Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico

CHICHEN ITZA : Overview

OVERVIEW

Chichen Itza, a Mayan archaeological site located in the northern center of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, is a destination you will not want to miss if you are interested in ancient peoples. The pyramid, ball court, and surrounding buildings and monuments are simply amazing. Chichen Itza is accessible for the physically challenged traveler.

The entrance to the park is a large cascading staircase, but there is a stone ramp on the side. We found the ramp to be a bit steep, and also sandy, but with assistance, we were able to safely ascend and descend the ramp.

The grounds are largely flat, so it is possible to tour the entire site, but note that there are uneven surfaces and grass. My wheelchair handled the terrain without any issues, but it could pose a challenge for some.

LANGUAGE

The official language of Mexico is Spanish.

CURRENCY

The official currency of Mexico is the Mexican peso. On our visit, we were able to use US dollars without any problem (both cash and credit cards).

QUICKLINKS

LOGISTICS: Air – Water – Ground
ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotels – Resorts
ENTERTAINMENT: Tours – Activities – Restaurants & Nightlife
EMERGENCY SERVICES: Hospitals – Medical Equipment
ABILITYTIPS: Precautions

CHICHEN ITZA : Logistics

AIR TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORT

The closest airport to Chichen Itza is the Cancun International Airport. The Cancun International Airport is a modern facility complete with a jetway. The airport support staff knew exactly how to handle my husband’s transfer out of the airplane seat into the aisle chair and how to deal with his electric power chair, which was delivered to us at the luggage carousel. The airport personnel were very helpful staying with my husband while I gathered our many pieces of luggage, and even walked us through customs.

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GROUND TRANSPORTATION

Chichen Itza is accessible by either tour bus or car. It is located in a remote part of the Yucatan, outside of the small town of Piste. The drive to Chichen Itza from Cancun is basically a straight shot down a modern, fairly desolate highway through the jungle.

SIGHTSEEING TOURS

Many tours visit Chichen Itza from popular Yucatan resort towns, but we could not find a tour that was wheelchair accessible.

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RENTAL CAR (Wheelchair Van)

We used a standard rental car for our visit to Chichen Itza.  At the hotel, I transferred to the front seat from my electric wheelchair and placed my manual wheelchair in the trunk of the car. While this worked to get us to the archaeological site, it was somewhat dangerous, as I was not able to sit on my special cushion in the car. Also, if the car was to break down on the way to or from the destination, it would have been a very risky situation for my health as it was hot and we had limited water.

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CHICHEN ITZA : Accommodations

HOTELS/LUXURY RESORTS

Because of the uniqueness of this destination, the physically challenged traveler is probably better served by staying in one of Yucatan’s resort areas and visiting Chichen Itza on a day trip.

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CHICHEN ITZA : Entertainment

WALKING TOURS

There are several certified docents that will negotiate a walking tour of the grounds of Chichen Itza. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the ruins, and gave us a lot of information that we could have only learned by doing a lot of research offsite. Further, he was able to focus our time on the more interesting parts of the ruins, which was valuable considering how hot it was that day.

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CHICHEN ITZA : Emergency Services

MEDICAL SERVICES/HOSPITAL

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CHICHEN ITZA : AbilityTips

PRECAUTIONS

The Yucatan can be very hot and air conditioned buildings are not available at Chichen Itza. If you are sensitive to temperature, make sure you bring extra bottles of water and a spray bottle. Also, because Chichen Itza is located in a remote area of the Yucatan, there are not many options for medical assistance. If you could be in need of medical services, make sure you do your research prior to your trip.