Viator Exclusive:Early Access to Chichen Itza with Archaeologist

I was picked up at my hotel at 4:40am. Which for me does not exist as a time. But the nice thing is I slept on the bus the whole way there. We met our guide, Marco, who was a Spanish/English guide. You could tell right away he loved his job and was excited to be giving this tour and every tour he does. We got there before any other tour company which is a huge blessing. When we left at 11 there was already an enormous line to get in as the site itself was filling up as was the temperature.

Easily booked online, positive experience. Good communication through e-mail. On time pick-up at Playa del Carmen, comfortable bus. Bus change near Cancún, which could have offered more spacious for the legs. Good and enthusiastic explanation from guide Marco (but quality of microphone/audio should be improved). Gathering and instruction at entrance were good and clear. Quick access. The next 3 hours were great, thanks to guide Marco. He already does this tour 26 years, but he told this stories and information with such passion and enthusiasm, it might as well have been his first day at work. Marco's information and stories made our day. He creates, inspires and involves. He tells it in a way that, when you close your eyes, you could see all ancient characters right in front of you. On the way back to Playa del Carmen we passed a Mayan village (with large souvenir shop), which is not a direct extra value to the tour, but understandable for the local people's income. In short: do this early tour and make sure your group is guided by Marco, he will not dissapoint! @Marco (if you read this), Muchissimas gracias from Greta and Wilko from the Netherlands (tour 01/08).

It was an early start from Playa del Carmen but so worth it!! We were in before the crowds and had plenty of time to explore before it got too busy. Leo was a great driver Frank was a wonderful guide who explained things clearly and was so knowledgable. Really the best way to see this site. Would highly recommend to anybody wanting to see this wonder of the world!

I choose the Early Access to avoid the crowds and beat the heat. It was the best choice, our pick up time was at 5 am at our hotel, after pick in up other travelers we were on our way to Chichen Itza. Our guide Marco was nice and provided a general introduction to the site. In Chichen Itza we were with another guide. His remarks about this wonderful place were limited. He was more an entrateiner than a tour guide with facts/history and knowledge. If you are more interested in art/history/Mayan culture do your own reading. Bring your own snacks and water. The lunch box provided is not enough. I appreciated the transportation service, the and the bus was confable.

I took this tour in late April, Frank was our guide and did a great job. He provided a great deal of historical info, and was pleasant throughout. It gets hot at Chichen Itza, it was great to get there early and beat the heat and crowds. Kudos to the driver too, he picked everyone up from multiple locations for the long drive from the coast. We saw everything listed and never felt rushed. Great tour.

Overall the tour was great. Pickup from the hotel was on-time (5:00am for me and my girlfriend). After that we picked up a couple of other people at various resorts before driving about an hour. From there we transferred onto a bus for the remainder of the drive. Before the bus departed you need to pay the tax ($23 per person at the time). You can pay by card but they ask for exact cash. On the way to Chichen Itza the tour guide Marco provided some info about the history of the Mayans. We arrived slightly before 8am after about a 90min drive. We didn't need to wait in line as we already had tickets and went immediately through the gates to the grounds. Marco took us around the grounds for about 2 hours and provided great history/information about the ruins. After that we had about an hour to explore on our own before the bus departed at 11:15am. We then drove to a Mayan village for lunch and shopping. After that we drove back where a taxi dropped my girlfriend and i back off at our resort. Even though it might be an early morning and a long day I couldn't be happier with the tour. I learned a lot and getting there early definitely beat the crowds and the heat. When we left, it looked like there were over a hundred people waiting in line to get through the gates. The early access allowed for up close and personal viewing of the grounds. Marco was an excellent tour guide. He was insightful and engaging. Would definitely recommend Marco. Amazing tour and would recommend

Chichen Itza is an amazing site and an historical treasure. My entire family took this tour - from my seven-year-old granddaughter to my 80 year-old father - and every single one of us came away with an appreciation for the magnificence of the site and the people who built it. The early morning tour was definitely the way to go - when we finished at 11:30 it was 100 degrees outside and I can't imagine trying to do it in the afternoon heat. I'd like to especially compliment our tour guide, Marco. He was so knowledgeable and made the tour very, very interesting. Not everyone in our group was a big history buff, but even those who only went along because everyone else wanted to go came away glad they went and with agreement that Marco really made the tour. Everyone also appreciated having an opportunity to learn that the Mayan people are not gone but in fact live on in the local area, and getting to see a real Mayan community and the local shaman put the icing on the cake. This was my second visit to Chichen Itza, and my husband and I agreed that we learned a lot more from Marco than we had in our previous tour. If you are considering going, I highly recommend taking this trip with Marco, our driver Carlos, and Amigo Tours - you will not be disappointed.

I have wanted to visit Chichén Itzá since I was a kid. This tour was everything I was hoping for and more! Our guide was very knowledgeable about the history and culture of the area. Pro Tip: DEFINITELY go for the early entry, it is well worth it to get up early and into the site before the crowds/heat set in!

It was great. There was a lot of walking but it was a beautiful day. We started very very early in the morning, so we beat the crowd. The lunch wasn't the greatest due to food restrictions otherwise it was fine.

Worth the early morning rise...guide was incredible

Frank was a very knowledgeable tour guide, and getting up early to beat some of the crowds and the heat was well worth it. I wish the tour group was smaller but for the price I would definitely recommend!!