15| Jewels of the Mayan World | 10 Days – 9 Nights

Mayans developed a structure of writing, using hieroglyphs and so kept record of Mayan findings in mathematics, Architecture and Astronomy; because of these aspects, they are considered as the Greeks of the New World since only few civilizations developed a culture as abstract and intellectual as the Mayans did. The Mayan Culture reigned on the Yucatan Peninsula, on the Southeastern side of Mexico, enclosed by the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. It was in this area, where the Mayans reached their Superior degree of development. Nonetheless Mayan Civilization covered a vast extension, from Mexico’s Southern Pacific Coast, way in to Central America. Traces of Maya nomad settlements go back to 1500 BC. We distinguish mainly 3 Mayan periods of Social and Urban development: Nomad, Mayan Pre Classical and Mayan Classical. These Periods are relatively evident in their building techniques, their carved inscriptions on their Pyramids, buildings and temples.

Monuments / Attractions Envisaged

Tulum: Castle of Kukulcan.

Coba: Nohoch Mul Pyramid, Sacbes roads.

Chetumal: Sightseeing on the City.

Chicaná: Structure II: chi, mouth – can, serpent – and na house; translated this way it alludes to the “House of the Serpent Mouth”.

Palenque: Temple of Inscriptions, Royal Pakal Tomb, The Palace, The Temples of the Cross, The Temples of the Jaguar, The Temple of the Sun.

Misol-Ha/Agua Azul: Waterfalls and waterhole.

San Cristobal de las Casas: Sumidero Canyon, San Juan Chamula town, Zinacantan town.

Villahermosa: Sightseeing on the City, Museum La Venta.

Campeche: San Miguel fortress, Sightseeing on the City.

Kabah: The Palace of the Masks, Pyramid of Mascarones.

Uxmal: Pyramid of the Magician, The Governor’s Palace, The Nunnery Quadrangle.

Merida: Sightseeing on the City: Governor Palace, Montejo Palace, San Idelfonso Cathedral of Merida.

Chichen Itza: Temple of Kukulkan, Great Ball Court, Skull Platform, Sacred Cenote, Temple of the Warriors, Group of a Thousand Columns, El Mercado, The Osario, Las Monjas, El Caracol.

Accommodation Overview

As part of the tour you will be staying at a selection of four star hotels.

Equipped with modern day facilities, these hotels are known to offer the utmost care and comfort along with high standards of service.

Accommodation for your tour will be as described below, at the following properties:

1 Night at La Quinta Inn & Suites Cancun 4* or Similar in Cancun on Bed and Breakfast basis.

1 Night at Capital Plaza 4* or Similar in Chetumal on Bed and Breakfast basis.

2 Nights at Hotel Tulija Express 4* or Similar in Palenque on Bed and Breakfast basis.

2 Night at Hotel Villa Mercedes San Cristobal 5* or Similar in San Cristobal de las Casas on Bed and Breakfast basis.

1 Night at Hyatt Regency 5* or Similar in Villahermosa on Bed and Breakfast basis.

1 Night at Hotel Plaza Campeche 4* or Similar in Campeche on Bed and Breakfast basis.

1 Night at Mision Merida Panamericana 4* or Similar in Merida City on Bed and Breakfast basis.

La Quinta Inn & Suites Cancun 4* – Located in Cancun, 8 minutes drive from the beach, recently received an AAA 3 Diamond award and the TripAdvisor Excellence Award, located right on the financial area of the city, close to plaza Malecon and Plaza Las Americas shopping areas. Spacious guest rooms and suites are well furnished with contemporary décor and amenities including Wi-Fi throughout the property and outdoor swimming pool.

Capital Plaza Chetumal 4* – Located in Chetumal city centre, near from the main business zone, commercial shops and entertainment. The air-conditioned rooms at Capital Plaza are decorated in elegant light colours. Offering an outdoor pool, a gym and stylish rooms with free Wi-Fi, this modern hotel is situated opposite Chetumal’s Mayan Culture Museum.

Hotel Tulija Express Palenque 4* – Hotel Tulija Express Palenque is located in the commercial zone of Palenque, Chiapas. Tulija Express Palenque by Excellent City Hotels is the 4 stars Palenque hotel that reflects the unique mysticism of southeast Mexico. In addition to comfortable rooms, Tulija Express will offer you a restaurant, room service, swimming pool, free Wi-Fi and a full list of services that guarantees your satisfaction.

Hotel Villa Mercedes San Cristobal 5* – Created to offer first class services and facilities in the main tourist destinations in Chiapas, Villa Mercedes Hotel make your stay in San Cristobal de Las Casas a very pleasant experience. The cultural richness of a unique colonial town combined with the elegant facilities and rustic details to bring you a cozy stay.

Hotel Hyat Regency Villahermosa 5* – With a privileged location in the main commercial and business district of Villahermosa, you will have a unique experience of guest services with Hyatt Regency Hotel Villahermosa, in Tabasco, Mexico. Located opposite Tomás Garrido Park, this stylish hotel offers elegant rooms, overlooking either the lush garden, swimming pool or the city.

Hotel Plaza Campeche 4* – The Hotel Plaza Campeche offers high quality, elegance, comfort and safety with all the services offered by modern hotels. Located in the historic centre of the city and port of Campeche, near all commercial, cultural and tourist activities. Decorated in a classic style, Hotel Plaza Campeche offers an outdoor pool, air-conditioned rooms with free Wi-Fi and the seafront is just 500 m away.

Mision Merida Panamericana 4* – Mision Merida Panamericana will surround you with its unique architecture of a traditional colonial house. Located near of the most important historical sites in the beautiful city of Merida, in the historic city centre, less than 10 minutes walk from the downtown; is surrounded by museums, theatres, restaurants and colonial buildings, its location will allow you to visit the most important tourist sites including the Main Plaza and The Cathedral. Its airy rooms with a mix of streamlined and Spanish Colonial–style decor provide free Wi-Fi, flat-screens and sitting areas, as well as desks.

* Please note that should accommodation in the above listed hotels not be available at the time of your visit we will offer a similar standard.

Board Basis (Meal Plan) & Included Services

Welcome greeting at the airport in Cancun.

Transportation in air conditioned vehicles.

English speaking guide during the days of the tour.

09 nights accommodation at the hotels mentioned above on DBL occupancy.

Daily breakfast at all the above hotels.

Visits mentioned in the itinerary, including entrance fees to the archaeological sites.

Government taxes.

Exclusions

Expenses of personal nature like tipping, laundry, telephone/fax calls, alcoholic/non- alcoholic beverages, camera/video camera fee at monuments, medical expenses, airport taxes, any Insurance etc.

Any meals other than the mentioned.

Gratuities in hotel (maids and bell boys).

Beach extension hotel.

Information

10 Days – 9 Nights

Mexico City & Country South

Departure/Starting City

Cancun, Mexico
Hotels during Tour

La Quinta Inn & Suites Cancúnn 4* o Similar (Cancún) | Capital Plaza 4* o Similar (Chetumal) | Hotel Tulija Express 4* o Similar (Palenque) | Hyatt Regency 5* o Similar (Villahermosa) | Hotel Plaza Campeche 4* o Similar (Campeche) | Misión Mérida Panamericana 4* o Similar (Ciudad de Mérida)

From Our Gallery

Day 1: Cancun

Welcome greeting at the airport in Cancun and transfer to hotel in Cancun downtown.

Overnight in Cancun | La Quinta Inn & Suites Cancun 4* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis

Day 2: Cancun - Tulum – Coba - Chetumal

On the second day, we start your expedition to The Mayan World, with a scarcely 2 hours drive to reach the Magic archeological Site of Tulum, a walled sacred City of the Mayan Post Classic Period. Tulum stands on a cliff facing the rising sun, with outstanding views of the Caribbean. With over 20 Buildings, you will be able to observe the Stalls on the monuments, with the graphic legacy of the stage of the Mayan Culture in that Period; you will also see the First Castle on your Route dedicated to Kukulkan, the God of Gods of the Mayas. Tulum was a major link in the Maya extensive trade network, both maritime and land routes converged here. Tulum will be your first Caribbean Beach to enjoy the white sand and the crystal clear water of the Ocean. Then we will visit the Mayan ruins at Coba, on these quiet and peaceful grounds it´s hard to imagine that Coba may have once had the largest population of all the ancient Mayan cities. It was the heart of a large metropolis composed of many cities within the eastern Yucatan. As many as fifty sacbes (ancient roads) led into this huge Mayan city center, one of them over 62 miles long -- the longest in the Mayan world. The steepness of the Nohoch Mul pyramid (the tallest in the Yucatan at over 126 feet) and the building techniques employed here are characteristic of the Petan region of Guatemala. There are stories that indicate a ruling queen here married a priest from Tikal, which has the tallest Mayan pyramid. This may be why the architecture of the two sites is similar. During the afternoon, another two hour transit through the Tropical Vegetation, to reach your overnight destination. Chetumal, with a large Bay, is the outlet of the Hondo River, the natural frontier between Mexico and Belize. Chetumal is a fairly large and modern city, the capital of the State of Quintana Roo.

Overnight in Chetumal | Capital Plaza Chetumal 4* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis| Travelling Distance Approx. 400 km

Day 3: Chetumal – Chicanná – Palenque

Transit on the highway adorned by the evergreen foliage of nature most generous display. We will go direct just a bit over 2 hours to Chicanná, an encounter with The Classic Period Architecture. This is an archeological site built taking advantage of natural elevations that create a monumental sensation, where additionally the rainforest embellishes the surroundings creating the perfect frame for your most memorable photographs. Chicanná was discovered and named by Jack D. Eaton in 1966 during reconnaissance of the area, prior to the formal start of the National Geographic/Tulane University archaeological study, centered at Becán. The site was given its name at the time of its discovery and no doubt refers to the facade of Structure II: chi, mouth - can, serpent - and na house; translated this way it alludes to the "House of the Serpent Mouth". In the afternoon, we will continue towards Palenque.

Overnight in Palenque | Tulijá Express 4* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis| Travelling Distance Approx. 475 km

Day 4: Palenque – Misol Ha or Agua Azul - Palenque

In the morning we visit the archaeological site of Palenque. This ancient Mayan City reached its peak from the sixth to the eighth centuries A.D. Palenque, is a more rigidly conservative architecture compared to other Classic Maya sites. Still Palenque is one of the most enigmatical sites and has held its secrets for over twelve hundred years. The setting is nestled against the mountain wall, surrounded by flourishing vegetation deep in the rain forest. You will see endless levels of Maya man-made terraces, bearing uncounted structures, most of which appear to have been mausoleums. You will find a marked contrast between Palenque and other Classic Maya sites. The most outstanding buildings are: The Temple of the Inscriptions, a majestic pyramid with a secret crypt; The Fabulous Royal Pakal Tomb; with an exquisitely engraved monolithic sarcophagus; The Palace with a four story high square tower, probably used as an astronomical observatory; The Temples of the Cross, The Temples of The Jaguar and The Temple of The Sun. Palenque added additional roof toppings to its buildings producing an extra height, compared to other Classic Buildings. Our second visit from and back to Palenque will be to a beautiful Natural waterfall at Misol-Ha (or Agua Azul).

Overnight in Palenque | Tulijá Express 4* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis| Travelling Distance Approx. 150 km

Day 5: Palenque – San Cristobal de Las Casas

Your tour will take you today to San Cristóbal de Las Casas, where you will also make a tour of the city. The city is located at an altitude of more than 2,000 meters, embedded in a beautiful mountainous landscape. Do not you think the city seems isolated from the rest of the world? It is characterized by white houses with red tile roofs and colorful colonial houses. On a tour of the city, you will get to know the city, which combines colonial heritage with a strong indigenous culture. It was formerly the state´s capital and used to be called Ciudad Real. This town combines its colonial heritage and strong Indian culture. The rich and colorful dresses are a characteristic of each different ethnic Group surrounding San Cristobal.

Overnight in San Cristobal de las Casas | Villa Mercedes San Cristóbal 5* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis| Travelling Distance Approx. 572 km

Day 6: San Cristobal de las Casas - Sumidero Canyon - San Cristobal de las Casas

Departure from San Cristóbal de las Casas to visit the Sumidero Canyon, a natural geological wonder, carved as an incision through the Mountains by the forceful waters of the Grijalva River. The cliffs and granite walls of the canyon reach up to 800 meters above the river level. After the Canyon, we will drive to the villages of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantán both Indian communities. The afternoon is at your disposal.

Overnight in San Cristobal de las Casas | Villa Mercedes San Cristóbal 5* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis| Travelling Distance Approx. 185 km

Day 7. San Cristobal de las Casas - Villahermosa

We will continue to Villahermosa, the Capital City of the State of Tabasco. Besides its power on the Regional Economy, the area was once the Siege of the prominent Olmeca Culture which influenced the Astrological findings of all other Cultures in Mexico. Villahermosa is a vibrating city with pride of its heritage and a place full of traditions. Villahermosa is the center of an area very rich in Archeological and Historic values, in addition to astonishing activities that explain our existence and our very important relation to Nature. Villahermosa one of Mexico’s 35 Major Cities with over one million inhabitants, is the capital of the State of Tabasco, located on the south end of the Gulf of Mexico. Tabasco has 2 of the major rivers in Mexico, the Usumacinta and the Grijalva that pore down huge amounts of water from the Southern Sierra Mountains of Mexico and Guatemala in to the Gulf of Mexico. On this day we will visit to the open air museum La Venta. The most important of its kind in Tabasco. La Venta is a stunning combination of nature and archaeology. It is divided into two main sections, one zoological with native fauna, such as jaguars and crocodiles and other archaeological displaying ancient Olmec monuments. There are 33 sculptures: altars, steal and colossal heads, carved from basalt and other volcanic rocks. We will spend the night in Villahermosa.

Overnight in Villahermosa | Hyatt Regency 5* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis| Travelling Distance Approx. 306 km

Day 8. Villahermosa - Campeche

On your way to Campeche, before arriving in the city, take a detour and visit the fortress of San Miguel, where, in addition to the beautiful view of the Gulf of Campeche, you can also admire the jewels and other Mayan crafts. Campeche used to be the main town of the Mayan province of Ah Kim Pech, which means "Serpent Tick" and was founded around the 3rd century AD. The City of Campeche was one of the Head Quarters of the Spanish Conquerors that established their reign over the big Mayan Civilization settled all along the Yucatan Peninsula and way down it to Central America. The First Spaniard soldiers got to Campeche in the year 1517 and although were defeated on the first intent, stayed anyway and took over this Mayan Provincial Capital, proceeding with its colonization. In the Mid 16th Century, Campeche had become an important port with an already established wall around the City in order to prevent a further defeat. Later it prevented attacks from Pirates that would move in from the Caribbean. UNESCO has awarded recognition to The City of Campeche for its beautiful colonial architecture and restoration of its facades. You will also see the baroque cathedral that forms the central building of the city.

Overnight in Campeche | Hotel Plaza Campeche 4* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis| Travelling Distance Approx. 460 km

Day 9: Campeche – Kabah – Uxmal - Merida

Today we will take a ride just over an hour to reach Kabah an archeological Site of the Classic Period, known as the second largest religious center in The Puuc Style area. Kabah flourished around the year 800 AD. You will find certain similarities with Uxmal and view The Palace, as well as the Pyramid of the Masks, a mosaic with over 300 masks dedicated to Chac God of Water. After Kabah, we will continue to nearby Uxmal, meaning "Three times constructed". Uxmal is considered a major site. The architecture of Uxmal is among the most majestic on the Yucatan Peninsula. Its beauty is characterized by low and horizontal palaces, placed around patios and quadrants richly decorated with detailed sculptures. Uxmal, enveloped by legends and myths is situated within a series of hills known as the Pucc or mountainous area in Mayan Country. We will then drive another hour and go to Merida the Capital of Yucatan, known as "The White City" and will do a city tour. Merida the capital of the State of Yucatan, is today a large City with over a Million inhabitants. Merida has preserved its Colonial Heritage in the Historic District of the Town. It is the Center of the State and all the roads converge at the State Capital. Such is the case of The ceremonial Center of Uxmal and the nearby Puuc route, The Circuit of The convents and Izamal or the coastal scenic roads leading to flamingo territory. Eastwards a Modern Highway take you to Chichén Itzá sacred Maya ceremonial center, one of today’s Seven Modern Wonders of the World. Merida’s Central Square or “Plaza Grande” is surrounded by ancient buildings that form the Historic District such as The San Idelfonso Cathedral of Merida, the most antique church of the American Continent, built in the second half of the XVIth Century. Merida’s Cathedral has one of the biggest interior Statues of Christ in the World. Merida was founded on January 6, 1542 on the indigenous trace of Ichcaanzihó's City, called also T'hó.

Overnight in Merida | Misión Merida Panamericana 5* or Similar | Standard room on Bed & Breakfast basis| Travelling Distance Approx. 240 km

Day 10: Merida – Chichen Itza – Cancun

On our last day we will transit just over 2 hours to Chichen Itza the Mayan Post Classic Sacred City, which represents the most intact and impressive of the Ruins of the Mayan Civilization that the modern world preserves. Chichen Itza means "The Mouth of the Well". Chichen Itza has a huge “Cenote” a big pond nourished by underground rivers which supplied clean water to the complex. Chichen Itza, as other Mayan Centers was originally a ceremonial and spiritual site instead of a commercial area. Has maybe the most impressive Pyramid of all the Maya World. The Castle with 4 staircases (One for each season of the Year) with 91 steps each, totaling 365 with the top platform. The orientation of the pyramid is such that for about an hour around 4 o'clock during the spring and fall equinoxes (March 21 & September 21), the shadow of northwest edge of the pyramid on the side of the north stairway, draws seven triangles of light that imitates a serpent creeping downwards until it joins the huge serpent's head at the bottom of the stairway. This was a religious message telling the people its time to seed the land or it is time to harvest with the Blessing of Kukulkan. At Chichen Itza, you will see an Astrological Observatory with a design similar to other built in the Modern Age. There are many more Buildings such as The Temple of the Warriors, part of the "Thousand Columns Complex", the Temple of the Jaguars, The Ball Court, the biggest in Mezzo America. Chichen Itza is One of the Modern Seven Wonders of the World. After a visit of almost 2 hours, you will have lunch and we will then transit to Cancun.

After the visit we will continue to your final destination: Riviera Maya or Cancun | Travelling Distance Approx. 550 km