Chichen Itza with an Archaeologist

I had the absolute pleasure of being guided by Andrey, and the experience exceeded all expectations. From start to finish, he demonstrated outstanding skills and an incredible attention to detail that truly elevated the entire experience. His warmth, kindness, and courtesy made me feel welcomed and valued at every step. What impressed me most was his extraordinary depth of knowledge — a true well of information on every topic, delivered with passion and enthusiasm that kept me engaged throughout. If you are looking for a guide who combines professionalism, friendliness, and expertise, look no further. I would give Andrey my highest and warmest recommendation. Any future traveler would be incredibly lucky to have him as their guide. His talent and dedication deserve to be recognized, and I have no doubt he will continue to provide outstanding experiences to all those fortunate enough to cross his path. Book him — you will not regret it!

You could not go to see a Mayan archeological site with a more qualified guide. Andrej did not regurgitate a “tourist script” of this is the temple, this is the aviary, this is x meters high, this is x meters wide and this is the biggest/smallest whatever, the way guides usually do, with an air of authority. He showed us the site the way a proper historian sees it – all that we understand, and all we don’t understand. What is an assumption and a guess vs. hard evidence. How that assumption was made. What has been reconstructed vs. found and why it was reconstructed the way it was. He really opened our eyes on how much we understand about the Mayans and their culture and how much there is still to learn. It was a real pleasure to be able to engage with him as a real expert. At the same time Andrej was a guide and just made our life easy. He organized transport. He made good suggestions on when to start to avoid the heat/busy time at a site, what to wear, what order to do things in, what is the best local place for breakfast and lunch, what food to try. Andrej, whilst not a Mexican himself, clearly loves and understands Mexico. He has a Mexican family, has lived here for a long time and he also really loves Yucatan, its food, its people and immerses himself in the local culture. We had plenty of time to also discuss those aspects with him and learned a lot from him. In fact, after 4 days with Andrej doing different trips, he built our confidence in the country and understanding the country so much, that in Tulum we rented our own car and did the rest of the trip by ourselves.

Where do we even begin? From the very first moment we booked our tour to Chichén Itzá, our guide set the tone for what would turn out to be one of the most memorable days of our trip — reaching out immediately to help with every detail, including something as practical as how we'd get from the archaeological site to the airport afterward. That kind of thoughtfulness never let up. As soon as we arrived in Mérida, he was already reaching out, sending tips on what to see around the city — we would never have stumbled upon the stunning murals in the Palace of the Governors without him — and recommending wonderful local spots to eat. He clearly cares about his guests having a full, rich experience, not just a single day on a tour. The day itself was flawlessly orchestrated. He brought us to a breathtaking cenote early enough that we had it almost entirely to ourselves — pure magic. And he thought of everything: towels waiting for us, electrolyte water to keep us hydrated under the Yucatán sun, and a breakfast stop at a charming little restaurant with a beautiful spread of traditional Yucatecan food. At Chichén Itzá, his background in archaeology truly shone. He answered even our most obscure questions with depth and enthusiasm, and kept our 14-year-old completely engaged throughout. He sent us home with a wonderful list of book recommendations, covering both Mayan history and a range of other topics tailored to each member of our family. Above all, he was kind, warm, and simply a joy to spend the day with. If you are considering this tour, know that you will be in the very best of hands. Our son was also so thankful for the day, that he wanted to include a review of his own: Andrej was incredibly accommodating of all our needs on this trip, and went out of his way to make us feel comfortable and welcome, going as far as to even buy us breakfast from his favorite local spot. Besides taking us to the famous and iconic Mayan ruins, he took us to a beautiful cenote, which was one of the most beautiful places we have ever seen. Once at the archeological site, he took us to several ruins and carvings that many visitors never see on their basic tours of the main temple. He was very engaging throughout the entire tour and answered all of our questions, while also teaching us history that we would never think to ask about. Throughout the whole day, he was respectful, kind, and very considerate of all our needs. If we could, we would give this tour a 10 out of 5!

Andrej went above and beyond to welcome us to the area and make sure that we got the experience we were looking for. He guided me through making travel plans and was in contact with us well in advance to offer suggestions for our night in Merida before we went to Chichen Itza. He ended up coming into town to show us some of the sights, and that was an unexpected highlight to get to see the local artwork and culture. At Chichen Itza, he delivered an really informative tour and it was wonderful to be able to explore parts of it without the crowd. Afterwards we went to Valladolid to enjoy some lunch. All his recommendations on local food were spot on, and I'm very grateful we got to go out of our comfort zone and experience some of the Yucatan treasures. Throughout the 2 days we enjoyed stimulating conversation and learned a lot about the area. 100% would do it again!

Had a wonderful tour with Andrej! Very informative! Would highly recommend!

We had a great trip with Andrej. Beginning with the drive out to Chichen Itza he introduced us to the culture and lifestyle of the Mayan people, as far as we know it, and the aspects which are still not well understood. We stopped at a small local vendor for a light breakfast; I liked the small pancake with a creamy sauce. At Chichen Itza we had a good walk around the many buildings and took a seat in the shade to view and talk about some of the biggest sites. We had a pleasant lunch beside one Cenote and visited another which was discovered under a house! An excellent experience with a great guide.