Cobá tour options
Cobá is easiest from Tulum or Valladolid. From Mérida it makes a very long day, so most visitors stay nearer and combine Cobá with a cenote or a Tulum beach.
Most visitors choose between a shared small-group departure and a private Cobá tour. When you ask about Cobá tours, tell us your hotel and dates.
- Shared small-group day trip from Tulum or Valladolid
- Private tour with your own driver and guide
- Cobá with a cenote swim and Tulum beach time
What's included on a Cobá tour
Typical inclusions on a trip like this:
- Return transport from Tulum or Valladolid in an air-conditioned van or car
- A local guide for the visit
- Bottled water on board
- Time for bikes or a bike-taxi (paid on site)
- Entrance fee: shown in your quote as either included or paid on arrival
- Usually not included: meals, tips and souvenirs
Sample Cobá tour itinerary
- 8:00 Pickup in Tulum or Valladolid
- 9:00 Arrive at Cobá and rent bikes or hire a bike-taxi
- 9:30 Cobá Group and the Temple of the Churches
- 10:30 Ride to Nohoch Mul
- 12:00 Swim in a nearby cenote
- 14:00 Lunch and drop-off
Cobá tour prices
Typical market prices, not fixed rates: small-group tours to Cobá from Tulum or Valladolid usually cost about US$60–100 per person, while a private car and guide for two runs about US$220–320. Entry fees and meals are sometimes extra.
A quote for Cobá tours will show exactly what is included.
| Option | Typical price | Notes |
|---|
| Small-group tour | US$60–100 per person | Fixed schedule, shared van |
| Private car and guide (2 people) | US$220–320 | Flexible start and stops |
| Private, larger group | Per-vehicle price | Often cheaper per head |
| Site entry fee | About MXN 100–150 (2026) | Paid at the gate unless your quote says otherwise |
What you'll see at Cobá
Nohoch Mul, about 42 m tall, is the highest Maya pyramid in the northern Yucatán, with roughly 120 steps. In recent years access to climb it has been restricted, so check on the day; the view from its base is still impressive, framed by forest and two lakes.
The site has thousands of structures spread over a wide area, linked by raised sacbes. A cycle ride between the Cobá Group, Macanxoc stelae and Las Pinturas is the best way to see it, with shaded paths and plenty of birds.
- Nohoch Mul
- Cobá Group and the Temple of the Churches
- Macanxoc stelae
- Las Pinturas
- Sacbe paths and lakeside views
Best time to visit Cobá
Early starts are valuable: the walk between groups is long and the forest is humid. November to March is the most comfortable; during summer, afternoon storms are frequent.
Bring insect repellent, small cash for bikes and water; the distances are larger than they seem. These details help when you are choosing dates for Cobá tours.
Combine Cobá with nearby sites
Beyond Yucatán StateCalakmul Tours & Day TripsCalakmul tours reach one of the largest Maya cities ever found, deep in a tropical biosphere reserve near the Guatemalan border.Beyond Yucatán State · from US$90Edzná Tours & Day TripsEdzná tours head to a Maya city in Campeche state, known for its tall Five-Storey Building and its network of ancient water canals.Valladolid & the East · from US$60Chichén Itzá Tours & Day TripsChichén Itzá tours take you to the best-known Maya city in the Yucatán Peninsula, where the stepped pyramid of Kukulcán anchors a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders.Valladolid & the East · from US$75Chichén Itzá, Ik Kil & Valladolid TourA Chichén Itzá, Ik Kil and Valladolid tour puts the peninsula's best-known ruins, a deep open-air cenote and a colonial town into one day.Valladolid & the East · from US$65Ek Balam Tours & Day TripsEk Balam tours visit a Maya city 30 km north of Valladolid whose towering Acropolis can often be climbed and whose stucco carvings are among the best preserved in the region.Beyond Yucatán State · from US$90Holbox Tours from YucatánA Holbox tour takes you to a car-free island off the northern tip of Quintana Roo, known for sandy streets, shallow turquoise water and, in summer, whale sharks.Beyond Yucatán StateHacienda Uayamón ToursHacienda Uayamón tours visit a restored hacienda hotel in Campeche state, known for tranquil gardens, stone architecture and a pool.Cenote Ring & Izamal · from US$55Homún Cenote ToursA Homún cenotes tour takes you to the heart of the Yucatán's Cenote Ring, a cluster of underground and semi-open sinkholes about an hour south-east of Mérida.Cenote Ring & Izamal · from US$50Cuzamá Cenote ToursA Cuzamá cenotes tour is built around a very Yucatecan ride: a horse-drawn cart on narrow rails, called a truk, that carries you through scrubland to underground cenotes. Cobá tour FAQs
Beyond Yucatán StateCalakmul Tours & Day TripsCalakmul tours reach one of the largest Maya cities ever found, deep in a tropical biosphere reserve near the Guatemalan border.Beyond Yucatán State · from US$90Edzná Tours & Day TripsEdzná tours head to a Maya city in Campeche state, known for its tall Five-Storey Building and its network of ancient water canals.Valladolid & the East · from US$60Chichén Itzá Tours & Day TripsChichén Itzá tours take you to the best-known Maya city in the Yucatán Peninsula, where the stepped pyramid of Kukulcán anchors a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders.Valladolid & the East · from US$75Chichén Itzá, Ik Kil & Valladolid TourA Chichén Itzá, Ik Kil and Valladolid tour puts the peninsula's best-known ruins, a deep open-air cenote and a colonial town into one day.Valladolid & the East · from US$65Ek Balam Tours & Day TripsEk Balam tours visit a Maya city 30 km north of Valladolid whose towering Acropolis can often be climbed and whose stucco carvings are among the best preserved in the region.Beyond Yucatán State · from US$90Holbox Tours from YucatánA Holbox tour takes you to a car-free island off the northern tip of Quintana Roo, known for sandy streets, shallow turquoise water and, in summer, whale sharks.Beyond Yucatán StateHacienda Uayamón ToursHacienda Uayamón tours visit a restored hacienda hotel in Campeche state, known for tranquil gardens, stone architecture and a pool.Cenote Ring & Izamal · from US$55Homún Cenote ToursA Homún cenotes tour takes you to the heart of the Yucatán's Cenote Ring, a cluster of underground and semi-open sinkholes about an hour south-east of Mérida.Cenote Ring & Izamal · from US$50Cuzamá Cenote ToursA Cuzamá cenotes tour is built around a very Yucatecan ride: a horse-drawn cart on narrow rails, called a truk, that carries you through scrubland to underground cenotes. Want this trip planned for you?
Tell us your dates, group size and where you are staying. We check availability with local guides and send back a price.