Last Updated on January 12, 2022 by Natalie
I love seeing archeological sites in Mexico, so visiting Uxmal ruins was on the top of my list for when we finally got to spend more time in Yucatan. As usual, I was visiting Uxmal with kids, but this Uxmal guide will help you plan your visit even if you don’t travel with family.
Visiting Uxmal Ruins
Since we were staying in Chicxulub near Progreso, we opted to rent a car for the duration of our trip. On a Wednesday, We left around 7:30 am and arrived at Uxmal at 9 am. It was a fairly easy drive, even going through Merida. There wasn’t much traffic once we passed Merida.
Arriving at Uxmal, we paid for parking (80 pesos) and then headed to the payment area. After wandering past the gift shops and bathrooms, we decided to hire a guide. Also, we ate at the on-site restaurant after our trip. I recommend it because the food is delicious!
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→ Another great trip to to take while Merida or Progreso, is to check out Las Coloradas Yucatan, also known as the pink lakes!
Uxmal Guide
We arrived, paid for parking, and went to the entrance. We paid the fee and then used the bathrooms. I didn’t see additional bathrooms on site. As always, I recommend using the bathrooms before entering the site. Uxmal is surprisingly big! The excavated parts cover around 150 acres and there is some step climbing.
Uxmal was an important Maya ancient city and may have been the home to as many 25,000-35,000 people at its height. There aren’t any close cenotes or rivers, so Chac, the Mayan Rain God is highly honored in the architecture. He’s usually shown with a large nose and intertwining snakes. The Mayans of Uxmal built water reservoirs and spent a lot of time collecting and worrying about collecting enough water for the residents and crops. Water issues are considered to have been a contributing factor of the city’s downfall.
Planning a trip to the Yucatan Peninsula? There’s so much to see. I highly recommend Cassie Pearse’s Yucatan with Kids – A Travel Guide to help you see the best of the region!
Uxmal Pyramid of the Magician
The Pyramid of the Magician is the first major building thing you see once you head up from the entrance. It’s stunning and much larger than I expected. It’s also different from the Pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza. Though it has much of the same architecture, the corners are rounded and it has a more oval shape. Uxmal means “thrice built” in Mayan and indeed, the structures we see were built over existing buildings.
The opening near the top was done by archeologists in order access the inner rooms and wasn’t part of the architecture while the ancient Mayans were inhabiting the area.
Nunnery Quadrangle
The throne located in the Nunnery Quadrangle.
After viewing the impressive Pyramid of the Magician, our guide led us around to the right of it, where we climbed up some steps and around some walls to get our first view of the Nunnery Quadrangle. It wasn’t a nunnery, but the Spanish influenced the naming of this area. Around the perimeter were small rooms, likely used for praying, along with a courtyard. From the big stone throne in the center, you can look through the Mayan archway and into a gorgeous, peaceful green area. I was immediately drawn to it.
Continuing through the site to the Ball Court
I loved this view. It moved me with its beauty.
We exited the Nunnery Quadrangle by going through this arch. I don’t know what this area is called, but it’s gorgeous and peaceful. I could’ve sat in this area all day, daydreaming about what it was actually like in its heyday. From there, you can look way up to see the hill where the Governor’s Palace is located.
This area was so beautiful.
Climbing up to the Governor’s Palace
These steps are fairly steep, but we were all able to climb them without problems.
While you can’t climb the buildings there and may were roped off, there were areas that you needed to climb uneven steps in order to continue the tour. Going up was more staggered, stopping at the plateau and being able to see a different angle to the buildings that were currently roped off and you couldn’t get very close to them. Again, I don’t know if that’s “for now” or it will be an always thing. We continued up to the ledge that overlooks the ball court grounds and provides the famous view of the Pyramid of the Magician. We took several pictures here.
Next, we wandered over to the Governor’s Palace, which is quite an impressive building even by today’s standards. It’s said to be over 12,900 square feet (1,200 square meters).
What to bring to Uxmal
We weren’t able to get closer to this building. It’s gorgeous!
As always, it helps to be prepared when visiting Mexico’s archeological sites. Be aware that backpacks aren’t allowed in Uxmal. We were allowed to bring in our bottle of water. Even at 9:00 in the morning, it was already pretty humid and it got hot fast. Luckily, there are many shady areas throughout the site. I always recommend the following when exploring Mayan sites:
- Sturdy shoes (we wearing running shoes)
- Sunscreen or wear a long sleeved shirt
- Hats, preferably with wide brims
- Water
- Bug repellent
Visiting in May, the rainy season hadn’t really started yet. Luckily, the mosquitoes weren’t biting us. However, we had the opposite problem in a major way when we visited the San Gervasio ruins in Cozumel.
Can you climb Uxmal ruins?
As of May, 2021, you can’t climb the structures in Uxmal. Some areas are also roped off.
How old are the Uxmal ruins?
Most of the city’s construction took place around 825-950 AD, though some date it between 600-900 AD.
Is it true that only part of Uxmal has been excavated?
According to our tour guide, only a very small portion of Uxmal has been recovered and restored. He estimated only around 10% has been uncovered, though I’ve heard other sources say that 1/3 has been restored. What is uncovered are the ceremonial areas and important buildings. What is left were likely the residential areas for regular people.
How do you pronounce Uxmal?
It is pronounced “oosh-mawl.”
Chac, the Mayan God of Rain, is represented here with snakes and large noses.
Uxmal ruins entrance fee
Current as of May, 2021.
Adults: 460 pesos (approximately $23 USD)
Parking: 80 pesos (approximately $4 USD)
Tour guide (optional):
Spanish language: 700 pesos (approximately $35.00 USD)
English (and other languages): 800 pesos (approximately $40 USD)
I do enjoy hiring a tour guide whenever I visit Mayan ruins in Mexico, because I feel I get so much more out of the visit. Plus, with a private tour, we can move as fast or as slow as needed to keep our kids entertained. Children were free at the time of our visit, but I don’t know if that is the usual practice or not. Also, prices are less for Mexico residents. We paid 210 pesos per adult when we showed our FM3 cards.
How to get to Uxmal from Merida
It is very easy to drive to Uxmal from Merida.
Right next to Uxmal is the Choco Story Museum. It’s an easy add-on to your Yucatan itinerary.
Should I visit Uxmal?
My answer to this will always be YES! One of the cool things about the Mayan archeological sites in Mexico is that they are all different. Since I’ve seen quite a few ruins around Mexico, I thought they’d get boring, but they don’t. The pyramid of the Magician is completely different from the Pyramid of Kukulkan in Chichen Itza. Chichen Itza was a stronghold that has its own cenote, while Uxmal doesn’t. They build ingenious ways to grab and store the water they needed for crops and basic living. The buildings at Uxmal are generally quite different than those of the other nearby ancient Mayan cities.
Are you interested in visiting Uxmal ruins? The best feedback comes from readers. Please leave a comment with thoughts, suggestions, and questions. Thank you!
