What to do in Calakmul with kids? The ancient Mayan city of Calakmul is literally and figuratively a “hidden gem” in Yucatan. This ancient Mayan city is great to visit with kids. In fact, it is hidden in a jungle, the monkeys jump around and it is a climbing paradise for the kids. So while the parents sniff a little culture, the kids are having a great time here. In this blog, we list all the family-friendly information you need to visit Calakmul with the family.
Best travel time Calakmul with kids
The best travel time to travel to Calakmul with kids is actually similar to most destinations on the island of Yucatan in Mexico. The winter months (November through March) are the most pleasant with good temperatures and little rain.
Before traveling to Calakmul, check with the tourist information center in Xpuijl what time the Calakmul park opens. At the time we went, the opening time in the morning had been shortened due to the construction of the Mayan train. Perhaps this will no longer be necessary during your trip, but inform well so you don’t find yourself at a closed gate like us.
In terms of crowds of tourists, Calakmul is not so bad. It is now a more obscure version of the Mayan cities already known. Many tourists also don’t want to travel there because they find it too far away from the highways in Yucatan.
With the construction of the Mayan train, this temple does become easily accessible. Unfortunately, this track goes right through the nature reserve and a lot of logging is also being done in the reserve to build hotels and other facilities. This, of course, unfortunately has its effect on the flora and fauna present in this city.
Transportation to Calakmul
This Mayan city is somewhat remote on the island of Yucatan, so many people do not include this temple complex in their itinerary. A great shame, because the drive there is really worth it. To visit this city you really spend the whole day. On the way back there is a nice stopover, but I’ll write about that a little later in this blog.
Most tourists stay in Xpuijl because it is the closest and most affordable option in the area. To drive from Xpuijl to the entrance gate of the nature reserve, you are about an hour away by car. After you pay to enter the nature reserve, you also drive about a fat hour into town. Here you pay a fee for the second time.
Now the car ride is fun in the nature reserve. There are many curves in the road and animals can also be spotted during the ride should you pay attention. Be sure to drive your car away from the temple complex again on time. After all, you don’t want to drive this bad road in the darkness by car.
Thus, the best transportation option is the rental car. Most tourists rent a car at the Cancun airport when they arrive here by plane. You can easily rent a car at this airport through Sunny Cars. Sunny Cars has good terms regarding canceling the car and refunding the deductible. Also included is a comprehensive insurance package. So take a look online to rent a car in Mexico.
Excursions are also arranged daily from Xpuijl, which automatically provides transportation as well. Most hotels are also happy to help you with any taxi/guide to Calakmul. During our stay, they were building the track for the Mayan train. Perhaps they will be ready by the time you want to go and this can make transportation to Calakmul with kids easier.
Hiking trails Calakmul
This Mayan city is not yet very well known to tourists. The city was discovered by chance in 1931 by a passing plane, as it observed the buildings from the air. Only in the 1970s did they begin to explore this city. This Mayan city had a population of 50,000 at its peak, making it one of the largest and most powerful Mayan cities in history.
They have already discovered many buildings, but they are still exploring and researching this city. Little by little, more buildings are being released to the public. At each building that is on the complex, there is a small sign in Spanish and English about the what the building is believed to have been. If you are very interested in the history of the temple complex, it is advisable here to take a guide.
Through the park you have three routes you can follow with kids, with the longest route being 5.5 kilometers. This is not that much in terms of miles, but factor in the humidity and heat, which can still make this distance very tiring with young kids. Unfortunately, when we were here with our family, the main route was closed due to restoration work.
As a result, we enjoyed wandering around the grounds and this was a lot of fun to do. The signs on the grounds indicate well how to walk.
Children’s activities Calakmul
#1 Monkey spotting
There is plenty to do and climb in Calakmul with kids. For the observant, you can spot monkeys there. On the day we were there, we spotted garland monkeys and howler monkeys. A little later we were treated to another concert by the howler monkeys. Very impressive for young and old to witness this.
The beauty of this city is that nature does not give way to buildings. Trees and plants grow on the buildings which makes for beautiful pictures. Other animals you can spot in Calakmul include iguanas, butterflies and several species of birds. Therefore, it is always exciting what you will encounter along the way when visiting the temple complex with the family.
#2 Estructura
For kids who like climbing, it is great fun to climb building Estructura ll. This is a building about 50 meters high, and if you’re really all the way up there, you can even see into neighboring Guatemala. You have a beautiful view of the surrounding area here. Our almost three-year-old has been able to make this climb very well. He enjoyed it very much!
Because of time, we could not climb Estructura l anymore. This also seems to be really worthwhile. The view does seem to be somewhat blocked by the trees here. Estructura Vll gives you nice views of the larger buildings at the top which also makes for great views.
Tip: Bring plenty of food and drink. Currently, there are no stores or restaurant outlets in Calakmul to purchase these. A cap and sunscreen is also not to be missed here.
#3 Cueva de los Murciélagos
After visiting Calakmul with kids, it is very much worth adding the stop Cueva de los Murciélagos to your trip. It is on the route and on the main road as you drive back to Xpuijl from Calakmul. You’ll find Cueva de los Murciélagos at mile marker 106. A natural phenomenon happens here every evening at sunset.
After you park the car and pay a small entrance fee, you walk with a small group 500 meters toward a cenote where millions of bats hatch at sunset. What a spectacle! The bats come bouncing out of the cenote and fly to freedom to search for food in the jungle. You are advised to wear a mouth mask here because of the bats and the bacteria they carry.
Tip: check before you go when the sunset is. Otherwise, you’ll be standing here waiting a long time for nothing. Pin this location briefly to whatever you are navigating with. That makes sure you don’t drive past it. The signs saying “Beware, crossing bats” do give away the spot, but you soon drive past it.
Family-friendly hotel Calakmul
Sleeping near Calakmul is really recommended. It is best to do this for two nights. Due to faulty planning, on the return trip to Bacalar (after visiting the park) we had to take a tremendously long drive of at least four hours on a road where you have to be very careful because of all the potholes in the roads. In retrospect, this was far too exhausting for our family with young kids.
So two nights is the minimum you need to travel here. We slept in Xpuijl because it was the best and most affordable option for us. There are other overnight spots toward Calakmul and near the entrance to the nature reserve. So it is best to stay overnight in the area before and after your visit to Calakmul.
You can sleep with kids in several family-friendly accommodations in the Calakmul area. We list below some of these family-friendly accommodations near Calakmul.
Budget accommodation: Cabañas Calakmul
Mid-range accommodation: Hotel Cabañas Aldea Maya
Luxury accommodation: Casa Kaan Calakmul
About the author: we, Chris and Ruben, together with our boys, try to make as many great memories and experiences as possible for life.
