Yucatan Peninsula Culture & history

Dive into Mayan culture on a guided day trip with optional hotel transfers from Cancún or Riviera Maya to Chichén Itzá, named one of the New 7 Wonders of the World for being one of the world's best-preserved ancient cities. Enjoy a Mexican buffet and tequila tasting, and stop at Valladolid and a cenote. The fun will just get started with a panoramic visit as no visit to the charming town of Valladolid, famed for the ornate, 16th-century Convent of San Bernardino of Siena, and the baroque San Gervasio Cathedral. Then, a visit to the area would not be complete without a stop by a cenote, a refreshing, enchanting underground sinkhole, sacred to the Mayan people. Then, enjoy a Mexican buffet lunch and a tequila-tasting experience. Finally, once at Chichén Itzá, follow the guide while learning all about the most important buildings. From the awe-inspiring Pyramid of Kukulcan to the ruins that once housed tens of thousands of Mayans, the Pyramid of El Castillo or El Caracol, this visit is filled with rarely heard stories, incredible details, and stunning photo opportunities. Discover why the huge city played such an important role from the Late Classic period (600 AD) into the early part of the Post Classic period (1200 AD), and why it remained a huge center of pilgrimage.

Join a certified guide on a tour of the world-famous Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Yucatan Peninsula. Explore the ancient Mayan world and discover its intriguing history while visiting the site's most significant landmarks. Choose between group and private options and journey through the former hub of Mayan commerce, politics, military, and religion. Immerse yourself in the fascinating stories of El Caracol, El Observatorio, and El Castillo, also known as the Temple of Kukulcán, the central pyramid of Chichén Itzá. As you wander through the thousand-year-old ruins of this sacred archaeological site, allow your guide to unveil the captivating history and culture of the Mayan civilization. Get ready to delve into the mysteries of Chichén Itzá and gain a deeper understanding of the Mayan people. Don't miss the Equinox on 19th, 20th and 21st of March. Special times will be available to experience the phenomenon! If the wheather allows it, the light and shadows will show a snake going down from the Pyramid.

Travel back in time with a guided tour of the Mayan Chichen Itza ruins. Swim thorugh the azure waters of a Cenote and have some free time to explore the charming town of Valladolid. Watch a live Mayan cooking demonstration and sit down to a delicious buffet lunch.  Enjoy the convenience of being picked up from your accommodation in Cancun. Sit back and relax on the scenic drive to Chichen Itza to experience one of the 7 wonders of the world. Pay the local tax and follow your guide on a tour of ancient Mayan sacred sites.  Engage your senses with a live cooking demonstration. Be amazed as a chef whips up delightful Mayan dishes with local vegetables and fauna. Transcend frontiers and experience the culinary diversity of Mexico.  Savor a buffet lunch packed with mouth-watering flavors. Head to a Cenote and descend to enter the deep pool. Immerse yourself in the cool waters of this site that was once sacred to the Mayans.  Continue the town of Valladolid and have some free time to take a stroll through the streets to soak up the colonial architecture. Return to your accommodation in Cancun at the end of your excursion. 

Set off on an excursion to Tulum, a picturesque, must-see Maya archeological site located next to the turquoise sea. Enjoy hotel pickup and drop-off in the Riviera Maya and visit two breathtaking cenotes. Be picked up from your hotel and make your way to the Tulum archaeological zone on the picturesque Caribbean coast. Embark on a comprehensive guided walk. Have some free time to explore the ancient solar observatory in the Temple of the Frescoes and the seaside Temple of the God of Wind. Snap once-in-a-lifetime photos of the Pyramid El Castillo and pristine white-sand beaches. Stop at the cenote Mariposa and immerse yourself in the cave's crystal-clear waters. Look up to admire the lush jungle canopy as you swim, and try to spot the wildlife that lives among the branches. Make a stop at the Chen-Ha cenote before returning to your accommodation.

The first stop is the archaeological zone of Chichén Itzá where you will enter the great Mayan city and the first thing you will see is “El Castillo” which was built to honor the God Kukulcán. The visit time is 2 hours, in the company of a certified guide, explore the beautiful buildings of this Mayan city. We visited the most important buildings of Chichén Itzá such as the Castle, the Platform of Venus, the Tzompantli, the Mayan ball game, the snail observatory, among others. Afterwards, you have 30 minutes in which you can choose between free time or visiting the sacred cenote (here the group is divided into 2 according to preferences). The total stay in Chichén Itzá is 2 and a half hours. Then, immerse yourself in the sacred world offered by the Ik Kil cenote, a window to the past where you will find the perfect balance of harmony and adventure. Ik-Kil, in Mayan “The Place of the Winds”, is a park surrounded by exotic plants and large old trees. In the center of the park you can find the Ik Kil Cenote, a reflection of the natural wealth of Yucatan and which was an adornment of ancient cultures. Animals dating back centuries have been found there, proving that this cenote is a place of sacrifice and legends. You have 1 hour and a half to be in the cenote and change clothes. Enjoy a delicious buffet meal at the Yax-beh restaurant, with a drink included (vegetarian options available). Finally, we took a guided tour of the magical town of Izamal, known as the city of three cultures, as it combines the pre-Hispanic and colonial history of the state while reflecting contemporary life. As you walk through its streets, you will notice a very curious detail: all the houses are painted yellow and white. This tour lasts 12 hours (7am to 7pm) and is conducted in both languages (Spanish and English).

Travel back in time with a guided tour of the Mayan Chichen Itza ruins. Swim through the azure waters of an authentic Cenote and have some free time to explore the charming town of Valladolid. Watch a live Mayan cooking demonstration and sit down for a delicious buffet lunch. Enjoy the convenience of being picked up from your accommodation in Riviera Maya. Sit back and relax on the scenic drive to Chichen Itza to experience one of the 7 wonders of the world. Pay the local tax and follow your guide on a tour of ancient Mayan sacred sites. Engage your senses with a live cooking demonstration. Be amazed as a chef whips up delightful Mayan dishes with local vegetables and fauna. Transcend frontiers and experience the culinary diversity of Mexico. Savor a buffet lunch packed with mouth-watering flavors. Then head to a Cenote and descend a staircase to enter the deep pool. Immerse yourself in the cool waters of this site that was once sacred to the Mayans. Continue to the town of Valladolid and have some free time to take a stroll through the streets to soak up the colonial architecture. Return to your accommodation at the end of your excursion. 

Discover the Mayan Riviera first-hand on a guided day trip from Cancún, with hotel pick-up and drop-off included. Swim in the clear waters of a sacred cenote, marvel at the old Mayan cities of Tulum and Cobá, and visit the coastal resort town of Playa del Carmen. Begin your tour from Cancún with a visit to Tulum, an old Mayan city built on the seashore. Marvel at its incredible structures, including El Castillo, El Templo de Los Frescos, and the beautiful white sand beach. This is one of the most photographed sites in the Riviera Maya. Next, discover Cobá, a Mayan city boasting the tallest pyramid in the entire Yucatán Peninsula. Tek through the sprawling jungle surrounding you and marvel at its sounds, aromas, and natural beauty. Your guide will enlighten you with magical tales of an ancient culture as you explore. Stop for a buffet lunch and taste local delicacies. Enjoy a regional lunch buffet of Yucatán specialties. Spice up your day with a taste of the special habanero salsa if you are feeling brave. Dive into a truly magical experience with a swim in a cenote in the Riviera Maya, an otherworldly natural underground limestone sinkhole filled with crystalline water. Conclude your Riviera Maya tour with a visit to Playa del Carmen, a vibrant city in the Mexican Caribbean - a perfect spot for some shopping, people watching, and enjoying the chic 5th Avenue vibes.

The first stop is Tulum, the ancient Maya city perched on a cliff overlooking the Mexican Caribbean sea. Your expert bilingual guide will share fascinating information about the archaeological site, its importance in history, and the day-to-day life of its inhabitants at its peak. Hear all about the past cultures and the theories of their demise. Next up is a visit to Cenote Kuxtal for a swim. Cenotes are unique to the Yucatan Peninsula, natural sinkholes in limestone caves that were sacred to the ancient Maya people. You will then savor an authentic regional lunch buffet to recharge for the last stop of the day. The last part of this incredible journey is a guided tour of the Coba Mayan ruins. Still mostly hidden beneath the jungle foliage, Coba is the site of the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan, climb to the top for out of this world views. Hear from your guide about the discovery of this site. Admire the boundaries between nature and man-made structures and the jungle bonds with the ruins.

Embark on an exclusive guided tour to the protected archaeological site of Chichen Itza, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, and enjoy the tranquility of your early-morning visit to Chichen Itza before the crowds arrive! An expert guide will provide fascinating insights into the significance of Chichen Itza, which was a major hub of Mayan civilization from around A.D. 600 to 1200, serving as a center of worship, politics, and pilgrimage until the arrival of the Spanish. Discover how the site was abandoned and hidden by jungle for centuries until it was rediscovered and brought to global attention, eventually earning UNESCO World Heritage status. Visit some of the most iconic and important sites within the complex, including the Temple of Kukulkan, known for its stunning architectural alignment with the equinox, and the Great Ball Court, where Mayans played the Mesoamerican ballgame. Marvel at the Temple of the Warriors, with its rows of columns depicting warrior figures, and the Observatory, used by the Mayans to study the stars and planets. Throughout the tour, enjoy the authenticity of the experience—without the distractions of tourist traps or shopping stops. Focus on the history and beauty of this iconic site, while capturing amazing photos of the towering pyramids and impressive temples. Immerse yourself in the story of the ancient Maya, all while avoiding the typical crowds and commercialized elements of other tours. This is a truly unique and immersive journey into the heart of Mexico's rich cultural heritage.

We will leave the city of Mérida for the Ria Celestun Biosphere Reserve, a multicolored paradise just 95 km away, west of the state capital. Upon arriving at the fishing community of Celestun, we will board a boat to take a tour of the estuary. The Ria Celestun Reserve, with an area of 60,000 ha, is the favorite place for thousands of flamingos to feed and rest. Inside the mangrove, we will visit an area with dead trees, known as the "petrified forest", and a fresh water spring. We will continue to the Celestún village to eat and enjoy the beautiful beach.