Why is Izamal yellow?

The buildings are painted a uniform yellow ochre, a tradition tied to the convent and the town's identity.

Is Izamal worth a day trip?

Yes, many people find it one of the most photogenic towns in the Yucatán.

Three to five hours covers the main sights.

Can I climb the pyramids?

Kinich Kakmó can generally be climbed, though rules may change.

Yes, we can pair Izamal with a cenote or hacienda.

Izamal Tours & Day Trips | Tours in Yucatán

Izamal tour options

Izamal tours run as half-day or full-day trips from Mérida, usually in a small group or with a private driver. Many combine the town with a cenote or hacienda, or with the Kinich Kakmó pyramid on the edge of town.

If you are driving between Mérida and Valladolid, a private transfer can include a lunch stop here at no great extra cost.

Things you'll see in Izamal

The centrepiece is the Franciscan convent of San Antonio de Padua, built in the 16th century on the base of a Maya pyramid. Its huge arcaded atrium is among the largest in the Americas, and Pope John Paul II visited in 1993. Around it, the yellow streets are lined with arches and small shops.

Do not miss Kinich Kakmó, a large Maya pyramid you can climb, and the smaller Itzamatul mound close to the centre. Local craft stalls sell hammocks, embroidery and honey, and a ride in a horse-drawn calesa gives you a relaxed overview.

On December 8, pilgrims gather in town for the feast of the Virgin of Izamal.

Convento de San Antonio de Padua and its atrium
Kinich Kakmó pyramid
Itzamatul and other small mounds
Calesa ride around the plaza
Local markets and handicrafts

Sample Izamal day trip itinerary

A typical day from Mérida.

08:30 Pickup in Mérida
09:45 Arrive in Izamal, walk to the convent
10:45 Kinich Kakmó pyramid
11:45 Calesa ride or craft stalls
13:00 Lunch: lime soup, panuchos or cochinita pibil
14:30 Optional hacienda or cenote stop
17:00 Return to Mérida

Izamal tour prices

Typical market ranges. Entry to the convent grounds is generally free, but pyramids and extras can carry small fees.

Format	Typical price
Shared small-group day tour	USD 55-90 per person
Private driver and guide	USD 180-320 per vehicle
Calesa ride	About MXN 200-400 per carriage (2026), shared
Lunch	USD 8-18 per person, extra

Getting to Izamal

Izamal is about 70 km east of Mérida, an hour by car. Buses run from Mérida's eastern terminal and are cheap, but a private car lets you add stops such as a cenote or hacienda.

Pickup in Mérida or at your hotel can be arranged.

Best time to visit Izamal

The cooler months, November to March, are the most comfortable for walking. Midday heat in summer is intense, so start early and rest in the shade.

The December 8 feast brings crowds and lively celebrations, so book accommodation and transport well ahead.

Combine Izamal with nearby sites

Cenote Ring & Izamal · from US$80Izamal & Chichén Itzá TourAn Izamal and Chichén Itzá tour combines the yellow colonial town with the best-known Mayan ruins in one day.Cenote Ring & Izamal · from US$45Things to Do in Acanceh, YucatánThere are more things to do in Acanceh than most day-trippers expect: the town's main square holds a Maya pyramid, a colonial church and a busy plaza side by side, about 40 minutes from Mérida.Cenote Ring & Izamal · from US$70Sotuta Tours & Day TripsA Sotuta tour is the way to see a working henequen hacienda and ride a mule-drawn cart to a cenote, in the town that was once the seat of a Maya province.Gulf CoastEl Cuyo Tours & Day TripsAn El Cuyo tour reaches a remote fishing village on the north-east coast, where long empty beaches, shallow turquoise water and constant breeze draw kitesurfers and people who want to switch off.Puuc Hills & the South · from US$70Maní Tours & Day TripsA Maní tour brings you to one of the most historically loaded small towns in the Yucatán, a quiet place in the Puuc hills where a 16th-century Franciscan convent stands on the site of an older Maya centre.Mérida & the Northwest · from US$190Private Izamal ToursA private Izamal tour from Mérida is a day trip with your own vehicle, driver and local guide, planned around your group's pace instead of a fixed bus schedule.Mérida & the Northwest · from US$50Izamal Tours from MéridaAn Izamal tour from Mérida is one of the easiest day trips: about 70 km each way, roughly 1 hour, to the yellow colonial town.Beyond Yucatán StateIzamal Tours from CancúnAn Izamal tour from Cancún is a long day but a good change from the coast: about 260 km each way, roughly 3 hours, on toll highway 180D.Valladolid & the EastIzamal Tours from ValladolidAn Izamal tour from Valladolid is an easy day through the interior: about 105 km each way, roughly 1 h 20 min, with Chichén Itzá on the way.

Izamal tour FAQs

Cenote Ring & Izamal · from US$80Izamal & Chichén Itzá TourAn Izamal and Chichén Itzá tour combines the yellow colonial town with the best-known Mayan ruins in one day.Cenote Ring & Izamal · from US$45Things to Do in Acanceh, YucatánThere are more things to do in Acanceh than most day-trippers expect: the town's main square holds a Maya pyramid, a colonial church and a busy plaza side by side, about 40 minutes from Mérida.Cenote Ring & Izamal · from US$70Sotuta Tours & Day TripsA Sotuta tour is the way to see a working henequen hacienda and ride a mule-drawn cart to a cenote, in the town that was once the seat of a Maya province.Gulf CoastEl Cuyo Tours & Day TripsAn El Cuyo tour reaches a remote fishing village on the north-east coast, where long empty beaches, shallow turquoise water and constant breeze draw kitesurfers and people who want to switch off.Puuc Hills & the South · from US$70Maní Tours & Day TripsA Maní tour brings you to one of the most historically loaded small towns in the Yucatán, a quiet place in the Puuc hills where a 16th-century Franciscan convent stands on the site of an older Maya centre.Mérida & the Northwest · from US$190Private Izamal ToursA private Izamal tour from Mérida is a day trip with your own vehicle, driver and local guide, planned around your group's pace instead of a fixed bus schedule.Mérida & the Northwest · from US$50Izamal Tours from MéridaAn Izamal tour from Mérida is one of the easiest day trips: about 70 km each way, roughly 1 hour, to the yellow colonial town.Beyond Yucatán StateIzamal Tours from CancúnAn Izamal tour from Cancún is a long day but a good change from the coast: about 260 km each way, roughly 3 hours, on toll highway 180D.Valladolid & the EastIzamal Tours from ValladolidAn Izamal tour from Valladolid is an easy day through the interior: about 105 km each way, roughly 1 h 20 min, with Chichén Itzá on the way.