Climbing the El Castillo — also known as the Pyramid of Kukulkán — was banned in 2008.
INAH has now implemented new distance rules at Chichén Itzá. The heritage agency has established a minimum viewing distance of 15 m./50′ from the base of the site’s magnificent main pyramid. This increased buffer zone means visitors can no longer approach the structure as closely as before.
New distance rules at Chichén Itzá
Officials have installed boundary markers to clearly indicate the new viewing perimeter around this centerpiece of the archaeological site. The decision also comes as part of ongoing conservation efforts aimed at protecting the ancient structure from degradation caused by erosion, humidity, and physical contact from the millions of visitors who explore the site annually.
The timing of these new restrictions follows a March 31 incident during the spring equinox celebrations, when a German tourist bypassed security and climbed El Castillo’s summit, raising concerns about visitor behavior and monument protection. As one of Mexico’s most-visited archaeological sites and a UNESCO World Heritage treasure, these measures seek to ensure Chichén Itzá remains intact for future generations.
The most recent incidents
During the spring equinox of 2025, two foreign tourists evaded security in separate incidents and scaled El Castillo while thousands gathered to witness the equinox light phenomenon. The crowd responded by yelling angrily at the 
rule-breakers.
One was a 38-year-old German tourist apprehended after scaling the pyramid on March 20, 2025. Security personnel chased him up the stairs, and after his arrest, he was confronted by angry locals who physically attacked him as he was being led away by National Guard personnel. He was jailed for 12 hours and fined 5,000 pesos (approximately US$250).
In November 2022, a 29-year-old woman named Abigail Villalobos climbed the pyramid and performed a victory dance at the top. When staff demanded she descend, angry onlookers shouted at her, pulled her hair, and doused her with water. Initially claiming to be from Spain, she was later identified as Mexican. Authorities fined her 5,000 pesos (about $250) and released her after 30 minutes in custody.
On Jan. 3, 2021, a tourist from Tijuana, Baja California, was videoed climbing the main pyramid stairs. According to INAH, the woman was intoxicated at the time and took approximately 30 minutes to climb the front face before descending. She faced federal charges and was summoned to appear before the INAH court for violating the Federal Law on Monuments and Archaeological, Artistic and Historical Zones.
Consequences and penalties
As of 2025, individuals caught climbing the pyramid face fines ranging from $55,760 mx to $278,800 mx under Article 55 of Mexico’s Federal Law on Monuments and Archaeological Zones.
Yucatán Magazine
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