall, TALLER than the Pyramid of Kukulkan in Chichen Itza (30 meters)
• It is one of the few Maya archaeological zones in Mexico where you can still CLIMB the main pyramid via exterior staircase
• From the top of the Acropolis you have a 360-degree view of the Yucatan jungle; on clear days you can see Chichen Itza
• The site is famous for the best-preserved stucco frieze in the Maya world, with figures of warriors and deities
• Cenote Hubiku is connected to the great Sac Actun cenote system, the largest in the world
• Rates differentiate between nationals (Mexicans with ID) and foreigners, standard practice of INAH
• Tour requires a minimum of 8 passengers; the operator may consolidate groups
• No-show policy: 50 percent charge of the tour value

Restrictions and recommendations

• Tour suitable for the whole family; minors always accompanied by an adult
• Suaste archaeological zone ages: adult from 12 years, child from 5 to 11 years, infant from 0 to 4 years (free without seat or meal)
• Climbing the Acropolis pyramid requires moderate fitness; take breaks on the landings
• Only biodegradable or reef-safe sunscreen is allowed at the cenote
• Knowing how to swim is recommended; life vest included at the cenote
• Not recommended for very reduced mobility (pyramid stairs and walking distances)
• Not recommended for vertigo in people who want to climb the pyramid

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