Tulum Ruins, Cenotes & Tequila Tasting: Small Group Tour

Three cenotes, one tequila ceremony, and the only Maya city on the Caribbean in a single morning.

A small-group guided tour of Tulum Ruins with tequila tasting, swimming and snorkeling in three cenotes (full-cave, semi-open, and fully open), and lunch at a local restaurant: all in one day from Tulum. The tour runs six to seven hours with a certified guide in English, Spanish or Italian, and includes bottled water, juices, mimosas, snorkel equipment and life vests. Pickup from Tulum hotels is included, with optional paid transport from Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Akumal available. Only one small group departs per day, so the pace and stops adjust to the group's interests.

Step-by-step itinerary

Tulum ruins, cenotes, and local dining

• Welcome with mimosas and orange juice
• Guided walking tour of Tulum Ruins
• Enjoy ice-cold Corona and snacks
• Tequila tasting ceremony
• Swim and explore three cenotes
• Optional boat tour to see ruins from water
• Snorkel at reef with marine life
• Lunch at local Mexican/Mayan restaurant

The experience

You start with fresh-squeezed mimosas at the meeting point, then head to Tulum Ruins: the only ancient Maya city built on the Caribbean coast. A certified guide leads a roughly 90-minute walk through the walled site, explaining the structures, the obsidian trade that made Tulum a commercial port, and what the layout tells you about how the Maya operated here. The ruins sit on a bluff above turquoise water, so you're standing in the actual geography that shaped the city's power.

From there you move to a privately owned ranch cenote for the tequila tasting: a ceremony before you head underground. You then swim and snorkel in three different cenotes: one fully enclosed in a cave, one semi-open to the sky, and one completely open. Your guide explains how cenotes form, their role in the ecosystem, and the wildlife and plants around them. Snorkel equipment and life vests are provided, so you float with ease even if you're not a strong swimmer. There's no time limit in each cenote, so you move at the group's pace.

Lunch comes at a local restaurant in town with traditional Mexican and Mayan options: tacos, empanadas, mole, chile rellenos and more. Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated if you mention them when booking. Your guide can also recommend other spots to visit in Tulum and help arrange transport to other destinations during your stay.

What’s included

• Bottled water, juices and soft drinks throughout the day.
• morning mimosas with fresh-squeezed orange juice.
• tequila tasting.
• snorkel equipment and life vests.
• lunch at a local restaurant with traditional Mexican and Mayan options.
• air-conditioned transport.
• and a certified guide in English, Spanish or Italian.

Options for this experience

2 options

Small group tour of the Tulum Ruins, with a tequila tasting and a swim in three cenotes, all-inclusive!Guide in English, Spanish or Italian · 09:00Pickup is included

Snorkeling trip to the Tulum Ruins by boatGuide in English, Spanish or Italian · 09:00Upgrade your three-cenote experience: see the Ruins from the sea instead, and swim or snorkel with colorful fish, turtles, and rays. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 6h–7h, runs every day at 09:00, from US$ 192 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish and Italian, in groups of up to 10 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 102 private ›

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and ItalianOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Authentic Tours Tulum

Is this one for you?Book this if you're based in Tulum and want ruins, cenotes, and a tequila ceremony in one morning: your guide adjusts pace and stops based on whether your group wants to swim or linger at each cenote.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the actual walking tour at Tulum Ruins?

The guided walk through Tulum Ruins takes approximately 90 minutes. Your certified guide covers the structures, their purpose, and the history of the site as a major Maya commercial port on the Caribbean.

What's included in the tequila tasting, and is it mandatory?

The tequila tasting is a ceremony before you enter the cenotes and is part of the tour experience. True Mexican tequila is served, and it's built into the day's flow. The tour is designed around it as a cultural moment.

Can I choose which cenote to swim in, or do I visit all three?

You visit all three cenotes: a full-cave, a semi-open, and a fully open one. There's no time limit in each location, so you can spend as long as you want exploring and swimming in whichever appeals to you most.

Do I need to be a strong swimmer to snorkel in the cenotes?

No. Snorkel equipment and life vests are provided so you can float with ease. The tour is designed for all activity levels, and you don't have to be an expert swimmer to enjoy the cenotes fully.

Is hotel pickup included, and where can I be picked up from?

Pickup from Tulum hotels is included: Tulum Beach, Tulum Centro, La Veleta, Aldea Zama and surrounding areas. If you're staying in Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Bahia Principe/Akumal, paid transport is available for an additional fee per person with a minimum group size.

What does lunch include, and can dietary restrictions be accommodated?

Lunch is at a local restaurant with a full Mexican and Mayan menu: tacos, empanadas, gringas, salbutes, panuchos, asada, chicken mole, chile rellenos and more. Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated. Mention yours when you book.