Uxmal Archaeological Site: The Wildlife Enthusiast’s Guide to Mexico’s Best Maya Ruins

Forget Chichén Itzá. If you want a “Disney-fied” experience with a thousand vendors shouting at you while you bake in a crowd of five thousand people, go there. But if you want to actually feel the weight of history — and spot some of the Yucatan’s most spectacular birds and reptiles in total peace — you need to get to Uxmal Maya Ruins near Merida.

As a wildlife traveller, Uxmal is hands-down my favourite archaeological site in Mexico. It’s quiet, it’s authentic, and it’s basically a massive jungle playground for iguanas and tropical birds. Here is everything you need to know about visiting Uxmal without a Tour Bus, including how to get there and what animals to keep your eyes peeled for.

🦎 Why Uxmal Beats Chichén Itzá (Every Single Time)

• Zero Vendors: Once you pass the gate, there are no souvenir stalls. It’s just you, the stone, and the trees. It feels like an actual archaeological site, not a shopping mall.
• Intricate Architecture: The Puuc style here is way more detailed than the more famous sites. We’re talking 3D stone carvings and incredible geometric patterns. The Palace of the Governor is even aligned with the planet Venus—how cool is that?
• The Wildlife: Because the crowds are thinner and the jungle is closer, the animals actually hang around. It’s a birder’s paradise if you get there early enough.

🦜 Wildlife Spotting at Uxmal

While the Pyramid of the Magician is the star of the show, don’t forget to look at the living residents. This site is teeming with life if you just take a second to stop and listen to the jungle.

1. Turquoise-browed Motmot: This is the “holy grail” for many birders in the Yucatan. Look for a flash of bright orange and turquoise. These birds have incredible “racket” tails—two long feathers with bare shafts and tufted ends—that they flick back and forth like a pendulum. We spotted a beauty right near the Great Pyramid!
2. Yucatan Spiny-tailed Iguanas: These guys are the real landlords of Uxmal. They are everywhere. You’ll see hundreds of them sunning themselves on the ancient Maya stones. Some of them are absolute units—proper prehistoric looking beasts. Just give them their space, and they’ll let you get some amazing photos.
3. Red-headed Woodpeckers: Keep your ears open for the rhythmic drumming against the trees. We saw several Pale-billed Woodpeckers (with their brilliant red crests) busy at work in the trees surrounding the Nunnery Quadrangle.
4. Tropical Kingbirds & Vultures: You’ll see Black Vultures circling the Great Pyramid, and Kingbirds perched on the highest points of the ruins acting like they own the place.
5. Bats: If you peer into some of the darker, recessed doorways of the smaller temples (carefully!), you might even spot a few roosting bats.

🚌 How to get to Uxmal from Mérida (The DIY Way)

Don’t book a $100 tour. You can do this yourself for a fraction of the price.

The Bus (The “Hope for the Best” Method):

• Where: Depart from the TAME station (Calle 69) in Mérida.
• The “Pass” Catch: These are SUR (second class) buses. You usually need to buy a physical rechargeable bus pass at the counter.
• Times: Aim for the 6:00 am or 8:00 am bus. Getting there for opening (8 am) is the only way to beat the heat and the few tour buses that do show up.
• The Return: The bus schedule is famously unreliable. If the 12:30 pm or 3:00 pm bus doesn’t show, don’t panic.

The Pro Colectivo Shortcut (Our Recommendation): If you’re stuck at Uxmal and don’t want to wait hours for a bus, do what we did:

1. Grab a Mototaxi from the Uxmal car park to the town of Muna (around 200 pesos).
2. In Muna, hop on a Colectivo (minivan) heading back to Mérida (about 45 pesos). It’s faster, cheaper, and way more of an adventure.

🏛️ Must-See Structures (Beyond the Pyramid)

While you can’t climb the Magician’s Pyramid or the Great Pyramid anymore (safety first, I suppose!), there is still so much to explore on foot:

• The Nunnery Quadrangle: This was my favourite spot. The four buildings surrounding a central courtyard are covered in carvings of snakes, owls, and the rain god, Chaac. The acoustics here are incredible—try a soft clap and listen to the echo.
• The Ball Court: It’s smaller than the one at Chichén Itzá, but much more intimate. You can really imagine the high-stakes games that were played here centuries ago.
• Palace of the Governor: This is widely considered one of the finest examples of Maya architecture. The mosaic work on the upper facade is mind-blowing. Look for the hundreds of masks of the rain god Chaac—he was clearly a big deal here because of the lack of natural cenotes in the area.

🎒 Expert Tips for your Visit

• The “Two Sandwich” Rule: There aren’t many cheap eats at the site, and the cafeteria is a bit of a rip-off. Pack double the sandwiches (and at least 2 litres of water per person) to keep you going.
• Entry Fees: It’s roughly 500-600 pesos for foreigners. Be prepared—they often charge this in two separate transactions (one for the state and one for the federal government), so don’t walk away after the first payment!
• Beat the Heat: The Yucatan sun is brutal. There isn’t a lot of shade once you’re out among the ruins. Wear a hat, use biodegradable sunscreen, and try to finish your exploration by midday.
• Binoculars are a Must: For the birders out there, don’t leave your binoculars at the hotel. The canopy around the “Late Group” of temples is buzzing with life.

Uxmal is a rare place where history and nature truly collide. It feels much more “Indiana Jones” than “Theme Park.” Get there early, bring your binoculars, and enjoy having a 1,000-year-old city (mostly) to yourself.