The 8 Best Mérida Tours & Yucatán Day Trips

1.Merida Walking Food Tour. Authentic & Local Cuisine

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 451 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $70Our pick

Walk from Plaza Grande through Mérida’s San Benito and Lucas de Galvez markets, sampling gorditas, salbutes, fruit, cochinita pibil, tacos, tamales, drinks, and frozen treats. Guides such as Fernando, Laura, Marcos, Annette, and Sylvie explain local food and Maya traditions. The group is limited to 10 people.

“Laura was one of the best tour guides I have ever had. She had a personal interest in each and everyone of us taste the unique and exquisite tastes of Merida. Her knowledge of the food and the Mercados was above and beyond. I would recommend this tour to everyone.”

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2.Merida Street Food Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 417 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $69Best value

Start near Mérida’s cathedral at 10:30 a.m. and walk with a bilingual guide such as Gisell, Luz, or Zulma through Lucas de Gálvez Market. You’ll sample fruit, cochinita pibil, panuchos, sweets, local drinks, ceviche, and handmade gelato. The food is generous, the group is capped at 15, and the market can be hot and crowded.

“Laura was delightful and an excellent guide. We really enjoyed the market, and having a guide made it so much more interesting. She introduced us to individual vendors, we learned about their products, and she made sure we got the best prices on things.”

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3.Chichen Itza, Private Cenote/Food Experience & the magic Izamal

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 385 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $95

Leave Mérida before sunrise with guides such as Delio or Hernan, reach Chichén Itzá at opening, then swim in a private family cenote and eat a homemade Yucatecan meal. Finish in yellow Izamal. The air-conditioned van carries no more than 10 people, with coffee, a sandwich, water, and a life vest included.

“Dalo was a wonderful guide and driver. They helped with a phone issue just prior to leaving! Excellent!”

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4.3-Hour Walking Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 287 reviews · 3 hours · from $69

Meet your English or Spanish-speaking guide at Mérida’s Plaza Grande for three hours of local food and city stories. In a group of up to 10, you’ll try gorditas, poc chuc, salbutes, tamales, fruit, tacos al pastor, and carnitas, with market visits and drinks included. Guides such as Laura, Marcos, Annette, and Manuel bring local insight to each stop.

“I loved the entire tour. Laura was a really fun guide and I would highly recommend her.”

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5.Guided tour of Uxmal, Kabah and Cenote with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 156 reviews · 9 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $94

Spend a full day visiting Uxmal and Kabah, two important Maya sites on the Puuc Route, then cool off at small Cenote Peba. An English and Spanish-speaking guide such as Francisco, Allan, or Irwin leads the group, with lunch and downtown Mérida pickup included. Bring pesos for entrance fees and expect plenty of walking.

“Both sets are ruins were fascinating. Our guide was very knowledgeable.. The lunch was delicious and they showed us a traditional Mayan oven. The cenote was small but very pretty and refreshing.”

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6.Uxmal, Cenote and Kabah Archaeological Site Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 139 reviews · 7 hours · from $83

Travel from Mérida to Uxmal and Kabah with a bilingual guide such as Miguel, Glendi, or Hector. You get guided visits to both Maya sites, a swim at Cenote Sámbula, regional lunch, chilled water, and air-conditioned transport. Entrance fees are extra, and the day suits visitors who can walk comfortably in the heat.

“Ricardo our Guide was great and had a lot of interesting facts and stories to tell and on top he let us sleep on the bus ;)”

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7.Tour to Uxmal Kabah and Chocolate Museum from Mérida

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 102 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $81

Spend about 10 hours visiting Uxmal and Kabah with a Spanish-English guide, then enjoy a three-course Yucatecan lunch and Choco Story’s cocoa exhibits, gardens, animal shelter, and Mayan chocolate ceremony. Guides such as Saúl, Mauricio, Pedro, Michelle, and Anel have received strong praise, but bring cash, water, snacks, and sturdy shoes.

“Great trip to the site. Long day but well worth it. Would certainly recommend it. Note that extra cost to enter.”

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8.Uxmal, two Amazing Cenotes & Local Food Tour from Mérida

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 59 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $89

Leave Mérida at 7:30 a.m. for Uxmal, where an official guide explains Maya architecture and culture. Then enjoy a local lunch in Muna before swimming in an open cenote at Abalá and a turquoise cave cenote at San Antonio Mulix. English-speaking guides may include Jorge, Sergio, Eric, or Jesús. Groups are capped at 12.

“Very well organised and put together tour. Our guide Sergio was very helpful, attentive and knowledgeable about the places we went and drove by. Told us a lot about local culture, cuisine, history etc. Never felt rushed or pressed for time, focus was simply on the activities.”

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