--- title: "Chichen Itza & Ek Balam Tour with Cenote Swim" date: 2026-10-27 canonical: https://thechichenitzatours.com/tours/chichen-itza-ek-balam-tour/ --- # Chichen Itza & Ek Balam Tour with Cenote Swim - Ticket price: From 59.4 USD per person (Prices checked 2026-10-27, prices may vary) - Duration: 12 hours - Best for: Climb pyramids before the crowds - Guided day tours - Check availability: https://www.getyourguide.com/cancun-l150/cancun-chichen-itza-ek-balam-cenote-lunch-t405977/?partner_id=D7H7I6M&cmp=thechichenitzatours_com_agent_markdown (GetYourGuide · This site contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you.) - ★ Visits Ek Balam, a less-crowded Maya site, before Chichen Itza - ★ Early-morning start to beat the crowds at both sites - ★ Buffet lunch included - ★ Swim stop at Cenote Chichi Kan - ★ Certified bilingual guide at both archaeological sites ## Our take I would choose this over the Coba combo if climbing an actual pyramid matters to you, since Ek Balam still allows it while Chichen Itza's own pyramid does not. It is one of the cheaper full-day options here, but the 6 am meeting time is early even by this site's standards, so plan your night before accordingly. This **Chichen Itza and Ek Balam tour** pairs the famous ruins with a visit to Ek Balam, a quieter Maya site where you can still climb the main pyramid for a jungle view. The day also includes a buffet lunch and a swim at Cenote Chichi Kan. Prices start from around $59 per person for a 12-hour day with an early 6 am meeting time. ## What makes this Chichen Itza & Ek Balam tour different? Ek Balam gets a fraction of the visitors that Chichen Itza does, and unlike the main pyramid at Chichen Itza, climbing is still allowed at Ek Balam, which makes it a genuinely different kind of stop rather than a smaller copy of the same experience. Visiting early in the morning also means fewer crowds at both sites before the bigger tour buses arrive. ## What does the Chichen Itza, Ek Balam & cenote tour include? The price covers a bilingual guide for both archaeological sites, admission to the cenote, and a buffet lunch. Hotel pickup is included only on options that specify it; otherwise you meet the guide directly at Plaza Las Perlas at 6 am. The cenote life vest, lockers and the roughly 56 USD combined site fees are paid separately. ## Who should book this tour? This suits travelers who want to see more than just Chichen Itza and do not mind a very early start to fit in a second site. If climbing a real pyramid matters to you and Chichen Itza's own pyramid is roped off to climbers, Ek Balam is the place on this itinerary where that is still possible. ## Is the Chichen Itza & Ek Balam tour worth it? **Yes, if seeing a second, less crowded Maya site and climbing a real pyramid matter to you.** At around $59, it is one of the cheaper full-day options on this site, largely because Ek Balam itself has lower entrance costs than Chichen Itza alone. If an early 6 am start does not suit your trip, a later-departing single-site tour like the [Cancun departure](https://thechichenitzatours.com/tours/chichen-itza-cenote-valladolid-tour/) will be more convenient. ## Getting to the Plaza Las Perlas meeting point The default meeting point is Plaza Las Perlas at 6:00 am; check whether your specific booking option includes hotel pickup instead, since that changes where and when you need to be ready. Being even a few minutes late can mean missing the vehicle, given how early the departure is. ## Insider tips for the Ek Balam and Chichen Itza combo Wear shoes with real grip if you plan to climb the pyramid at Ek Balam, since the steps are steep and uneven. Bring cash for the combined archaeological site fees, which must be paid by credit card at Chichen Itza specifically, so carry a card as well in case cash is not accepted at every point. ## Prices and what to expect Prices start from around $59 per person and can vary with season and the hotel pickup option selected. Expect a very early start and a long day, typically returning in the early evening. ## How does it compare to other Chichen Itza tours? Against the [Coba and Chichen Itza combo](https://thechichenitzatours.com/tours/chichen-itza-coba-tour/), this tour swaps Coba's jungle causeways for Ek Balam's climbable pyramid, and adds lunch as standard rather than optional. Against the single-site [Cancun departure](https://thechichenitzatours.com/tours/chichen-itza-cenote-valladolid-tour/), this is the pick for anyone who wants a second archaeological site in the same day. ## What's included - ✓ Professional bilingual guide - ✓ Hotel pickup (on options that include it) - ✓ Admission to the cenote - ✓ Buffet lunch - ✓ Guided tour at both archaeological sites - ✗ Drinks - ✗ Lockers and life vest (mandatory) at the cenote - ✗ Admission fees to the archaeological sites, around 56 USD ## Route and itinerary 1. **Early pickup and meeting point**: Meet your guide at Plaza Las Perlas at 6:00 am, or arrange hotel pickup if that option is selected. The early start is built around reaching Ek Balam before other tour groups arrive. 2. **Climb the pyramids at Ek Balam**: Among the first visitors at Ek Balam, the group explores the Maya ruins and climbs the main pyramid for a panoramic view over the surrounding jungle. There is some free time here to explore independently before moving on. 3. **Guided tour of Chichen Itza**: The group travels on to Chichen Itza, where a guide explains Maya mythology, philosophy and cosmology while walking through the well-preserved ruins. Seeing Ek Balam first gives useful context for how it compares to the larger, more famous site. 4. **Buffet lunch**: A Mexican buffet lunch is served as part of the tour, giving the group a break between the two archaeological sites and the cenote stop that follows. 5. **Swim at Cenote Chichi Kan**: The day wraps up with a swim at Cenote Chichi Kan, right next to its waterfall, a welcome break from the heat after two ruin sites in one day. A life vest is mandatory and not included in the price. ## FAQs ### Can you still climb the pyramid at Ek Balam? Yes, unlike the main pyramid at Chichen Itza, climbing is still permitted at Ek Balam, which is one of the main reasons travelers add it to their itinerary. ### What time does this Chichen Itza and Ek Balam tour start? The default meeting point is Plaza Las Perlas at 6:00 am, earlier than most single-site Chichen Itza tours, to fit in both archaeological sites. ### Is lunch included on this tour? Yes, a Mexican buffet lunch is included in the price, served between the archaeological sites and the cenote stop. ### Are the Ek Balam and Chichen Itza entrance fees included? No, the combined site fees, around 56 USD, are paid locally by credit card, separate from the tour price. ### Is hotel pickup included? Hotel pickup is included only on options that specify it. Otherwise, meet your guide directly at Plaza Las Perlas. ### Can I swim at the cenote on this tour? Yes, the day ends with a swim at Cenote Chichi Kan. A life vest is mandatory and its rental is not included in the price.