If you visit the Yucatán Peninsula, don’t skip Cenote Ik Kil. Nestled in the forest surrounding the Chichen Itza archaeological site, Cenote Ik Kil is one of those postcard places. Read on to find out more about this wonderful place.
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Ik Kil is a sacred cenote in the Yucatán Peninsula, near Chichen Itza. Cenotes are very common in this region of Mexico, and the Maya often used them for sacrificial offerings.
If you’re new to the term, a cenote is a natural pit of fresh groundwater, sometimes open and other times completely underground. The term comes from the Yucatec Maya “tsʼonot”, meaning a location with accessible groundwater.
These sinkholes are the result of the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes the water underneath. Without going into too much detail, I’ll just say that the impact of the Chicxulub impactor, an asteroid that hit the Earth about 66 million years ago, is the cause of the cenotes. You know, the one that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs? If you’re curious, go read the very interesting explanation of the Chicxulub crater and the cenotes.
Each cenote is unique, and many look like some forgotten piece of paradise you would see in adventure movies. For better or worse, most of them are no longer forgotten, but rather popular and frequented by thousands of tourists.
Discovering Cenote Ik Kil
Cenote Ik Kil is famous in large part due to its location close to the renowned Chichen Itza archaeological site. It only takes about five minutes to drive, and taxis are plentiful around the ruins, so it’s fairly easy to reach.
Conveniently enough, we booked our accommodation just across the street from the entrance to Ik Kil Archeological Park. Hotel Doralba Inn Chichen is a little oasis in the middle of the forest, with bungalows immersed in lush greenery. To complete it all, two swimming pools sparkle in the sun, surrounded by trees and silence. Check out this place or find alternative accommodations on Booking.com.
So picture this. We head to the cenote in the late afternoon, almost one hour before closing time. The weather is cloudy and moody, so we don’t really prepare for swimming in the cenote. We do wear our bikinis under our clothes, just in case.
We enter the park and walk along narrow paths in the forest, with virtually no other human beings in sight. But as soon as we enter the cenote area, we realize how crowded it is.
Children’s laughter and splashes of water travel from the natural pool all the way to the surface. As we peek down, we see dozens of people swimming and jumping in the water.
Cool facts about Cenote Ik Kil
Unlike other cenotes around the Yucatán Peninsula, this one has a big opening at the top, about 26 meters above the water surface, with vines hanging from the top. The round cenote is fifty meters deep, and archaeologists have found a variety of things, from jewels to human bones, at the bottom.
We learn that the Mayas used Cenote Ik Kil to offer human sacrifices to the rain god Chaac, which explains the bones.
As we begin our descent towards the cenote, we find a little balcony overlooking the sinkhole. Through lianas falling from the top to the water’s surface, we see people swimming in the “Sacred Blue Cenote,” as it’s also called.
A dark stairway carved in the limestone leads us down to the cenote, and as we descend, the voices fill the air, echoing in the narrow tunnel.
Unexpected consequences
The sight of people jumping in the water and swimming around is too inviting, and despite being totally unprepared, without even a towel to dry ourselves, we decide to go for a swim.
As I swim in the bottomless pool, I try not to think about the sinister remains lying several meters under my feet. The water temperature is pleasant, and as I look up, I see the blue of the sky framed by the leafy walls of the cenote. Cenote Ik Kil is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular places I’ve swum.
Unconscious of the consequences, we head outside and wear our clothes on top of the wet bikini. They are damp within seconds, but we have the brilliant idea to have ice cream. And why not eat it while swinging on the hammocks hanging by the trees in an area near the cenote?
The temperature is dropping, and the wind starts to get chilly, but it’s all so pleasant. We swing idly in our hammocks, the branches of the tall trees swaying in the wind.
The cost of the lovely afternoon? A night spent throwing up every 20 minutes, hoping it would end before I passed out on the bathroom floor. Not my best night in Mexico. I donìt know if it was the cold ice cream paired with the hammock swinging in the breeze or something I ate. After all, this is Mexico. Still worth it!
So make sure to prepare before visiting the cenote. Bring towels and a change of clothes. Also, you’ll have to take a shower before swimming in the cenote.
Useful info about Cenote Ik Kil
Getting there: ADO has regular bus rides from Valladolid and a few from Cancún as well.
Where to stay: We stayed at Hotel Doralba Inn Chichen, in an affordable bungalow immersed in nature. There’s a restaurant on-site, and it’s conveniently located near Ik Kil and a short drive from Chichen Itza.
Entrance fee: As of 2025, the entrance to the cenote has increased to 220$ MXN (roughly 12 USD)
Opening hours: The cenote is open daily from 8 AM to 5 PM.
Services: At the cenote, you’ll find a small shop (for ice cream), a restaurant, and changing rooms. You can rent locker space, towels, and even life vests.
Enjoy the swim and remove any valuables! It can be hard to retrieve your watch from the bones of some sacrificial victim at the bottom of the cenote.
Just kidding.
Or not?
Finally, if you’d rather avoid the stress of planning everything on your own, why not join an organized tour? You’ll get to meet other people and won’t have to worry about every single detail. Check out these options or find out more on Viator.
P.S.: If you plan on visiting Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, check out also my articles on Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres. Enjoy your trip!
Travel Resources
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| Booking.com | Accommodation | My favorite website for great accommodations for different budgets. | Find a Place |
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| 12Go | Transportation | Widespread App across Asia, now also available in Latin America. | Transportation |
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| Viator | Activities | Another great platform to book activities and adventures globally. | Find Activities |
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| Airalo | eSIM | My favorite app for buying digital SIM cards when traveling abroad. | Get an eSIM |
| Saily | eSIM | A great alternative to Airalo, with cheaper plans in some destinations. | Get an eSIM |
| Maps.me | Navigation | My favorite navigation app for hiking trails and remote areas. | Get Maps |
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