Merida & Riviera Maya
Merida & Riviera Maya Tour Package
Quintana Roo is a Paradise located in the extreme south of Mexico. It is a mixture of exuberant natural beauty and modern tourist infrastructure, as well as white sand beaches, turquoise water, and soft waves that kiss the beaches.
The tropical forest of this region, like the forest of the rest of the Mayan World, protects marvelous cities and traces of this astonishing civilization. To name a few, we can mention Tulum, Cobá, Ichkabal, and Konhunlich, each with its own charm.
The Mayan forest of Quintana Roo is the habitat for diverse wildlife, which makes it especially attractive to visitors.
One of the most attractive places to visit in Quintana Roo is the Barrier Reef, the biggest reef in America and the second largest barrier reef in the world. Here, you can embark on thrilling underwater adventures and witness the colorful marine species that call this reef home.
Duration:11 Days, 10 Nights
Difficulty: Moderate
Group Size: Minimum 2
Comfort Level: Standard to Luxury
Pick up / Drop off locations
Transportation
Cancun International Airport
Minibus | Boat
Physical demand
Trips may include activities like walks and boat rides.
Destination
- Oxkintok
- Celestun
- Merida
- Coba
- Punta Allen
- Tulum
Highlights
- Culture & History
- Archaeology
- Nature
- Beach
- Snorkeling
- Birdwatching
Tour Plan
This itinerary idea can be customized to suit your and your family’s interests. Contact us; we are pleased to hear your comments, wishes, and expectations and are ready to design the trip to suit you.
Day 1: Arrival – Cancun
Meet & greet at Cancun International Airport and transfer to Chichen Itza (2.5 hours)
If time permits, on route quick stop at Valladolid; this is a colorful colonial city with beautiful and charming neighborhoods; it is a region where two-thirds of the residents are native Yucatec Maya speakers, a place with the most significant number of cenotes in the area, and where the traditional customs characterize the worldview and life of its inhabitants.
Day 2: Chichen Itza – Merida
This morning, you will enter Chichen Itza before the crowds. Here, you will visit the famous Kukulkan pyramid, the ball court, the observatory, the nunnery, and the “cenote sagrado”(the sacrifice well).
After you will continue to Mérida (2 hours).
Day 3: Uman / Oxkintok Archeological Site
After breakfast, you will begin your trip towards Uman (30 Minutes). This village has a 16th-century church, San Francisco de Asis Church. It is a domed structure built of stone, with columns adorning the gothic-looking entry. You will also visit the local market and try some exotic fruits.
Continue with the trip, transfer to Oxkintok (1 hour); the Mayan word Oxkintok, for a long time and by a literal interpretation, was customary to translate as “three days of burning” since it is made up of the words Ox: three; Kin: day or sun; and Tok: flint; that is, “three days flint” or “three cutting suns.” Currently, it is handled as a possible meaning of “the city of the three Flint suns.”
Oxkintok is considered one of the most important settlements in northern Yucatan and, perhaps, the oldest city in the central Puuc region. His position allowed him to control the flow of commercial goods from the south of the peninsula and connect with other contemporary cultures. Its main chronology is Upper Preclassic and extends until the Early Postclassic, from 300 BC. C., approximately 1200 AD. C.
Then, visit Hacienda San Pedro Ochil. This is one of the seven haciendas that, at the end of the 19th century, gave prosperity to the region with the production of henequen fiber. Beautifully restored, the main gate stands out, especially with a Moorish-style arch and neoclassical influence.
Here, you can see henequen, the original clotheslines, machinery, fireplace, and chapel of the hacienda, visit the cenote and observe how artisans work inside the workshops, or visit a small folk art museum. Jewelers work the filigree, women weave hammocks and embroider the white cotton dresses known as huipiles, and men carve wood and stone.
In the afternoon, return to your hotel in Merida.
Day 4: Celestun Boat Tour
After breakfast, you will begin the trip to Celestun Reserve, located 95 km west of Merida; this reserve has 51,139 hectares, and a 20-km-long estuary empties into the Gulf of Mexico in Campeche. At this biosphere reserve, you can witness the spectacular sight of pink flamingos in flight and admire more than 170 resident and migratory bird species that inhabit the area. You’ll also spot crocodiles in the marshes, and you may have the pleasant surprise of watching green, hawksbill, and loggerhead turtles laying their eggs (seasonal)
Time to relax in a secluded beach,
Afternoon return to Merida.
Day 5: Merida Cultural City Tour
Today, you will enjoy a cultural City tour in Merida, a journey through time and history.
In the old paved streets of the “White City,” among the beautiful buildings that you will visit are Merida’s main Cathedral, built in 1561, Casa de Montejo, the government palace, the municipal palace, theaters, a cultural center, parks, and markets. You can also enjoy authentic Yucatecan Food.
Day 6: Coba Archeological Site
Morning transfer to Tulum (3 hours) on route stop at Coba Archaeological Site
Coba means ‘waters stirred by the wind,’ an appropriate Mayan name as two large lagoons surround this settlement. Coba was an ignored piece of Mayan history for many years due to its location. Located between Tulum in the state of Quintana Roo and Valladolid in the state of Yucatan, archeologists first learned about the site in the mid-1800s ′s, but dense jungle, the Caste War, and lack of funds made this site a problematic area to penetrate. This Mayan site is still largely unexcavated, making it a true wonder in the Yucatan. Visitors can enjoy shaded walkways that are the original sacbe (white roads), three settlements that show the architecture and vast area of this once large city, two ball courts, and climb the highest Mayan pyramid in the Yucatan, Nohoch Mul. This site differs from Chichen Itza, Ek Balam, or even Tulum because Coba is not a single site but a large group of sites connected to the central pyramid, connected by over 16 Mayan ceremonial “white roads” (sacbéob).
Optional Zipline tour.
Day 7: Muyil, Full Day Adventure
After breakfast, transfer to Muyil for a fascinating cultural immersion with a local nature guide who shares the mysteries of the Muyil archaeological site. Hike through the forest to the shore of the turquoise lagoon of Chunyaxche. Jump in the freshwater canal and “float to the ecstasy,” the most relaxing experience. Finally, enjoy a Mayan lunch.
Day 8: Community Cultural Tour, Señor & Tihosuco Full Day Tour
Morning departure to Señor (1.5 hours) This a quaint village to experience an authentic Mayan community, a destination where inhabitants are willing to open their homes to visitors. It is an opportunity to get close to local people and learn about their traditions, customs, and trade. The inhabitants of this area still engage in daily trade; this heritage is protected as an essential legacy of their Mayan ancestors. Here, you will learn about Maya Medicine plants, Henequen spinning demonstration, legends and storytelling, textiles,
Afterward, move to Tihosuco (40 minutes); one of the village’s top attractions is its magnificent church and a convent dedicated to the Divine Child located in the center of the town, just west of the main square.
The town is rich in history, culture, and traditions. It has a museum devoted to the social Maya War, also known as the Caste War, where visitors can see magnificent paintings and even the weapons used during this historic event, as well as the original documents and artifacts.
After a delightful lunch of Mayan Yucatecan Cuisine, you will be safely escorted back to Tulum to ensure a comfortable and worry-free journey.
Day 9: Punta Allen, Snorkeling, Dolphins, Turtles and Birdwatching
Morning transfer to Punta Allen. Upon arrival, board the boat for a tour through lagoons, mangroves, and the Caribbean Sea. Enjoy snorkeling in the second-largest reef in the world and swimming with starfish, turtles, and millions of colorful fish species. You will also do birding and spot other marine animals like dolphins.
Day 10: Tulum Archaeological Site & Snorkeling
This morning, you will visit Tulum National Park, whose buildings have a Toltec influence and were abandoned about 75 years after the Spanish conquest. El Castillo is the tallest building at Tulum (the castle), appropriately named, where you can have the most fantastic view of the Caribbean.
It’s time to snorkel at the Tulum site.
Free afternoon to relax on the beach.
Day 11: Back Home
At your convenience, transfer to Cancun International Airport in time to catch your international flight back home.
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