Mexico: Guide to Visiting the Archaeological Site of Ek Balam

Ek Balam is an ancient Mayan city in the state of Yucatan, of which several majestic buildings are preserved, surrounded by the dense Mexican jungle. It was one of the most important inhabited centers in eastern Yucatan, which had its most prosperous period between the year 700 and the year 1000. Although its foundation dates back to the year 300 BC and its abandonment upon the arrival of the Spanish colonists.

Just 30 km north of Valladolid , it is currently gaining more and more fame, and although it is difficult to compete with its neighbour Chichén Itzá , the beauty of the place is worth a visit (and being able to climb the steps of its great pyramid is also worth it). However, it has one very important thing against it: the price!

The entrance fee is similar to other major archaeological sites like Chichen Itza or Uxmal , so if you want to save some money and plan to visit other Mayan ruins, skipping it might not be such a bad idea, especially if you are one of those people who “get bored with all that stone.” (Having said all that, our advice: go, it’s really cool!).

Here we explain more about the visit to the archaeological site of Ek Balam , which are the most interesting buildings, how much it costs and all the useful information.

Brief history of Ek Balam

Ek Balam means “ black jaguar ” in Mayan and was apparently the name of the city’s founding chief. Over time, this settlement gained importance, until it became the capital of the Tah empire and commercial centre of eastern Yucatan. From here began several sacbé (sacred roads) that connected with other towns and allowed for departures to exchange goods.

It was an inhabited area from 300 BC, although its period of greatest splendor took place between the years 700 and 1000. During these years it is understood that it was the administrative center and exerted influence on the rest of the towns in the area , which paid their respects in the form of offerings of all kinds. It came to have a population of almost 20,000 inhabitants and an area of 12 km², although what can be visited today corresponded to the sacred space of the city.

It has several quite impressive buildings, which can give you a small idea of what this city was like in the past. The one that stands out above the rest is the so-called Acropolis . Also surprising is the entrance in the form of a high arch with 4 doors, one pointing to each cardinal point, and the Oval Palace.

How to visit Ek Balam

Getting there from Valladolid in your own rental car is very easy, just follow the directions on Google Maps and you'll be there in half an hour . The road is in good condition. From the parking lot (free) you'll have to take a path that leads to the visitor center, where you'll pay your entrance fee and where you can also hire specialized guides (500 pesos, although they offer discounts up to 350 pesos for couples or small groups).

Then follow another path for a few hundred meters until you reach the ruins, you can't get lost. However, you can use the Maps.me app, which we use on all our visits to the ruins in the Yucatan Peninsula. Mainly because we could get lost even in our own house :-p orientation is not our strong point (but we make an amazing Spanish omelette).

Visit the Mayan ruins of Ek Balam

The order of the visit that we made was as follows:

– First you have to cross the two walls and you will arrive directly at the entrance arch . You can go up the ramp and go through it.

– From there we left the Twin Pyramids buildings on our right (we visited them on our way back) and headed towards the Ball Game .

– In the background you can see the great pyramid, the Acropolis , peeking out from the vegetation . This is the next visit, where it is worth stopping for a while. You can climb up to the top and detour to the sides on the intermediate level.

– Then go back towards the entrance, but this time leave the Ball Game on your right and you will find yourself face to face with the Twin Pyramids , and next to them the Oval Palace , which you can climb and from where you probably have the best views.

– Finally, you can take a detour to Structure 10 , although it is not one of the most impressive, and then return to the entrance, passing behind the Oval Palace and checking that yes, it is oval.

The area of the ruins is small and a visit without a guide can last approximately 1 hour.

Ek Balam Mayan Ruins Tour

How much does it cost to enter Ek Balam?

The total entrance fee is 531 pesos (90 from the site plus 441 for the government, which is cheaper if you are Mexican). Parking costs 100 pesos.

What to see in Ek Balam

There are apparently a total of 45 structures, although the most interesting are the following:

» Walls

The first thing we find on our way are the remains of two walls, which were not so much defensive in nature, but rather used to delimit the sacred areas and control access to the main enclosure.

» Entrance arch

On a raised stone mound stands this arch with four doors, each facing a cardinal point, which was accessed via a ramp. It is a very original element and is not repeated in other Mayan ruins that we have visited in Yucatan.

Ek Balam entrance arch

» The Ball Game

It consists of two walls where this game, so common in Mayan culture, was played. The participants were placed in teams, one at each end of the field, and they returned the rubber ball using only their head, elbows and knees. The objective was to try to pass this ball through one of the stone rings that protruded from each wall.

The captain of the losing team was sacrificed (you know, the Gods demanded blood) although there are those who say that the one who was really sacrificed was the captain of the losing team (in Mayan culture it was an honor to die like that).

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Ek Balam Ball Game

» The Acropolis

It is the most important building in the city and was the palace where rulers and high-ranking officials resided. It is structured on 6 levels, with dimensions of 146 meters long, 55 meters wide and 29 meters high, making it one of the largest Mayan buildings in Yucatan.

On the fourth level, on the left, is the tomb of the Mayan chief Ukit Kan Le'k Tok', with an impressive door shaped like a jaguar's jaws and full of fangs, and beautiful reliefs of winged Mayan warriors on the frieze. This is one of the clear examples of the artistic wealth of this particular people.

Apparently, when this city was discovered, hundreds of objects were found as offerings inside the tomb.

Ek Balam Acropolis

» The Twin Pyramids

They are two identical pyramids in the centre of the enclosure which, although not very high, are beautiful buildings and are well preserved.

Ek Balam Twin Pyramids

» The Oval Palace

It is the second tallest building in the archaeological zone, which can be climbed, and with its oval shape at the back, it is an unusual construction in the Mayan world. Climb to the top by the steep front stairs, from where there are very cool views.

Oval Palace

Tips for visiting Ek Balam

Although for us, not experts at all, it is not one of the best Mayan ruins in the entire Yucatan Peninsula, it is a good introduction if you are making the trip from Cancun to the interior. It was our first archaeological park and the truth is that we were amazed, but after having visited others, perhaps it is the one that falls short, especially taking into account the entrance price .

Still, as we said before, if you have time in Valladolid and don't mind paying the ticket office, it's a good excursion, especially if you combine it with other visits during the day, for example to cenotes. Small spoiler: our two favorite archaeological sites have been Chichen Itza and Uxmal 🙂

Here are some tips for visiting Ek Balam :

Opening hours are from 8:00 to 17:00, last admission at 16:00. When we went it was not crowded at all, so there is no need to get up early.
As we always say for these places, it is best to arrive as early as possible for two reasons: you will find fewer people and the heat will not be so suffocating.
Bring water , a hat and mosquito repellent , you are in the middle of the forest and you are sure to find a mosquito (or rather, it will find you).
You can climb several buildings , but be careful because a slip can have dire consequences. We care that you lose your life, but we care more that they close the premises! Just kidding, you, dear reader, are our livelihood XD Also kidding, we care about you because you're awesome (especially for having read this long paragraph to the end :-p).
More information on their official website .

Visit Ek Balam on a tour

There are tours from other areas of Mexico that take you to see these interesting ruins. Here are the links to some of them:

Excursion to Ek Balam from Cancun
Chichén Itzá + Ek Balam in one day from Cancún
Tour to Ek Balam and Valladolid from Merida
Las Coloradas and Ek Balam + Boat ride on the Lagartos River from Valladolid

Other archaeological sites in Mexico

Top 10 Mayan Ruins in Mexico (Prices and Information)
Guide to visiting the Cobá archaeological zone in Mexico
Guide to visiting the archaeological zone of Tulum (Mexico)
Guide to visiting the Calakmul archaeological site in Mexico
Guide to visiting the Edzná archaeological zone in Mexico
Guide to visiting the archaeological site of Uxmal (Mexico)
How to visit the Mayapán archaeological zone in Mexico
Guide to visiting Chichén Itzá: everything you need to know
Guide to visiting the archaeological site of Ek Balam in Mexico

Visit the archaeological site of Ek Balam, Yucatan

As you can see, visiting Ek Balam is one of the most interesting excursions from Valladolid (Mexico). We hope that all this useful information helps you.

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