Educational tours, student tours, adult and student trips, travel to Yucatan Mexico

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1. Fly to the Yucatan
Upon arrival in Cancun, meet your Tour Director and transfer to Valladolid, a cute little town with Spanish colonial mansions and churches. Check in to the charming colonial-style Meson del Marques Hotel. This evening, experience the best in traditional Mayan dishes at an included welcome dinner in the lovely hotel restaurant. Later, join a Tour Director-led walking tour of Valladolid, featuring visits to St. Servacio’s Cathedral and the Franciscan Church of San Bernardino.

Day 2. Chichen Itza – Cenote Ik-Kil – Merida
This morning, you’ll have an included visit to Chichen Itza – the most famous and impressive of all the Mayan cities. As you enter the site, your first glance will be towards El Castillo (the Castle), whose 365 steps served as an ancient calendar. Your guided tour also features the well-preserved Ball Court, the Temple of the Warriors and the astronomical Observatory. To escape the heat of the day, you’ll swim in Cenote Ik Kil, a natural well deep inside a subterranean cave. Enjoy an included buffet-style lunch before continuing to the colonial city of Merida, capital of the State of Yucatan. This evening, attend one of the numerous free concert or folkloric shows held at Merida’s downtown plazas.

Day 3. Oxkintok – Santa Elena – Uxmal
Begin the day with a visit to Oxkintok, Mayan pyramids recently rescued from the forest. Explore the impressive ruins of the site, including the Labyrinth, a small squat pyramid built into the hill on the west side of the main plaza. You’ll then experience how hammocks and tortillas are made by a Mayan family during a visit to Santa Elena, a traditional Mayan village located in the south of the state of Yucatan. The excursion then leads to the Mayan ruins of Uxmal, featuring the legendary Pyramid of the Magician, the impressive Nunnery Quadrangle and the state-of-the-art Governor’s Palace. Before returning to Merida, you’ll be dazzled by this evening’s Light and Sound Show.

Day 4. Merida – Progreso Beach
This morning, set out with your Tour Director for a sightseeing tour of Merida, built atop the rubble of the Mayan city of T’ho. Visit the 16th-century St. Ildefonso’s Cathedral, the Montejo House (historic residence of Merida’s founder), and the stunning Government Palace, with its extensive murals depicting Mayan history. Then journey to the Gulf of Mexico resort of Progreso for a refreshing swim and a seafood feast. Return to Merida and spend the rest of the afternoon at your leisure. You may decide to relax by the hotel pool, do some shopping at the local markets or visit galleries and museums.

Day 5. Tulum – Playa del Carmen
Today, you’ll visit the cliff-top Mayan ceremonial center of Tulum, with the beautiful backdrop of the turquoise Caribbean Sea! See El Castillo, the Temple of the Frescoes and the Temple of the Descending God. Your photographs will be mesmerizing! Continue to Playa del Carmen, boasting some of Mexico’s prettiest beaches. In addition to its turquoise waters and white sands, Playa del Carmen offers the bustling Av 5, a pedestrian strip that is set back a block from the ocean offering interesting shops and cafés.

Day 6. Full-day excursion to Xel-Ha
A full day excursion takes you to Xel-Ha, a theme park-style attraction with ecological overtones. Participate in your choice of activities, including swimming with dolphins, snorkeling, scuba diving, inner tubing or just relaxing on a hammock.

Day 7. Free day in Playa del Carmen.
Enjoy one day of free time in Playa del Carmen—relax among sandy beaches, take a snooze in a hammock under the warm sun or people-watch near the ocean. Also, you may opt to spend a day on Cozumel’s beaches and explore Chankanab National Park’s seaside lagoon and natural caves.

Day 8. Return home
Your Tour Director assists with the transfer to the airport, where you’ll check in for your return flight home.

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