Chichen Itza Tour on a budget - skip the guided tours and explore on your own

Chichen Itza Tour on a budget - skip the guided tours and explore on your own

Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of The World are famed the world over. Its iconic pyramid-shaped temple is the poster-child for Mayan civilization, explaining why Chichen Itza is on most travelers' bucket-lists…I know it was on mine!

You do not need to go on a Chichen Itza private tour to have your own quiet time here, in fact, this would not help at all as they generally arrive too late in the day. The only way to see Chichen Itza without the crowds is to go there by yourself, either with a car or staying in a nearby town.

Discover this ancient wonder of the impressive Mayan ruins with our GPS Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour. Just follow the GPS line in our map and the history/stories will auto-play. No scheduled tour timings-no crowded groups. No tips per person. Enjoy the tour at your own pace.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: El Castillo, Tinum, Yuc., Mexico

Centuries have passed and yet the Pyramid Kukulkan has withstood the test of time. El Castillo, the name given by the Spanish conquerors, is a temple built in the honor of the mighty Mayan snake deity, Kukulkan. It represents Snake mountain, a place in Mayan folklore, where creation first occurred. There are examples of snake mountain designs as far back as 100 BCE, but here at Chichen Itza, you see its full artistic maturity.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Tzompantli, Yucatan, Mexico

Tzompantli which means skull rack is otherwise known as the Platform of Skulls. Chichen Itza is home to a toltec structure where the heads of the sacrificial victims were placed -whew!

Imagine how bad it stank - the heads stacked on top of each other on the vertical wooden posts. Due to the stench, this platform is likely the only one to actually serve its purpose.

The word Tzompantli actually has Aztec roots. These structures were discovered by the Spanish (who were absolutely shocked when they came across it) in the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Cenote Ik kil, Carretera Costera del Golfo 3 Kilometros de la zona arqueologica de Chichen Itza, Chichen Itza 97757 Mexico

The Sacred Cenote or Sacred Well is one of the most venerable spots on the Chichen Itza. Otherwise known as the Well of Sacrifice, this spot combines the very essence of Mayan beliefs and fears. The cenotes are bodies of water formed by the limestone plain which covers most of the Yucatán Peninsula. The cenotes manifest themselves as rivers, pools or streams beneath the limestone terrain.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Temple of the Warriors, Chichen Itza 77500 Mexico

Much like an expensive wedding cake, the Temple of Warriors has three, thick tiers at the bottom with a small temple on top. Look at the base of the stairway, there are about 200 columns, each with Toltec warriors placed in varying scenes carved into every side.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: The Ossuary, Chichen Itza Mexico

Between the plazas, platforms and a cenote stands a pyramid that is related to the dynasty of the Lords of Chichen Itza.

El Osario- otherwise known as the Ossuary - was given its name due to the numerous human and animal bones found on site. It is also known as the High Priest’s Grave.

El Osario is a smaller rendition of El Castillo. It has four staircases and is around 9 meters high. Designs similar to the ones on the Temple of Warriors and on the Venus Platforms are carved into this structure.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: El Caracol, Carretera Merida Puerto Juarez, Chichen Itza 97751 Mexico

El Caracol is one of the more interesting buildings of Chichen Itza. On top of this structure, you can see the remains of what was originally a cylindrically shaped observatory.

The Mayans had a particular love for the heavens for they believed that they could record the will and actions of God if they look closely enough.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Las Monjas, Chichen Itza Mexico

The imposing structure on your right is Las Monjas or the Nunnery and it is quite possibly one of the largest buildings in Chichen Itza. It has been rebuilt over and over again, therefore it houses more chambers and flats than other structures.

A distinctive feature of the Las Monjas complex is the sheer number of texts that almost completely cover the place.

Duration: 10 minutes

Pass By: Chichen Itza Mexico

Several more attractions to see...