Yucatan Peninsula: Culture & Nature

Welcome to Cancun, a city recognized worldwide for its spectacular beaches of fine white sand and fascinating turquoise blue sea. After landing at the airport, you will be greeted and transferred to the hotel for check-in.

Start your Mayan journey today to visit the archaeological site of Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As one of the greatest Mayan centers of the Yucatán peninsula, the monuments of Chichen Itza exerted an influence throughout the entire Yucatan cultural zone from the 10th to the 15th century. Here, several buildings have survived, such as the Warriors' Temple, the Stepped Pyramid of Kukulcan (El Castillo), and the circular observatory known as El Caracol. After the tour, you will proceed to Merida for overnight.

Today you will take a 90-minute drive from Merida to Celestun, a charming fishing town located right on the Gulf coast. Once you arrive at the beach, you will take a scenic boat ride in the Celestun Biosphere Reserve to observe the beautiful Mexican pink flamingos and many other migratory birds such as least tern, jabiru, king vulture, and greater white-fronted goose, etc. Return Merida for overnight after the tour.

This morning visit two of the most distinctive and beautiful places on the Yucatan Peninsula: the ancient "haciendas" and the "cenotes". The hacienda Yaxcopoil presents the original condition during the late 19th century, while the hacienda Mucuyche offers you a great cenote to swim or snorkel. Have a short break at the cenote of Peba between the two haciendas.

After lunch, continue to the archaeological site of Uxmal. Compared with Chichen Itza, Uxmal looks rough and majestic, especially the House of the Magician.

Stay the night at the Campeche. In the evening, you'll have a walking tour through its well-aligned streets full of history and legends that arose when the town was the only port for the Kingdom of Spain on the Yucatan Peninsula.

Do the Chichen Itza and Uxmal satisfy your curiosity about the mysterious Mayan culture? If not, follow your tour guide into the lesser-known archaeological sites of Edzna and Balamku. Slow down and savor everything you see. After the tour, continue to Chicanna for overnight.

Start the tour with the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, the largest tropical ecological reserve in Mexico. Besides the archaeological site of Calakmul, the reserve is also the home to 86 species of mammals, including jaguars native to Mexico. Following it, you will visit another archaeological site of Kohunlich that is best known for the Tikal Temple II with the nickname of Temple of the Masks. The impressive Early Classic structure had eight huge humanized stucco masks of the Sun God and only five of them have survived until now. After the tour, proceed to your hotel in Bacalar for overnight.

The town of Bacalar is also known as "the lagoon of seven colors". Pay a visit to the Fort of San Felipe Bacalar. Get some history of the area from the small museum inside and take great views of the lagoon. The Cenote Azul next to the lagoon is the last stop on this journey. Enjoy this open-air cenote in lush greenery around and crystal clear water.

The tour ends. You will be transferred to Cancun or the beach location of your choice.