Mérida & the Northwest
Uxmal Tours from Mérida
An Uxmal tour from Mérida is an easy half-day or full-day trip: about 80 km each way on highway 261, roughly 1 h 15 min south of the city. Uxmal is a Puuc-style city of long, finely cut stone façades, quieter than Chichén Itzá and easy to combine with the villages along the Puuc route. Send a quote request with your hotel, dates and group size and we can arrange pickup in Mérida.
Uxmal tour options from Mérida
Most visitors from Mérida choose a guided half day or a Puuc route day that adds Kabah. A private vehicle lets you add a chocolate museum or cenote at your own pace. If you are weighing up a Uxmal day trip from Mérida, the practical question is how much of the day you want to spend on the road versus at the site and the Puuc route.
The highlights are the oval Pyramid of the Magician, the Governor's Palace, the Nunnery Quadrangle and the ball court, all decorated with stone mosaics and Chaac rain-god masks. Climbing the Pyramid of the Magician is not allowed, but you can walk the plazas and the long platform of the Governor's Palace.
- Uxmal only, with guide, as a half-day or short full-day tour
- Uxmal with Kabah and a chocolate museum stop on the Puuc route
- Uxmal with a nearby hacienda or cenote, as a private tour
Pickup times & drive from Mérida
We leave Mérida on the road south through Umán and Muna, a mostly free highway through henequen villages and farmland. It is a straightforward drive without tolls, and the site is just off the road before the Puuc hills. A Mérida to Uxmal tour is mostly decided by the first hour, so we fix the pickup time around the opening time and the drive.
From Mérida the typical extras are Kabah and the Puuc route, a chocolate museum stop, and a hacienda or cenote on the way back. Staying at Uxmal only makes it a half day, while the Puuc extras turn it into a full day.
| Detail | From Mérida |
|---|---|
| Distance | About 80 km |
| Drive each way | About 1 h 15 min |
| Typical pickup | 7:30–8:30 |
| Back in Mérida | About 15:00–18:00 |
Sample itinerary from Mérida
- 8:00 – Hotel pickup in Mérida
- 8:15 – Drive south via Umán and Muna
- 9:30 – Arrive at Uxmal and walk the site with your guide
- 11:30 – Visit Kabah and its Palace of Masks
- 12:30 – Stop at a chocolate museum or similar
- 13:30 – Lunch in a nearby village
- 15:00 – Drive back toward Mérida
- 16:30 – Drop-off in Mérida
Prices from Mérida
Mérida is the closest large city to Uxmal, so prices are lowest here, and shared tours that add Kabah or a chocolate museum are the most common format. For a Uxmal tour from Mérida the biggest price drivers are the length of the drive, the number of people and whether entry fees and lunch are bundled.
| Format | Typical range (2026) |
|---|---|
| Shared small-group tour | USD 65–100 per person |
| Private vehicle with driver | USD 280–420 per vehicle (up to 4–6 people) |
| Typically extra | Entry fee (about MXN 500–600 per adult), lunch, entry to extra stops, tips |
What's included
These are the items we can usually arrange on a Uxmal tour from Mérida:
Site entry is usually paid separately or bundled depending on the format. Foreign adults pay a combined federal and state fee at Uxmal, currently about MXN 500–600.
- Pickup and drop-off in Mérida at your hotel or an agreed meeting point (where pickup can be arranged)
- Air-conditioned vehicle and a local driver
- A local guide at Uxmal (language to be confirmed in your quote)
- Bottled water on board
- Stops at Kabah or other Puuc sites if you choose that format
Tour vs. going on your own from Mérida
Whether this is the best Uxmal tour from Mérida for you depends on who is travelling and how much you value time. Uxmal is one of the easier day trips to do yourself from Mérida, because the road is simple and has no tolls. A tour is mostly worth it for the guide, the Puuc stops and the lunch plan.
| Option | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tour or private driver | USD 65–100 shared; USD 280–420 per vehicle | Door to door, with Puuc stops planned |
| Bus from Mérida | About MXN 100–200 each way | Slower, with limited departures; the site is a short walk or taxi from the stop |
| Rental car | About MXN 900–1,500 per day plus fuel | The road is simple and tolls are minimal, so it is the easiest DIY option on this list |
| Colectivo | A few hundred pesos in total | Irregular, and returns can be hard to plan |
Other day trips from Mérida
FAQs
How early do we leave Mérida?
Pickup is typically 7:30–8:30, and you are back by about 15:00–18:00. Exact times depend on your hotel and the season.
How long does it take to reach Uxmal from Mérida?
About 1 h 15 min by road, with no toll needed, so a half-day trip is realistic.
Can we add Kabah and a chocolate museum?
Yes, these are standard additions on the Puuc route. Our Uxmal, Kabah and Choco-Story trip shows a planned version.
Is Uxmal worth it if I have seen Chichén Itzá?
Many visitors prefer it. It is quieter, the carved stonework is more detailed, and you can often walk the main plazas with fewer people around.
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.