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Río Secreto Nature Reserve from Playa del Carmen
4.7
162 Ratings
Playa del Carmen
Embark on a thrilling adventure through Río Secreto Nature Reserve, exploring ancient limestone formations and underground caves. Discover the secrets of these stunning natural wonders and indulge in Mayan cuisine. Optional visit to Tulum ruins available.
Embark on a thrilling adventure through Río Secreto Nature Reserve, exploring ancient limestone formations and underground caves. Discover the secrets of these stunning natural wonders and indulge in Mayan cuisine. Optional visit to Tulum ruins available.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Rio Secreto - Arrival at the reception and service area located on the Cancun - Tulum Highway km. 283.5 to 5 minutes from Playa del Carmen.
- Rio Secreto - Welcome video andTransportation to the Río Secreto reserve (approximately 15 minutes). Upon arriving at the reservation, our guides will receive visitors, give them the security measures and…
- Rio Secreto - Arrival at the reception and service area located on the Cancun - Tulum Highway km. 283.5 to 5 minutes from Playa del Carmen.
- Rio Secreto - Welcome video andTransportation to the Río Secreto reserve (approximately 15 minutes). Upon arriving at the reservation, our guides will receive visitors, give them the security measures and the appropriate equipment
- Rio Secreto - Prior to the entrance to the Mayan underworld, visitors will walk the nature reserve trails where they will receive a Mayan welcome.
- Rio Secreto - Visitors will walk and swim through its beautiful natural glass galleries on a 1km route with a minimum duration of 1:30 hrs.
- Rio Secreto - Equipment return.
- Rio Secreto - Toast with Xtabentun.
- Rio Secreto - View photographs of the tour.
- Rio Secreto - Buffet of regional food and fresh waters.
- Rio Secreto - Return to reception for transfer on your own or with the contracted transport
- Tulum Archaeological Site - When this option is selected . We will visit the remains of an ancient clifftop fortress. Tulum used to be a main trading hub . Walled on three sides . The front open facing the Caribbean sea. The views are breathtaking .Your tour guide will go deep into the main buildings history and astronomical findings.
- Carretera Federal 307 - When Tour with transportation is selected: Expect to be picked up at mayor hotels in Cancun or Meeting Points from downtown Sit back and relax while your driver takes you safely to Rio Secreto nature park.
- Puerto Morelos - When this option is selected . You will visit the second largest coral reef formation in the world . Marvel at the vibrant marine life, including colorful tropical fish, majestic sea turtles, and stunning coral formations.
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Lunch
- Use of all necessary equipment (wetsuit, helmet, water shoes, life vest)
- 20 USD State Preservation Taxes of Tulum Archaeological Zone
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (if option selected)
- Lockers and Towels
- Professional guide
- Lunch
- Use of all necessary equipment (wetsuit, helmet, water shoes, life vest)
- 20 USD State Preservation Taxes of Tulum Archaeological Zone
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (if option selected)
- Lockers and Towels
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (if option not selected)
- Pier & Reef Preservation Tax when Puerto Morelos Snorkel Selected $20 us cash per person
- Photos
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (if option not selected)
- Pier & Reef Preservation Tax when Puerto Morelos Snorkel Selected $20 us cash per person
- Photos
Additional Information
Journey into an underground river and marvel at ancient stalactites and stalagmites. As you wade through turquoise water, an expert guide explains geological secrets and points out flora and fauna. Back in the jungle, enjoy a buffet lunch with Mayan cuisine included in all options.
Río Secreto Admission (Without Transportation): Explore the cenote and…
Journey into an underground river and marvel at ancient stalactites and stalagmites. As you wade through turquoise water, an expert guide explains geological secrets and points out flora and fauna. Back in the jungle, enjoy a buffet lunch with Mayan cuisine included in all options.
Río Secreto Admission (Without Transportation): Explore the cenote and cave at your own pace.
Río Secreto + Transport: Includes admission and transportation from select Playa del Carmen hotels. Enjoy the cenote and cave without worrying about logistics.
Río Secreto + PLUS: Enhance your adventure with a bike ride,, Rappel and Zip-Lines. Enjoy the cenote tour and a buffet lunch featuring Mayan cuisine.
Río Secreto + Tulum: Combine your visit with a guided tour of the Mayan city of Tulum. Enjoy natural wonders and historical treasures.
Reef & Cavern Explorer - Río Secreto + Snorkeling in Puerto Morelos: Expand your adventure by exploring the Puerto Morelos reef and the Río Secreto tour.
- Passengers must weigh less than 250 pounds (113 kg)
- The minimum age is 4 years. For the Rio Secreto Plus and Rio Secreto with snorkel options, the minimum age is 7 years due to the additional activities.
- The duration for the option Rio Secreto Admission tour is 03:30 hrs. (approximately)
- The duration for the option Rio Secreto Tour + Transportation is 06:00 hrs. (approximately)
- The duration for the option Rio Secreto + Tulum Tour is 08:00 Hrs. (approximately)
- Camaras / Cel phones are not allowed inside the caves
Location
Rio Secreto
Carretera Federal Libre Chetumal _ Puerto Juarez Km 283.5, Ejido Sur
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(162 Ratings)
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Amanda_h
Jun 27, 2025
Definitely do this tour - Fernando was the absolute best guide I have ever had. He was very knowledgeable not only about the cenotes and the ruins but about the culture as well. They do provide all the items needed for the cenotes but I would suggest bringing your own water shoes.
Review provided by Viator
Paige_b
Apr 29, 2025
Unique outdoor activity - So great to challenge yourself.bike riding,zip lines cave walking. Need thick swim shoes! Diego and staff very safety oriented! A great memory!
Review provided by Viator
966ryanas
Apr 13, 2025
A great experience🩷🌞 - The tour guide Gisell was totally nice and explained a lot. The tour was totally fun and interesting. I would do it again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ellis_b
Mar 21, 2025
Took this trip solo as my... - Took this trip solo as my partner was away scuba diving. Collection point was close to my hotel making it easy to join. The cave tour itself was fantastic, would highly recommend
Review provided by Viator
251trento
Feb 26, 2025
Great time in the caves, a must do for travelers - Went with friends, it was a very fun and outdoorsy adventure. Toor guide and the food were great. I would recommend getting your own water shoes or trail shoes since the terrain is pretty tough.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Abidah_s
Jan 6, 2025
amazing experience - I had an amazing experience with this tour. I cant swim so was a bit nervous if they would take me in. They mentioned that they’d make sure safety including for non-swimmer. Our tour guide, Diego, was amazing! he’s very knowledable and helped me in every turn. I cant recommend him enough, muchas gracias Diego!
Review provided by Viator
Darryl_j
Dec 19, 2024
A Magical Experience - This was truly a magical experience. To experience a small portion of this cave system was a special experience. We had a great guide, Imelda, and the entire experience was very well organized.
I would not recommend this for young children or elderly travellers, but overall this was a wonderful day. We had the great fun of torrential rains coming down as we got ready, which got us, was just another fun part of the day.
Review provided by Viator
Rocio_m
Jul 7, 2025
Great Experience, poor transportation Communication - Overall a great experience! Victor our guide was great! He led us through the underground river secreto and was very informative regarding the rock formations and the ecosystem in general in Río Secreto. Would say that the transportation communication for pick up was lacking. You have to call or email them to arrange the pick up even if you select the pick up option on viator. Even then, if you have a Monday tour, I never got communication on Sunday even after attempting to call and text different numbers they provided. I had to reach to viator customer service for them to then reach out to the provider, who then gave me our pick up time. Such a hassle to just want to understand the pick up time. I would recommend calling or emailing them two days in advance given our experience with that. The good thing is that the excursion itself was worth it and would go again.
Review provided by Viator
Austin_s
Jul 23, 2025
Breathtaking Experience, But the Photo Scam Leaves a Bad Taste - Rio Secreto is one of the most unique and breathtaking adventures you can experience in the Riviera Maya. The underground river, crystal-clear water (~20°C), and ancient cave formations are truly awe-inspiring. I didn’t wear a wetsuit and was totally fine—just immersed in the beauty and peace of nature. They provide a solid helmet, headlamp, and water shoes, so you don’t need to worry about gear.
Our guide, Victor, was fantastic. He spoke English, Spanish, and French, and handled our multicultural group with great energy and professionalism. He made the tour fun, informative, and very safe.
That said, the big downside is their photo policy. You’re not allowed to bring a camera or phone, which is understandable—but then they assign a “professional” photographer who only takes still photos (no video) and most of them came out blurry or overexposed. Be warned: if your headlamp is on, it ruins the photo exposure. Turn it off during photo ops if you want a chance at a decent shot.
I was solo on the tour and figured I’d rely on the pro photographer to capture some memories. But here’s the kicker: they wanted $30 USD for ONE photo or $120 USD for the full package of 25 photos. And only two were worth keeping—one at the entrance, and one group shot in the cave. Not a single good photo of me inside the cave. When I asked if everyone pays that much, especially families of 3 or 4 who were with me, they told me no—larger groups are charged more. So, keep that in mind: you’re still paying a high price as a solo traveler, and it’s not per person—it’s per photo package, regardless of quality or quantity of good shots.
This whole setup feels like a cash grab. With better photo quality, more thoughtful pricing tiers, or even a GoPro video option, they could offer so much more value. As it stands, it felt like an overpriced afterthought tacked onto an otherwise magical experience.
Final Take:
✅ Go for the experience—it’s truly one of a kind.
❌ But don’t expect to bring back quality memories unless you’re ready to overpay for blurry photos.
💡 If capturing memories is important to you, consider visiting a cenote instead, where you can take your own photos and enjoy the water freely.
Review provided by Viator
Jennifer_m
Jul 2, 2025
Great destination, poor coordination. - First, the tour was wonderful. Our guides were great. 10/10 experience for the reef snorkeling and caves. I highly recommend. I rated this a three however due to the poor coordination by the tour company. I was emailed at 10:45pm the night before our tour that we would be picked up several blocks from our hotel, which was fine, but I was very lucky I saw it in time to catch our transport. It resulted in a rushed morning where we did not eat breakfast. We expected Rio Secreto to be the first stop, but they switched it and we went snorkeling first. The reefs were amazing, we saw tons of fish and sea turtles. We finished up there around noon. When we got to the caves we expected to have lunch, but we're informed instead we would go directly on the tour. The caves were amazing and the highlight of our trip so far. Our guide was wonderful. I appreciated the natural caves and formations. There are no lights or infrastructure beyond your headlamps. The water is crystal clear. It was mostly knee deep, but there was one area where we swam. I have been in many tourist trap caves and this was not like that at all. With our small group in the quiet caves it really felt like a genuine experience in a beautiful natural setting. The water was cool but not cold. By the time we finished it was 4pm. At this point none of us had eaten all day. We were put in front of kiosks to buy pictures before they would let us proceed to the cafeteria to eat. When we were finally allowed to eat, the food was cold, picked over, and had flies in it. This simply could have been a wonderful experience. It really should have been. The late notice on the change in pick up location, change in schedule that disrupted lunch, and two starving kids really put a damper on the whole experience though. If you take this tour I would suggest packing a couple of granola bars.
Review provided by Viator
