How to visit Chichen Itza

“I am sugar-free,” our local guide at Chichen Itza explains as he introduces himself.

“As you know, history is written by the winners. It’s called history because his story may not be my story,” he says.

All of this is Felipe’s way of explaining that he’s going to give us an interpretation of the Ancient Mayan civilisation that may be a bit different from some of the more popular stories. It’s not all prophecies and human sacrifice.

And that’s because the Mayan world that we’ve come to know in popular culture is not really an accurate representation of how things were.

As Felipe explains, that’s partly because it helps to sell books and movies if they play up the Mayan prophecies that predicted the end of the world.

But it’s also because when the Catholic Spanish colonised this land, it was in their interest to portray the indigenous people as bloodthirsty heathens, and so they exaggerated stories of human sacrifice.

Here at Chichen Itza in Mexico, it seems like the perfect time to learn a bit more about the Mayan culture, one of the world’s great civilisations.

Especially as it’s the first stop on my journey through Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize on this G Adventures Tour that will focus on the story of the Ancient Maya.

I’ve already written about the overall tour and, if you would like to read my thoughts on the trip and on the Mayan civilisation overall, I would recommend having a look at the story here.

But it’s Chichen Itza that gives me my first taste, and it’s here that the picture of this fascinating civilisation is coming together.

Already I’ve had to throw out a lot of what I thought I knew. Felipe is certainly not sugarcoating anything… but luckily it’s still sweet.

What is Chichen Itza?

Chichen Itza is one of the most famous of the Ancient Mayan cities. That’s partly because it’s one of the most easily accessible – with plenty of tourists going on day tours from nearby resort cities.

Going from Cancun to Chichen Itza or from Playa del Carmen to Chichen Itza is simple and lets people who have come to Mexico for a week of sun and drinking feel like they’ve also had a cultural experience.

But Chichen Itza was very significant and, just because it’s full of tourists, we can’t dismiss it as simply a Mayan Disneyland (even if it can feel like that at times).

The city was one of the later ones to be built, with its core developing from about the 7th century AD and reaching its peak of power around the 10th century.

It rose to prominence at around the same time that some of the Mayan jungle metropolises further south like Tikal, Palenque, and Calakmul were being abandoned. Although the relation between these two things is a matter of theory, it stands to reason that there was some kind of connection.

It’s estimated that up to 50,000 people could have lived in Chichen Itza at its peak, and the layout of the city shows urban centre would have been quite dense.

To see beyond the myths and legends of the Maya, you need to look at the civilisation as a political system.

It’s believed that Chichen Itza would have been the capital of the region, ruling over smaller settlements in surrounding states. So, it’s no surprise when I visit that I find an impressive collection of grand public buildings.

It’s also clear to see why this is one of the most famous of the World Heritage Sites in Mexico.

Our local guide, Felipe, takes us around and shows us the most important ones. Remember, he’s promised not to sugarcoat anything… but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some incredible stories about these buildings and their ancient residents.

Things to see at Chichen Itza

A lot of the site at Chichen Itza has been well-restored so there are quite a few things to see, representing a range of architectural styles. Here are the ones I think are the highlights.

Pyramid of Chichen Itza

The Pyramid of Chichen Itza is probably the most recognisable structure in the city. It’s usually referred to as ‘El Castillo’, which translates as ‘The Castle’, and is also known as the ‘Temple of Kukulkan’.

The stone pyramid is 30 metres high and is built with nine square terraces. At the top, you can see carvings of images that represent the indigenous gods.

Nothing about the architectural design of El Castillo is accidental. The Ancient Maya were advanced mathematicians and the number of different design elements, the angles of construction, and the sizes of various sections all have a meaning.

But the most awe-inspiring part of the design can only be seen twice a year – on the spring and autumn equinox. On these days, the sun falls on one set of stairs to create an effect that looks like a snake sliding down the pyramid, representing the serpent god Kukulcan!

Great Ball Court

The Ancient Maya played a special type of sport that involved two teams hitting a large ball back and forth.

Historians believe the exact rules were different in various regions and also changed over time, but here at Chichen Itza we can see an enormous ballcourt that would’ve been used for one of the later formal versions of the Mesoamerican ballgame.

The Great Ball Court of Chichen Itza is the largest of the Mayan Empire and is about 150 metres long. It would have been used for the most important matches – ones where usually someone would be sacrificed at the end.

We know a fair bit about the game because there are depictions of it carved into the side of the court. But we don’t know everything for sure.

Some guides will tell you that it was the losers of the games who were put to death because the matches were used to settle disputes and determine dominance.

Felipe tells it differently. He believes that it was the winners who were sacrificed because the Maya wanted to offer their best people to the gods. The ballgame was a way to determine who the perfect sacrifice would be and the players were conditioned to see that as a great honour!

Sacred Cenote

Speaking of sacrifice, another important part of the Chichen Itza site is the Sacred Cenote, where ceremonies for human offerings were done. A cenote is a natural pool that’s formed when the ground collapses to reveal an underground water supply. They had a special status in the Mayan world.

The Sacred Cenote was probably the most significant one at Chichen Itza and archaeologists have searched the water and found a large amount of jewellery, pottery, and skeletons here.

Temple of the Warriors

Although it’s not as tall as El Castillo, the Temple of the Warriors is another impressive pyramid that has a prime position at the centre of the ancient city.

What makes it special – and the reason it got its name – are the rows of carved columns at the front and along one side.

Most of the columns are carved to depict warriors, standing in lines, prepared for battle. The other ones represent females bearing gifts.

These columns would once have supported a roof that would have created a court next the the pyramid, which has three main levels. At the top of the pyramid are images of the gods and a throne room.

El Caracol

Just a few minutes walk from the centre of the Chichen Itza site, along a path through some forest, is another collection of structures from a slightly earlier period of time.

One of the most significant buildings here is called El Caracol, which translates as ‘The Snail’. It got the name because the dome at the top with a circular staircase once reminded people of a snail shell. But in the modern world today we might think the shape looks more like an observatory – which is interesting because that’s exactly what it was!

The Ancient Maya were keen astronomers and much of their architecture and ritual was based on the movement of the stars. It was from this building that the priests would have monitored things like the position of Venus in the night sky.

The Nunnery

Not far from El Caracol is another notable building called The Nunnery. The name has no direct relation to its function but it was called this by the Spanish because the latticed windows reminded them of the design style of nunneries from home.

The Nunnery was actually most likely a government palace but what makes it so significant is the artwork that’s been carved into the rock.

The elaborate masks here offer an insight into the cultural and religious aspects of the time. There are also good examples here of the written language of the Maya, with the beautifully detailed hieroglyphics.

The best Chichen Itza tours

I don’t think that I would have seen Chichen Itza in quite the same way if it had not been for Felipe.

Not only does he take us to the most important buildings and point out the interesting details, but he gives an interpretation that helps me take the Maya out of myth and into reality.

(And I’m going to forgive him for his joke where he calls the site “chicken pizza”.)

It is definitely possible to visit Chichen Itza independently, and I’ll share some details on that in the next section.

But this is also a site where you’ll appreciate a guide being able to give you context for what you’re seeing. Many of the buildings have hidden meanings that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise.

And, perhaps just as importantly, a tour will take care of all your transportation!!

I think the best option is this great guided tour with pickups from around Cancun and Playa del Carmen which also includes some time swimming at a cenote and exploring the charming town of Valladolid.

Some other great options for good guided tours that include transport are:

I’ve mentioned human sacrifice a few times – particularly in connection with the Great Ball Court and the Sacred Cenote. And I’ve talked about the priests and their obsession with things like mathematics and astronomy.

These are the dramatic parts of the Ancient Mayan culture that are easy to focus on when you want to make a movie or sell a book. And, to be fair, they also make for good stories on a tour of Chichen Itza.

But I told you Felipe wasn’t going to add sugar to his tour and he is true to his word. That’s why I love having a local guide.

Even if you’re going to arrange your own transport, you can book this excellent walking tour of Chichen Itza that includes the entrance fee.

So what did I learn from Felipe? Well, he’s quick to point out that sacrifices were quite rare. They didn’t happen every day or even every week (and maybe they would go years without doing any). They were also not done to satisfy some kind of blood lust.

They were done in extreme circumstances when, for instance, the city was in prolonged drought and they needed to beg the gods for rain.

Look at any religion – past or present – and you’ll find examples of extreme behaviour in the name of a deity. The Maya were no different.

And going to so many Mayan sites in the region also helps me get a better understanding of this fascinating culture.

So, with that in mind, the final tour option I want to recommend is this 15-day G Adventures tour that covers some of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, offering an incredible insight into the heritage and culture of the area.

With so much legend in popular culture about the Maya, it would be too easy to see these buildings and just transpose what you think you know over the top. It’s much more rewarding to hear from an expert to give it all some context.

Visit Chichen Itza

There are several important Mayan ruin sites in the region.

While visiting the Tulum ruins is quite easy, it’s not one of the most important historical sites.

And while visiting Uxmal does take you to a great ancient city, it’s much harder to get to from many of the tourist areas.

The reason that visiting Chichen Itza is so popular is that it’s both a very important site and is quite close to the main tourism areas in the Yucatan.

From Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or Tulum, it’s about 2.5 hours to drive to Chichen Itza.

If you have your own transportation, the roads are pretty good and it’s easy enough to drive yourself. (If you need to rent a car, I recommend using Discover Cars in Mexico.)

Coming by public transport from Cancun, Playa del Carmen,or Tulum is harder, though. There is usually about one bus a day from each company that leaves the main coastal cities. Have a look at the ADO timetable, for instance.

But the trip can be about four hours each way, so it means a lot of time sitting on a bus for a day trip.

I would actually recommend doing a guided tour rather than the bus because you’ll save a lot of time and it may not end up being too much more expensive anyway.

Once you’re at Chichen Itza, I would recommend spending at least two hours there, if not longer. There’s lots to see beyond just the main pyramid.

It does get crowded so the earlier you can arrive the better, which will also mean you’ll be out of the midday heat. I would also recommend avoiding Sundays as Mexican citizens can visit Chichen Itza for free.

And, if you’re visiting independently, you can buy skip-the-line tickets in advance, but they’re much more expensive so I only suggest doing this if it’s really peak time and you’re in a rush.

A few other buts of visitor information:

• It does get very hot so I suggest bringing water, sun protection, and comfortable walking shoes.
• There are shops and vendors where you can buy refreshments.
• Climbing the pyramids is not allowed.
• Drones and tripod use is prohibited at Chichen Itza.
• There are plenty of bathrooms throughout the site
• Much of Chichen Itza is accessible for wheelchairs and people with mobility issues, but not the entire site

For more information, you can visit the official website of Chichen Itza.

If you’re spending a bit of time in the region, there are a few other things near Chichen Itza that could be of interest:

• Ik Kil or Tsukan cenotes: This lovely swimming holes are a good way to cool off after a few hours of walking around the heritage in the heat.
• Balankanche Caves: Impressie ceremonial caves and underground waterways jsut a few kilometres from Chichen Itza.
• Yaxunah: Another Mayan city that is much smaller but can be interesting to compare because you won’t get the crowds here, and it’s only about 25 kilometres away.
• Valladolid: This charming colonial town is on the way to the main site from the coastline cities so it makes a perfect place to stop for a rest and explore the beautiful architecture.

Because it’s a big day trip, regardless of where you’re coming from, you’ll likely want something to eat.

There are restaurants around the main entrance to Chichen Itza and msot of them are fine, although a bit overpriced.

If you can, you’re better off going into the nearby town to places like Polleria Los Pajaros, Las Mestizas Comida Yucateca, or Loncheria Fabiola. They all offer affordable local food.

I travelled on this tour with the support of G Adventures in my position as a G Wanderer. All the opinions expressed are my own – I truly believe G Adventures is one of the best tour companies that you can use for a trip to Mexico and Central America.