EK BALAM MAYAN RUINS OF CANCUN

Dating back as far as 100 B.C., Ek Balam has only been seriously excavated since about 1987.  It is less famous than nearby Chichen Itza, and much smaller, but is quite impressive in its own right.  It is very well preserved, less crowded than the other ruins sites near Cancun, and you can still climb the temples, leading to incredible vistas over the Yucatan - a very popular activity.

Location of Ek Balam

Ek Balam is about 2.5 hours West of Cancun, and is most often visited on a day trip.  We offer several excellent day tours and excursions to Ek Balam, both private tours and public, that are the easiest and safest way to get there.

The Temples of Ek Balam

The biggest and most impressive structure at Ek Balam is called the Acropolis.  It is nearly 100 feet high, and over 500 feet long.  You can climb to the top of the Acropolis, where you can have mighty views stretching all the way to Coba, over 30 miles away!  The Acropolis is a tomb built for Ukil-Kan-Lek-Tok, the leader of Ek Balam around 800 A.D. when most of the temples in the central plaza were built.

History of Ek Balam

Ek Balam is believed to have started as early as 100 B.C.  It wasn't a Mayan capital city, rather it served Tikibalon, which was the provincial capital.  Ek Balam grew to prominence about 700 A.D. and continued to prosper until about 1000 A.D.  It is believed to have started to dwindle out about 1200 A.D.  Nobody is quite sure why, but one theory is that it was due to political unrest.

Excavation began in 1886 under the guidance of Desire Charnay, but didn't get seriously underway until 1987.  There are still uncovered buildings at the Ek Balam site.

Tours to Ek Balam

Due to its location only 35 miles from Chichen Itza, it is convenient to visit both in a combination day tour. We offer both public and private versions of the tour.  Also near Ek Balam is Xcanche cenote, where you can do rappelling, zip lining, and swimming - this is featured on our Ek Balam Adventure.

More Ek Balam Information

The ruins are open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM every day.  Guides can be hired on-site for about $45.00 for a 90 minute tour in multiple languages.  We very much recommend to hire a guide for the best experience.

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