New Wonder of the World and 2 Wonders of the Yucatan Private Tour from Valladolid

This was the first of 8 tours that I did with Raúl over the course of a 2-week exploration of the Yucatán while based in Mérida. Raúl was the perfect guide and I can't imagine how I could have had a better time. We began with this tour as it was the longest and Raúl made certain that it was not overwhelming. Wisely, we began very early (especialy since we were starting from Mérida rather than Valladolid) and managed to avoid the worst of both the crowds and the heat at Chichén Itzá (not mention snaring a parking space extremely close to the entrance). Raúl has a knack for painting the big picture while also including specific details along the way for illustration. Though visiting Ek Balam on the same tour with Chichén Itzá may sound tiring, I highly recommend it because the contrast between the two sites is extremely rewarding. Not to mention that Ek Balam is considerably less crowded - and has an even higher pyramid that you are still able to climb! The cenote was a blast, after which Raúl also found the perfect spot for a unique Yucatecan lunch. All in all, it was a perfectly paced day and a wonderful introduction to the Mayan world.

Raul was nothing short of amazing. He was so knowledgeable and really made it a personal experience to view the amazing Mayan ruins. He was flexible in every way and even reminded us of the time zone difference from our condo, which saved us a whole hour of sleep. I would book Raul for any and all future experiences where he is available. On top of all of that, he was a pleasure to talk to throughout our tour, lunch and during the drive.

We had a fantastic day out with Raul, which ended up longer than we expected as he was so accommodating with our requests. His English is excellent, and he’s very friendly and knowledgable - just what we needed! If you’re thinking of visiting Yucatán (and you should!) then Raul is the ideal guide…nothing is too much trouble for him.

Raul was fantastic today. His English is excellent as is his knowledge of the Yucatan area and chichenItza. He paced the tour beautifully and kept us interested the whole day. Thank you Raul.

No better way to experience the ruins and no better guide to experience it with. Raul was absolutely amazing and so knowledgeable about everything we saw (Chichen Itza and Ek Balam plus a couple cenotes). His English was perfect and we even heard him speak some French when a couple of lost tourists asked for directions. By the end of the day we no longer saw him as our guide but more a dear friend who we will stay connected with indefinitely. Highly recommended!

Raul was an outstanding guide to Chichen Itza, cenotes and Ek Balam. The tour was a highly of my time in Mexico. It's so much better having a private tour rather than a group tour. Being a private tour, Raul tailored it to my interests and it was not rushed. He suggested excellent quiet cenotes. His knowledge at the archaeological sites was excellent and not overloading. He also willing took great photos for me. He provided recommendations for the rest of my trip. Highly recommend Raul!