Yucatan & Chiapas Tours

13-day Exclusive Adventure

This outstanding journey visits both Chiapas and the Yucatan. Beginning in Tuxtla Gutierrez and ending in Cancun, we visit colonial cities, Indian villages, waterfalls, archaeological sites, nature preserves and beach resorts.

1st Day: We are met at the Tuxtla Gutierrez airport and travel to Cañon de Sumidero, where we board a boat for the trip down the Grijalva river. Beneath towering 2,500-foot cliffs we watch for monkeys, alligators and other tropical wildlife. Here Chiapanecan Indians chose to jump into the sacred canyon rather than submit to Spanish invaders. Then we travel on to the delightful town of Chiapa de Corzo, where we spend our first night.

2nd Day: After breakfast we visit the villages of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantán, with their bustling Indian markets. In Chamula’s colonial church, ancient Indian rituals intermix with Catholicism. We continue on to San Cristóbal de las Casas, one of the prettiest cities in Mexico, where we spend our next two nights. At an elevation of 7,000 feet and surrounded by wooded forests, San Cristóbal is cool and refreshing.

3rd Day: In the morning we tour the town’s cathedral, convent, monuments and museums. Afterwards we have plenty of free time to wander the cobblestone streets, colorful markets and small, tree-filled plazas.

4th Day: Today we leave the mountains for the lowlands, stopping to swim at magnificent Agua Azul Falls—a long series of turquoise cascades set against a deep-green jungle background. After lunch we visit the Misol-Há waterfall, where we can hike the short trail that leads behind the cascading falls. Then on to the town of Palenque, where we spend the next two nights.

5th Day: We visit the archaeological park of Palenque, one of the most impressive ancient sites in Mexico. Located in the middle of a tropical rainforest, its pyramids, palaces and temples are magnificent examples of Mayan artistry.

6th Day: We continue our journey to the city of Campeche, where we explore the Fuerte San Miguel, a fort built to protect the city against Caribbean pirates. In the evening we visit the old city walls and enjoy the light-and-sound show on the history of the pirates. Overnight in Campeche.

7th Day: Today we explore the ruins of Edzna, an economic, political and religious center between AD 600 and 900. Its Great Plaza contains beautifully preserved buildings. In the afternoon we visit Uxmal, one of the largest Mayan cities of the Yucatan peninsula. Inside the Pyramid of the Magician, its highest structure, four previous temples were discovered. Overnight in the town of Uxmal.

8th Day: After breakfast we travel to Mérida, the state capital of Yucatan, where we spend the next two nights. Along the way we visit the 17th-century Hacienda Yaxcopoil, with its museum and grounds, and the village of Uman, with its colorful market and colonial church. After lunch we tour Mérida, a friendly city with a rich Indian heritage and fine colonial architecture.

9th Day: This morning we visit Celestun Biosphere Reserve, the main feeding area for the American Flamingo. Here, on the Gulf of Mexico, we board a boat to cruise up the river and through the saltwater marsh to see these colorful birds, as well many other species that reside here. We have lunch at a seafood restaurant in the nearby fishing village and have time for a swim.

10th Day: Today we travel to the delightful city of Izamal, where all of the buildings are painted yellow. We visit a Franciscan convent that was built over a Mayan pyramid, ride through the cobblestone streets in a horse-drawn carriage and visit a pyramid. Then we continue on to Chichén Itzá to spend the night.

11th Day: In the morning we tour Chichén Itzá, the most widely studied and visited of the ancient Mayan cities. The Pyramid of Kukulkán, the ball court, the Observatory and the sacred well are only a few of the many fascinating sights in this huge archaeological zone. From here it is on to Cancun to spend our final two nights.

12th Day: The day is free to relax and enjoy Cancun’s beaches, shops and restaurants. Cancun, a luxury vacation resort constructed completely within the last thirty years, is visited by more vacationers than any other part of Mexico.

13th Day: We transfer to the airport for our flight home.

What's included: The trips are fully escorted by English-speaking guides and include all accommodations, transportation, tours, 12 breakfasts and 11 lunches.

Price per person: