Yucatan Dreams

Valladolid street view, Yucatan, Mexico Chichen Itza pyramid, Yucatan, Mexico Chichen Itza, Kukulkan rock, Yucatan, Mexico Izamal Franciscan monastery, Yucatan, Mexico Merida house, Yucatan, Mexico

Descripción

In addition to its beautiful beaches, Yucatan boasts an impressive cultural and historical heritage as the repository of treasures of Maya civilisation such as Chichen Itza and Uxmal. Travel back in time to appreciate the everlasting greatness of these ancient cities reclaimed from the jungle and discover the beauty of the colourful colonial towns of Izamal and Merida. Spend memorable nights in a holistic jungle getaway, a refurbished mansion, and a historic hacienda to enhance the trip’s magical experience. Join this five-day tour from and to Cancun and see a mesmerising part of Mexico. 

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Ria Lagartos: 395 species of birds reside in this biosphere reserve where you can observe flamboyance of flamingos and crocodiles roaming the mangroves.

Chichen Itza: Uncover the mysteries of the Maya civilisation at this ancient archaeological site dominated by the imposing Temple of Kukulkan.

Izamal: This ‘magical town’ is known as the ‘City of Hills’ because of its numerous ruins of Maya pyramids.

Merida: Yucatan’s ‘White City’ is famed for its elegant 19th-century tree-lined boulevards.

Uxmal: The enormous Pyramid of the Magician found in this UNESCO World Heritage Site majestically rises above the jungle canopy.

Sotuta de Peon: Hacienda Viva is the restoration project of a landmark located in the heart of the ancient agave production zone in the Yucatan.

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS 

Day 1 Cancun 

•  Superior Hotel Category = Hotel Courtyard Cancun or similar 5*

Day 2 Valladolid

•  Superior Hotel Category = Hotel Ecotel Quinta Regia or similar 3*

Day 3 Merida 

•  Superior Hotel Category = Hotel Mision Panamericana or similar 4*

Day 4 Sotuta de Peon

•  Superior Hotel Category = Hotel Hacienda Viva Sotuta de Peon or similar 4*

Programa

Day 1:

ARRIVAL CANCUN
Arrive at Cancun International Airport. Our representative will meet and greet you, and then transfer you to the hotel in Cancun. Have the rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Cancun.

Day 2:

CANCUN/RIVIERA MAYA – RIA LAGARTOS – VALLADOLID (345km – 5.5 hrs)
This magical journey begins with a pick-up from your hotel in Cancun/Riviera Maya. Today’s adventure starts with a visit to Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve on the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, home to the largest flocks of pink flamingos in Mexico, in addition to the almost 400 birds species that have been identified here. Take a boat trip lasting around two hours through the mangroves in the reserve’s estuary to observe flamingos, other birdlife and crocodiles. The trip also includes a visit to feeding areas, a stop for a Mayan mud bath with the mineral-rich white mud and a dip in the ocean. We then visit a cenote, a natural sinkhole, for some time to cool off and have a swim and lunch. After the visit, continue to the hotel in Valladollid. After of the check in at the hotel, we will have time for refreshing. Continue with a walking city tour by Valladolid, this is a city that preserves the tradition of Mayan culture in every corner and its historical legacy is unique. Discover the passage of time from pre-Hispanic times to the present walking through its streets.
Overnight in Valladolid.

Day 3:

VALLADOLID - CHICHEN ITZA– IZAMAL – MERIDA (135km – 3 hrs)
After a tasty breakfast at the hotel, we continue towards Chichen Itza, one of the most important archaeological sites of the Maya. The legendary Maya city of Chichen Itza has been laboriously reclaimed from the jungle - learn about the Maya and their civilisation as you admire the scale and detail of this ancient city. Behold the geometric perfection of the 25-metre-tall Temple of Kukulkan, popularly known as El Castillo (‘the Castle’), which was built as a representation of the mystical Maya calendar and to reflect the optical illusion of a serpent snaking its way up or down the pyramid during the spring and autumn equinoxes. Admire the Great Ball Court, the largest of the13 discovered at the site, see the haunting Skull Platform, where the heads of human sacrifice victims and prisoners of war were impaled, and the Sacred Cenote, where sacrifice victims were dumped. Also extremely well-preserved are the Temple of the Warriors, the Ossuary, the Nunnery and adjacent Church, and the large observatory known as the Snail. Then, we make our way to the Mayan town of Izamal, known as ‘the city of the three cultures’, combining remnants of its pre-Hispanic past, the colonial period and the present. Izamal is one of Mexico’s ‘magical towns’, a title given to locations famed for their cultural and historical heritage. Here you can see the Convent of St Anthony of Padua, which stands on a former Maya pyramid. Indulge in a delicious meal at a traditional Maya restaurant. We continue to the ‘White City’ of Merida, the capital of Yucatan, to enjoy a memorable tour of the historic downtown. Explore the Paseo de Montejo, where you will find a series of beautiful villas and palaces built in the 19th century. Enjoy the splendid Plaza Grande, home of the cathedral and the Casa de Los Montejo, built in the 16th century in the plateresque style and whose beautiful façade has become a symbol of the city. We also see the Government Palace and City Hall, followed by free time to discover the city on your own. Luxuriate in an optional dinner.
Overnight in Merida.

Day 4:

MERIDA – UXMAL – SOTUTA DE PEON (150km – 2.75 hrs)
After a tasty breakfast at the hotel, we start our day with a visit to the impressive archaeological site of Uxmal. Enjoy a guided tour of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, which, as you approach it, comes into view as it rises above the canopy of the jungle. Unlike other Mayan cities, Uxmal was devoured by the rainforest after the Spaniards had arrived. The most famous structure is the 35-metre-tall Pyramid of the Magician, which towers over the remarkably well-preserved Nunnery Quadrangle with its ornately carved interior and exterior walls. Across the central plaza, just beyond the ballgame court, is the Governor’s Palace with its elaborately decorated roof. At the southern end of the main complex is the Great Pyramid. Only one of its sides has been excavated with the other three still unclaimed from the bush. After this experience will you visit a Cacao Museum where the plant and its importance for the ancient Mayans will be explained. Continue to the Hacienda Sotuta de Peon, built in the late 19th century in Tecoh, Yucatan, with a stop en route to enjoy a delicious lunch at traditional Mayan restaurant. Afterwards, enjoy some free time to wander around the hacienda or relax at the pool. Dinner included
Overnight in Sotuta de Peon.

Day 5:

SOTUTA DE PEON – DEPART RIVIERA MAYA/CANCUN (335km – 4.25 hrs)
Enjoy a tasty breakfast and, at the appropriate time depart from Sotuta de Peon and take a tour through the active hacienda where the Mexican agave plant is still harvested and hear an explanation of the production process. The tour ends with a ride on a mule-drawn wagon through the agave plantation and a refreshing dip in a cenote. Indulge in a delicious meal continue to the Riviera Maya for drop-off at your selected hotel in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or at Cancun airport.
Breakfast and lunch included.

Incluido en el precio

TOUR GUIDE:
Operated with qualified, bilingual English and Spanish- speaking guides
Italian-speaking guide upon an additional cost (optional extra)

ACCOMMODATION:
4 nights accommodation

MEALS:
4 breakfasts,
4 lunches on days from 2-5
2 dinners on day 2, 4

TRANSPORT:
Air-conditioned transportation for transfers to and from hotels, between cities and during excursions
Airport arrival transfer from Cancun international airport to Cancun selected hotel

ENTRANCE FEES AND ACTIVITIES:
All monuments and visits as indicated: Ria Lagartos boat tour, archaeological sites of Chichen Itza and Uxmal, Valladolid walking tour, entrance to cenote Hubiku, visit of Izamal village, Hacienda Viva Sotuta de Peon tour, Merida city tour and Cacao Museum.

No incluido en el precio

Expenditures of a personal nature, drinks and meals if not stated explicitly in the programme
Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Riviera Maya environmental sanitation right tax (payable on spot)
International/domestic flight tickets or Mexican visa fees
Airport taxes for domestic and international flights
Airport departure tax
Gratuities for driver and guide
Accommodation for beach extension
Airport departure transfer from Cancun selected hotel to Cancun international airport.

Itinerario

Alojamientos proporcionados en cada lugar