10 Merida Cave Tours to Get Booked Early

1.Chichen Itza, Private Cenote/Food Experience & the magic Izamal

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 385 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $95Our pick

Leave Merida early with guides such as Delio or Hernan for Chichen Itza before the crowds, a private Mayan family cenote in Holca, home-cooked Yucatecan food, and Izamal. The small-group trip includes transport, water, coffee, breakfast, life jackets, and guided ruins, but Chichen Itza admission and the MX$300 lunch cost extra.

“Chichen Itza was incredible, but the private cenote experience was the highlight! The family-cooked food and Izamal visit were fantastic too, and our guide was top-notch!"”

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2.Chichen Itza, Cenote Swim & Izamal Magic Town with Buffet Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 317 reviews · 11 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $84

Start early from central Merida for Chichen Itza with a guide, free time, a Yucatecan buffet, and a refreshing cenote swim. Finish in yellow-painted Izamal. Guides such as Miguel, Freddy, Michelle, and Rodrigo have earned strong praise, but bring cash for the Chichen Itza tax, locker, and life vest.

“Great tour. Good amount of time at each location. Buffet was surprisingly delicious! Centre steps were a little treacherous, but everyone seemed to handle them fine :) Longer day than advertised though. Says 10 hours, but is a full 12 hour day, so be mindful in case of evening plans. Main downside was that cenote entrance isn’t actually covered. You have to pay extra to go in the cenote, though they frame it as a “mandatory life jacket” fee.”

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3.Chichen Itza Tour, Izamal, Cenote Ik Kil and Food

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 246 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $79

Travel from Merida to Chichen Itza, Cenote Ik Kil, a hacienda buffet, and yellow-painted Izamal in a small group of up to 19 people. Expect a 7 a.m. start, bilingual guiding, air-conditioned van transport, about two hours at the ruins, and 90 minutes at the cenote. Guides such as Michelle, Anel, Pedro, and Victor have led recent departures.

“We loved our trip to Chichen Itza! Maui and Manuel were the greatest, and all the stops were so perfect. A big highlight of our enchanted trip to Merida.”

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4.Guided tour of Uxmal, Kabah and Cenote with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 156 reviews · 9 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $94

Spend a full day touring Uxmal and Kabah with an English- and Spanish-speaking guide, then cool off in the small Peba cenote and eat a typical Yucatecan lunch. Guides such as Francisco, David, Irwin, and Sergio have led this route, though the assigned guide varies. Hotel pickup, transport, lunch, and a WhatsApp learning game are included.

“It was fun field day of exploring Uxamal, Kabal and a cenote . I highly recommend taking this tour!!”

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5.Chichen Itza, Izamal & Cenote with Buffet Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 131 reviews · from $84

Leave Merida early for a guided visit to Chichen Itza, with cooler air and lighter crowds. Then swim at Xcajum Cenote, eat a Yucatecan buffet, and explore yellow Izamal, including its convent and pyramid. English and Spanish guides include Fredi, Raul, Julian, and Miguel. Expect an 11.5-hour day with plenty of walking.

“Miguel was a fantastic tour guide. Immensely knowledgeable. The trip went to smoothly. The combination of the day trip to Chichen Itza and a Cenote was the perfect itinerary. Highly recommend this package. Would do this again.”

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6.Chichen Itza Cenote, Food Experience & Izamal

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 71 reviews · 10 hours · from $110

Start early from central Merida with guides such as Hernan or Delio, reaching Chichen Itza before the crowds and heat. After a guided visit, swim in a private Mayan-family cenote, eat sopa de lima, salbutes, cochinita pibil, and fruit, then stroll through yellow Izamal. Small groups are limited to 10.

“This tour is really worth its price! Hernan took good care of us, he drove us safely and gave us good information about the places we visited. We were a group of four and the tour was almost personalized. The itinerary is perfect and very complete, the best of Maya and Spanish heritage plus a break at an unexpected cenote with a tasty lunch. Highly recommended!”

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7.Hacienda Sotuta de Peon w/ Cenote & Henequen Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 62 reviews · 3 - 4.5 hours · from $58Best value

At Hacienda Sotuta de Peón, about 45 minutes from Mérida, you’ll tour restored sisal machinery, cross agave fields by mule-pulled rail truck, visit a Mayan house, swim in Cenote Dzul Ha, and eat at Restaurant KIH. English and Spanish guides, including Evan and Philip, lead the small-group experience.

“Our tour guide, Philip, was great! He spoke both Spanish and English throughout the tour. Very informative and interesting. Nice to learn about the history of the hacienda and about Sisal/Henequen.”

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8.Uxmal, Hacienda Yaxcopoil and Cenote with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 26 reviews · 8 hours · from $143

Spend eight hours tracing Yucatán from Maya temples to a henequen hacienda and a cool cenote. You’ll tour Uxmal with a bilingual guide, inspect Yaxcopoil’s rooms and gardens, eat at a local restaurant, and swim at Cenote Peba. Hotel pickup, entry fees, lunch, and air-conditioned transport are included.

“Daniel was fantastic, car broke down and he tried his very best to sort it out. He was friendly and well prepared. I found the tour too expensive for what they offered though”

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9.Mérida: Hacienda & Cenote Mucuyche Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 18 reviews · 6 hours · from $151

Travel from Mérida to Hacienda Mucuyché for a guided visit through its museum, chapel, main house, and hall. Swim in the Carlota and Azul Maya cenotes, float through the canal, and see the fruit plantations by truck. English and Spanish guides are available, and hotel pickup is included.

“It’s was good, cenote tour was good, didn’t include the truck tour which was indicated in the tour description”

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10.Full-Day Cuzama Cenotes tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 15 reviews · 8 hours · from $155

Leave Mérida early for Cascabel, Chaksikin, and Xoch cenotes. You’ll ride an agave-hauling truck or bicycle between stops, swim with a flotation vest, hear English or Spanish commentary, and eat lunch at a local restaurant. Hotel pickup is included, with some departures beginning around 5:00 AM.

“Gabriel met me at my hotel. The van was comfortable. After picking up a few other guests, we drove about an hour to the cenotes. We visited three cenotes in total, walking from one to another. One was completely enclosed, one partially enclosed, and the final one open. Afterwards, we ate a meal at the restaurant on-site. There were vegetarian options.”

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