Visiting El Tajín Pyramids & Ruins: All You Need To Know
We understand if visiting the El Tajín pyramids & ruins isn’t at the top of everybody’s initial Mexico travel itinerary. Not as famous or as easily accessible as other ruins in Mexico, the El Tajín ruins are easy to miss.
But after visiting seven different Mesoamerican and Mayan archeological ruins in Mexico and Guatemala, we believe the El Tajín pyramids & ruins bring a unique experience and style to visitors who are willing to make the trek out here to visit one of the most important cities in the Classical era of Mesoamerica.
This post will review everything you need to know to plan and visit the El Tajín archeological ruins. From top visiting tips to how to get to El Tajín and the best time to visit, all the information you need will be in this post below.
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Are the El Tajín Ruins Worth Visiting?
We understand the El Tajín pyramids are off the main tourist path. Still, if you consider yourself a pre-Columbian history buff or want to experience something new & unique, then we think the El Tajín ruins are worth visiting. Here’s why:
Unique Pyramid Design: If you’ve visited several other pre-Columbian ruins, you might think all pyramids look alike. However, the architectural style of the El Tajín pyramids was some of the most unique and decorative pyramids we’ve seen in Latin America.
Get Away From The Crowds: Although the El Tajín ruins attract over 400,000 visitors annually and are Veracruz state’s most popular archeology site, it’s still easy to escape the crowds. By planning ahead and arriving on the right day, you can have El Tajín almost all to yourself. That’s what happened to us!
Experience The Voladores: Though it can feel a bit touristy, El Tajín is one of the few places left where you might get to see the Voladores “fliers” in action, performing their famous ritual of circling artall pole to ask the Gods to return the rain and soil fertility.
How Much Does El Tajin Cost?
Entrance tickets to El Tajín cost 80 pesos per person. Although, with the rampant travel inflation every year, it’s smart to expect to pay a little more.
The Voladores performances, which occur just outside the ticketed entrance, are technically free. But a tip of 20-30 pesos is appreciated.
Best Ways To Visit El Tajin
When we visited the El Tajín pyramids, we were one of only a handful of other visitors that day. In all honesty, we only saw 15-20 other visitors when we explored the El Tajín ruins.
To beat the crowds, we recommend the following:
Arrive Early
The El Tajín entrance opens its gates at 9 AM. We recommend arriving as close to 9 AM as possible to avoid the potential crowds and, more importantly, any tourist buses.
Weekdays Are Better Than Weekends
As with many tourist sites anywhere, visiting any place on a weekday is tremendously better than the weekend. Most domestic tourists will have visited El Tajín on the weekend and returned to work on Monday.
Mondays After a Long Weekend Are the Best Time
We visited the El Tajín pyramids on a Monday and were lucky that Monday followed a Mexican national holiday (Constitution Day) and a long weekend. This was why there were almost no other visitors when we arrived at El Tajín.
Do You Need a Guide To Visit El Tajín?
Before you even get to the ticketing sales office, you’ll be confronted by several locals offering their guide service. Hiring a guide can be a great way to understand better the culture, politics, and economics of the ancient El Tajín city.
Guides were offering their services for 400 pesos when we visited.
We didn’t get a guide because we value exploring ruins at our own pace and love just sitting and taking in the ruins and the greater jungle environment.
But we admit that the onsite information signs don’t do a great job of educating readers about the ancient city. So, if learning more about the history of El Tajín is essential to you, picking up a guide may be worthwhile.
Top 3 Sights To See in El Tajín
There are so many pyramids, plazas, ball courts, and temples to see in El Tajín that it can be confusing to know which sights are the most important in this ancient city.
We break down our top three El Tajín sites below:
1. Pyramid of the Niches (Pirámide De Los Nichos)
Located on the eastern side of the El Tajín complex, the Pyramid of the Niches is the most important structure within the archeology site. And we think this structure is one of Mexico’s most beautifully designed pyramids. The pyramid is named after the small square niches surrounding the expyramid’s exterior. We had never seen any other pyramid with this type of design.
2. Ball Court of the Paintings (Juego De Pelota De Las Pinturas)
One of the primary ball courts at El Tajín is located at the southern end of the Pyramid of the Niches. It is called the Ball Court of the Paintings because of the blue and red geometric friezes still preserved at one end of the ball court.
3. El Tajín Chico
El Tajín Chico was a district within the El Tajín ancient city where the political and wealthy ruling class lived. Unsurprisingly, this region in the city’s northern end sits atop a small hill and has the best view of El Tajín. Check out the Plaza de las Columnas, which displays beautifully carved columns still well preserved today.
Top Tips for Visiting El Tajín
1. Use the Maps.me Offline Map App
We highly recommend downloading the Maps.me offline map app to explore the El Tajín ruins appropriately. On this map, you can see all the different structures in El Tajín and the walking path. Google Maps does not give nearly the same detail of the El Tajín complex as Maps.me.
2. Arrive Early on the Weekdays
As mentioned above, to get ahead of the crowds, we recommend arriving right at 9 AM, when the doors open, and visiting on a weekday. Part of the magic of exploring El Tajín is doing so when you’re one of the only ones wandering amongst these impressive pyramids and other stone structures.
3. Bring a Wide-Brimmed Hat & Sunscreen
Most of the El Tajín ruins complex has virtually no shade cover, and the sun can be oppressively hot. We bought our wide-brimmed hats and sunscreen while exploring the ruins, and those were an absolute lifesaver once it started getting hot at ~10:30 AM.
4. Bring Powerful Mosquito Repellent
El Tajín is surrounded by jungle, and the mosquitoes can be relentless depending on which month you visit. A comfortable pair of long pants and strong mosquito repellent are necessary.
5. Visit the Museum After Exploring the Ruins
There is a wonderful museum at the entrance, and the cost of the museum is included in your entrance ticket. But we recommend visiting the museum after seeing the El Tajín pyramids & ruins. This way, you can explore the museum after the morning and during the heat of the day, which will help you stay ahead of the crowds.
Where To Sleep Near El Tajín
Hotel accommodations exist near El Tajín, but most visitors visit El Tajín on a day trip and return to Papantla to sleep.
Best Budget: Hotel Alcázar – Excellent no-nonsense business hotel. Clean rooms and bathrooms. Each room comes with A.C. Great value.
Best Mid-Range: Paris FC Hotel – This hotel offers excellent amenities, which include a gym and a rooftop restaurant for great views over Papantla city.
Where To Eat in El Tajín
Although locals sell snacks inside the El Tajín ruins complex, authentic meals can only be had just before the main ticket entrance, off to the left. You will be met with a long row of food stalls selling delicious local options.
Plates typically cost 100-150 pesos per person.
How To Get to El Tajín
Most visit El Tajín as a day trip from the nearby city of Papantla, roughly 30 minutes away.
Buses from Papantla to El Tajín leave right behind Hotel Tajín, costing 20 pesos per person.
If you are multiple people, it is more worthwhile to hire a taxi to get you to and from El Tajín (~100 pesos each way).
Is El Tajín Safe?
There might be plenty of unsafe areas in Mexico, but the areas surrounding El Tajín are very safe. During our visit to El Tajín and all our travels throughout Veracruz, we felt incredibly safe and never encountered any danger.
That being said, it’s important to have street smarts and be aware of your surroundings. If you ever find yourself uncomfortable, knowing how to say ‘no’ and graciously leave an area is important.
But having said that, we think you will enjoy your visit to El Tajín. We sure did!
What To Bring to El Tajin – Packing List
History of El Tajín
El Tajín is named after the Totonac Rain God.
The earliest evidence suggests that El Tajín began around the 1st century A.D., likely by the Huastec people. However, it wasn’t until around 600 A.D. that El Tajín began to flourish politically and economically.
El Tajín’s growth would continue until 1200 A.D.. when the city was quickly abandoned. It is widely assumed that a fire, started from an invasion by the neighboring Chichimecs in 1230 A.D.., was the reason for the city’s demise.
Like most ruins, El Tajín was quickly reclaimed by the surrounding jungle and lost to human knowledge. It wasn’t until 1785 that El Tajín was accidentally rediscovered by Diego Ruiz, working for the Spanish government.
However, it wasn’t until 1935-38 that real excavation started at El Tajín. The first structure to be freed from the jungle’s grasp was the Pyramid of the Niches, and for the rest of the 20th century, more and more stone structures would be successfully excavated.
In 1992, El Tajín was named a World Heritage Site.
Final Thoughts on Our Visit to the El Tajín Pyramids
When we explored El Tajín, it was a Monday morning after a long weekend due to a Mexican national holiday. As a result, we were one of the only visitors exploring El Tajín, and we had ample opportunity to sit and ponder about the past life during the height of prosperity in this ancient city.
Two of our strongest thoughts were:
1. Segregation Existed Back Then, Too
Towards the back end of the city, the path begins to slope upwards towards EL Tajín Chico. This region is situated on a plateau overlooking the main El Tajín complex and pyramids.
On this plateau were stone remnants of homes and a pavilion, and we learned that this area was where the city’s business elite and religious leaders resided.
Just like in our communities today, the rich and influential back then found ways to remove themselves from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and assume the best location and property for themselves.
Some things in life never change.
2. Nothing Lasts Forever
Though the city prospered from 600-1200 CE, it was only during 200 years from 900-1100 CE that El Tajín was truly dominant and the center of Mesoamerica.
By the early 13th century, the city was ransacked and set ablaze, thus starting the quick decline into forgotten history for the next 500 years.
For us, it was another reminder that nothing lasts forever. No matter how large, important, or prosperous that thing or city becomes.
What’s important is to understand the transitory nature of life and to appreciate the present moment.
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