13 BEST Cenote Tours from Cancun [2023]

Looking for the perfect Cancun cenote tour? You’re in the right spot: check out this list of the best cenote tours from Cancun for 2023.

It’s certainly not a secret anymore that you can find some incredible cenotes in Cancun and the surrounding region of Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Valladolid. Cenotes have officially taken over my Instagram feed!

If you’ve been following this blog, you might already know I’m pretty obsessed with cenotes and I wrote tons of posts about them over the last few years. Last year I went back and spent a few months in Mexico, mainly in the Yucatan/Quintana Roo region, which 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, but many others prefer to join a Cancun cenote excursion to just enjoy the day and not have to worry about anything.

👉 I especially recommend a tour if you don’t have a rental car. Taxi prices have increased so much over the years 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 on the internet, sadly it doesn’t mean they are all good and worth your hard-earned money! That’s why we’ve done the work for you and selected the very best Cancun cenote tours that come with excellent reviews from previous travelers.

⚠️ Update 2023: 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 as the experience is not sustainable anymore. Here at Every Steph, we care about the wildlife’s well-being, and we ask you to do the same.

I personally use (and trust) Get Your Guide and Viator to book tours around the world. Both companies offer a 24 hours cancellation policy, meaning you will receive a full refund if you cancel most tours/experiences at least 24 hours in advance.

The VERY Best Cancun Cenotes Tour

If you’re coming from Cancun and want to see a few different cenotes in one day, the Tour Cenotes Oasis Maya by Xcaret will allow you to make the most of your day. You will snorkel and kayak at 4 unique cenotes, and you’ll even get to rappel and zipline.

• 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 a very old 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 sinkhole with beautiful aquatic flora and rock formations, where you’ll enjoy swimming and a one-hour kayak ride.

You’ll be served cookies and chocolate in between cenotes. Once you’re all cenoted out, enjoy a fancy jungle picnic with soup, deli meats and cheese, salad and beverages including beer and wine. The perfect end to a perfect day.

👉 Why this tour? This tour in my opinion is one of the best Cancun cenote tours (if not THE best!) 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 of cenotes.

📝 This tour includes: transportation from/to your hotel, light refreshments and snacks, picnic lunch, water, and alcoholic beverages at lunch. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

A Quick Cenote Tour from Cancun

I know how it is. You might have limited time and want to make the most out of it, or you just want to spend a half day exploring before going back and relaxing at your resort. This half-day Tulum and cenote tour from Cancun will bring you to two of the most iconic places in the area… in just half a day!

Enjoy first an express 1-hour tour of the archaeological site of Tulum, spend some time at the beach (one of the best ones in Tulum!), and then refresh yourself with a swim at a cenote nearby.

📝 This tour includes: round-trip transportation from your hotel, guided tour of Tulum. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

The BEST Cancun Cenote Tours for Adventure Lovers

▶️ Looking for an adrenaline-filled day? Then this ATV+ zipline cenote tour from Cancun is the perfect one for you.

On a full-day ‘Gimme All’ adventure package at Selvatica, one of the most fun parks in the area, you’ll get to try ziplines, a ropes course, bungee swing, parachute jump, zipline coaster, rollercoaster, self-drive ATVs, and, of course, swimming at a cenote! All in one day!

📝 This tour includes: access to all the activities at Selvatica, lunch, and snacks. Round-trip transportation is available for an extra fee. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

▶️ What’s even cooler than cenotes, you say? Underground rivers!

Join the unforgettable Rio Secreto Wild Tour in a famous underground river. On this tour, you’ll cycle through the jungle, trek through incredible caverns, and swim and snorkel in semi-flooded caves. This tour requires a good physical condition. Get ready for an action-packed day in the “Mayan underworld” with awesome guides, cool sights, and loads of fun!

📝 This tour includes: pickup and drop off at a meeting point in Cancun, lunch, breakfast, snacks, all equipment, and safety gear. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Private Cenotes in Cancun Tours

If you prefer a private tour with just your family and friends, these are the best choices for Cancun private tours to cenotes.

▶️ Embark on an epic VIP Cenote-Hopping Tour in Yucatán! Ditch the beach and join a pro snorkel guide to explore three magical underwater worlds: Yal-ku Lagoon, Cenote Xunaan Ha, and Cenote Taak Bi Ha. Get ready to swim, jump, and even trek through an amazing underground river.

Everything’s covered, from snorkel gear to prebooked entry and comfy air-conditioned rides from your Cancun hotel.

📝 This tour includes: the use of snorkeling equipment, private transportation, and a private snorkeling guide. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

▶️ Get ready for a rad half-day adventure exploring three epic cenotes at Zapote Ecopark! On this 4 Best Cenotes Private Tour, you’ll dive into the 205-foot deep Zapote Cenote, then bike or hike to Las Palmas Cenote.

Finally, snorkel among ancient stalactites and stalagmites at the mystical Abuelo Cheche cenote, and zip line through the jungle like a boss! Perfect for a group of up to six, this all-inclusive experience is packed with thrills and memories that’ll last a lifetime.

📝 This tour includes: packed lunch, soft drinks, round-trip private transportation, and entrance fees. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

▶️ On the Private Tour: Tulum & Cave Adventure from Cancun, say hello to an unforgettable day exploring ancient Tulum and the underground wonderland of Kantun-Chi! With your private guide, uncover the secrets of Tulum, a once-thriving Maya fortress perched above the Caribbean Sea.

Then, dive into the mesmerizing caverns of Kantun-Chi, filled with cool stalactites and stalagmites. On this private cenote tour from Cancun, enjoy a buffet lunch, VIP attention, and the flexibility to make this day your own.

📝 This tour includes: a private guide in Tulum, free time in Tulum, a guide at Kantun Chi, water shoes, lunch, and roundtrip private transportation. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

History & Ruins + Cenote Tours from Cancun, Mexico

What’s better than combining nature and history? In my experience, there’s nothing better than to immerse myself in the history and culture of the region, and then swim and relax at a beautiful cenote. Here you can find the best cenote tours that combine Mayan ruins + cenotes from Cancun.

Cenote + Tulum Ruins Tour

I like the top-rated Viator Exclusive Combo Tour: Tulum Ruins, Reef Snorkeling Plus Cenote and Caves because in 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, then go on a boat tour to the coral reef where you’ll get to snorkel. End your day at Cenote Xtun, where you’ll get to swim and snorkel, and marvel at the thousands of spectacular stalagmites and stalactites.

📝 This tour includes: round-trip transportation from your hotel, lunch, water, and equipment for water activities. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Chichen Itza and Cenote Tours from Cancun

You really can’t leave Cancun without having visited Chichen Itza, one of the 7 Wonders of the World!

▶️ With over 2300 positive reviews, the Chichén Itzá, Cenote & Valladolid All-Inclusive Tour is your best option to combine a tour to the Chichen Itza ruins + a swim at a beautiful cenote in Yucatan.

After a guided tour through the Chichen Itza ruins, you’ll head to Cenote Saaml, one of the most beautiful cenotes in the area. Enjoy a buffet lunch before having some free time to get to know the colonial town of Valladolid.

📝 This tour includes: round-trip transportation from your hotel, a buffet lunch, a guided tour in Chichen Itza, note entrance, and a quick visit to Valladolid. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

▶️ Experience Chichen Itza in a whole new light with the private Chichen Itza Sunrise and Cenote Ik Kil from Cancun tour! Avoid the crowds and heat while exploring the ancient city as the sun rises. Afterward, take a refreshing dip in the Ik Kil cenote. Since the tour starts so early, you’ll also be able to skip the crowds at Ik Kil.

Make the day even more memorable by adding stops like Ek Balam, Coba, or Tulum. Enjoy a personalized adventure and hassle-free pickup from your Cancun accommodations.

📝 This tour includes: round-trip transportation from your hotel, buffet lunch, a guided tour in Chichen Itza, note entrance, and a quick visit to Valladolid. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Tulum Ruins & Coba Ruins + Cenote Tour

Dreaming of climbing a Mayan pyramid? Then you have to head to the Coba ruins!

On the Tulum& Coba: Full-Day Archaeological Tour with Cenote, you’ll visit two unique and very different Mayan ruin sites, Tulum and Coba. You’ll also head to beautiful cave cenotes, the Mariposa and Chen-Ha cenotes, where you will have free time to swim.

Both archaeological sites are definitely worth a visit (Coba is totally underrated IMO), and what better way to top it up than a cenote?

📝 This tour includes: round-trip transportation from your hotel, entry to Tulum and Coba, certified guide, traditional buffet lunch. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

Cenote Diving Tours from Cancun

Even if you’re an experienced diver, you’ll find that diving in a cenote is a completely different experience. There’s a pretty limited selection of diving cenote tours in Cancun at the moment (most cenote diving happens around Tulum), but here are the best ones I could find.

▶️ Jump into a 2-tank Cenote Scuba adventure fit for Aquaman himself! Certified divers can explore the Yucatan’s secret underwater world, the Mayan cenotes, with expert guides. More specifically, you’ll dive the stunning Tajma-Ha Cenote.

On this cenote excursion from Cancun, you’ll dive among mind-blowing rock formations, unravel Mayan mysteries, and be mesmerized by haloclines. Bonus: hotel drop-off and rad gear included!

📝 This tour includes: round-trip transportation from the diving school office in Cancun, lunch, wetsuit, and use of scuba equipment. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

▶️ Is your first-time scuba diving? Then the Cenotes Discovery Cave Diving is for you. This tour for beginners takes you to Tulum, and after an introductory class to diving, you’ll get to go for your very first dive in a cenote.

This tour also includes: round-trip transportation from your hotel, snacks, water, use of scuba equipment. ➥ BOOK IT HERE

CENOTE TOURS CANCUN FAQs