Tulum Ruins: App-Based Self-Guided Tour with Audio Narration

Immerse yourself in the captivating history of the Mayan civilization at the Tulum Ruins. Explore ancient structures, enjoy stunning ocean views, and discover the secrets of this walled city with an audio tour and map.

Duration: 1 hour
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Tulum Archaeological Site - Your tour of this incredible archaeological site kicks off right next to the parking lot, where the path to the ruins begins. From here, you’ll simply follow this path to discover an ancient, fascinating ruin.

NOTE: This 1.2-mile-long tour covers the essentials of Tulum Ruins in 1 hours.

  • Casa Cenote - The first major landmark you’ll encounter is the Casa Cenote. You’ll step through the entrance and find yourself in another world entirely.
  • Platforma Funeraria - To our left stands the Platforma Funeraria, where the ancient Mayans conducted their funeral rites. Before a body was buried or cremated, the Mayans would place maize in their mouth. This served as food for their journey to the next world, but also represented life and rebirth.
  • El Castillo - It’s impossible to miss the next stop, El Castillo. Standing at 40 feet, The Castle was built to honor the Mayan God Kukulkan and stands at the highest elevation in Tulum, making the already imposing structure even more striking.
  • Temple of the Frescoes - As you keep walking, you’ll see the Temple of Frescoes, renowned for its detailed paintings of various Mayan deities.
  • Tulum - Then you’ll visit the Temple of the Wind, one of the most interesting structures in Tulum. The Temple sits atop a cliff and was built to serve as a warning of approaching storms.

The round platforms seen here indicate that this is a temple to the Wind God.

  • Casa del Chultún - The genius of Mayan architecture is epitomized in this building, The House of Chultun. Here, rainwater harvesting ensured that the people in Tulum had enough fresh water for all their needs. The building is structured in a manner so that rainwater would drain into the reservoir.
  • Templo del Dios del Viento - If you look closely you can see that there is an intricate web of holes in the temple. When hurricane force winds blow from the Caribbean, the holes start to whistle loudly and function as an efficient warning system.
  • Great Plateform - Now continue past the platform and stop in front of the ruins of a house on the right. This is Casa del Noreste, or the Northwest House. This house would have been home to important members of Mayan society.
  • Templo Maya (Tulum Playa) - There are niched figurines of the Maya ‘Descending God’ or Venus which finds prominence across the main facade of the temple reflecting the work of artisans of Mayan era. The “Descending God” is manifested as a stucco figure on the western wall in the temple situated in central precinct of the site, giving the temple its name as the “Temple of the Descending God”.
What's Included
  • Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
  • Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
  • Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
  • Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
  • Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
  • Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
  • Learn more: dive deeper into any story you enjoyed with extra stories.
  • Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!
What's Not Included
  • Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations
Additional Information

Explore the most picturesque Mayan ruins in Mexico! Tulum perches on a cliff overlooking dazzlingly blue waters and features jaw-dropping ancient structures like the Temple of the Descending God. Discover the rich history of this walled city and find out what it can tell us about the incredibly advanced Mayan civilization, all accompanied by stunning ocean views. Even better, you’ll do it all on your own schedule and at your own pace, without having to hassle with a giant tour group!

After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route.

New, extra validity — now yours for an entire year! Use multiple times over multiple trips!

This isn’t an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.

  • How to access: Once you book a tour, you’ll get a confirmation email with instructions. Follow the instructions right away: • Download the separate app • Enter the password • Download the tour • MUST DO while in strong wifi/cellular.
  • How to start the tour: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction. • Go to the starting point. (Note: no one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided). • The audio will begin automatically at the starting point. If you face audio issues, visit the FAQ. • Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
  • Walking Tours: couples can share one using headphones.
  • Flexibility and Convenience: • Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. It’s perfect for tailoring your exploration and revisiting your favorite spots on future trips. • Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace, free from the constraints of a group.
  • Comprehensive Tour Experience: • The app provides a full itinerary, travel tips, narrated audio stories, scripts, images, videos, and recommendations for additional activities. • Enjoy a private experience without the crowds, ideal for personalized stops and photo opportunities.
  • Ease of Use and Accessibility: • The app is hands-free and activates stories via GPS, offering support through call, chat, or email. • There is no need for a continuous cell or Wi-Fi connection as the GPS map works offline.
  • Memorable Keepsakes: • Utilize the app’s images to create a photo book or share on social media, ensuring you have high-quality, crowd-free memories from your trip.
  • Preparation: • After booking, download the app and the tour using a strong Wi-Fi connection. • Review the tour at home before your trip for a better experience.
  • Starting the Tour: • Open the app upon arrival at your destination. • Select the appropriate tour based on your starting point. • Head to the starting location; the audio will begin automatically. • Follow the suggested route and adhere to the speed limit for an optimal experience. • By following these instructions and taking advantage of the app’s features, users can enjoy a personalized, flexible, and in-depth exploration of their destination at their own pace and convenience.
  • For the tour guide app to function as intended, iPhones must be iOS 13 or above and Androids must be version 9 or above.
Location
Ruinas de Tulum
After booking the tour, search your email for the phrase "Set up your self-guided tour now." Follow these instructions NOW to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.9
(15 Ratings)
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1 star
Zoliswan2019
Feb 14, 2024
I'd recommend this for those who don't want to feel rushed - This is an excellent option as you can go at your own pace. Since it tracks your location, the narration keeps quiet and lets you go off-route and stay as long as you want at different spots. It starts with the narration when you return to the route. People who went with guides felt rushed through the tour because the human guide wanted to be done and get back to the start to meet other groups.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Johnhh31go
Jul 17, 2023
Tulum Ruins Audio Guide - The Tulum guided tour was an enchanting experience. It effortlessly combined history, culture, and natural beauty into a captivating journey. The informative narration brought the ancient Mayan ruins to life, while the inclusion of stunning coastal views made it even more memorable. This tour is a must-do for anyone visiting Tulum!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nicola_w
Mar 14, 2023
Great find! - This app was a great find! Lots of interesting info and a good intro to Mayan history and culture, before and after encounter with the Spanish. Allows you to explore at your own pace and really enjoy the ruins and the scenic location. In my view, the best way to explore Tulum ruins! Ppl kept asking us where we got the app!
Review provided by Viator
962nicolaw
Mar 14, 2023
This app was a great find! - I highly recommend this app! In my opinion, this is the best way to explore the Tulum ruins. The app gives you a good introduction to Mayan history and culture before and after encounter with the Spanish, and gives you details about each spot in the ruins. The audio description pops up as you approach the next stop on the map. If it doesn’t, it’s easy to pull up the map and see where you are then click on the appropriate description. Allows you to explore at your own pace at a great price!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oreoluwaa3
Mar 12, 2023
Excellent Self-Guided Tour of Tulum Ruins - This self-guided tour was a great find! While there are several live tours one can book, this option gives you flexibility to tour at your own pace and provides a wealth of background information. It was reasonably priced, a relatively quick download, available to follow offline and easy to follow. I was pleased with the service and highly recommend it! Thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rbcanada
Jan 16, 2023
Worth the price - Action Tour Guide app for walking the Tulum ruins is money well spent. The ruins are relatively small and can be walked quickly, but using the maps helps you take the time, enjoy the beauty, and gain an understanding of what you are experiencing. We enjoyed the 30 stops and felt we were getting better information than some of the guided tours we crossed paths with at many of the key sites. The app downloaded quickly and the map worked perfectly to place us in the right spots to enjoy the commentary. Some of the bad reviews are just silly as they complain that it is not an entrance ticket to the site. It is not. It is not presented to be such. Read what you are buying. It is your guide only and a pretty enjoyable one. We'll worth your $10. Nice work people.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Darrenl
Nov 4, 2022
Nice self pace tour - This was perfect for us. This self pace tour allowed to get info about the sites, go at our own pace and allowed us to take breaks in the shades when it gets too hot.
Review provided by Viator
Aaron
Nov 2, 2022
More disappointed than not - The information in the recordings was great. The geolocation not so much. The recording rarely provided directions of where to go next. We spent a good amount of time wandering aimlessly and lost between recordings and ended up missing a lot because of the lack of direction. Definitely didn’t replace hiring an actual guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pennyhj934zn
Mar 3, 2023
Not great - The program did not work well for me, possibly because the location feature on my phone was not enabled. It kept going back and starting the section it had just finished, several times. I gave up and just walked around and read the signs. In the future, I would not pay for the program but just walk around and read the signs. The Tulum ruins were very interesting and well worth visiting.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Irisambu
Jan 14, 2023
DO NOT BUY, NOT VALID AT GATE - This purchase was a waste of money as they did NOT accept the barcode. Only QR is accepted. We had to buy tickets AGAIN with exact change at the gate. The gatekeeper said this happens often, so PLEASE just take exact change (90 pesos) and buy them there!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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