Published on Nov, 2024
We visited recently with 4 adults and 2 older children. We chose the private option so that we were able to have more flexibility in our day, as we were not interested in visiting the cenote. Our tour guide, Arnie, was AMAZING! He picked us up right on time and was fantastic throughout the day. He was super nice, very well informed, and just a delight to be with. The drive was long, but not too bad. The van had charging ports for our devices and was kept cool with air conditioning. He made a stop about 30 minutes before Chichen Itza at a place that had decent bathrooms and two different convenience stores for snacks or drinks. We arrived early and we were able to beat most of the crowds, though when we left 2 hours later it was packed. There are bathrooms and plenty of vendors selling a large variety of hand made crafts and souvenirs. I would defiantly recommend taking the time to walk all the way down to the Observatory and the buildings beyond, as they are well preserved and not as busy. After that we were hungry and decided to go have lunch before visiting Ek Balam. The one and only complaint that we had was the restaurant. Arnie called ahead to reserve our place and sent in our orders. When we arrived we were led to the back patio even though there was a large table inside that was free. It was very hot (they did bring a fan but that did not help much) and there were flies/bees EVERYWHERE. We asked about moving and were told that this was it. The inside was very small, though the entire time we were there that large table remained free. It was nearly impossible to eat with all of the flies and one of our dishes even had a dead fly underneath the food. They did make us a new dish, but honestly the vibe was ruined. The food (that we were able to eat) was ok, but the entire experience was just bad. The flies were buzzing all around us, landing on our food, and the bees were crawling into our drinks. The drive to Ek Balam was maybe 30 more minutes so we arrived early afternoon. The site was practically empty. It is a smaller complex than Chichen Itza and more out of the way so it does not get as many visitors, which was perfect. There are decent bathrooms and a small snack stand at the entrance with a few vendors inside and in the parking lot area. The area was spectacular and a must see. It was quiet and felt like we were the only ones there at times. There are 2 pyramids that you are able to climb that are well worth the views. One is smaller and fairly easy, while the other was significantly more difficult but recommended if you are able. I believe it was 91 steps? but I am not sure. About half way up there is a rest area where you can see a well preserved part of the tomb. The steps are very narrow and Arnie showed us that moving in a kind of zig-zag was the easiest way up and down. To be honest we kind of scooted our way down, as it was quite overwhelming. Once you are the top there are a few "steps" made of thick branches to reach the platform. It was incredible to see though and despite the fear, we were all glad that we pushed ourselves to go. It is as if you are surrounded by a vast carpet of green. I cannot express the beauty of the jungle from that height. It was breathtaking. After that since we opted out of the cenote, we headed back to our hotel. It was an easy enough drive. The day was wonderful and we would absolutely recommend this tour. The 2 other times that we toured Chichen Itza we felt very rushed and not it was not as enjoyable. This tour did exactly as advertised and we had plenty of time and did not once feel rushed. We very much enjoyed all of the history and knowledge that Arnie presented to us as we walked around each complex. We could tell that he was passionate about educating his tour members and we all had a great time.
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