Full-day Tours
7–8 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 95% of travelers
95% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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$150
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Ka'an Expeditions - Day Tours
Ka'an Expeditions - Day Tours
4.5
2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Monday
2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Friday
2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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About
We at Ka'an Expeditions are committed in creating unforgettable experiences of interpretation and interaction with the history and nature of the region of Calakmul.Our bilingual certified naturalist guides will show you around the archaelogical sites of once the most important region of the Mayan culture, while spotting the wildlife of the 2nd most biodiversed area in the American continent, only after the Amazon.
Calakmul, Campeche, Mexico
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Improve this listingTours and Tickets by Ka'an Expeditions - Day Tours
Full-day Tours
12–14 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 95% of travelers
95% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$230
per adult
Historical Tours
13–14 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$210
per adult
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
351 reviews
Excellent
291
Very good
36
Average
12
Poor
11
Terrible
1
Gregor O
1 contribution
Feb 2020
I booked as a solo traveler, joining a group of 4. Easy booking experience with prompt communication, despite being solo, which tends to hamper some organized trip plans.
I arrived in Xpujil late the night before and stayed at a local hotel, where I was picked up before 7:30am, and after two stops to pick up the others, off we headed west towards the entrance to the road leading to Calakmul, where we met Roberto. After some short introductions, we started the 60km drive-in, with a stop at the archeological and natural museum, where Roberto explained some of the flora and fauna we might encounter on the way to and at the ruins.
After the drive, we got some refreshments and started making our way on foot into Calakmul. Roberto took the time to explain the origins of Calakmul, the relations it had with neighboring rival Tikal and as far as Teotihuacan as well as Mayan civilization as a whole.
We had the opportunity to climb the tops of the structures and once on top and you've caught your breath, prepare to have it taken away again by the sight of nothing but green surrounding you, and the sound of nothing but the wind. Quite a change from places like Chichen Itza and Teotihuacan where one can be overwhelmed with the number of other visitors and merchants.
Apart from the monkeys, birds, and frogs that we saw (thanks to Roberto's great eye and ears), I counted about 25 people maximum during our stay there.
Water and refreshments (bars, fruit) are provided before you head out on foot but would suggest to bring extra and you'll need it (especially if you climbed all three structures on a clear day!) Also, there are no restrooms within the main complex itself, so plan accordingly. We spent about 4 hours in the ruins and had a great picnic lunch that our driver set up next to the van. We drove back, said goodbye to Roberto, and got back to Xpujil about an hour early (the drive back is a perfect time for a siesta).
Overall, a wonderful experience in a magical place. Plan for a whole day, and especially if you are visiting from Bacalar, plan to spend an evening or get there the night before. I highly recommend Ka'an for this tour even though you can hire a car/guide independently. Shoutout to Roberto, our guide, our driver and the team at Ka'an expeditions for a memorable time touring Calakmul!
I arrived in Xpujil late the night before and stayed at a local hotel, where I was picked up before 7:30am, and after two stops to pick up the others, off we headed west towards the entrance to the road leading to Calakmul, where we met Roberto. After some short introductions, we started the 60km drive-in, with a stop at the archeological and natural museum, where Roberto explained some of the flora and fauna we might encounter on the way to and at the ruins.
After the drive, we got some refreshments and started making our way on foot into Calakmul. Roberto took the time to explain the origins of Calakmul, the relations it had with neighboring rival Tikal and as far as Teotihuacan as well as Mayan civilization as a whole.
We had the opportunity to climb the tops of the structures and once on top and you've caught your breath, prepare to have it taken away again by the sight of nothing but green surrounding you, and the sound of nothing but the wind. Quite a change from places like Chichen Itza and Teotihuacan where one can be overwhelmed with the number of other visitors and merchants.
Apart from the monkeys, birds, and frogs that we saw (thanks to Roberto's great eye and ears), I counted about 25 people maximum during our stay there.
Water and refreshments (bars, fruit) are provided before you head out on foot but would suggest to bring extra and you'll need it (especially if you climbed all three structures on a clear day!) Also, there are no restrooms within the main complex itself, so plan accordingly. We spent about 4 hours in the ruins and had a great picnic lunch that our driver set up next to the van. We drove back, said goodbye to Roberto, and got back to Xpujil about an hour early (the drive back is a perfect time for a siesta).
Overall, a wonderful experience in a magical place. Plan for a whole day, and especially if you are visiting from Bacalar, plan to spend an evening or get there the night before. I highly recommend Ka'an for this tour even though you can hire a car/guide independently. Shoutout to Roberto, our guide, our driver and the team at Ka'an expeditions for a memorable time touring Calakmul!
Written February 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joshua L
London, UK5 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
We did the Nature Trail, Calakmul Ruins and Bat Cave with Bianca (guide) and Sebastian (driver) and loved it. Both were super helpful and gave us information we wouldn't have gotten otherwise.
We didn't see many animals on the nature trail, as we were unlucky. We do not regret this though as it was still a nice walk and Bianca did show us what she could (mostly birds). We saw lots of Oscillating Turkeys on the road.
We didn't see a Jaguar unfortunately, but didn't expect to. It's completely luck based, like seeing the Northern Lights. Supposedly there's about a 40% chance of spotting one as you drive.
We went in wet season so there were a lot of mosquitos. Recommend you bring repellent (not allowed around bat cave).
Calakmul is amazing and definitely worth a visit. We have visited many of the Mayan sites now and this was the only one we got a guide for - it's worth it. Climb any of the main Temples and all you can see for miles is a sea of green.
I haven't done Tikal in Guatemala (yet), but I imagine this is the most similar ruin to it in Mexico. The only other ruin we had time to visit in the area was Kohunlich near Bacalar - it is definitely worth a quick visit if you are driving past, but we found the mosquitoes even worse here as there is a lot of standing water.
For anyone interested in visiting Rio Bec, you can't do it in wet season very easily - it was originally in our itinerary.
The bat cave was also an amazing and unforgettable experience. I don't recommend if you are squeamish around bats though as some did crash, land on you and climb you. I thought the were cute and none seemed like they might bite unless you gave them no other choice.
We started at 09:30 from Xpujil, moved from 07:30 due to the time of the bats coming out the cave about 19:30ish that night. Warning that there may be some waiting around (about an hour for us).
We haven't, but you may also want to visit the fort in Campeche as it houses some artifacts recovered from Calakmul. As does the museum at Temple Mayor in Mexico City.
A big thank you to Bianca and Sebastian for the great experience.
We didn't see many animals on the nature trail, as we were unlucky. We do not regret this though as it was still a nice walk and Bianca did show us what she could (mostly birds). We saw lots of Oscillating Turkeys on the road.
We didn't see a Jaguar unfortunately, but didn't expect to. It's completely luck based, like seeing the Northern Lights. Supposedly there's about a 40% chance of spotting one as you drive.
We went in wet season so there were a lot of mosquitos. Recommend you bring repellent (not allowed around bat cave).
Calakmul is amazing and definitely worth a visit. We have visited many of the Mayan sites now and this was the only one we got a guide for - it's worth it. Climb any of the main Temples and all you can see for miles is a sea of green.
I haven't done Tikal in Guatemala (yet), but I imagine this is the most similar ruin to it in Mexico. The only other ruin we had time to visit in the area was Kohunlich near Bacalar - it is definitely worth a quick visit if you are driving past, but we found the mosquitoes even worse here as there is a lot of standing water.
For anyone interested in visiting Rio Bec, you can't do it in wet season very easily - it was originally in our itinerary.
The bat cave was also an amazing and unforgettable experience. I don't recommend if you are squeamish around bats though as some did crash, land on you and climb you. I thought the were cute and none seemed like they might bite unless you gave them no other choice.
We started at 09:30 from Xpujil, moved from 07:30 due to the time of the bats coming out the cave about 19:30ish that night. Warning that there may be some waiting around (about an hour for us).
We haven't, but you may also want to visit the fort in Campeche as it houses some artifacts recovered from Calakmul. As does the museum at Temple Mayor in Mexico City.
A big thank you to Bianca and Sebastian for the great experience.
Written June 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Serg S
1 contribution
Jun 2021
One of the two greatest centers of Mayan culture - Calakmul (the other one - Tikal is across the border with Guatemala) is located quite off a beaten path in the middle of large bio reserve. While it is possible to drive and check the site by yourself I would highly recommend to get a day tour especially if you are traveling solo or this is your first time in a jungle (check and check for me).
* You are getting a ton of interesting information about the Kaan rulers who at some point controlled much of classical Maya area
* You get a chance to wander into jungle with an experienced guide and see local wild life
* You have people with you who know the area and are able to help, once again this is a very remote area with no cell phone coverage and very thick tree canopy
I had a blast hiking in Balamku and Calakmul with Kaan Expeditions and will do it again with a larger group some day!
* You are getting a ton of interesting information about the Kaan rulers who at some point controlled much of classical Maya area
* You get a chance to wander into jungle with an experienced guide and see local wild life
* You have people with you who know the area and are able to help, once again this is a very remote area with no cell phone coverage and very thick tree canopy
I had a blast hiking in Balamku and Calakmul with Kaan Expeditions and will do it again with a larger group some day!
Written June 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Simamaja
Ljubljana, Slovenia4 contributions
Dec 2022 • Couples
This trip is interesting but definitely overpriced.
Entrance to Chitzen Itza is about $25, and it is one of the seven wonders of the world! We paid an additional $50 in Chitzen Itza for a guide (for the whole group!), but he made an extraordinary effort, was very informative and explained the history to us in detail for a full 2 hours.
The trip with Ka'an expeditions to Calakmul is a completely different story - 2 hours of driving each way (4 hours in total) and a guide who gave us very little information. Already on the way to Calakmul, he could give us some interesting information about the landscape, country, living etc. but he didn't even introduce himself. The history was explained very sparingly and for $100 per person I would definitely expect a lot more! If I could change my decision to visit Calakmul, I would definitely choose a different organization of the trip. It was our most expensive trip in Mexico and definitely too expensive for what it has to offer!
Entrance to Chitzen Itza is about $25, and it is one of the seven wonders of the world! We paid an additional $50 in Chitzen Itza for a guide (for the whole group!), but he made an extraordinary effort, was very informative and explained the history to us in detail for a full 2 hours.
The trip with Ka'an expeditions to Calakmul is a completely different story - 2 hours of driving each way (4 hours in total) and a guide who gave us very little information. Already on the way to Calakmul, he could give us some interesting information about the landscape, country, living etc. but he didn't even introduce himself. The history was explained very sparingly and for $100 per person I would definitely expect a lot more! If I could change my decision to visit Calakmul, I would definitely choose a different organization of the trip. It was our most expensive trip in Mexico and definitely too expensive for what it has to offer!
Written December 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TripsbyDoza
Miami, FL4 contributions
Mar 2022 • Friends
Ka’an Expeditions set us up with an incredible experience. We had round trip transportation from our hotel in San Francisco de Campeche to the tour’s starting site in Xpujil (~3.5 hrs), our guide Ezequiel was an incredible source of knowledge and was super kind in showing us his community in 20 de Noviembre where we were able to purchase items from local artisans. We also got to see three archeological sites on this Rio Bec style tour that were all incredibly stunning. The provided picnic lunch was delicious, lots of fresh fruits and water to keep you hydrated in the hot and humid climate. Definitely recommend booking your tour with Ka’an!
Written March 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer K
Olympia, WA20 contributions
Jul 2021
We spent two days exploring the Calakmul Biosphere and archaeological sites with our guide, Roberto. Roberto was very knowledgeable and we enjoyed getting to know him throughout the two days. Due to Covid, we were unable to visit some of the sites we originally planned for, but instead we were taken into the jungle to find lesser-known ruins. We were the only visitors to these places, which felt magical and allowed us to really immerse ourselves in the experience. On one of the stops, we trekked on a jungle trail to find unexcavated buildings with trees and vines growing over them. On out second day, we climbed 3 pyramids, hiked in the jungle again, and ended at the bat cave; a very special experience. We recommend taking a tour: we wouldn't have found these places on our own, and would not have understood what we did see. *Our 2nd day was 12 hours long!
Written July 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael K
6 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
Great tour if you want to do Calakmul on one day and are willing to spend extra for it. Carlos was a great tour guide and Sebastian an amazing driver. Everything went super smooth, from a private pick up in Bacalar to going to Calakmul and back. I think it's quite pricy, however if you spend the extra dollar you don't have to worry about anything anymore. Would definitely recommend this tour.
Written June 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
108luna2017
Santa Fe, NM6 contributions
Feb 2020 • Solo
Went to Calakmul w 4 others. Everything went as promised. They were on time, served a requested vegetarian lunch, & had a guide who was very knowledgeable & spoke perfect English. We did see monkeys & parrots.....no jaguars! 😂 It was a great day. Mucho Gracias 😁
Written February 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leo K
1 contribution
Jul 2022 • Couples
It was the best part of our trip so far. The driver was punctual and the guide was perfect, he wasnt boring, knew english very well and answered literally all of our questions and we had a lot to ask :) Calakmul is breathtaking, as is the bat cave. On the jungle hike we saw howler monkeys, on the site we saw spider monkeys, vulrures, we even saw a toucan near the entrance. All in all an expirience I will never forget.
Written July 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
floyd-aflop
11 contributions
Nov 2019
I was picked up from my hostel in Xpujil in the morning and then we headed to the ruines. We picked up the guide at the entrace and started to explore everything.
The tour organization was great, we didn't need to take care of anything. Our guide was great with huge knowledge of the spot. Before walking around between the ruins we all got water.
After the tour everybody was hungry and so we were excited to see that we got our lunch directly at the parking space where they prepared a table and chairs and great food!
After the tour we returned to the accomodations.
I definitely can recommend this operator if you wanna see Calak mul
The tour organization was great, we didn't need to take care of anything. Our guide was great with huge knowledge of the spot. Before walking around between the ruins we all got water.
After the tour everybody was hungry and so we were excited to see that we got our lunch directly at the parking space where they prepared a table and chairs and great food!
After the tour we returned to the accomodations.
I definitely can recommend this operator if you wanna see Calak mul
Written January 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Buen día. Estoy interesada en un tour de Xújil a la Reserva de la Biosfera de Calakmul para el viernes 01 de julio. Somos 2 personas que estaremos hospedados en el hotel Casa Maya Balam. Intenté hacerlo por internet pero no me queda claro lo del anticipo y cuál es el costo total por persona, ya que varia de las propuestas de tours al intentar resevar.
Written June 15, 2022
Hi, what is your Covid protocol for strangers riding in a car/van together? Are you requiring proof of vaccination? Mask required while inside car/van? Is the driver and guide vaccinated? Thanks.
Written September 30, 2021
Buenas noches. Estoy interesada en un tour de Bacalar a Calakmul para la próxima semana. Somos 4 personas que estaremos hospedados en el hotel Rancho Encantado. Intenté hacerlo por internet pero no me queda claro cuál es el costo total por persona.
Written January 17, 2020
Buenas tardes, gracias por contactarnos.
Sí podríamos tener disponibilidad para un tour de un día a Calakmul desde Bacalar dependiendo la fecha de su visita.
El tour comienza a las 06:45 h y termina en el mismo lugar alrededor de las 19:00 h.
El servicio incluye traslado BAC-tour-BAC, entradas de acceso, agua, refrescos, picnic lunch y servicio de guía naturalista certificado.
Tarifa por persona 2,500 pesos. Grupo mínimo: 2 personas.
Tenga en cuenta que en el desglose de pago, el servicio de traslado se refleja como 'adicional' por persona.
Bacalar se ubica a 1.40 h de Xpujil y a casi 4 horas de Bacalar, por lo que se requiere un servicio de transporte extra.
Para confirmar el tour es necesario enviar su solicitud de reserva. Puede hacerlo a través del sitio web oficial Ka'an Expeditions.
Mientras no se realice el pago del depósito correspondiente las fechas continúan disponibles para otros visitantes.
Saludos y esperamos verle pronto,
Written January 17, 2020
Podrían enviarme precios al Tour a Calakmul. 2 adultos porfavor para esta semana. Saludos
Written December 25, 2018
¡Hola Rocio!
Es un gusto saber que visitarán la región de Calakmul.
Si podríamos tener disponibilidad para un tour de un día a Calakmul, dependiendo la fecha de su visita.
El tour comienza a las 07:30h en Xpujil u hotel cercano y termina en el mismo lugar alrededor de las 16:00h.
El tour incluye: transporte Xpujil-tour-Xpujil, entradas, agua, refrescos, picnic en sitio arqueológico y servicio de guía naturalista certificado.
El precio por persona es de $1,350 pesos. Grupo mínimo: 2 personas.
También es posible añadir alguna de las actividades extras por $170 pesos más por persona. Las actividades extras disponibles son (+1 hora):
- Visita al sitio arqueológico de Balam-Ku, donde se puede apreciar un estuco maya en buen estado de conservación dentro de una pirámide.
- Visita a la cueva de los murciélagos, para ver la salida de cerca de 2 millones de murciélagos a su sesión alimentaria.
- Caminata por la selva, para intentar observar un poco de fauna en su hábitat natural.
*Máximo: 2 actividades extras.
*Actividades extras sujetas a cambios sin previo aviso.
Para poder reservar el tour es necesario hacer un depósito con el 50% de anticipo. Las reservas están disponibles desde el sitio web.
Mientras no se realice el depósito del 50 % las fechas continúan disponibles para otros visitantes.
Saludos y esperamos verles pronto,
Ka'an Expeditions
Written December 26, 2018
Buongiorno fate anche escursioni a calakmul fon guida che parla italiano? Grazie mille
Written October 21, 2018
Hi!
Thank you for your interested in our services.
Unfortunately we only have english and spanish guides.
Kind regards!
Ka'an Expeditions
Written October 22, 2018
Iliana F
Tijuana, Mexico
Hola me gustaría saber si el tour es apto para menores, exactamente de 5 años y 9 meses
Written June 4, 2018
Hola Iliana,
Gracias por contactarnos.
Calakmul es apto para menores de edad, sin embargo deben considerar las distancias. El tiempo de visita dentro del sitio es de 3-4 horas caminando. Nuestros tours son compartidos (grupos de 2 a 9 personas), por lo que el ritmo del recorrido depende del tamaño del grupo.
Cualquier otra pregunta, no duden en contactarnos.
Ka'an Expeditions
Written June 5, 2018
hola salen tambien desde chetumal a calakmul y que tarifa tienen
Written May 30, 2018
Hola! Si tenemos salidas diarias de Chetumal a Bacalar con grupo minimo de 2 personas.
Los precios están publicados en nuestro sitio web desde donde podrás reservar tu actividad.
Saludos y esperamos verle pronto!
Written May 31, 2018
hola no veo ningun comentario reciente de esta empresa Ka'anEXPEDITIONS day tours. actualmente estan trabajando
Written May 14, 2018
¡Hola!
Gracias por escribirnos.
Trabajamos todos los días del año. Pueden encontrar información de nuestros tours en el sitio web o vía telefónica al 983-871-6000.
Horarios de oficina de 1200h a 20:00h.
Saludos cordiales
Ka'an Expeditions
Written May 15, 2018
Bonjour, Mon mari et moi voulons faire un tour d'un jour à calakmul à partir de xpujil lundi 30 avril. avez-vous des disponibilités ? Comment peut-on réserver ?
Karine
Written April 29, 2018
Good morning. I went on one of their tours and really enjoyed it as my review indicates. I suggest contacting them immediately.
Written April 29, 2018
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