Tulum ruins tour and Xel-Ha

Both Tulum ruins and Xel-Ha Park are some of the most popular places to visit in the Riviera Maya! On this tour, you can see and experience both! In the morning you will visit the historic site of Tulum ruins and afterward you will have all afternoon to relax, snorkel and explore the magical park of Xel-Ha. 

This tour offers you an easy and complete (all inclusive) package that will make for a very memorable day here in the Riviera Maya. We like this tour for several reasons:

• Most tours to Tulum ruins will include a lunch stop and a visit to a cenote. With this tour, you get several buffets to choose from (all drinks including domestic alcohol included). Plus, instead on a cenote to visit, you get a huge inlet with activities and fun for all the afternoon. 
• Xcaret tours and parks are some of the best in the Riviera Maya. They offer a quality experience for guests. 
• There is a lot to see in the Riviera Maya and this tour covers two very popular things to see. 
• You can combine this with other tours or visits to Xcaret’s parks and get a further discount (see below). 

Our video tour for you of Tulum ruins and Xel-Ha Tour

We wanted to take this tour so we could show you what it is like. We spent the day on this tour. It was an overcast day, but we still had a lot of fun and actually appreciated the cooler temperatures at Tulum ruins. Normally in the Riviera Maya we have about 300 days a year of sun, so most of the time it is sunny for this tour. 

What to Expect for This Tour

From the pickup from your hotel and back, here is what you can expect from this tour. 

Transportation for the Tour

Transportation is included in this tour. This means a hotel pick up and drop off or from a meeting point. If you are staying in the downtown of Playa Del Carmen, there are meeting points for transportation. Once on the bus, you will get some general information for your tour and be taken to the Xel-Ha Park bus depot. Here you will transfer to your tour to the Tulum ruins. 

After your tour to the Tulum ruins, you will be taken back to Xel-Ha where you will spend your afternoon. At departure, you will be assigned to a bus going back to your hotel or meeting point. 

What to Best Wear and Bring for This Tour

Since this tour is in two parts, here is what we recommended for the tour of the Tulum ruins and for Xel-Ha part of the tour.

Note: Some of the pickup times are 7:00am.  for this tour. There is no snack or food until you reach Xel-Ha around 11:30-12:oo noon. You might want to plan to eat before or bring a snack with you.  

For the Tulum ruins part of your tour, you will need some cooler clothes. Tulum ruins is mostly in the sun. You will be there for a minimum of 1.5 hours up to 2 hours. This includes the tour, free time walking around, and walking back to the bus. Since there is a descent amount of walking, you will want to wear comfortable shoes. A hat and biodegradable sunscreen are also a good idea. 

Note: No big bags, selfie sticks, stabilizers, large cameras, food, cigarettes or drinks are allowed into the ruins. The only exception is the bottle of water that the tour gives you, and you get to keep this reusable bottle as a gift, 

For Xel-Ha you will have access to a locker and towels. Since you will be walking around, you can bring any kind of shoes, but aqua socks are best and sandals second best. If you walk to the beginning of the lazy river where you will float or snorkel, there is bag storage, and you can pick up your belongings at the end of the swim close to the restaurants. This makes it easy to comfortable walk there and then just swim from there. Certainly, you want a bathing suit, maybe a hat, and biodegradable sunscreen. At the end of the day, you want to make sure you have a dry set of clothes to go home in. 

One of the best things is a waterproof camera since there are many fish and things to see under the water at this park. You can purchase waterproof cases for phones at the park if you need one. 

Touring Tulum Ruins

Your tour of Tulum ruins starts from the moment you arrive at the Tulum ruins site. The entrance to the park and ruins is already paid for and you will only have to put on the wrist band for the entrance. Your guide(s) will divide the group if it is large so you can have a more customized experience. Your guide will walk you through the shopping plaza and down a walkway to the entrance of the ruins. This will be about 10 minutes. 

At the ruins, your guide will walk you in and start explaining different features of the ruins and what makes them special. This guided part of the tour is about one hour. Then you have approximately one hour to walk around, take photos and get back to the bus. 

Spend the Afternoon in Xel-Ha

Around 11:30am you will arrive at Xel-Ha. Your guide will give you a basic overview of the park and show you to your locker section. After that, all the time is yours to do what you want. Many will want to eat something. There are several restaurants available at Xel-Ha. All are buffet style with different themed options (lunch items start around noon). 

Then, most people will want to change and go to the beginning of the lazy river. This is where you can float or snorkel and end up near the restaurants. Along the way there are zip lines, cliff jumping spots and a lot to see. After you have enough of swimming, you can take a break and walk around the rest of the park. By the rest of the park, we mean a lot of places to see. There is the tower with waterslide, floating bridge, cenotes, extra activities, animals, and more to see! 

Depending on where you are staying, most people have until 5:00pm-6:00pm at Xel-Ha Park before having to leave. 

What things are included and not included for this tour?

Here is what is included in this tour:

• Round-trip transportation on a panoramic bus or luxury van from Cancun and Riviera Maya.
• Access and guided tour at the Tulum archaeological site (45 min guided tour and 45 min free time).
• Certified bilingual guide.
• Train at the entrance/exit of the archaeological site (subject to availability).
• Admission to Xel-Ha Park at 12:00 p.m.
• Unlimited snorkeling in the inlet and river floating on inner tubes.
• Scenic Lighthouse with 360° views and a fun descent into a refreshing water landing.
• World of Adventure: zip-lines, five-meter jumps, and different rope games.
• Special activities for kids at the Children’s Playground.
• Hikes through jungle paths.
• Unlimited food and drinks and domestic open bar.
• Life jackets, inner tubes and bicycles.
• Use of fins and snorkel mask with integrated tube.
• Rest areas with lounge chairs and hammocks.
• Dressing rooms, bathrooms, lockers, showers and a towel.
• Other services (Wi-Fi, ATMs and shops).

Things not included or good to bring

• Cash or credit card for souvenirs or tip for the guide.
• There are extra add on activities in Xel-Ha that are really fun like, Adrenalina (power boat that goes out into the ocean waves), Zip Bikes (bike through the treetops on these cable mounted bikes), Snuba, Power Xnorkel, and more!
• Biodegradable sunscreen and repellant (must only have titanium dioxide and zinc oxide). This is to keep the water clean.
• An underwater camera or waterproof cover for cell phones. You will see these for sale in Playa Del Carmen on 5th Avenue, but you might want to plan ahead and get a good quality one. They also sell ones at Xel-Ha, but you might not want to wait until the last minute to get one. 
• Around Xel-Ha you will find cameras to take your photos. At the end of the day, you can buy a photo package. 
• Charge your phone fully if you are taking pictures and video. You might even want a battery charger with you. The tour is about 12 hours in total. 
• If you have a video camera or some photographic equipment, there is an extra charge in Tulum ruins for this that you will need to pay.

What is the price of the tour and how to buy tickets

The regular price for adults for this tour are $164.99 USD and Children (5-11) are $123.74 USD. Children 4 and under are free. (Prices can change slightly due to currency fluctuations). You can however save off of these prices. You can save 10%-20% or more buy purchasing in advance. This is easy because when you purchase in advance, you are not locked into any day, you do have up to 24 hours before the date to change your tour or visit.

Buying in advance can save your family some serious cash! For example, a family of four with one child under 11 and one older child with two adults would save $92.81 USD if bought in advance of more than 21 days.

Buy your tickets here for this Tulum ruins and Xel-Ha Tour

As we stated in the video, this is the official website to buy tickets for this tour. You will pay the best price [possible and if purchased in advance, you will get a discount. By purchasing through this link, we are able to bring you more videos and information like this. If you decide on other tours or visit to one of Xcaret’s Parks, this link will also work.

Here are all the ways you can save on these tickets for this tour and parks

10% OFF by purchasing your admission to parks or tours (except Xcaret, Xichén Clásico, Xichén Deluxe or Xenotes) from 7 to 20 days in advance. For the Xichén Clásico, Xichén Deluxe or Xenotes Tours, applies by purchasing between 0 to 20 days in advance. For Xcaret, applies when purchasing at least 14 days in advance. It does not apply to combinations of two or more parks or tours.

15% OFF by purchasing your admission to parks or tours (except Xcaret) at least 21 days in advance. It also applies on the purchase of combinations of two parks or tours.

20% OFF On the purchase of combinations of three or more parks or tours.

25% discount for children from 5 to 11 years old on the adult price. Kids from 0 to 4 years of age enter free to Xcaret and Xel-Há. Minimum age required for Xplor, Xavage, Xplor Fuego, Xenses, and Xoximilco of 5 years; for Xenotes, is 6 years.

Want to explore more tours and Xcaret’s parks?

If you want to combine this tour with another or perhaps check out the other parks of Xcaret, here is a link that will take you to the official website and give you the best prices available. This link will help support our website if you purchase with this link. 

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Mr.Yucatan

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