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

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1. Fly to Mexico
Board your flight to Mexico City. After clearing customs, you’ll be met by your Tour Director, who will escort you to your hotel. You’ll have the rest of the day to unpack, settle in and begin your explorations of Mexico City.

Day 2. Mexico City
Your guided tour takes you to the Zócalo, Mexico City’s main square. This was the very heart of the Aztec empire before Hernan Cortes and his conquistadores leveled the area. Enter the patio of the National Palace and see Diego Rivera’s renowned murals. Painted over the course of 22 years, the murals chart Mexico’s history throughout the ages. Then cross the square to North America’s largest cathedral; step inside for a look at the Altar of the Kings. Back outside, see the Templo Mayor, remarkable Aztec ruins. Your tour also includes a visit the Museum of Anthropology, which showcases fascinating treasures of Mexico’s great civilizations; see for example, the Aztec calendar stone, Moctezuma’s headdress, and a large outdoor monolith to Tlaloc, God of rain!

Day 3. Teotihuacan
An included excursion today takes you to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, built on the site where a peasant had a vision of the Virgin in 1531. Then continue on to the awe-inspiring pyramids of Teotihuacan, built more than 2000 years ago and later inhabited by the Aztecs who gave the area its name (meaning “Place of the Gods”). Traverse the Avenue of the Dead and climb the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon, architectural feats complemented by the surrounding mountains. Travel back to Mexico City. This evening, join an optional excursion to the Ballet Folklórico, a dazzling performance of music and dance.

Day 4. Merida
This morning, fly to Merida, capital of the Yucatan state. After hotel check-in, an expert local guide leads you on a sightseeing tour of the city’s historical attractions. You’ll tour the interior of the Government Palace, nicely decorated with 27 mural-size paintings depicting the history of the Yucatan. You’ll also see St. Ildefonso’s Cathedral, partially built from the stones of Mayan temples destroyed by the conquistadors, and the 16th-century Montejo House, historic residence of Merida’s founder. Then enjoy free time in Merida to spend however you wish. You might decide to browse the markets at the zócalo (town square) for some handmade souvenirs. Alternatively, you may opt for an excursion to Progreso, a Gulf of Mexico resort which offers white sand beaches and emerald-green waters, ideal for swimming and sunning.

Day 5. Santa Elena – Uxmal
Experience how hammocks and tortillas are made by a Mayan family during your visit to Santa Elena, a village located in the south of the state of Yucatan. The excursion then leads to the Mayan ruins of Uxmal. Here you will see the Magician’s Pyramid (according to a legend this pyramid was built in only one night) and the Governor’s Palace, a stunning testament to Mayan architectural sophistication. You’ll also see the fascinating carved friezes that adorn the walls of the Nunnery Quadrangle, called this way for its resemblance to the cloistered structure of a convent. Before returning to Merida, you’ll be dazzled by this evening’s Light and Sound Show.

Day 6. Chichen Itza – Cenote Ik-Kil – Cancun
Journey through the Yucatan to the sacred Mayan city of Chichen Itza. Gaze up at the 365 steps of the mighty pyramid of El Castillo, which once served as a giant calendar more accurate than our own. Your guided tour also features the well-preserved Ball Court, the Temple of the Warriors and the astronomical Observatory. After climbing the pyramids, a pleasant cool freshwater swim awaits you at Cenote Ik-Kil, a natural pool inside a gigantic gap carved out by nature over the years. Then savor Mexico’s fine cuisine in our included buffet-style lunch at El Xaybeh. Afterwards, journey to the Caribbean resort of Cancun

Day 7-8. Free days in Cancun
Beautiful, crystal-clear blue waters and gorgeous white-sand beaches make up the coast of Cancun, truly a Caribbean escape. Enjoy two free days of swimming and basking on the sun-soaked shores of this warm aquatic resort. Optional activities to book on your own include snorkeling trips to Isla Mujeres, fishing, water skiing and swimming with dolphins at Nizuc Park.

Day 9. 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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