Edzna Archaeological Site Guide

Use our realist Edzna Guide to plan your next trip to this archaeological site. Edzna is a Mayan archaeological site in Campeche. Edzna was the third Mayan archaeological site we visited after Chichen Itza and Uxmal and the second stop on our route to Palenque.

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Getting to Edzna

Edzna is located just an hour away from Campeche, the capital of the same named Mexican state. Nonetheless, Edzna attracts far less visitors than other Mayan sites on the Yucatan peninsula. For instance, when we arrived in Edzna there were only a couple of other visitors. The park’s location far away from the main highways could partially account for this fact. The Highway 261 that connects Uxmal and Edzna is a two-lane road through the jungle that takes about two hours to drive.

Where to Stay

Edzna’s fairly remote location makes selecting accommodation a bit challenging. You could consider securing accommodation is Campeche or Escarcega. However, you might be better off staying in Merida and visiting this site on your way to or from other attractions, like Uxmal or Palenque.

Entrance Requirements & Passes

This archaeological site is a smaller Mayan site. A low admission fee of about MXN 120 ($6) for two adult tickets at the time of writing reflects Edzna’s smaller size and remote location. The site also did not charge a parking fee.

Sights & Places of Interest

Edzná was built around 400 BC and rediscovered in 1907. The site features the Main Temple and the Ball Court that are both located within a short ten-minute walk from the entrance booth.

Upon entrance to the park, we first found a somewhat narrow path in the jungle and no structures or ruins in sight. After a short walk, first structures started to appear all at once.

Ball Court

Very soon we arrived at the Ball Court and saw the Main Temple in the distance. It is a fascinating building and a true landmark of Edzna. Most structures in Edzná are centered around the Ball Court and are easily accessible from it.

Plaza of Edzna

The Main Temple is located on top of the Plaza of Edzna and requires a short and easy climb from the Ball Court.

Main Temple

The Main Temple is closed to visitation to preserve this building for the next generations. However, the structure is very picturesque and fascinating even from a distance.

The balance of light changed several times while we were exploring the Main Temple and the Plaza of Edzna due to intermittent clouds. The clouds brought temporary shade and entirely changed the perception of this site.

It was time for us to move on and explore the Ball Court in more detail.

We started by descending back to the ground and exploring the structures clockwise.

We found a staircase at the back of the structure opposite the Main Temple. This staircase brought us to the top and offered one more view of the Ball Court and the Main Temple. We had still quite a long drive ahead of us. Therefore we proceeded back to the car shortly after and hit the road to Palenque.

Takeaways: Edzna

Edzna is a nice and secluded Mayan archaeological site. While we would not make it the ultimate destination, if you find yourself in or near the city of Campeche, we would recommend a short visit.

Take a look at our Edzna Video Guide and visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Safe realist travels!