It’s certainly not a secret anymore that you can find some incredible cenotes in Cancun. They’re all over the Riviera Maya as well, in places like Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Valladolid. Cenotes have officially taken over my Instagram feed!
And if you’ve been following this blog, you might already know I’m pretty taken by cenotes. I wrote tons of posts about them over the last few years, and last year I went back and spent a few months in Mexico, mainly in the Yucatan/Quintana Roo region. This gave me the chance to visit more cenotes and update the information on this blog.
Visiting cenotes should definitely be on your list of things to do in Cancun! Some people prefer exploring the cenotes on their own. However, others prefer to join a guided excursion, so they can enjoy the day without hassle.
I especially recommend a tour if you don’t have a rental car. Taxi prices have increased tremendously over the years. So much, that you will end up spending more on taxi rides if you’re visiting a few cenotes than you would spend on a tour.
However, just because you can find hundreds of cenote tours from Cancun available, it doesn’t mean they are all good!
That’s why we’ve done the work for you, and selected the very best Cancun cenote tours. They all come with excellent reviews from previous travelers, and offer great value.
Update 2024: This post used to include an activity that combines a visit to the cenotes with swimming with turtles in Akumal. Unfortunately, after my last visit, I can’t recommend anymore any activity that involves the turtles in Akumal.
This is because the experience has ceased to be sustainable. Here at Every Steph, we care about the wildlife’s well-being, and we ask you to do the same.
➥ Why can you trust my suggestions? I have spent several months in the Riviera Maya, and visited most of the cenotes in the area. I’m a teeeeenie tiny bit obsessed with them after all! Aside from knowing which ones are worth the visit, I have an eye for identifying excellent tours and activities, trained by a decade of experience in the travel industry.
I know exactly what the cenote tours should offer to be worth your while, and I’ve only selected the very best ones for you. So go check them out!
I personally use (and trust) Viator and Get Your Guide to book tours around the world. Both companies offer a 24-hour cancellation policy. This means you will receive a full refund if you cancel most experiences at least 24 hours in advance.
Looking for the short version? These are the very best tours:
| THE BEST TOUR | Tour Cenotes Oasis Maya |
| PRIVATE TOUR | VIP Cenotes Private Tour |
| SNORKELING TOUR | 5-in-1 Cancun Snorkeling Tour |
| CENOTES + MAYAN RUINS | Tulum Ruins, Reef Snorkeling, Cenote and Caves |
| FREEDIVING IN CENOTES | Try Freediving in a Cenote |
OUR PICK: The BEST Cancun Cenotes Tour
Coming from Cancun and want to see a few different cenotes in one day? This Xcaret 4 Cenotes Guided Tour – Snacks, Lunch and Drinks Included allows you to make the most of your day.
After being picked up from your hotel, you’ll make your way to the location of the activity. After a quick breakfast, here you will snorkel and kayak in four private cenotes, getting to rappel and zipline into the refreshing sinkholes as well.
- The Fire Cenote, K’áak’, is an open cenote surrounded by jungle, with lush vegetation. It’s the perfect one for swimming or inner tubing.
- The Wind Xenote, Xenotes Iik’, is an ancient cenote where you can enjoy zip-lining and cliff jumping from seven meters high.
- The Earth Xenote, Lu’um, is a closed cenote with tunnels and caves, that can be accessed via assisted rappel.
- Lastly, the Water Xenote, Xenotes Há, is semi open cenote with beautiful aquatic flora and rock formations. There you’ll enjoy swimming and a one-hour kayak ride.
You’ll be served cookies and chocolate between cenote swims to keep warm and refueled.
Once you’re all cenoted out (if that’s even possible), enjoy a fancy jungle picnic. Soup, deli meats, cheeses, and salad, will be paired with beer, wine, and other beverages. It’s the perfect end to a perfect day!
➤ Why is this the best tour? This tour in my opinion is one of the best Cancun tours (if not THE best!) if you like nature and adventure as you get to experience 3 different types of cenotes (open, cave, and semi-open cenotes). Most other tours will only show you one or two types.
Plus, you get to swim, kayak, rappel, zipline and snorkel -all in one day! With breakfast, drinks, lunch and transfers included, it’s difficult to beat this activity.
It’s not just me saying it! Read what the reviews say:
“Swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, slides, ziplining and cliff diving in cenotes. What more can you ask for!? Some great tips in the reviews and definitely worth the trip. Will definitely be a long-term memory, and making a lasting impression with our teens. So fun!”
Heather_G – Read more reviews
This tour includes: Transfers, entrance fee, all activities, snacks, a picnic lunch, water, and drinks. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Other GREAT Cenote Tours from Cancun
▶️ Check out this Cancun Cenote Tour: Snorkeling, Rappelling, and Ziplining. You’ll head into the Yucatan Peninsula jungle for a delightful 4-hour adventure. Start with a guided snorkeling tour in the underground Nohoch Nah Chich and Sac Actun cenotes.
Learn about the importance of sinkholes to the Mayan empire, and then hop aboard an ATV for a ride through the forest.
Rappel down into a cenote, where you’ll enjoy a refreshing splash, and glide above the trees in three ziplines. Cap off the tour with a Mayan ceremony and lunch.
This tour includes: Roundtrip transfers, entrance fees, all activities, equipment, a guide, and lunch. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
▶️ The Cancun: Cenotes Adventure with Tequila Tasting and Mayan Snack is a great alternative. You’ll go to the heart of the Mayan jungle for a guided cenote hopping experience.
Discover the stunning natural pools, and enjoy ziplining and jumping into them from a platform. Swim and splash around in the crystal-clear waters for a while.
Before returning to Cancun, you’ll take part in a guided tequila tasting, relish a local snack, and watch a traditional dance.
This tour includes: Hotel pick-up and drop-off, lifejackets, a guide, tequila tasting, and a snack. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Private Cenote Tours in Cancun
If you prefer a trip with just your family and friends, pick one of these private cenote excursions in Cancun.
▶️ Embark on an epic VIP Cenotes Private Tour in the Yucatan Peninsula. Join a pro snorkel guide in exploring three magical cenotes: Yal-ku Lagoon, Cenote Xunaan Ha, and Cenote Taak Bi Ha.
You’ll discover the underwater world of Mexico as you swim, jump, and even trek through an amazing underground river.
Everything’s covered, from snorkel gear to prebooked entry and transfers from your Cancun hotel.
This tour includes: Hotel pick-up and drop-off, a guide, entrance fees, snorkeling gear, and bottled water. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
▶️ This Private Dream Underground World (Off the beaten path Cenote cavernous exploring) is a great tour. You’ll visit the spectacular Sac Actum, an underwater cave system of cenotes, with a knowledgeable guide.
Learn about the site’s impressive rock formations and its geology as you explore it. Then, go swimming and snorkeling in two different cenotes. You’ll end the trip with a snack and drinks.
This tour includes: Hotel pick-up and drop-off, a guide, entrance fees, snorkel gear, snacks, and drinks. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
▶️ A worthy alternative is this Private Tour – The best Cenotes in Yucatan – Suytun & Oxman.
Leave the city behind and make your way to two renowned – and very photogenic! – cenotes in the Riviera Maya. The tour is designed for photographers and Instagrammers, after all.
Depart early in the morning to avoid the crowds, and marvel at the spectacular cenotes Suytun and Oxman, located in the famous Ruta de los Cenotes. You’ll learn about their history and the importance of cenotes for the Mayan people from your private guide.
Enjoy free time to swim and snap pictures, and cap off the trip with a tasty lunch.
This tour includes: Private transfers, a guide, entrance fees, bottled water, and lunch. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Snorkeling in the Reef and at a Cenote in Cancun
The 5-in-1 Cancun Snorkeling Tour: Swim with Turtles, Reef, Musa, Shipwreck and Cenote is the ultimate water adventure. It’s a family-friendly tour that will take you snorkeling in all sorts of amazing locations, and it’s suitable for both newbies and experts.
Snorkel in a coral reef teeming with life, and explore an underwater shipwreck with an expert guide. You’ll also swim with statues at MUSA, and jump into the cool waters of a cenote. Access to showers and lockers is included, as well as roundtrip transfers.
This tour includes: Round trip transportation, a guide, snorkeling gear, entrance fees, and bottled water. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Cancun Cenote Tours for Adventure Lovers
▶️ Looking for an adrenaline-filled day? This Selvatica Adventure Park: Ziplines and Cenote Tour from Cancun is just the one! It takes place in one of the most exhilarating parks in Riviera Maya after all.
It’s a 3.5-hour trip that takes you soaring over the treetops with 10 zipline courses, each more thrilling than the last. Brave the zipline coaster, and admire the passing views from a bird’s eye perspective.
Then, relax in the refreshing waters of a private cenote. You’ll have time to cool off and swim before lunchtime.
This tour includes: Admission, all activities, equipment, and lunch. Transfers can be added for an extra fee. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
▶️ What’s even cooler than cenotes, you say? Underground rivers! Join the unforgettable Admission Rio Secreto Wild Tour with Lunch for a spectacular experience.
On this full-day tour, you’ll cycle through the jungle, trek through incredible caverns, and snorkel in semi-flooded caves. It’s an action-packed day in the Mayan underworld with awesome guides, cool sights, and loads of fun.
Breakfast and lunch will be served to help you refuel between activities, and you’ll get to discover the striking geology of the site!
This tour includes: Transfers, entrance fees, guide, all equipment, breakfast, and lunch. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
▶️ Spend your day on an adrenaline high with this Horseback Riding plus ATV, Cenote, Ziplines, and Lunch. It’s a 5-hour trip that combines heart-pumping activities with a relaxing horseback ride.
You’ll visit a jungle in Riviera Maya to enjoy a variety of outdoor adventures. Drive an all-terrain vehicle on rugged tracks, fly above the treetops with the zipline circuit, and ride a horse in a beautiful setting.
Finally, relax with a cenote swim, and savor a chicken fajita for lunch.
This tour includes: Transfers, all activities, entrance fees, a guide, water, and lunch. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Mayan Ruins + Cenote Tours from Cancun, Mexico
What’s better than combining nature and history? In my experience, nothing beats immersing myself in the history and culture of the region and then swimming in a beautiful natural pool.
Here you can find the best tours that combine Mayan ruins + cenotes from Cancun.
Cenote + Tulum Ruins Tours
I like the top-rated Viator Exclusive: Tulum Ruins, Reef Snorkeling, Cenote and Caves. In just one day you get to do a little bit of everything (and it’s one of the most popular tours among my readers too!)
Start the day with a guided tour of the Tulum ruins, an impressive Mayan site. Then, hop on a boat to reach the coral reef, where you’ll enjoy fantastic snorkeling.
End your day at Cenote Xtun, where you’ll get to swim and snorkel as you marvel at the thousands of stalagmites and stalactites that surround you. End the trip with a delicious lunch.
This tour includes: Hotel pick-up and drop-off, entrance fees, a guide, all activities, equipment, and lunch. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Chichen Itza and Cenote Tour from Cancun
You really can’t leave Cancun without having visited Chichen Itza, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World!
▶️ With over 14 thousand positive reviews, the Chichén Itzá, Cenote & Valladolid: All-Inclusive Tour is your best option.
After a guided tour through the ancient Mayan ruins, you’ll head to Cenote Saaml, one of the most beautiful in the area. Swim to your heart’s content, and then refuel with a buffet lunch.
Finally, enjoy some free time to wander in the charming colonial town of Valladolid.
This tour includes: Hotel pick-up and drop-off, a guided tour of Chichen Itza, a cenote visit, and lunch. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Tulum Ruins & Coba Ruins + Cenote Tour from Cancun
Dreaming of climbing a Mayan pyramid? Then you have to visit the Coba ruins!
On the Tulum, Coba, Cenote and Mayan Ceremony Full-Day Tour plus Lunch you’ll explore two unique and very different Mayan ruin sites: Tulum and Coba. Enjoy guided tours on both locations, learning interesting historical facts from your guide.
Then, head to the beautiful cave cenote Mariposa, known for its turquoise waters, and cool off with a swim. Cap off the tour with a Mayan ceremony led by a Shaman, and a traditional lunch.
This tour includes: Hotel pick-up and drop-off, a guide, entrance fees, life jackets, a Mayan ceremony, bottled water, and lunch. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
Cenote Diving Tour from Cancun
Are you interested in scuba diving? There’s a pretty limited selection of diving cenote tours in Cancun at the moment. Most cenote diving happens around Tulum, but here is the best one I could find.
The Diving in Cenotes: Discovering the Mayan Underworld is a half-day excursion. You’ll meet your guide at the diving school, and together head to a cenote as you learn about the renowned sinkholes.
You’ll be introduced to cenote diving, which is quite different from diving in the sea, and then get geared up to start the adventure. The trip includes two dives, and in between you’ll refuel with a tasty lunch.
Other refreshments will be available, and you’ll also have some free time to leisurely swim in the cenote.
This cenote excursion from Cancun includes: Transfers from the diving school, cenote entrance fees, scuba equipment, two dives, lunch, and snacks. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
