Cidade Turismo
Mexico

Before you go

Your trip to Santa Elena.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Santa Elena – Yucatán Destination Mérida and Uxmal about 80 km from Mérida

How to get there

  • Aeropuerto Internacional de Mérida (MID) Mérida · 85 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

From Mérida it is about 80 km via the highway that passes Muna and Uxmal; there are regular buses to Campeche and Ticul that stop in the village. By car, roughly an hour and a half.

How many days

One or two days: one for Uxmal and another for Kabah and the rest of the Puuc Route.

When to go

From November to March it is less hot at the ruins. In the rainy season, from June to October, the hills turn green and showers usually fall in the afternoons.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

Yes, it helps, because the sites of the Puuc Route are spread out and public transport is scarce. Without a car there are taxis and organized tours from Mérida.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Santa Elena
  1. Morning
    Uxmal

    Enter Uxmal through the entrance and see the Pyramid of the Magician, the Nunnery Quadrangle and the Governor's Palace.

  2. Afternoon
    Kabah

    In the afternoon, head to Kabah and see the Codz Poop, the façade with hundreds of masks of the rain god, and the arch at the exit of the sacbé.

  3. Late afternoon
    Church of Santa Elena

    At sunset, climb up to the church of Santa Elena on the hilltop to watch the sun set over the plain.

  4. Evening
    Dinner in the village

    Have dinner at one of the village restaurants, serving regional dishes, or return to Uxmal for the light-and-sound show, when available.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

Is Santa Elena close to Uxmal?

Yes, about 15 km to the south.

Is it worth spending the night in Santa Elena?

It is worth it for those who want to enter Uxmal at opening and do the Puuc Route without rushing.

Which ruins are near Santa Elena?

Uxmal to the north, and Kabah, Sayil, Xlapak and Labná to the south on the Puuc Route.

How to get to Santa Elena without a car?

By regular bus from Mérida to Ticul or Campeche, or by taxi from Uxmal.

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