Guided tour of Tulum and visit to a modern Maya community
History & Heritage

Guided tour of Tulum and visit to a modern Maya community

4.5/5

Excellent
200 reviews
from
$114.80
Free cancellation
Language: German, Spanish, Danish, English, Finnish, French, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish
Mobile voucher accepted
Duration: from 4 hours to 8 hours

Based on our commitment to sustainable tourism, all National Geographic Day Tours meet the Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria, and a portion of the proceeds from these tours goes back to the National Geographic Society to fund research and sustainable programs around the world.

Why you’ll love this…
  • You'll discover the beautifully located ruins of the historic Maya city of Tulum
  • You can see the temples of the Frescoes, the Descending God and the Winds
  • There are opportunities to take selfies by the clifftop El Castillo pyramid looking over the Caribbean
  • This itinerary visits a modern Maya community to meet the locals and swim in a cenote
  • Your tour is led by an expert local guide with an unrivalled knowledge of Tulum and its history
What to expect

Historic ruins, beaches and swimming in underground caves make this an action-packed morning of discovery. A guided tour of Tulum is followed by a visit to a traditional Maya community. What's more, you'll get to take a dip in a cenote, too. Benito, one of our local guides, says, "most of Tulum dates from the two centuries before Spanish colonisation, so it's a final snapshot of a doomed civilisation. Among the many things you'll learn is the symbolism behind the deities carved into the temples."

First up, explore the remains of the Maya city of Tulum. Your expert guide will show you temples of the Frescoes, the Descending God, the Winds and more. And then there's El Castillo pyramid, whose clifftop location overlooking the Caribbean saw it double as a lighthouse. Nowadays, it's made for Instagram – it's the most photographed location in the Riviera Maya. Gustavo, another of our local guides, says, ‘Tulum is that perfect balance between culture and nature – just look at all the iguanas you'll see lazing around. The ancient Maya appreciated this, and each area represented one of the elements – earth, water, wind and fire.'

Then we'll take some time to look around a Maya village and meet some members of the community. We'll find out about the traditions and customs of the village, before finishing up with a swim in a cenote. These freshwater sinkholes were sacred to the ancient Maya. A bit of snorkelling in this hallowed cavern is the ideal way to round off your experience.

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What's included
  • check Transport to and from hotels
  • check Entrance fees
  • check Guide
  • check Snacks and a drink
What to remember
  • Bring bathing gear, comfortable shoes, a hat and sunblock
  • We reccommend biodegradable sunblock as swimming in the cenote will not be permitted without
  • Use of video cameras on the Tulum site is payable locally
Read more
Provider
TUI MEXICANA SA DE CV
Booking fee
Good news! No extra fees are applied to this booking.
Cancellation policy
Receive a 100% refund if you cancel up to 1 day before the experience begins.

What people say about this experience

Excellent

4.5 /5

Based on 200 reviews from verified customers


Review categories

Value for money

4.1/5

Safety

4.5/5

Staff

4.5/5

Service

4.5/5


61%
30%
9%
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  • S

    Sunstar

    Verified booking

    3

    December 23, 2025

    Traveled with a group of friends


    Zu spät losgefahren vom Hotel, daher bei Ankunft in Tulum vor Ort bereit zu viele Leute anwesend bzw. Die Stätten bereits überfüllt. Abholzeit war mit 7:40 Uhr zu spät geplant. Hätte wesentlich eher sein müssen.

  • I

    Inge

    Verified booking

    4.2

    December 23, 2025

    Traveled as a couple


    In Tulum hatten wir 2 Stunden Zeit, das war mir zu wenig, hätte gern noch eine Stunde länger dort verweilt, um die Schönheit des Ortes etwas länger zu genießen.

  • J

    Joe Bosser

    Verified booking

    4.6

    December 23, 2025

    Traveled as a couple


    Wieder ein sehr sehr guter Guide..... Netter freundlicher Busfahrer, leider waren wir mit so einem kleinen VW-Bus ähnlichem Gefährt unterwegs, sehr beengter Innenraum und der Wagen war ein wenig "klapprig". Aber es ging schon da der Weg nicht so weit war. Unter'm Strich: Netter, schöner, informativer Ausflug.

  • U

    Urs

    Verified booking

    4.2

    December 12, 2025

    Solo traveler


    Ich muss mich glutenfrei ernähren. Bei der Buchung hatte ich keine Möglichkeit dies zu vermerken. Daher konnte ich den Snack nicht essen.

  • F

    Fadda

    Verified booking

    4.6

    December 2, 2025

    Traveled as a couple


    Die Preise für diesen und alle anderen Ausflüge ist zu hoch.

  • J

    Jose

    Verified booking

    4.6

    December 2, 2025

    Traveled as a couple


    Es war eine tolle Tour mit einem sehr netten Guide. Wir haben viele Informationen erhalten und haben uns sehr wohl gefühlt.