Tierra Maya

• Transfer to the hotel in Cancun where the tour leaves for Merida; then visit the Chichen Itza archaeological site. Chichen Itza was the Mayan capital of Yucatan that flourished between the 5th and 10th centuries AD. Visitors can admire the impressive buildings of the northern and central archaeological sites, such as the Kukulcan Temple, the Ball Game, the Observatory, the Warrior’s temple, the Convent of the Nuns and the Sacred Cenote. Lunch in restaurant. The trip to Merida continues in the afternoon, followed by a panoramic visit to the city known as the “White City”, which has Colonial houses as well as houses that date back to the beginning of the century in the Arabic, French and Italian styles.
• Those houses have witnessed all the old wealth that was generated thanks to the sisal culture. Stop at Merida’s Zocalo, where visitors can admire the city’s main monuments, such as: the Cathedral, the Government’s Palace, the Municipal Palace and the Francisco Montejo’s House. Check-in at the Holiday Inn or similar accommodation.

Visit of the Uxmal archaeological site. Uxmal means “built in three stages” and it is a typical example of the classic and post-classic Mayan period. Uxmal’s main constructions are: Piramide del Adivino (The Fortuneteller’s Pyramid), Palacio de los Gobernadores (Governor’s Palace) and the Cuadrangulo de las Monjas (Quadrangle of the Nuns). Lunch in restaurant in Uxmal. Return to Merida in the afternoon and panoramic visit of the city. Accommodation.

Departure in the morning to visit the Hacienda Sotuta del Peon where the henequen, the “old green gold of Yucatan”, has been and is still produced, lunch in restaurant. Afterwards the tour continues to Campeche which is the capital of the state with the same name. Check-in at the Plaza Campeche hotel or similar. The afternoon schedule includes a short visit to the ancient town, surrounded by fort walls and towers built to protect this city from the pirates. Campeche has a Colonial mood thanks to its gorgeous houses and austere churches. Accommodation.

Departure to Palenque and check-in at the Ciudad Real or similar accommodation. Lunch break and in the afternoon the tour continues with the visit to Palenque’s archaeological site. The area displays beautiful Mayan work made of stone and stucco; this area is frequently recognized as one of Mexico’s most beautiful places; its ruins are inside the Chiapanecan (from the State of Chiapas) jungle. Its most important temple is called Templo de las Inscripciones (Temple of the Inscriptions), where explorers discovered Pakal’s tomb with his famous jade mask. Accommodation.

Morning departure to Chicanna which is located in the amazing area of the Bec River, which got its name from the particular Mayan architecture style and where visitors can see recently discovered archaeological sites. Arrival and check-in at the Eco Village Chicanna hotel, surrounded by an amazing Mayan jungle and in front of Chicanna archaeological site; its name means “House of the Serpent’s Mouth”. This site was only discovered in 1967 and stands out thanks to its doors marked with animal shaped masks; the Structure II is quite special due to its huge Zoomorphic mask that probably represents Itzamna, God of the Sun. Return to the Eco Resort. Visitors have the rest of the afternoon free to relax at their hotel while they listen to the cricket’s canto and other bird sounds from the jungle, which is a great way to refresh both body and spirit in a matter of minutes. Accommodation.

After a one-hour trip on the main highway, visitors will arrive at the drift that crosses the reserve of the country’s largest biosphere: Calakmul, which is the only real high jungle of the Yucatan peninsula. It hosts five of the six species of American wildcats as well as over 230 birds species and a great variety of flora. It is possible to see an incredible diversity of flora and fauna while traveling along this route. After one and a half-hour on a narrow road, the tour will arrive at the Calakmul archaeological site, considered one of the most important ones; it is located approximately 25 kilometers from the border with Guatemala. Hundreds of steals (monoliths) surround this region which clearly shows its Mayan domain. At the top of one of its largest monuments, visitors can admire the “green sea” of the huge Mayan biosphere. The visit finishes with a break for packed lunch. After that return to the main road and before arriving at Chicanna, the tour will take a 15-minute drift to visit the magical archaeological site of Balamku, where there is a huge stucco relief with people from the Mayan royalty and jaguars. Return to Chicanna. Accommodation.

Morning departure. The tour includes a visit to the Bacalar Lake also known as the “Lake of the Seven Colors” thanks to its water that reflects several colors, such as turquoise and jade, throughout its 50-kilometer extension. Lunch followed by trip to the Riviera Maya or Cancun. Arrival and check-in at the chosen hotel.