MAYAN CULTURE
México – Tuxtla – San Cristobal – Palenque – Campeche – Mérida – Cancún
11 days / 10 nights
Enjoy the beautiful views of Sumidero canyon, then continue to the Mythic San Cristobal de las Casas and its indigenious comunities. Amaze yourself with the Agua Azul waterfalls and the archaeological sites of Palenque and Chichen Itza, plus enjoy the sun shine of the Mexican Caribbean.
Departures to Tuxtla Gutierrez on Tuesday. Pax must be arriving to Mexico on Sunday.
DAY 01. (SUN) ARRIVAL TRANSFER TO MEXICO CITY
Reception at the Mexico City international airport “Benito Juarez”, transfer to the hotel of your choice and lodging.
DAY 02. (MON) BASILICA OF GUADALUPE / PYRAMIDS OF TEOTIHUACA
Breakfast. We will begin our tour visiting the Plaza of the three cultures, where the past and the present are mixed, from there we will continue to the impressive archaeological site of Teotihuacan, where we will visit the monumental Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, the temple of Quetzalpapalotl, the citadel and the avenue of the dead. We will also visit a handicraft center. On the way back to the city we will visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of America. Return to the hotel and rest of the day at leisure. Lodging.
DAY 03. (TUE) MEXICO CITY / TUXTLA GUTIÉRREZ
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport to take the flight to Tuxtla. Reception at the airport in Tuxtla Gutierrez, free afternoon. Lodging.
DAY 04. (WED) TUXTLA / SUMIDERO CANYON / CHIAPA DEL CORZO / ZINACANTAN / SAN JUAN DE CHAMULA / SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS
Breakfast. We depart for Sumidero Canyon, where we will board a boat to navigate the impressive canyon, which is almost 1 km deep and 14 km long. Afterward, we will take a walk through Chiapa de Corzo, a colonial site of tradition and culture. We will visit beautiful indigenous communities of the Tzotzil ethnic group; first visiting Chamula to learn and understand the fusion of contemporary traditions and ancestral Mayan characteristics that characterize this place. Afterward, we will continue to Zinacantán, where we will observe the women working the backstrap loom and admire the beautiful dresses worn by the women, as well as small shops and handicraft workshops. We will visit San Juan Chamula, which will surprise us with its impressive church that mixes Christianity and pre-Columbian traditions in its rites. At the end of the visit, we will drive to San Cristobal de Las Casas and spend the rest of the day at leisure to enjoy this beautiful colonial city founded in 1528. Lodging.
DAY 05. (THURS) SAN CRISTÓBAL / OCOSINGO / AGUA AZUL / MISOL HA / PALENQUE
Breakfast. A stage of beautiful mountain landscapes in the interior of Chiapas, inhabited by communities that have maintained their language and traditions of Mayan origin. We will have a stop in OCOSINGO, the regional capital. After that we will continue to AGUA AZUL, the National Park, we will have a stop to enjoy lunch and time to walk or swim among the more than 50 waterfalls between 3 and 30 meters high. We will continue to MISOL HA, an impressive waterfall, where you can walk along the path behind the waterfall. Afterward, we will head to PALENQUE to enjoy a delicious dinner. Lodging.
Note: In the Ocosingo region there are occasionally roadblocks (due to social tensions in the area). Should this occur, an alternative route would be taken, eliminating the stops in Ocosingo, Agua Azul, and Misol and instead visiting the city of Villahermosa and the ecological reserve of Yumka
DAY 06. (FRI) PALENQUE / CAMPECHE
Breakfast. We will visit the impressive archaeological site of Palenque, a Mayan city surrounded by jungle, where we will see its temples, pyramids, and ball games. Afterward, we will head towards the Gulf of Mexico through the state of Tabasco to Campeche, a city known for its colonial buildings and its 16th-century fortifications, famous for the constant pirate attacks that have left it surrounded by forts and walls. Arrival and londging.
DAY 07. (SAT) CAMPECHE / MÉRIDA
Breakfast. Departure to Yucatan and in approximately two hours we will arrive in Merida, to visit the vibrant capital of the state that treasures a rich colonial and Mayan heritage, we will visit the fortified cathedral of Merida and the limestone church of the Third Order as well as the Casa de Montejo, a mansion from the 16th century, an emblem of colonial architecture. In the afternoon you can visit the city on your own and if you prefer, visit the Museum of the Mayan World. In the evening, we will include a transfer to attend the ‘Representation of the Mayan ball’. Lodging.
DAY 08. (SUN) MÉRIDA / IZAMAL / CHICHÉN ITZÁ / RIO LAGARTOS
Breakfast. Today we will have the opportunity to visit the state of Yucatan; we will visit the town of Izamal, one of the most beautiful, and declare Izamal one of the most beautiful towns in Mexico, declared ‘Magic Town.’. We will visit Chichen Itza, where we will appreciate the most important and renowned vestige of the Mayan civilization, considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We will tour the ancient city, knowing the mythical pyramid of Kukulcan and the temple of the warriors. After the visit, we include a lunch of Mayan cuisine. Afterward, we drive to Rio Lagartos, a small fishing village in the center of a Biosphere Reserve. Lodging.
DAY 09. (MON) RIO LAGARTOS / VALLADOLID / CENOTE CHOJ HA / CANCÚN
Breakfast. In the morning, we will enjoy an exciting day where nature is the protagonist, we will have a boat ride where we will enter the biosphere reserve, and we will see crocodiles among its mangroves, lots of birds, pelicans, and pink flamingos. In addition, you can live the ‘Mud Experience’, smearing mud with high concentrations of sulfur, minerals, and salts that act as exfoliants for the skin, leaving a feeling of softness all over the body. After that, we will travel to Valladolid, a very nice historical site. Finally, we will visit the Choj Ha Cenote, managed by the local Mayan community, we will walk along a short path in the jungle to visit its dry cave and you will be able to swim in the wonderful lake inside the wet cave. Lodging.
DAY 10. (TUE) CANCÚN
Breakfast. Free day for personal activities or to enjoy the beach. Lodging
DAY 11. (WED) CANCUN
Breakfast. At the time indicated, transfer to the airport to board your return flight home. End of the services.
