Kinichna and Dzibanche Mayan Ruin Videos:
Exploring the Mayan Ruins of Kinichna and Dzibanche
What to see in Kinichna and Dzibanche
The Mayan Ruins of Kinichna and Dzibanche are often treated as a package deal, which makes sense as the area used to be connected as one large city. Visitors will find these ruins a couple of miles apart, together with other ruins like Kohunlich and Calakmul, which we wrote about as well.
Mayan Ruins of Kinichna
The focal point of the kinichna ruins is one large pyramid with smaller ruins that have not been excavated, hidden amongst the area’s trees. Kinichna means house of the sun in Maya and its height brings you ever closer to the sky. This is one of the few ruins which allows you to climb the steps and explore the different levels and structures. When you make it to the top of the ruins, you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of lush greenery.
Dzibanche stands for “writing on wood” in Maya. The area itself is quite large and is spread out over 12 square miles of land covered in trees and temple ruins. Three massive temples draw tourists to the site: the Temple of the Captives, the Temple of the Cormorants, and the Temple of the Owl. These structures were discovered along with the rest of Dzibanche in the late 1920s with tombs and other funerary objects inside.
The fee to enter both ruins is 55 pesos and can be paid at the entrance to the Dzibanche ruins. The entrance fee gives visitors access to both ruins.
Getting to Kinichna and Dzibanche
The complex of Kinichna and Dzibanche is about 50 miles northwest of Chetumal and a 3 hour drive from Tulum, making it one of the furthest archaeological sites from the most popular hotel areas.
Getting to Dzibanche will require transportation as part of a tour of the area, usually leaving from Chetumal. If you have a rental car, you can be sure that the return trip will take an entire day. After your visit to Dzibanche, Kinichna is 2 miles drive from there.
