Premium Mexico Yucatan Highlights

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Mexico. Your adventure begins in Playa del Carmen – a coastal resort town on the Yucatan Peninsula, known for its turquoise waters and nightlife. You’ll be met at Cancun International Airport and transferred to your hotel. Here, you’ll meet your local leader and fellow group members at your welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, you might like to stroll along Quinta Avenida while perusing handmade hammocks, jewellery and crafts. After your meeting, head into town for your first dinner in Mexico at a local restaurant.

After breakfast, depart Playa del Carmen and head to the secluded Laguna Chabela to meet a local Maya family who have lived here for generations. Gain a deeper understanding of their way of life as you walk through the low jungle full of medicinal plants, see what they grow and learn how they live off the land. Watch a demonstration on how to make delicious tortillas in the Coba style with the family matriarch, then sit down to a traditional lunch prepared using a 1000-year-old mortar and pestle found in the nearby ruins. You’ll feel like you’ve travelled back in time, with stones from ancient Maya structures emerging from the jungle and the sounds of birds as your backdrop. In the afternoon, continue to the city of Valladolid, known for its pastel-coloured buildings. Set on the city’s main square, your hotel was converted from a 16th-century house and offers a perfect base for your explorations. This evening, you’ll visit the atmospheric Cenote Zazil, which lies 20 m underground. Cenotes (limestone sinkholes) were viewed by the Maya as doorways to the underworld. Gaze up at the stalactites covering the ceiling (including the largest stalactite in all of Yucatan!), take in the natural surroundings illuminated by candlelight and perhaps go for a swim.

This morning will be spent exploring the complex of Chichen Itza. Named as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, Chichen Itza is considered the most important archaeological vestige of the Maya-Toltec civilisation in Yucatan by UNESCO. Meet with a local guide for a tour to uncover the secrets of what is perhaps the most famous Maya site, dominated by the Temple of Kukulkan, or El Castillo – a Mesoamerican step-pyramid. After, you’ll have a home-cooked lunch with a local family in the town of Piste. Tuck into a traditional Pibil feast – a Maya style of cooking that involves barbecuing underground, which the family has perfected over generations. After lunch, visit a local cenote for a swim. Continue to Merida – founded in 1542, this city is the Yucatan capital and retains much of its old-world charm. Your Feature Stay accommodation for the next three evenings is in the historic Hotel Casa Lucia. Spacious rooms feature traditional touches, surrounding a courtyard that features a swimming pool. Join your leader for a stroll to get acquainted with Merida and make a stop to try marquesitas (a traditional dessert of crispy, rolled crepes filled with cheese, chocolate or caramel).

Today, join a local guide for a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Uxmal ruins. This is considered one of the most important ancient Maya sites in Mexico, showcasing Puuc architecture. See the highlights like the Pyramid of the Soothsayer, the Governor's Palace and the House of the Tortoises while your expert guide points out the typical features of Puuc design like the references to Chaac (the Maya god of rain) and decorative friezes. Have some traditional regional cuisine for lunch at a nearby restaurant, then visit the Los Ceibos ceramics workshop. At this family-run workshop, you’ll be welcomed by one of the family’s artisans – Patricia Morales, who paints the sculptures. Patricia will take you on a guided tour of the workshop, explaining the pigments she uses and demonstrating the carving techniques used in the sculpting process. Patricia has been crafting these sculptures for more than 40 years and has made a significant contribution to preserving traditional Maya ceramic techniques. Learn about how these techniques and cultural traditions have been passed down through generations, then you’ll have some free time this afternoon for you to make your own discoveries. You might like to relax in the green and shady Plaza Grande or browse the outdoor market selling Maya replicas. Regroup for dinner at Teya Santa Lucia – a local restaurant serving up Yucatan specialties with a contemporary twist, located in Merida’s historic centre.

After breakfast, you’ll head out for another Premium Experience at the Ria Celestun Biosphere Reserve and Bird Sanctuary. One of the first places migratory birds arrive for the winter, the reserve offers a birdwatching experience like no other. Tour the area by small boat while you learn about its unique flora and fauna. Look out for the Yucatan woodpecker, Mexican sheartail, tropical mockingbird and depending on the season (usually December to March), you might witness the thousands of flamingos streaking across the landscape. Hop off the boat for a quick walk to see bubbling springs, then cruise back through the mangrove canals. Stop in a fishing town where you’ll have some time for lunch – maybe grab some fresh seafood and eat it on the sand. Take a dip in the Gulf of Mexico before returning to Merida for a free afternoon.

Depart Merida this morning and head towards Muyil, stopping for lunch in the village of Coba. Continue to the lesser-known Muyil archaeological site – this ancient Maya trading post is one of the oldest formerly-inhabited sites in the country, with a history stretching back to 350 BC. Explore the ruins with your leader who will explain what life here once looked like. Next, head to the banks of the Maya River and board a small boat to explore the canals and lagoons of the Sian Ka'an biosphere. One of the largest protected areas in Mexico, this UNESCO World Heritage site covers more than 400,000 hectares of land, lagoon and marine areas, including countless flora and fauna. Admire the ruins on the riverbanks before disembarking in the waters of the ancient Mayan mangrove canals, where you’ll experience a natural ‘lazy river’ and float through the peaceful canals in a slow but steady current. After, carry on to Tulum.

In the morning, head to the Tulum archaeological site to learn about the history of the ruins and take in views of the ocean. This was one of the last cities built by the Maya, and your leader will paint a picture of how life played out here as you explore the complex against the ocean backdrop. Spend the afternoon soaking up the sun at a beach club, where you can swim in the Caribbean Sea or nap in a comfortable lounge chair. Tonight, dine at one of Tulum’s best restaurants. With laid-back vibes and fresh local produce and seafood, this final dinner with your newfound friends will certainly be one to remember.