Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival in Cancun Bienvenido a México! Your journey begins with a warm welcome at the airport. Take a private transfer to your hotel, get settled in, and join your guides at 6 pm for a Welcome Drink at the hotel.

Day 2
Cancun, Ek Balam, Valladolid, Merida After breakfast, we'll head inland for an expertly guided tour of the beautiful Mayan archeological site of Ek Balam. Next, we head to Valladolid, the first capital city of the Yucatan, for lunch and a stroll around the center square. After a city tour, we'll continue on to Merida, "The White City," where you'll have free time to explore the city. (Breakfast and Lunch Included)

Day 3
Merida After breakfast, we'll head out with our city guide to explore the historic city of Merida. First, we'll travel the Paseo de Montejo, lined with Colonial mansions and modeled after the Champs Elysees in Paris. We'll stop at the Central Plaza to view the beautiful Cathedral, the ornate Casa Montejo, and the renowned murals of the Palacio Nacional. We will also view the incredible collection of Mayan artifacts at the Anthropology Museum. After lunch at a local restaurant, you'll have more time to explore the city on your own. In the evening, you'll be dinner guests of renowned chef David Sterling (founder of Los Dos Cooking School) in his beautiful colonial home, where he'll put on a cooking demonstration focusing on Yucatecan cuisine as well as how to mix the perfect margarita. (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Included)

Day 4
Merida, Celestun, Campeche After breakfast, today we travel to the Biosphere Reserve of Celestun, one of the regions most protected areas as well as a UNESCO site. Here, our guides will help us navigate the serene waters of this massive wetland site to view one of the world's most important Pink Flamingo colonies. Lunch is in the shade of a charming thatched-roof beach restaurant, and then we head to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Campeche. In this fortified city, we'll visit the Bulwarks, the Puerta Tierra stone fortress, and the colorful and historic city center. This evening, you'll enjoy a Highlight Dinner at one of the city's most delicious restaurants. (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Included)

Day 5
Campeche, Edzna, Uxmal After breakfast, we start the day with an expertly guided tour of the Mayan archeological site of Edzna, with its breathtaking temples and ceremonial sites. Traveling along the Puuc Route, we're awaited by a tasty traditional lunch - marinated pork and chicken wrapped in banana leafs and slowly cooked underground. After lunch, we head to the legendary Mayan temples of Uxmal, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. This classic Maya site is a highlight of the Yucatan and dates back to the 10th century AD. It is considered to be one of the most complex and impressive expressions of Puuc architecture. Our expert tour guide will illuminate the Mayan mysteries of the region as we learn about its engineering, architecture, and society. Today ends at our hacienda, where we'll relax, cool off in the pool and after dinner, we have a Tequila tasting, where we'll learn about Mexico's national drink. (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Included)

Day 6
Uxmal, Sotuta De Peon, Izamal, and Chichen Itza After breakfast, the day begins at the living-museum of Hacienda Sotuta de Peon. Here, we'll learn about haciendas, which functioned like the plantations in the southern US, and about Henequen (sisal fiber), which was the source of the Yucatan's wealth during the Colonial Era. We'll tour the processing plant, which is still in action, visit the beautiful main house, and take a mule-drawn rail cart tour of the fields, ending at a refreshing cenote (natural pool of water that leads to an underground river). We'll have a traditional lunch at the hacienda and then we're off to the city of Izamal to visit the magical Franciscan monastery. We'll stop at a local hammock workshop to watch artisans art work and to learn about this ancient Mayan product. After, we head to our hotel nestled beside Chicen Itza, the most famous Mayan archeological icon and USESCO World Heritage Site. (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Included)

Day 7
Chichen Itza & Coba After an early breakfast, we utilize our private entrance into Chichen Itza, one of the the New Seven Wonders of the World, to explore the site with our expert guide. The journey continues to Coba, where we'll have lunch on the shores of a beautiful lake. After lunch, we'll visit the towering temples of Coba, some of the tallest in Mexico. This unique site has barely been restored and while only a few structures have been uncovered, it's estimated that some 6,500 still remain to be exposed. Tonight, celebrate your Yucatan adventure at a lively Farewell Dinner.

Day 8
Chichen Itza Return to Cancun and bid adios to your new-found amigos as you arrive at Cancun International Airport, at the tour hotel in Cancun, or, if you'd like to extend your stay, at the resort on the famed Riviera Maya. (See Treasures of the Yucatan with Riviera Beach Stay) Meal(s): (Full Breakfast)

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