10 Rio Secreto Tours Worth the Money

1.Tickets to Rio Secreto and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 521 reviews · 3.5 - 6.5 hours · from $89Our pick

Rio Secreto takes you 600 meters into a limestone cave system, where you walk and swim past stalactites and clear underground water with a bilingual guide. Wetsuit, life vest, helmet, and water shoes are provided. Expect a small group, no personal cameras, and a simple regional lunch afterward.

“We were a bit apprehensive as some of the reviews called out the cave tour to be a bit difficult as we were visiting with a 12 and 9 year old. However at the reception we were pleased to see that the activity is rated as one of the top 10 activities for families by Natgeo and the actual experience turned out to be far superior to what we expected. Omar was an excellent guide navigating seamlessly between Spanish and English and very kind to a couple of less mobile older individuals in our Group. We and the kids had loads of fun and there were other kids a couple…”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Rio Secreto and Tulum Tour from Cancun or Riviera Maya Hotels

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 429 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Visit Tulum’s seaside ruins, then walk and swim through Rio Secreto’s underground galleries with a guide. Expect a nature reserve welcome, helmet lamps, wetsuits and a regional buffet. The cave route covers up to 1 kilometre and takes about 1.5 hours. Hotel pickup is offered, but the day can run much longer than the estimated 5.5 hours.

“The Rio Secreto part of the trip was well worth the time and money. It is really unique. The part that was a bit disappointing was the amount of time spent traveling to Tulum and then back to Rio Secreto and then another 20 minutes into the jungle. Its a lot of time in a van. Also was bummed that we had to wait an hour in the middle of a jungle after being finished with our excursion just to get a ride out of there. Guide was great though. I would advise asking for an all english speaking tour though if it is possible. The bi-lingual takes a lot…”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Rio Secreto Plus: Classic Tour, Bycicle, Rappel & Ziplines

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 365 reviews · 5 hours (approx.)

At Rio Secreto, a guide leads a small group through a jungle outing that combines biking, zip lines, rappelling, and a swim and walk through an underground cave. The tour lasts about five hours, with a buffet lunch afterward. Bring water shoes and a change of clothes, and budget separately if you want professional photos.

“Really great experience but the "plus" activities are anecdotal, if you hesitate between the standard and the plus tours, the standard one is enough”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Rio Secreto Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 177 reviews · 6.5 - 8 hours · from $119

Ride in an air-conditioned van to Rio Secreto, then walk and swim 600 meters through an underground river and cave with a trained guide. You’ll get a wetsuit, helmet, lamp, and wet shoes, plus a light lunch afterward. Groups are small, but cameras are not allowed, and photos cost extra.

“One of the best tours I've been on. Our guide, Memo was so informative and made sure we all had an excellent experience. He was very knowledgeable about the history of the area and Rio Secreto in particular. He pointed out several interesting stalactites and stalagmites we might have overlooked. One person in our group of 10 was especially fearful in deep water and i was so impressed with how Memo was able to calm her fears and keep her safe so she could have an enjoyable experience as well as the experienced swimmers. I did purchase the USB photos and some are quite good. Noticed that one of our…”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Rio Secreto Skip-the-Line Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 157 reviews · 3 hours (approx.)

At Rio Secreto near Playa del Carmen, you’ll walk and swim through an underground cave system with a guide, helmet lamp, life jacket and wetsuit. The tour lasts about three hours, with lunch, lockers and towels included. Guides named by visitors include Martín, Jared, Marite and Paulina. Bring steady footing, and budget separately if you want the paid photos.

“Fun, memorable, our guide Alo was great! Very well run. Equipment and facilities were very clean. Lunch was good. Photos were over priced.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Exclusive Rio Secreto and Tulum Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 52 reviews · 9 - 12 hours · from $179

Visit Tulum’s ruins with a culture-focused guide, then head to Río Secreto for a 1-kilometer walk and swim through crystal-lined caves. You’ll get a wetsuit, helmet, life jacket, and towel, plus a regional buffet. Fernando is one guide named for his engaging approach, though guide assignments can vary.

“Fernando the guide was amazing, best we have had”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Rio Secreto Natural Reserve Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 17 reviews · from $89

At Río Secreto, a specialist guide leads you through an underground river and past stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years. Choose the gentler Classic route, the more active Plus, or the adult-only Wild option. Equipment, lockers, towels, and a buffet lunch are included. Guides speak English and Spanish.

“La experiencia de la cueva y nadar por el agua. La guía genial. Ha sido fantástica”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Rio Secreto Underground River Tour with Hotel Pick Up

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $129

Spend about four hours exploring Río Secreto, a protected natural reserve of underground trails and channels, with a guide and provided thermal suit, shoes, and safety gear. The roughly six-hour outing includes hotel pickup in an air-conditioned vehicle, lockers, dressing rooms, and bottled water. Guides named by visitors include Sergio, Tainara, and Benito.

“This somewhat strenuous activity is a great activity for many people! It’s super interesting being in the jungle and seeing the caves. The people working and our tour guide were awesome!”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Full-Day Tulum Expedition and Rio Secreto Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 10 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $189

Spend about three hours at Tulum’s coastal Maya ruins and three hours exploring Rio Secreto, a limestone cave system where you walk and swim with a guide. The 12-hour trip includes hotel pickup, entry, safety gear, lunch, snacks, and drinks. Guides named Ariel, Diana, and Luis have led the tour, though your guide may differ.

“Our guide, Luis, was excellent - he was really passionate about Rio Secreto in particular. The caves were beautiful to walk and swim through, and the equipment provided was all in good condition. I would have preferred for the official photographer to have been less intrusive though - being asked to keep posing for photos that we had no intention of buying was a bit tedious by the end. The site at Tulum was very busy, but Luis guided us around expertly. The buffet lunch was really tasty, and plenty of options.”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Rio Secreto Natural Reserve

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes to 8 hours (approx.) · from $88Best value

At Río Secreto, an English-speaking guide leads you through an underground river and limestone caves, where you walk and swim past stalactites and stalagmites. Choose Classic, Plus, or Wild, with more activities and a longer day at each level. Equipment and lunch are included, but transportation is not. Mauricio is one guide associated with the experience, though guide assignments can vary.

“What an incredible experience - highly recommend it! Maricio was a fantastic guide and the caves were breathtaking”

Check availability →Read our full review