On our recent road trip through Mexico’s famous Yucatán Peninsula, high on our list was the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. I will be honest we hadn’t heard of Calakmul when we first decided to travel the Yucatán, but once we started doing research, this was one destination we couldn’t miss!
What is Calakmul Biosphere Reserve?
Where is Calakmul and Why You Should Visit This Mexican Jungle
How to Get to Calakmul: Directions and Transport Tips
Exploring the Mayan Ruins of Calakmul
Wildlife in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve
Calakmul Entry Fees: What You Need To Know
Top Tips for Visiting Calakmul
Quick Facts
📍 Location: Campeche, Mexico
🚗 Distance from Cancun: 450 km (7–8 hrs drive)
🕗 Opening Hours: 8am–5pm
💵 Entry Fee to the Biosphere Reserve: $235 MXN pp (as of April 2025)
💵 Entry Fee to the Ruins: $160 MXN pp
☀️ Best Season: Nov–May
What is Calakmul Biosphere Reserve
Calakmul Biosphere Reserve is one of Central America’s most significant natural and cultural treasures, but what is a Biosphere?
A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is an area that has been recognised for its unique diversity and its efforts to promote sustainable development. Not only is this reserve an area of incredible biodiversity with a wide variety of ecosystems but it focuses on interactions between social and ecological systems, helping to find solutions to global problems. Cool right?
Where is Calakmul and Why you Should Visit this Mexican Jungle
Calakmul is not something to add to your itinerary for your typical beach and sun fun holiday, located over 450km from Cancun airport, in the state of Campeche and on the Guatemalan border, is this absolutely diamond destination.
If you love being “out bush” then this is a must see.
Calakmul is a must for any traveller who loves archaeological sites, wildlife or just inspired by adventure. Being home to the elusive Jaguar, this makes it a must see destination for lots of wildlife photographers across the globe. Around 385 bird species live within the jungle, one notable bird being the bizarre but beautiful Ocellated Turkey. We knew our chances of seeing a Jaguar were low but we couldn’t leave without seeing a turkey.
It can be hard to find information about the area online, so I hope this blog has all the information you need.
How to get to Calakmul: Directions and Transport Tips
By Car
I would highly recommend going to Calakmul by car, it gives you the freedom to travel around the area at your own pace. Especially since the main area to explore is still 1 hour and 20 minutes from the main highway. We rented a car through discover car rentals, they had the best price and coverage we could find online and we got a Nissan X trail through Avis.
When starting your research on car rentals in Mexico it can be overwhelming, you will find stories ranging from the good, the bad and the ugly. It seems hard but I promise you it is worth it, one thing to keep in mind is which ever company you choose please do your due diligence as many car companies may have hidden extra fees you will be required to pay upon collection.
In our experience through Discover Cars, there were no hidden extra fees, we were really impressed with the process.
When travelling to Calakmul by car, or anywhere in Mexico, be aware that you may be stopped by the police, we were only stopped once when we crossed the border and they asked for our ID and car documentation. This documentation is supplied to you when you collect your rental.
There are stories of being stopped by the police and they demand money from you, if this is the case just ask them to take you to the local police station. Please don’t let the thought of this stop you, this didn’t happen to us and everyone we spoke to throughout the Yucatán were lovely and friendly.
By Bus
It is not impossible to visit Calakmul if you don’t have a car, I have heard of travellers visiting the area from the closest town, Xpujil, by bus and then hiring a tour guide to take them through the jungle. It is more time consuming however it IS possible.
As the ruins themselves are located deep within the biosphere there are no public bus services that go directly to the ruins, and no taxis are allowed into the reserve.
The ADO bus runs from Chetumal on the coast to Xpujil for around £14 one way, from here you would need to book a tour or hire a private guide to take you the rest of the way into the reserve. Don’t forget that you will be required to pay two separate entry fees into the reserve.
Exploring the Mayan Ruins of Calakmul
To avoid the crowds we set off to the ruins before it even opened. Some of the information online was very unclear as to when the gates actually opened but we knew the road to the ruins opened at 5:30am. As we always love looking for wildlife we decided to set off from 7am, giving us enough time to slowly drive down through the jungle, you never know what wildlife you may come across.
Typically the opening times are 8am – 5pm, but depending on the time of year this can be reduced. Always check with Visit Calakmul, they have all the updated information.
We were the first ones to arrive at the ruins and as we waited for the gates to open the area was just full of birdsong, a delightful welcome to the Mayan ruins.
Calakmul is one of the largest known Mayan archeological sites ever discovered but due to its remote location it is one of the least crowded. This is one of the reasons we loved it so much.
As you walk through the jungle you can see ancient plazas and towering pyramids which poke through the jungle canopy.
One of the things we loved about this site is that you can still climb many of the structures, in particular the two tallest structures, Structure II and Structure I. They rise right above the tops of the trees and provide you with sweeping views across the jungle. “Everything the light touches” vibes.
Wildlife in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve
If you have followed my blogs for a while you will know that we love wildlife, and many of the destinations we explore are for the wildlife. Calakmul Biosphere Reserve was no exception.
Of course we would LOVE to have seen the elusive Jaguar, but let’s face it we would need to have been extremely lucky.
That being said we did find some other amazing animals that had down on our bucket list
Howler Monkey
Howler Monkeys are the worlds loudest monkey, and I was certain I would hear one before I saw one but to my surprise they discreetly jumped from tree to tree always aware of where we were.
We had the pleasure of watching a family of 5 travel through the ruins, only spotting them through the rustling of the branches.
They spend most of their lives in the canopy of trees, hardly ever coming down to ground. They are also very slow movers, if you are lucky to spot a troupe you should be able to observe them for a while. Which is exactly what we did.
Ocellated Turkey
Since travelling, George and I have really enjoyed looking for the weird and wonderful birdlife that can be found, but the Ocellated Turkey wins the trophy. It truly is a sight to behold.
The Ocellated Turkey is endemic to the Yucatán Peninsula, this means you can only find them in this area. Calakmul Biosphere is one of the best places in the world to see this bird!
Birdlife
Mexico is full of incredible bird life, and Calakmul has such a variety to see. One of my favourites from out trip will always be the Motmot, those feathers at the bottom of the tail are so beautiful and fragile.
When out in the jungle, you will most likely hear a bird before you see them. I recommend having the Merlin Bird App handy, this will help you to identify any birds you may encounter.
Jaguar
The dream was to hopefully come across the Jaguar, but this trip wasn’t the time for us but it is never impossible.
Where to Stay Near Calakmul
We spent a long time looking for the best accommodation to stay in for our trip, most of the accommodation can be found at the nearest town, Xpujil.
We had originally booked to stay at Eco Aldea Kinich Ahau, lodges located near the local forests and with an onsite restaurant. The only downside for us was that staying here would mean a minimum of a 2 hour drive to get to the ruins, which most people do we were just hoping for something closer. After all of our searching we thought staying any closer was a pipe dream.
Then we came across the Hotel Mundo Maya, at the time it had only just opened with very minimal reviews. It seemed a too good to be true as we couldn’t find any information. Since it was located within the reserve and only a 30 minute drive from the ruins we took a chance and amended our booking.
What an amazing find! It turns out they did a “soft launch” a few months prior which explained the lack of reviews and no information on their website. This was one of our favourite stays from our whole Yucatán Peninsula road trip!
I would highly recommend Hotel Mundo Maya to base yourself for your Calakmul adventures. With an onsite restaurant, outdoor pool, comfortable rooms and amazing service I was pleasantly surprised.
There were hardly any other guests staying, sometimes it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves.
Calakmul Entry Fees: What You Need To Know
Now this can get quite confusing and unless you are prepared to do a lot of research online it can be unclear as to how much it costs. Before your upcoming trip I highly recommend contacting Visit Calakmul through either instagram or whatsapp to get the updated pricing, but I will share our recent experience from April 2025.
When reaching the entrance to the reserve which is highlighted below, there is a small car park that will be on the left hand side. At this car park there is small hut, here is where you will pay your fees into the reserve. We drove straight past at first as there wasn’t a barrier at the entrance, but there were two individuals there to ensure all visitors were paying their entry fees, they turned us around and pointed us in the right direction.
There are two fees to pay which previously have been at two different stages but when we arrived it was all in this spot.
The total cost to visit the reserve is around $235 MXN per person, within this price is smaller fees for the local community and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). You will be given a wristband to wear for the duration of your stay. Please keep in mind that this price can change, I recommend sending a whatsapp to Visit Calakmul a few days prior to your visit to confirm the updated price.
Top Tips for Visiting Calakmul
The early mornings will be your best friend. The weather in the Yucatán Peninsula can be hot all year round, especially as you move further in land. To comfortably explore the ruins I recommend heading for 8am when it opens to truly enjoy the area.
It is a large site with multiple areas to explore and ruins to climb, for this reason I recommend 3-4 hours to fully explore the area.
Dry season is from November to May, this is when you can expect lower temperatures and lower rainfall making it very comfortable to explore the trails and the ruins. Our visit was in April 2025 and the mornings were perfect however the afternoons were unforgiving, very hot and sweaty.
The wet season is between May and October, expect humid and wet conditions. This can make it harder to explore the area and there will be a higher likelihood of mosquitos. In this area there is a risk that mosquitos can carry mosquito borne illnesses, if you decide to travel during these months please take extra care and always carry bug spray.
There are no shops, food vendors or water stations inside the ruins, so come prepared. Bring at least 2 litres of water per person, snacks (never forget the snacks), sunscreen, insect repellent and a hat. Toilets are available at the entrance, but not once you are inside.
Tips for Enjoying the Ruins
🌅 Start early to avoid both the heat and the crowds.
🥾 Wear sturdy shoes, trails are uneven and some pyramids have steep steps.
🗿 Take your time on the climbs, the views are worth it!
👂 Pause often to listen, the jungle is alive with howler monkeys, bird calls, and rustling leaves.
📸 Capture some lifelong memories with a camera.
Visiting Calakmul isn’t just about ruins, it is about immersing yourself in the jungle atmosphere.
Is Calakmul Worth Visiting
Yes, yes, yes!
It does depend on what kind of trip you are looking for but this will always be a highlight of our Mexican road trip. It is a very wild experience, from the wildlife you can encounter to the cultural heritage you can learn.
It is a long distance away from most tourist destinations but I promise you it is worth the journey.
As always please remember to be respectful, drive the speed limit and look out for wildlife.
Her Wild Habit | Travel and Outdoor Adventures 