Driving from Chitchen Itza to Uxmal
 

Is the fastest route between Chitchen Itza and Uxmal to go through Merida? Or are there smaller, back roads that connect the two ruins and save on driving time? We will have a local driver, so getting lost on the back roads isn't too much of a concern.

Can you give me the approximate driving times for the following:

Chitchen Itza to Uxmal, through Merida
Chitchen Itza to Uxmal, back roads
Chitchen Itza to Merida
Merida to Uxmal
Merida to Cancun

Thanks so much for your help.

Our driver took us from Uxmal to CI via Merida using major roads. The time was about two and a half hours, if I recall correctly. We did not have to actually enter the city.

Time from Merida to Uxmal is about one to one and a half hours.

Cancun to Merida is four to five hours.

Can't help with the back roads.

Two suggestions:

Consider staying in Valladolid rather than on site to visit Chichen Itza.

See Ek Balam (a few miles north of Valladolid) while there.

Having traveled these routes a number of times, your estimates of travel time are a little surprising. Merida is 80 KM (48 mi.) to Uxmal. Est. 1 hour. Chichen Itza is 180 Km. (108 mi.) from Merida, a little under 2 hrs on bus. Distance between Chichen Itza and Cancun is 213 Km. (127 mi.), 3 hours.

Apart from Merida-Uxmal our figures are pretty much the same. My long estimate (1 1/2 hrs) assumes starting in the city center and meeting the same traffic we did.

Thank you both for the helpful information. It sounds like there isn't a viable and faster backroads route between Chichen Itza and Uxmal, since your local driver took the route via Merida.

I'll just factor that time into my travel plans. I appreciate the insights you've provided.