Experience Overview
Go way beyond the Mayan Riviera on this active adventure through Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Visit the iconic site of Chichen Itzá and bike between freshwater sinkholes in the jungle to swim and cool off from the heat. Stay at a working agave hacienda and venture into the stunning scenery of Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve to explore by boat and on foot. Experience the Yucatecan traditions through it's delicious regional cuisine and friendly people. Bookended by beachside Playa del Carmen and Tulum, discover a different side of Mexico's incredible natural and cultural beauty.
Highlights
- Marvel at the giant pyramid at Chichen Itzá
- Stay at an historic working hacienda
- Cycle between cenotes and swim in the cool water
- Wander the seaside archaeological site of Tulum
- Explore the Sian Ka'an Biosphere reserve by boat and on foot.
Trip Details
Product Code: 1779
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Moderate
Transport: Private vehicle, boat, walking.
Guide Language: English
Supplier Code: CMCT
Starts: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Finishes: Tulum, Mexico
Duration: 8 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical rating: Average
Includes
Activities
- Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group Your Foodie Moment: Traditional Cochinita Pibil Meal Experience, Sotuta de Peón Your OMG Day: Visit Uxmal or Kayak in the Celestún Biosphere, Mérida
- Complimentary arrival transfer
- Welcome dinner
- Guided tour of Chichen Itzá archaeological site
- CEO-led orientation walk in Valladolid
- Tour of a working agave hacienda
- Excursion to cycle between and swim in cenotes
- City tour of Mérida
- Guided tour of Tulum ruins
- Full-day excursion to Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve
- Farewell dinner
- All tips included for activities and meals, except for CEO and porterage
- All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
Accommodation
- Hotels (4 nts), Historic Working Hacienda (3 nts).
- 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners
Transport
- Private vehicle, boat, walking.
Group Leader
- CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD 3849 (CAD 481 /day)
Itinerary
Day 1: Playa del Carmen: Welcome to the Yucatan Peninsula
Sitting on a stretch of white sand beach along the Mayan Riviera, Playa del Carmen bursts with energy and international travellers. Strolling the pedestrian Quinta Avenida takes you past seemingly endless shops, bars and restaurants with the beach and blue sea just beyond. We welcome you to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, and invite you to embrace the landscapes, history and incredible food that this region has to offer.
Arrive to Cancún airport at any time and transfer to the hotel. Meet your fellow group members at the welcome meeting in the evening and get all the important information about the adventure ahead. Afterwards, head to a nearby restaurant for a delicious welcome dinner with new friends.
Day 2: Valladolid: Visit Chichen Itzá
At the first glimpse of the massive pyramid at Chichen Itzá, you'll see why photos can't properly do it justice as you appreciate the sheer size and craftsmanship. Duck between the shade of trees to escape the blazing sun and explore what was a massive Mayan city, one of the most important in the region in its heyday. Jungle surrounds the site along with giant sinkholes in the limestone called cenotes, leading to the vast network of underground rivers, all of which played an important part in the cosmology and daily lives of the Maya inhabitants.
Travel inland for a guided tour of Chichen Itzá archaeological site before enjoying a delicious typical lunch nearby. Continue to the town of Valladolid and set off on a CEO-led orientation walk before enjoying a free evening.
Day 3: Mérida hacienda: A Living Ranch
In many ways life at a working ranch (hacienda) mirrors what it would have been like hundreds of years ago, using traditional techniques in agriculture and raising livestock. The harvesting of henequen, a type of agave plant known locally as "green gold" is important in all sorts of practical ways as the fibres are used to make ropes, twine and even local spirits.
Head east across the Yucatan Peninsula to a living hacienda, our base for the next few days. Dig into a traditional and delicious local meal of Cochinita Pibil and other regional delicacies before taking a tour of the facilities. On the walk, learn about the history of henequen production and its uses before some free time to relax before dinner.
Day 4: Mérida Hacienda: Cenotes
Pedaling through the jungle, you'll approach a giant hole in the earth filled with clear blue water that beckons you to take a break from the heat in the cool, fresh water. This part of the Yucatán is littered with these iconic landmarks that were so sacred to the Maya and serve as the perfect way to cool off and swim. The nearby city of Merida serves as the capital city of the Yucatán and embodies a unique cultural heritage of the indigenous cultures and the Spanish who settled here in the 1500s.
Full day excursion to the cenotes, cycling between them and swimming with lunch. Take a short city tour of Merida en route back to the hacienda in the evening.
Day 5: Mérida hacienda: Your OMG Day
The Mayan ruins of Uxmal may not be as well-known as Chichen Itzá but they are similarly spectacular and with less visitors. If you're looking for something more active, then perhaps a kayaking trip in the Celestún Biosphere may hold more interest, the choice is yours. Flexibility is the order of the day for you to experience the Yucatan on your own terms.
Choice of guided tour in the morning, both options with lunch. Return to the hacienda in the afternoon with time to relax and enjoy the surroundings on your own.
Day 6: Tulum: Seaside Coastal Ruins
What was once a small unknown town on the Mayan Riviera has now become the next big thing. The ruins themselves are one of the very few Mayan site lying along the coast, and in its day Tulum was an important outpost for trade and for strategic positioning. The azure blue water and white sand beaches make it one of the most beautiful places you have ever seen.
Travel across the Yucatan from Mérida to Tulum and take a guided tour of the ruins. Enjoy a free evening to choose from one of the many great restaurants or join the CEO at their local favourite.
Day 7: Tulum: Explore the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve
Meaning "The Place Where the Sky is Born," the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve is one of the most beautiful places along Mexico's Caribbean coast, designated as a UNESCO Heritage Site for its vast biodiversity and wetlands. Explore by boat along a network of canals dug out by the Mayans and search for wildlife like monkeys, crocodiles and tropical birds. Cool off in the the crystal clear water of one of the canals as you float past Mayan ruins and mangrove forests.
Full-day tour of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere reserve by boat. Return to the hotel in the afternoon and enjoy a farewell dinner at the beach.
Day 8: Tulum
The adventure finishes today, and you can depart at any time.
Tour Operator
G Adventures
G Adventures is an operator of small-group escorted tours. It is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with 28 offices worldwide. It offers more than 700 itineraries in more than 100 countries, and carries 200,000 travelers from 160 countries each year.
In Business Since 1990
Reviews
Sydney L. - Traveled, April 2024
It was a remarkable trip. I loved having the opportunity to learn about an area of Mexico I was unfamiliar with and enjoyed the range and depth of experiences offered. Every day was magical and unforgettable.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/06/2024
Allison H. - Traveled, April 2024
The Yucatan is so much more than Cancun and Tulum. The opportunity to get off the beaten path, engage with the Mayan culture, and try new foods and new experiences, all while being guided by someone as knowledgeable, charming, and caring as Lola
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/23/2024
Lisa-Marie L. - Traveled, April 2024
It was a fantastic experience. For me as a journalist the comparison between Tulum and all the other places was interesting but i'm not sure if i would want to experience this as a "private traveller" with this itinerary.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/23/2024
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