Day One: Monday, Feb 27
American Airlines fl #2681 Depart JFK 12:29pm
Arrive Cancun 4:53pm, Non-stop
Travel to Valladolid by private transport
Dinner at El Meson de Marques Restaurant
Hotel in Valladolid: El Meson de Marques (2 nights)
Phone: +52 (985) 8562073
Day Two:Tuesday, Feb 28 Valladolid
10:00 AM- museum visit Casa De Los Venados http://www.casadelosvenados.com/contact.php
This private home/museum has the largest collection of Mexican folk art in private hands.
PM- hammock making workshop in the small, rural nearby pueblo of Ek Balam
Lunch in Ek Balam
*El Balam Hammock making workshop right outside of Valladolid. Conducted in Spanish/Mayan. Lunch included. This workshop will be held in the homes of master weavers and students will have the opportunity to participate in the weaving process. Students will break up into small groups and work with a weaver and a chaperone. Because the weavers speak Mayan, demonstrations will be small group for best understanding of process.
Dinner in Valladolid TBD
Day Three: Wednesday, March 1 Valladolid to Merida
AM- very early am trip-Chichen Itza & Ik-Kil Cenote
Chichen Itza was one of the largest Maya cities and it was likely to have been one of the mythical great cities, or Tollans, referred to in later Mesoamerican literature.[4] The city may have had the most diverse population in the Maya world, a factor that could have contributed to the variety of architectural styles at the site.[5]
PM- travel to Merida & visit Gran Museo del Mundo Maya
Although many feel that the museum looks like a space-ship, it was designed to resemble a Cieba Tree (the sacred tree of the Maya). The museum has exhibits on geology, culture and the history of the Merida area of the Yucatan Peninsula. The exhibits that were in the INAH museum and Palacio Canton have been moved to the Gran Museo and have formed the base the pre-historic segment of the museum.
Walking tour of Merida and dinner in town
Hotel in Merida: La Mision De Fray Diego (5 nights)
Phone# +52 (999) 923 6264
Day Four: Thursday, March 2 Merida
AM- Mayan World View/Epigraphy Lesson (glyphs, pictographs and history, Mayan calendar)
Midday (3 hours) - Local Food & Market Tour
Get acquainted with Yucatecan specialties on this street food tour of Merida. Walk with a local guide to Merida’s main market plus a seafood restaurant and gelato shop. Sip fruit juices and sample plenty of local dishes, not limited to empanadas, tamales and seafood tacos along with ‘cochinita pibil’ (slow-roasted pork) and ‘panuchos’ (tortillas stuffed with refried black beans). Delicious!
Read more about Merida Street Food Walking Tour - Merida | Viator at: https://www.viator.com/tours/Merida/Merida-Street-Food-Tour/d5195-34253P1?pub=vcps
PM- Caribbean Rhythms Dance Workshop 4-6pm
Dinner in town
Day Five: Friday, March 3 Merida
AM- All Day trip to Uxmal Ruins, Kabah and Choco Story
Pick up at hotel, lunch near/at ruins
Uxmal (Yucatec Maya: Óoxmáal [óˑʃmáˑl]) is an ancient Maya city of the classical period in present-day Mexico. It is considered one of the most important archaeological sites of Maya culture, along with Palenque, Chichén, and Calakmul in Mexico, Caracol and Xunantunich in Belize, and Tikal in Guatemala. It is located in the Puuc region and is considered one of the Maya cities most representative of the region's dominant architectural style. It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its significance.
The name "Kabah" or "Kabaah" is usually taken to be archaic Maya language for "strong hand". This is a pre-Columbian name for the site, mentioned in Maya chronicles. An alternative name is Kabahaucan or "royal snake in the hand".The area was inhabited by the mid 3rd century BCE. Most of the architecture now visible was built between the 7th century and 11th centuries CE. A sculpted date on a doorjamb of one of the buildings gives the date 879, probably around the city's height. Another inscribed date is one of the latest carved in the Maya Classic style, in 987. Kabaah was abandoned or at least no new ceremonial architecture built for several centuries before the Spanish conquest of Yucatán.
Choco Story is close to Uxmal and we will learn the history of chocolate as well as sample the products. http://choco-storymexico.com/uxmal/index_en.php
PM- Recreation of Mayan ball game (Pok Ta Pok) in town center
(Pok Ta Pok is the reenactment of a Mayan ball game in an arena. Although this is a reenactment, it is supposedly taken very seriously and is competitive).
Day Six: Saturday, March 4 Merida
All day- Seven Cenotes Tour (bike, kayak, swim and snorkel) Hotel pick-up, Lunch incl.
The Yucatán Peninsula is a limestone plain, with no rivers or streams. The region is pockmarked with natural sinkholes, called cenotes, which expose the water table to the surface. One of the most impressive of these is the Cenote Sagrado, which is 60 metres (200 ft) in diameter[54] and surrounded by sheer cliffs that drop to the water table some 27 metres (89 ft) below.
The Cenote Sagrado was a place of pilgrimage for ancient Maya people who, according to ethnohistoric sources, would conduct sacrifices during times of drought.[54] Archaeological investigations support this as thousands of objects have been removed from the bottom of the cenote, including material such as gold, carved jade, copal, pottery, flint, obsidian, shell, wood, rubber, cloth, as well as skeletons of children and men.[54][55]
Dinner in town
PM Noche Mexicana / Folkloric Dance @ Remate, Paseo de Montejo 8:00-9:00 pm
Day Seven; Sunday, March 5 Merida
All day- Gastronomy Mayan Cooking Class & Mayan Language Workshop
Hotel pick-up
“Todo lo que corre y vuela, a la cazuela” (“Everything that walks or flies...into the pot!”)
Learn to cook a Mayan meal, followed by a Mayan language class. Private travel to a nearby, rural community.
Dinner in town
PM Traditional "Vaqueria" concert featuring Yucatecan dancing and traditional dress at 5 pm Centro Historico de Merida
Day Eight: Monday, March 6 Merida to Tulum
AM- Drive from Merida to Tulum in private transport
(Possible side trip to a bee farm in Valladolid)
Lunch on the road
PM- Explore Tulum with Don Francisco (driver) until 3pm
Dinner: The Kitchen Restaurant in Tulum
Hotel in Tulum: Mestizo Gallery (4 nights)
Phone # +52 (998) 2751013
Day Nine: Tuesday, March 7 Tulum
All Day - Tulum and Beyond Tour with guide, Hotel pick-up
The Tulum Ruins has one of the most dramatic settings – perched atop a small cliff overlooking the beautiful Caribbean Sea. Although we have visited countless times, the stunning view continues to astound us. Our group will be joined by a local, certified guide who will share the history, architectural details and stories of this Mayan seaport and ceremonial center. Our tour guests love the interesting information, spectacular views, and leave with a greater appreciation for the history of the ancient Mayan civilization.
After the visit to the Tulum Ruins, you will love the next stop – Gran Cenote. The Yucatan is known for its cenotes, limestone sinkholes naturally created in the landscape. The Maya looked to the cenotes as the entrance to the underworld, using them as ceremonial waters for spiritual rituals, and having them as their only source of fresh water. In contemporary Yucatan, cenotes are referred to as sub-terrain river systems, opening into lengthy caverns and caves that run throughout the area. Gran Cenote is highly decorated with stalactites and stalagmites, both above and beneath the surface. The water is cool and very clear.. The water filters through the limestone making it some of the clearest water many have ever seen.
Dinner in town
Day Ten: Wednesday, March 8 Tulum
Welcome to the nucleus of sustainable travel and eco-tourism in the Riviera Maya. Sian Ka’an is a UNESCO World Heritage site and protected biosphere in the southern portion of the Riviera Maya. This protected national treasure is enormous, approximately 1.3 million acres in total, spanning 120 kilometers from north to south and comprising almost one third of the Caribbean coast of Mexico. With a rich historical background, diverse ecosystem and large waterways, the Sian Ka’an Biosphere is treasured by locals and visitors alike.
The northernmost section of Sian Ka’an contains what is thought to be an ancient trade route through the lagoons and mangrove channels between the cities of Tulum and Muyil. Parts of what is now the Reserve were once areas of chicle production and trade through the middle of the twentieth century. The fishing industry is still one of the most important economic activities for the residents in the reserve. Common species include spiny lobster, tarpon, grouper, permit, and snapper. Tourism is one of the main sources of income for fishermen in Sian Ka’an, who are hired to run boat trips to the reefs and lagoon systems with local guides who share the history and environmental richness of this area.
Dinner in Town
Day Eleven:Thursday, March 9 Tulum
AM- Alltournative Adventure Jungle Maya Native Park Enter into the amazing Sac-Actun system, the world’s longest underground river of this Tulum excursion, explored and recommended by National Geographic Snorkeler specialized cave divers. Snorkel surrounded by awesome rock formations. Ride through the jungle on our all-terrain Mercedes Benz Unimogs. Rappel down into a cenote (underground cave) and swim in a unique natural pool. Enjoy nature flying over the jungles foliage on exciting zip-lines. Participate in a traditional Maya purification ceremony.
Day Twelve: Friday, March 10th pm Tulum to airport
AM- TBD
PM- Travel to Cancun (private transport: YucaTrek) and depart Aeropuerto Cancun
JetBlue flight #852, Depart 5:33 pm, Terminal 3
Arrive 9:25 JFK, Terminal 5 Non-stop
American Airlines fl #2681 Depart JFK 12:29pm
Arrive Cancun 4:53pm, Non-stop
Travel to Valladolid by private transport
Dinner at El Meson de Marques Restaurant
Hotel in Valladolid: El Meson de Marques (2 nights)
Phone: +52 (985) 8562073
Day Two:Tuesday, Feb 28 Valladolid
10:00 AM- museum visit Casa De Los Venados http://www.casadelosvenados.com/contact.php
This private home/museum has the largest collection of Mexican folk art in private hands.
PM- hammock making workshop in the small, rural nearby pueblo of Ek Balam
Lunch in Ek Balam
*El Balam Hammock making workshop right outside of Valladolid. Conducted in Spanish/Mayan. Lunch included. This workshop will be held in the homes of master weavers and students will have the opportunity to participate in the weaving process. Students will break up into small groups and work with a weaver and a chaperone. Because the weavers speak Mayan, demonstrations will be small group for best understanding of process.
Dinner in Valladolid TBD
Day Three: Wednesday, March 1 Valladolid to Merida
AM- very early am trip-Chichen Itza & Ik-Kil Cenote
Chichen Itza was one of the largest Maya cities and it was likely to have been one of the mythical great cities, or Tollans, referred to in later Mesoamerican literature.[4] The city may have had the most diverse population in the Maya world, a factor that could have contributed to the variety of architectural styles at the site.[5]
PM- travel to Merida & visit Gran Museo del Mundo Maya
Although many feel that the museum looks like a space-ship, it was designed to resemble a Cieba Tree (the sacred tree of the Maya). The museum has exhibits on geology, culture and the history of the Merida area of the Yucatan Peninsula. The exhibits that were in the INAH museum and Palacio Canton have been moved to the Gran Museo and have formed the base the pre-historic segment of the museum.
Walking tour of Merida and dinner in town
Hotel in Merida: La Mision De Fray Diego (5 nights)
Phone# +52 (999) 923 6264
Day Four: Thursday, March 2 Merida
AM- Mayan World View/Epigraphy Lesson (glyphs, pictographs and history, Mayan calendar)
Midday (3 hours) - Local Food & Market Tour
Get acquainted with Yucatecan specialties on this street food tour of Merida. Walk with a local guide to Merida’s main market plus a seafood restaurant and gelato shop. Sip fruit juices and sample plenty of local dishes, not limited to empanadas, tamales and seafood tacos along with ‘cochinita pibil’ (slow-roasted pork) and ‘panuchos’ (tortillas stuffed with refried black beans). Delicious!
Read more about Merida Street Food Walking Tour - Merida | Viator at: https://www.viator.com/tours/Merida/Merida-Street-Food-Tour/d5195-34253P1?pub=vcps
PM- Caribbean Rhythms Dance Workshop 4-6pm
Dinner in town
Day Five: Friday, March 3 Merida
AM- All Day trip to Uxmal Ruins, Kabah and Choco Story
Pick up at hotel, lunch near/at ruins
Uxmal (Yucatec Maya: Óoxmáal [óˑʃmáˑl]) is an ancient Maya city of the classical period in present-day Mexico. It is considered one of the most important archaeological sites of Maya culture, along with Palenque, Chichén, and Calakmul in Mexico, Caracol and Xunantunich in Belize, and Tikal in Guatemala. It is located in the Puuc region and is considered one of the Maya cities most representative of the region's dominant architectural style. It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its significance.
The name "Kabah" or "Kabaah" is usually taken to be archaic Maya language for "strong hand". This is a pre-Columbian name for the site, mentioned in Maya chronicles. An alternative name is Kabahaucan or "royal snake in the hand".The area was inhabited by the mid 3rd century BCE. Most of the architecture now visible was built between the 7th century and 11th centuries CE. A sculpted date on a doorjamb of one of the buildings gives the date 879, probably around the city's height. Another inscribed date is one of the latest carved in the Maya Classic style, in 987. Kabaah was abandoned or at least no new ceremonial architecture built for several centuries before the Spanish conquest of Yucatán.
Choco Story is close to Uxmal and we will learn the history of chocolate as well as sample the products. http://choco-storymexico.com/uxmal/index_en.php
PM- Recreation of Mayan ball game (Pok Ta Pok) in town center
(Pok Ta Pok is the reenactment of a Mayan ball game in an arena. Although this is a reenactment, it is supposedly taken very seriously and is competitive).
Day Six: Saturday, March 4 Merida
All day- Seven Cenotes Tour (bike, kayak, swim and snorkel) Hotel pick-up, Lunch incl.
The Yucatán Peninsula is a limestone plain, with no rivers or streams. The region is pockmarked with natural sinkholes, called cenotes, which expose the water table to the surface. One of the most impressive of these is the Cenote Sagrado, which is 60 metres (200 ft) in diameter[54] and surrounded by sheer cliffs that drop to the water table some 27 metres (89 ft) below.
The Cenote Sagrado was a place of pilgrimage for ancient Maya people who, according to ethnohistoric sources, would conduct sacrifices during times of drought.[54] Archaeological investigations support this as thousands of objects have been removed from the bottom of the cenote, including material such as gold, carved jade, copal, pottery, flint, obsidian, shell, wood, rubber, cloth, as well as skeletons of children and men.[54][55]
Dinner in town
PM Noche Mexicana / Folkloric Dance @ Remate, Paseo de Montejo 8:00-9:00 pm
Day Seven; Sunday, March 5 Merida
All day- Gastronomy Mayan Cooking Class & Mayan Language Workshop
Hotel pick-up
“Todo lo que corre y vuela, a la cazuela” (“Everything that walks or flies...into the pot!”)
Learn to cook a Mayan meal, followed by a Mayan language class. Private travel to a nearby, rural community.
Dinner in town
PM Traditional "Vaqueria" concert featuring Yucatecan dancing and traditional dress at 5 pm Centro Historico de Merida
Day Eight: Monday, March 6 Merida to Tulum
AM- Drive from Merida to Tulum in private transport
(Possible side trip to a bee farm in Valladolid)
Lunch on the road
PM- Explore Tulum with Don Francisco (driver) until 3pm
Dinner: The Kitchen Restaurant in Tulum
Hotel in Tulum: Mestizo Gallery (4 nights)
Phone # +52 (998) 2751013
Day Nine: Tuesday, March 7 Tulum
All Day - Tulum and Beyond Tour with guide, Hotel pick-up
The Tulum Ruins has one of the most dramatic settings – perched atop a small cliff overlooking the beautiful Caribbean Sea. Although we have visited countless times, the stunning view continues to astound us. Our group will be joined by a local, certified guide who will share the history, architectural details and stories of this Mayan seaport and ceremonial center. Our tour guests love the interesting information, spectacular views, and leave with a greater appreciation for the history of the ancient Mayan civilization.
After the visit to the Tulum Ruins, you will love the next stop – Gran Cenote. The Yucatan is known for its cenotes, limestone sinkholes naturally created in the landscape. The Maya looked to the cenotes as the entrance to the underworld, using them as ceremonial waters for spiritual rituals, and having them as their only source of fresh water. In contemporary Yucatan, cenotes are referred to as sub-terrain river systems, opening into lengthy caverns and caves that run throughout the area. Gran Cenote is highly decorated with stalactites and stalagmites, both above and beneath the surface. The water is cool and very clear.. The water filters through the limestone making it some of the clearest water many have ever seen.
Dinner in town
Day Ten: Wednesday, March 8 Tulum
Welcome to the nucleus of sustainable travel and eco-tourism in the Riviera Maya. Sian Ka’an is a UNESCO World Heritage site and protected biosphere in the southern portion of the Riviera Maya. This protected national treasure is enormous, approximately 1.3 million acres in total, spanning 120 kilometers from north to south and comprising almost one third of the Caribbean coast of Mexico. With a rich historical background, diverse ecosystem and large waterways, the Sian Ka’an Biosphere is treasured by locals and visitors alike.
The northernmost section of Sian Ka’an contains what is thought to be an ancient trade route through the lagoons and mangrove channels between the cities of Tulum and Muyil. Parts of what is now the Reserve were once areas of chicle production and trade through the middle of the twentieth century. The fishing industry is still one of the most important economic activities for the residents in the reserve. Common species include spiny lobster, tarpon, grouper, permit, and snapper. Tourism is one of the main sources of income for fishermen in Sian Ka’an, who are hired to run boat trips to the reefs and lagoon systems with local guides who share the history and environmental richness of this area.
Dinner in Town
Day Eleven:Thursday, March 9 Tulum
AM- Alltournative Adventure Jungle Maya Native Park Enter into the amazing Sac-Actun system, the world’s longest underground river of this Tulum excursion, explored and recommended by National Geographic Snorkeler specialized cave divers. Snorkel surrounded by awesome rock formations. Ride through the jungle on our all-terrain Mercedes Benz Unimogs. Rappel down into a cenote (underground cave) and swim in a unique natural pool. Enjoy nature flying over the jungles foliage on exciting zip-lines. Participate in a traditional Maya purification ceremony.
Day Twelve: Friday, March 10th pm Tulum to airport
AM- TBD
PM- Travel to Cancun (private transport: YucaTrek) and depart Aeropuerto Cancun
JetBlue flight #852, Depart 5:33 pm, Terminal 3
Arrive 9:25 JFK, Terminal 5 Non-stop