Tour Yucatán - In The Footsteps Of The Maya

Transport

Category B or C rental car (3 persons) with unlimited mileage, fully comprehensive insurance without excess (except for theft of objects such as wing mirrors, spare wheel). Liability insurance (maximum cover 250,000 pesos Mexicanos = approx. USD 13,000)

Accommodation

8 nights in a mid-range hotel standard room incl. taxes and service

Others

Travel documents incl. road map

Meals

Daily American breakfast

Not included:

Guide

Others

International flights Highway tolls, gasoline and parking All entrance fees, boat tours and any activities during the self-drive tour Tips for porters and chambermaids All extras in the hotels All meals not mentioned

Optional

The minimum age for renting a rental car is 21 years. The driver’s license must be valid for at least one year. A security deposit (credit card essential) will be charged by the rental office when you collect the vehicle. All rental cars must be returned directly to the respective agencies. It is not possible to return cars to hotels. However, the rental car agency will drive the customer to their hotel upon return. High season surcharge 07.04.2022 - 27.04.2022 01.07.2022 - 15.08.2022 15.12.2022 - 07.01.2023 Rental car category B/C: Chevrolet Matiz, Standard with A/C or Chevrolet Chevy Standard with A/C Visa/passport: no visa required, passport valid for 6 months Recommended Atmosfair contribution return flight: € 138 - you offset your flight and we give you a bonus. CO2 footprint of this trip per participant: 6.11 t Deposit of 20% of the tour price / balance due 30 days before departure

Flights

Insurance

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Day 1 Cancun
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Cancun

Individual arrival to Cancun. Transfer to your city hotel Adhara Cancun.

Cancun
Day 2 Cancún - Tulum - Bacalar
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Cancún - Tulum - Bacalar

Rental car pickup. Self drive to Tulum. In the morning you will visit the Mayan site of Tulum, built high above the Caribbean. Unlike all other Mayan sites, Tulum is located directly on the sea. In addition to the so-called castle, the most famous buildings are the “Temple of the Descending God”, the “Temple of the Wind” and the Fresco Temple. Then continue to the Lagoon of the Seven Colors in Bacalar, which was given the title Pueblo Magico. The Fort of San Felipe de Bacalar is located in the center of Bacalar. The fortress was built in 1725 by Antonio de Figueroa y Silva, governor of Yucatán, as a strong defense to preserve the state against the advances of the English colonial rulers. It was completed in 1733. Afterwards you have the opportunity to take a refreshing swim in the Cenote Azul.

Overnight in Bacalar

Bacalar

Breakfast

350 km, approx. 4.5 hours
Day 3 Bacalar - Chicanná - Calakmul
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Bacalar - Chicanná - Calakmul

Welcome to a 2.5 hour boat adventure to Laguna Bacalar. First stop at Cenote Cocalitos / Stromatolites, which is 90 meters deep. Stromatolites are ancestors of corals that date back to the origin of life on the planet. Your next stop is the famous Pirate Canal, where the shallow and warm water creates an unforgettable backdrop. Can you imagine the battles against pirates who tried to plunder the area almost 400 years ago? We continue to the Black Cenote / Cenote of the Witch, a place full of fantasy and mystery. The depth exceeds 100 meters, so you can notice a color change in the water. At this point you will see why it is known as the Lagoon of 7 Colors. Continue to the so-called Rio Bec region. The city of Chicanná was inhabited between 300 and 1100 years AD and contains buildings of the Chenes style and the Rio Bec style. During the Classic period, the city benefited from its location on the central trade route between the Gulf Coast and the Caribbean coast. Chicanná’s most famous building is on the east side of the courtyard. The central entrance to the courtyard is built as a snake’s mouth entrance, with sculpted stone masonry of excellent quality. Drive to the Hotel Puerta Calakmul at the entrance to the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. As we sleep, we visit the nearby bat cave in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. It is a cave 54 meters deep where, according to experts, about four million bats of nine species live. Thousands of these incredible mammals emerge from the cave almost every day at the same time at sunset in search of food, providing one of the most impressive spectacles nature can offer.

Overnight in Calakmul

Calakmul

Breakfast

240 km, approx. 3.5 hours
Day 4 Calakmul - Palenque
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Calakmul - Palenque

After breakfast, drive deep into the rainforest to the mystical site of Calakmul. Calakmul was a powerful Mayan city during the Classic period. Along with El Mirador and Tikal, Calakmul is one of the largest Mayan cities ever discovered. A visitor center marks the entrance to Calakmul National Park. From there, a gravel road leads deep into a jungle area, where the once mighty Mayan city awaits your discovery. Calakmul covered an area of approximately 30 square kilometers and had over 100 colossal buildings; A total of more than 5,000 buildings are known. The so-called “structures” or pyramids I and II are dominant here. The latter has a height of around 45 meters. However, the majority of Calakmul has not yet been excavated or studied in depth. One can only speculate about the population figures. A population of around 50,000 people is assumed for the city center. The enormous dimensions of the main pyramid are impressive, from the top platform of which you have an unforgettable view over the almost endless jungle deep into Guatemala. In the afternoon we continue to Palenque.

Overnight in Palenque

Palenque

Breakfast

330 km, approx. 5 hours
Day 5 Palenque
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Palenque

Palenque was founded around 300 years BC. Founded in the 7th and 8th centuries AD, it was in full bloom. All of the buildings that can still be seen today date from this period. Palenque was one of the first sites of the Classic Maya period to be abandoned for reasons that remain unclear. The "Temple of Inscriptions" impresses with more than 620 hieroglyphs and tells the story of the Mayan king Pacals from the time of his accession to the throne in 615 AD. For almost 70 years, Pacal, crowned at the age of 12, controlled the fortunes of Palenque. The discovery of his tomb in a temple built in his honor was one of the great archaeological sensations of Mayan history. In the afternoon, swim at the nearby Roberto Barrios waterfalls. Return to Palenque.

Overnight in Palenque

Palenque

Breakfast
Day 6 Palenque - Campeche
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Palenque - Campeche

Self-drive along the Gulf of Mexico past idyllic fishing villages such as Champoton. We reach the port city of Campeche in the early afternoon. The Archaeological Museum in Baluarte San Miguel is located just outside the city of Campeche. This 10-room museum consists of two unique collections of its kind in the entire Maya region, which also include the jadeite burial masks from the royal tombs of Calakmul and the collection of burial figures from Jaina Island. In 1540, what is now Campeche was founded by Spanish settlers. A thriving port city quickly developed on the Gulf of Mexico, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. Towards the end of the 17th century, the Spanish built large fortifications to protect against pirate attacks; These “Baluartes” are still one of the most important sights in the city today. Within this fortress belt lie the city’s beautiful and lovingly restored colonial buildings. It’s worth visiting the La Concepcíon Cathedral and the "heart" of the city, the small Zocalo Parque Principal.

Overnight in Campeche

Campeche

Breakfast

360 km, approx. 5.5 hours
Day 7 Campeche - Uxmal - Celestún - Mérida
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Campeche - Uxmal - Celestún - Mérida

Drive past citrus plantations to Uxmal. The Uxmal archaeological site is located approximately 60 kilometers south of Merida and reveals the history of the Late Classic Maya period. This large ruin complex, built in the Puuc style, is one of the most interesting in the world. The name Uxmal stands for “those three times built”. The significance of many of the buildings built between 600 and 950 AD has not yet been fully deciphered. The beautifully decorated facades, huge terraces and squares, columns and archways are impressive. Celestún is a mangrove biosphere reserve known for its high flora and fauna diversity. The Estero estuary is home to the only colony of Cuban flamingos in Mesoamerica, alongside the one found in Río Lagartos. Boat trips are offered here to observe the main attraction, the numerous pink flamingos. Numerous North American waterbirds also overwinter in Celestún from December to March. In addition to fish, shrimps and mussels, the living creatures in Celestún include numerous bird species such as brown pelicans, frigate birds, cormorants, herons, snowy ibises and mangrove buzzards. The Celestún mangrove area was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2004.

Overnight in Merida

Merida

Breakfast

180 km, approx. 2.5 hours
Day 8 Mérida - Izamal - Chichén Itzá
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Mérida - Izamal - Chichén Itzá

Individual city tour of Merida. The most beautiful buildings include the huge cathedral, the bishop’s seat, the Palacio Municipal and the Casa de Montejo, the home of the city’s founder with the portal decorated with figures. The influence of Spain and France can be felt everywhere in the city. For example, the Champs-Elysees served as a model for the Paseo de Montejo boulevard. A visit to the colorful market should not be missed. Continue to the yellow city of Izamal. City tour in Izamal includes a visit to the dominant Franciscan convent, the spacious main square bordered by the convent and colonial buildings with arcades. Continue to the ruins of Itzamatul, which at 21 m had a fairly high platform with a temple to the god Itzamná. The northern and eastern sides have been restored and show a five-tiered structure. The highest pyramid platform of Izamal is called Kinich Kak Moo with sides of 200 m and a platform height of 36 m. The main access to the platform is from the south side, where a monumental megalithic staircase made of huge worked stone blocks is far ahead. Finally, visit the Cultural Center for Handicrafts with a permanent exhibition of objects created by the great masters of Mexican folk art. In the evening you reach Chichen Itza.

Overnight in Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza

Breakfast

120 km, approx. 2 hours
Day 9 Chichen Itzá - Riviera Maya
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Chichen Itzá - Riviera Maya

In the archaeological zone of Chichen Itza, the Mayan culture, further developed through the influence of the Toltecs from central Mexico, is expressed in all its splendor. “El Castillo” is the most impressive building in this Mayan city with a height of 30 meters. The largest ball court in the Yucatán can also be found in Chichen Itza. The building “El Caracol” is reminiscent of a snail shell and was discovered and drawn by the researcher Frederick Catherwood in 1842. The local observatory was used by the Mayans, among other things, to observe Venus and its orbit. The Cenote de Dzitnup was discovered by chance around 1950 and is located about 10 kilometers outside of Valladolid. The underground water basin, which can be reached via steep steps, offers a wonderful opportunity to refresh yourself by jumping into the cold water. There is an opening above the turquoise waters of the tiny lake through which daylight penetrates the pool, which is why the cenote is best visited at lunchtime. Many fish live in the crystal clear water and directly above there are numerous stalactites that have formed over time on the ceiling of the underground cave. Then transfer to your hotel in Cancun or on the Riviera Maya.

Breakfast

200 km, approx. 2 hours

9 days tour

Yucatán - In The Footsteps Of The Maya

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Yucatán - In The Footsteps Of The Maya

Cancun

Cancún - Tulum - Bacalar

Bacalar - Chicanná - Calakmul

Calakmul - Palenque

Palenque

Palenque - Campeche

Campeche - Uxmal - Celestún - Mérida

Mérida - Izamal - Chichén Itzá

Chichen Itzá - Riviera Maya

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