Uxmal, 10 Reasons to Visit this Mayan Ruin

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Looking back from Magicians Temple in Xumal

Uxmal, 10 Great Reasons to Visit this Mayan Ruin. Furthermore, through our visit to this ancient Mayan ruin site and this post, we hope to pass on to you the reader’s useable information. By reading this blog post and following the links we’ll provide you with 10 great reasons to visit Uxmal the Mayan Ruin. Above all, this is a Mayan Ruin you do not want to miss if you intend to visit the Yucatan.

Uxmal Ruins (pronounced “oosh-mahl”)

Uxmal: 10 Reasons to Visit This Mayan Ruin

1. Uxmal is Easy to Get To

2. Uxmal is Less Crowded Then Most Mayan Ruins

3.Uxmal is very well Preserved

4. You can Climb or Access most Structures

5. Detail of the Structures is Amazing

6. Many Unique Structures to See

7. Unesco World Heritage site

8. The Grounds are Clean and Open

9 Fantastic Backdrops for Photgraphy

10. No Hawerks Selling Stuff

Pyramid of the Magician is a Mesoamerican step pyramid located at Uxmal — ***Pyramid* of the *Magician* is a Mesoamerican step *pyramid***

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Uxmal Is Easy To Get To

Take Highway 261, Uxmal is located some 50 miles (80 km) south of the capital city of Merida. Located in the Puuc region. The Mayan ruins of Uxmal are an impressive document of the architectural feats of the Maya civilization. Additionally, archaeological sites unearthed near Uxmal are Kabah, Sayil, Xlapak, and Labna, all of which were under the territorial influence of Uxmal.

There are excursions to Uxmal that leave by such locals as Progreso (cruise destination) and Merida. Travel times from Progreso or Merida range between 1 & 1 1/2 hrs. You can visit Uxmal from Cancun but it’s about a 4 hr drive. Moreover, if you are thinking of coming from Cancun stop in Merida for a day or two you will not regret visiting this city. Merida is a beautiful city onto its self with many attractions of its own to keep you interested, busy, and entertained.

These Mayan ruins of Uxmal itself were designated a World Heritage site in 1996, it is considered today to be one of the most important Maya archaeological sites.

Mayan Ruins of Uxmal a Brief History

Established around 600 A.D.Uxmal, flourished between 850 – 1000 A.D. Along with other northern sites like Chichen Itza, Uxmal survived the collapse which affected most other Maya cities c. 900 A.D. Uxmal, the city embarked on a new round of monument building in the 9th and 10th centuries AD and became by far the largest Puuc site. Later, in the 13th and 14th centuries AD, Uxmal was a part of an alliance of Yucatan city-states led by Mayapan.

Uxmal Less Crowded Then Most Mayan Ruins

The best reason to visit Uxmal is that compared to Chichen Itza, or Tikal, Uxmal is not crowded. Uxmal being less crowded affords you the opportunity to immerse one’s self in this amazing historical site. Basically, you can imagine what would it have been like living here and being part of the Mayan culture and its people. Given that we could almost feel the presence of the Mayans of years gone by. The Mayans had the ability to build unique and amazing structures that have passed the test of time and convey to us today what the past was really like. However, I’m truly fascinated by Mayan history and the peoples that lived it.

Uxmal the Cost

Mayan ruins of Uxmal open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 7 days a week. Parking is $80 pesos entrance fees of $413 pesos each plus $45 pesos for the video camera. I believe when visiting these larger Mayan ruin sites that it is best to hire a guide. A good guide will make sites like Uxaml come alive. They will provide you with the history and stories so that you may completely enjoy your visit and leave with the knowledge that you may not have had before your visit. There many guides available at Uxmal, some private and others inside that are waiting inside the gates. You can negotiate prices with the guide, it can work.

While waiting for the gates to open a gentleman who is a guide at Uxmal offered his service for $800 peso. We were undecided as the price we thought was high, so the gentleman went to see if he could find someone to split the costs with us. He returned shortly with no other takers but offered us a reduced price of $600 pesos. Again we turned this gentleman down, after some thought, we realized that was a mistake. YouTube Xumal

So once inside the gate, we had to find ourselves another guide. We hired Manny who spoke good English and charged us $700 pesos, so we should have taken the first gentleman. Manny did a very good job we thought. Manny had lots of information about dates and uses for each temple or structure. Walking through the ticket gates you come upon souvenir shops, concession stands, and washrooms. Fill up on water, purchase, or bring your own at the least as it gets very hot walking the grounds.

A Site Map Of Uxmal

Uxmal is very well Preserved

As a result, the Mayan ruins’ facades are impressive, with beautiful details that display the day’s craftsmanship. In fact, the Nunnery and the Governor’s Palace are great examples of well-preserved buildings. In the richly ornamental Puuc architectural style.

You can Climb or Access most Structures

Sorcerer’s (or Magician’s) Pyramid

The Pyramid of the Magician is the first ruin that you see when you enter the grounds to Uxmal, It is truly a magnificent sight. I think we were a bit awe-struck by the simple beauty of this structure.

In fact, our guide Manny demonstrated to us how sound carried off of the Pyramid. Clapping in the center of the pyramid the sound would echo back to the center, and if you clapped on the side it would echo back to the center. This made it easier for the nobility and priest to address a large audience.

Pyramid of the Magician is the tallest structure located at Uxmal (35 meters) Standing grand and oval which is unusual but is in typical Puuc style. According to Maya legend, the pyramid was created over-night by a dwarf who was hatched out of an egg, in reality, this pyramid took over 400 years to be completed.

The public is no longer allowed to climb this structure because it has become somewhat unstable due to cracks. This is an awesome backdrop structure for taking photos/selfies! Manny then took us around to the backside of the pyramid. Manny pointed out the five temples of the pyramid, what you see is the last of 5 pyramids, built one on top of the other (nested), each larger than the last.

The Chaac rain god was a major Mayan god and his symbol is everywhere. There were no rivers or cenotes nearby Xumal so prayer to the rain god Chaac was very important. Cisterns were the only source of water for Xumal’s 25,000 inhabitants these cisterns were replenished throughout the rainy season.

Nunnery Quadrangle

While making our way around to the Nunnery Quadrangle accessed via a monumental staircase on the south side which leads up to a large corbel arch entrance. Our guide Manny pointed out painted handprints at the top of the entry arch, these are believed to symbolize the god Zamna called the celestial hand.

A painted hand on the arc entering into the nunnery

Once inside a large courtyard enclosed by four separate rectangular buildings was presented making a large square with a large courtyard. This location is called the Nunnery as it reminded the Spanish in the 1600s of such places back in Spain. The buildings are amazing with all the different styles of decorations used on the facades. It is believed that this is where most of the business of the nobility was done as well as learning. There are many carvings or figures of the rain God Chaac and the snake serpent. All in all very interesting, one can visualize yourself back at that time and seeing the activity that must have taken place in this area.

The North building of the Nunnery is the highest and has a many-chambered terrace accessible via a second wide staircase leading from the courtyard. This structure has 13 doorways, almost certainly a representation of the 13 levels of the Maya heavens. Opposite, the South Building has nine doorways, imitating the nine levels of the Maya Underworld (Xibalba).

The West Building has seven doorways, this time reflecting the Maya mystic number of the earth. Representations of the earth god in the guise of a turtle (Pawahtun) suggest the building represented the Middleworld which for the Maya was the place where the sun descends into the Underworld.

Mosaics on the East Building suggest this structure may represent the point in the Middleworld where the sun rises. Decorative elements on all four buildings include stone masks, sky bands, double-headed snakes, modest thatch-roofed houses, and statues in the round. The exact purpose of the building is unknown.

Detail of the Structures Are Amazing

Chac god symbols displayed on structure Uxmal — Chaac Gods

figure displayed on Nunnery structures at Uxmal — Chaac Gods

On to the Governor’s Palace

Exiting the Nunnery you pass by the ball court where the Mayans played Pok-Ta-Pok, the ball court is not in very good repair so we moved on to the Governor’s Palace. Making our way to the Governor’s Place, we passed the Temple of the Turtles, named for the carvings of turtles on it.

Governors Palace

Uxmal’s Governors Palace is a Grand structure, it is almost 100m long, 12m wide and 9m tall. The building itself has many decorations on it from Chaac gods to serpents and others. These decorations are something that we have not seen at other Mayan ruins as well as rounded corners. Located in front of the Governor’s Palace lies the platform of the Jaguars, which has its own beauty.

Governors palace Uxmal black & white — Serpents

The Governors Palace is a great location that lends itself to be a great location to take pictures of the surrounding structures as you are at a height that you can see most everything and at a distance, it gives you a different perspective. We also used this location to take some selfies for the same reason. See YouTube Video Uxmal

Black & white viewing Magician pyramid in background Uxmal

Cindy & I selfie taken from Governors Palace with Magicians Pyramid

Meanwhile moving on to the Great Pyramid which is 100 feet tall, it’s a great work out climbing the stairs. The view from this location is almost as good as the Governor’s Place. Right next door to the Great Pyramid is the structure they call the Pigeon’s House, again another name from the Spanish as they saw what looked like locations for nesting. Wouldn’t it be nice to know what some of these buildings were used for other than someone’s interpretation of what it looked like to them?

Overview of Nunnery and Magicians Pyramid looking back from Governors palace — View from Great Pyramid

Parrot facade from Uxmal — View from Great Pyramid

As you can see there are many reasons to visit these Mayan ruins of Uxmal. So if you are anywhere near here we highly recommend visiting.

Additional Interesting Pictures of the Mayan Ruins of Uxmal

B&W viewed from outside of Quadrangle of the birds

Tips for visiting Mayan Ruins of Uxmal

It can be hot, so going early is a good idea. There is also a night show, so if you are staying in the area you can go at night as well.
Uxmal is big and mostly in the sun. Wear a hat and sun cream plus comfortable shoes.
Explore the trails on the backend to see some of the less preserved parts of Uxmal.
Uxmal is somewhat handicap accessible. There are ramps in some places and you can see most of the important sites easily. The grounds are mostly flat as well.
At the entrance, there is a café where you can buy water. Plus there are a few souvenir shops.

Final Thoughts On Uxmal

We enjoyed this Mayan ruin, definitely worth the visit; Uxmal grounds are open with minimal vegetation to block your view. The Magician’s Pyramid is extremely impressive, having rounded corners, and that echos sound so amazing. Our guide Manny was informative and could speak very good English.

Our Positives

The sheer size of these ruins!
No hawkers selling their wares.
All the structures are amazing to see, and the fine detail is astounding.
You can climb the Great Pyramid
Knowledgable guides
We found it to be not very crowded, we did visit in the morning.
Easy to find Uxmal
Grounds easy to walk as they are open and good walking paths
Refreshments can be purchased on site.
Some beautiful structures for taking interesting pictures, including great selfies

Our Negatives

Expensive compared to others

Would have, Could have, Should have

We should have stayed longer at the site; this seems to be an issue with us. Consequently, this would have afforded us time to see the light show at night.
We should have taken more time and seen some of the other ruins in the area such as, Kabah, Sayil, Xlapak, and Labna, all of which were under the territorial influence of Uxmal.

Next Stop

We are off to see the Loltun Caves a little over an hour drive down the road from Uxmal.

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Recommended Travel Essential

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Accommodation Options While Traveling The World

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Tikal Heartbeat of the Mayans

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Greg and Cindy Johnston

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These ancient Tikal Mayan city ruins are located in the northern rain forests of Guatemala. Tikal was known as a major Mayan capital city and one of the Mayans’ most important urban centers. It could be said that Tikal was the heartbeat of the Mayan civilizations from 200AD to 900AD.

During this time, it was the most powerful city of this Mayan region in terms of economic, political, and military power. Tikal covered an area of about 16 square kilometers and a population of around 90,000.

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Today’s Tikal consists of various impressive structures and buildings that are a must-see for their sheer size and beauty. Another advantage of visiting Tikal is it is not as crowded as other Mayan ruin sites such as Chichen Itza or Uxmal.

Cindy and I both thoroughly enjoyed our 2 days in Tikal. This being said, we would highly recommend a minimum of a two-day stay here on-site at Tikal. There is so much to see, experience, and Tikal is very much spread out. A once in a lifetime adventure.

Getting to Tikal Mayan Ruins

Getting to Tikal, we booked flights with Avianca (out of business) from Guatemala City to Flores. Flights are expensive; we paid USD 200 each. That said, it’s only a 1-hour flight, which beats other forms of transportation, hands down. Shuttle service picked us up from Flores airport delivered us to Jungle Lodge’s accommodations took an hour. Jungle Lodge is located right at the park entrance. Besides being a great place to stay, it makes for a full-day experience at the park, sunrise to sunset. No time lost due to travel from Flores as most people stay there and shuttle to Tikal for the day. We recommend the Jungle lodge because of its location, a short walk to the ruins. The food was good and reasonably priced; the staff was accommodating and friendly.

Visiting the Mayan ruins of Tikal was part of a 2-week excursion from San Pedro that we had planned earlier in our winter away from Canada. We had looked into the shuttle to Flores, but we hate shuttles, think can of sardines. Flying was so much quicker; the only thing we regret is that we would have stopped at Semuc Champey going by shuttle. We heard later that Semuc Champey is a must-see as it’s a lot of fun.

The flight to Tikal wasn’t without its issues as Cindy was not feeling well at all (maybe Dengue fever), stomach issues, fever, chills, and sweats. Upon arrival at Jungle Lodge, an elderly gentleman saw how sick Cindy looked. After asking a few questions, he then proceeded to make Cindy an allspice tea made from the leaves from the allspice tree. By the morning the tea was helping Cindy, but needless to say, the first day of touring Tikal, I was on my own. YouTube Tikal

Entering Tikal

Tikal National Park is open daily for visits from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Adult tickets for foreigners cost 150 GTQ (about $20 USD).
Children under 12 can enter Tikal free of charge.
Visiting Uaxactun costs an additional 50 GTQ
If you sign up for a sunrise tour and enter the park before 6:00 AM, the ticket fee is 250 GTQ.
(I was told by many that the Sunrise tour was not worth booking as most mornings have a heavy fog and you can’t see anything)

Tikal Park Map

Tikal Day One By Myself

Entering the park I was glad that I had a map as Tikal is literally a Jungle, it is very hard to grasp the overall expanse of these ruins. Thousands of Mayans lived here in Tikal, with all the temples and other structures but it is difficult to visualize because of all the jungle growth that now encompasses the City of Tikal. The main Temples I & II along with the Central Acropolis buildings are in a location that is open and clear. Here you can appreciate the size and vastness that these temples and structures take up.

Honestly, it helps if you are in shape as there is a lot of area to cover with many stairs to climb if you wish to see from the tops of the temples. In the park walking around trying to see everything, I put on approximately 28,000 steps (Samsung Gear Sport watch) along with climbing 60 some floors (floors equal 10 vertical feet). I was able to climb most of the structures; you climb wooden staircases to get to the top of most structures. Both Temple I and Temple III had no means to get to the top, so I got to appreciate these temples from the ground. My god, the views from these vantage points are amazing! You can see right over the top of the jungle to the other temples. Tikal is spectacular and a must-see; it should be on your bucket list!

Temple II seen from the North Acropoli — Temple II

Temple I viewed from Temple II Tikal — Temple II

Morning Fog Shrouded Tikal’s Mayan Ruins

Arriving at Tikal entrance at 6:00 am, I found the ruins were bathed in a misty fog that laid itself over the ruins like a blanket. As a result, the fog, the absence of people, and the ominous howling of the howler monkeys atop the jungle canopy added a completely different feel to these Mayan Ruins of Tikal. Making it easy to imagine yourself somewhere else in time. Subsequently, this fog greatly added to my experience in those early hours—a truly incredible time to be seeing the ruins and be out in the jungle. If you are an early bird, this is an experience you do not want to miss out on.

Temple I side view from Maler's Palace in fog

Tikal Ruins Day Two

Returning to the lodge by 9:00 am as promised after experiencing Tikal in the mist. I found Cindy was feeling much better. Tikal is a hell of a workout, so you need to feel good. That being said, we were about to head back to the park when it was suggested we go with a guide (150Q). Thought that this would be a great way to see and learn more about Tikal.

Joining up with another couple; made our party small so that you could get the most from the guide. For this reason, we were pleased to have our guide as we learned so much from him about Tikal and the Mayan civilization. Our only regret here was not paying extra for the sunset part of the tour, which we were told was amazing. Sounds of the jungle at night as well as the night sky and all the stars.

Us in foreground a top of Temple IV with Temple III, II and I in background

Mayan Stelae’s At Tikal

In Maya society, the stelae was an important medium through which historical information was recorded. Stelae are free-standing stone slabs carved that usually depict rulers’ portraits, which are accompanied by hieroglyphic texts recording the rulers’ identity and actions.

Here are some pictures of Tikal Stelae’s that we saw in Tikal. Some can be very difficult to see what is sculptured onto them.

Mayan Princess selection

Cindy and I were very fortunate this day; an event was taking place at the Grand Plaza. Today was the election of a new Mayan Princess. During the ceremony, a fire was lit for the young women to make offerings to the Gods, items like sugar, candles, homemade alcohol, cigars, etc. One by one, each participant would add their offerings to the fire while praying to the gods.

On this day it was about 28 degrees; needless to say, it was hot. Not to mention the girls standing close to the fire, wearing their traditional Mayan clothing, colorful and bright. I don’t know how they did it. In the end, we believe, the girl from San Pedro was voted the Mayan Princess. This appears to demonstrate that Tikal is still the heartbeat of the Mayan people. Mayan princess selection YouTube.

Mayan Princess selection ceremony girl 1

Mayan Princess selection ceremony girl 2

Tikal Wildlife

We were very fortunate to see many wild animals while on the trails of Tikal. The Howler monkeys are an amazing experience with their screeching sounds while they are scrambling the top of the jungle canopy. Pictured below are the Howler & Spider Monkeys, Keel-Billed Toucan, Ocellated Turkey, Coatimundi, and Wild Pig. Incredible sites in the wild

Spider monkey high up in canopy — Howler

Other Interesting Pics