10% offFree cancellation
Tulum Mayan Ruins GPS Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour
- 1 hour
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- 3 languages
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Explore the most picturesque Mayan ruins in Mexico! Tulum perches on a cliff overlooking dazzlingly blue waters and features jaw-dropping ancient structures like the Temple of the Descending God. Discover the rich history of this walled city and find out what it can tell us about the incredibly advanced Mayan civilization, all accompanied by stunning ocean views. Even better, you’ll do it all on your own schedule and at your own pace, without having to hassle with a giant tour group! After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Inclusions
What's included
- Support is available via chat, email, or phone if you need help.
- Planning tools, route maps, scenic stops, and area previews included.
- Just bring your phone and headphones; the app guides your walk.
- Lifetime access: use the tour anytime and keep it for future trips.
- Works offline with GPS route guidance and automatic audio stories.
- Flexible tour: start, stop, and pause anytime during your trip.
- Private walking tour experience for your family or group.
- Self-guided audio tour through our easy-to-use mobile app.
- Hidden gems and local stories included along the route.
What's not
- No live guide. Entrance fees, parking, food, and car rental are separate.
Itinerary
Your tour of this incredible archaeological site kicks off right next to the parking lot, where the path to the ruins begins. From here, you'll simply follow this path to discover an ancient, fascinating ruin. NOTE: The tour is over 1.5 miles long, with more than 28 audio stories, and takes about 1-2 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
The first major landmark you'll encounter is the Casa Cenote. You'll step through the entrance and find yourself in another world entirely.
To our left stands the Platforma Funeraria, where the ancient Mayans conducted their funeral rites. Before a body was buried or cremated, the Mayans would place maize in their mouth. This served as food for their journey to the next world, but also represented life and rebirth.
It's impossible to miss the next stop, El Castillo. Standing at 40 feet, The Castle was built to honor the Mayan God Kukulkan and stands at the highest elevation in Tulum, making the already imposing structure even more striking.
As you keep walking, you'll see the Temple of Frescoes, renowned for its detailed paintings of various Mayan deities.
Then you'll visit the Temple of the Wind, one of the most interesting structures in Tulum. The Temple sits atop a cliff and was built to serve as a warning of approaching storms. The round platforms seen here indicate that this is a temple to the Wind God.
The genius of Mayan architecture is epitomized in this building, The House of Chultun. Here, rainwater harvesting ensured that the people in Tulum had enough fresh water for all their needs. The building is structured in a manner so that rainwater would drain into the reservoir.
If you look closely you can see that there is an intricate web of holes in the temple. When hurricane force winds blow from the Caribbean, the holes start to whistle loudly and function as an efficient warning system.
Now continue past the platform and stop in front of the ruins of a house on the right. This is Casa del Noreste, or the Northwest House. This house would have been home to important members of Mayan society.
There are niched figurines of the Maya ‘Descending God’ or Venus which finds prominence across the main facade of the temple reflecting the work of artisans of Mayan era. The “Descending God” is manifested as a stucco figure on the western wall in the temple situated in central precinct of the site, giving the temple its name as the “Temple of the Descending God”.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
3.8
- 511
- 43
- 32
- 21
- 14
Ratings come from 21 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Begin from Ruinas de Tulum, Zona Hotelera Tulum, 77765 Q.R., Mexico. After booking the tour, search your emails and texts for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOREVER, so follow these instructions NOW to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- Walk with Action
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Entrance Ticket: The Tulum Ruins Entrance Tickets can be purchased by following this link: Entrance ticket Important Update: Please be advised that there are ongoing construction activities at the Tulum ruins site. We recommend planning your visit accordingly.
- Easy to use: GPS-triggered audio plays automatically along the route for a hands-free experience.
- Private tour: Follow the route on your phone without an in-person guide or crowded group.
- At your own pace: Start anytime and pause for hikes, picnics, photos, or scenic stops.
- Works offline: Once downloaded, the tour works using GPS without Wi-Fi or cellular service.
- Multi-device access: Use the same password on one device for each traveler included in your booking.
How it compares in Tulum
- Its from-price is 93% below the median of the 1190 experiences we list in Tulum.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 241 of 1190.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Tulum
Tulum pairs clifftop Maya ruins above a turquoise sea with white beaches, jungle cenotes and a laid-back, bohemian town on the Riviera Maya.
The ruins of Tulum, a walled Maya port, stand on a limestone cliff above the Caribbean, with El Castillo overlooking a small cove of white sand. The setting is one of the most photographed in Mexico, and the site is at its loveliest early in the morning, before the heat builds.
Top-ranked sights in Tulum: Mayan Ruins of Coba (Zona Arqueológica de Cobá), Xel-Há, Muyil.
Special offers in Tulum
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
