MAYA OF THE CARIBBEAN COAST AND YUCATAN PENINSULA
 3 Night 4 Day Tour
 This action-packed tour is recommended for those who enjoy very active days.
For a more relaxed tour of the same sites see our 4 night 5 day tour.

 This tour can be customized to suit your individual interests. For other exciting activities in the Maya Riviera that can be included in your tour, please see our Custom tour page. This tour can also be based out of Merida.

 Spring Special:  10-25% OFF if booked by June 1, 2010 for tours between May 1 and August 1st, 2010!
 Contact us for a discounted price quote.
 
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Day 1: At 8 am your driver and guide will pick you up at your hotel (any hotel between Cancun and Tulum) and take you to spectacular Tulum, the most visited of Mayan archeological sites. Perched atop a cliff overlooking the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, it is a photographer´s dream come true! Colorful iguanas bask lazily on rocks in the sun; gentle waves caress the shore. The pristine beach is so beautiful it is almost surreal. It is easy to imagine the ancient Maya landing at this bustling seaport with their canoes filled with trade goods

The Mayan ruins at Tulum have a number of interesting structures from the ancient Mayan world. Graceful columns and elegant carvings give one an appreciation for the architectural achievements of the Maya. Inside the Temple of the Frescoes are fantastic 13th century murals depicting ancient ceremonies. One of the few surviving images of the Mayan goddess of fertility and medicine, Ixchel, can be found here. Red paint still clings to the stucco on the outside of the temple. It is believed that at one time all the buildings in Tulum were painted red. After a guided tour you'll have time to explore on your own. Bring a swimsuit to swim or sun at Tulum´s gorgeous beach or shop for local crafts at one of the many shops at the entrance to the ruins.

After lunch you´ll continue on to Coba for an afternoon guided tour of these extensive ruins. You may explore the ruins by foot, bicycle or human-powered tricycle. Coba is situated in a lush natural setting filled with many species of animals, birds and butterflies and is a real nature lover´s delight. It is also home to the tallest Mayan pyramid in the Yucatan. From its top you can see above the jungle canopy for miles in each direction. On these quiet and peaceful grounds it´s hard to imagine that Cobá may have once had the largest population of all the ancient Mayan cities. This vast Mayan archeological site dates from 600-900 A.D. and there were an estimated 100,000 people living in its domain. It was the heart of a large metropolis composed of many cities within the eastern Yucatan. Then on to the Villas Arqueologicas Hotel with excellent restaurant, pool & bar located near the archeological site in Chichen Itzá. After dinner you´ll attend the entertaining light show at the ruins.

Day 2: By overnighting in Chichen Itza you'll beat the "big bus" crowds this morning while you visit majestic Chichen Itzá, the most famous of Mayan archeological sites and one of the "New 7 Wonders of the World". Chichen Itzá has numerous monuments for a visitor to explore. El Castillo, or the grand pyramid, has a staircase on all four sides, each with 91 steps that totaled with the last step on top equal the 365 days in a solar year. Other not to be missed destinations of this great ancient city are: the Main Ball Court, which is the largest discovered from the ancient Mayan world; the Sacred Well or Cenote, where archeologists have discovered a number of well-adorned skeletons of sacrificial victims; the Temple of the Skulls, with its numerous skulls adorning its facade; the Temple Of The Warriors, with its 1,000 columns dedicated to the warriors of Chichen Itzá; and the Caracol or Observatory.

After lunch you'll journey on to Uxmal, with a stop at the ruins of Mayapan on the way. Mayapan has a distinctive history in that it was one of the last functional cities of the ancient Maya. Modeled after the buildings of Chichen Itza it is a very well preserved mini-version of that ancient city.

Your hotel for the night will be the Villas Arqueologicas hotel in Uxmal which is adjacent to the archeological site with excellent restaurant, pool and bar. In the evening you may attend the entertaining light show at the Uxmal ruins.

Day 3: This morning you visit the magnificent Maya ruins of Uxmal,. Uxmal is one of the finest examples of the "Puuc Maya" architectural style. Graced with two of the largest pyramids in the Yucatan and a multitude of incredibly preserved frescos paying homage to the rain god Chac and the serpent god Quetzecoatal, it is a site that inspires both awe and mystery.

After a lunch break visit nearby Kabah. Although only a small part of this site has been excavated the Palace of Masks, with its 250 masks of the Mayan rain god Chac, is one of the most impressive in Mayan architecture. Kabah also has a large and remarkably preserved arch with a sacbe (ancient Maya road) leading to Uxmal..

Then you'll continue on to the ruins at Labna, also home to many Chac masks and a beautiful corbeled arch. One of its interesting features is a carving of a Vision Serpent with a human head emerging from its outstretched mouth.

In the late afternoon you'll go to historic colonial Merida for the evening. Stroll the main square, enjoy live traditional music, take a horsedrawn carriage on a tour of the local monuments. You'll overnight at the Hotel Casa Del Balam, located 2 blocks from the main square in Merida. (If possible, MayaSites schedules this tour for you to be in Merida for "Merida Sunday", a weekly local fiesta with live entertainment, music and market.)

Day 4: Today you journey back to the Riviera Maya or Cancun. On the way you'll make a stop at the interesting ancient Maya site of Acanceh. Acanceh has some of the largest and best preserved ancient masks in the northern Yucatan. .

Later you´ll stop for lunch in the lovely colonial city of Valladolid. This is a modern Mayan city with an important history where you can experience the best in traditional Yucatecan dishes. You can also take time out to shop in the plaza, where authentic Mayan goods are sold.

In the afternoon you´ll journey to the exquisite ruins of Ek Balam, a newly uncovered Mayan archeological site with some very distinct features. The wonderfully preserved state of the sculptures and frescos Ek Balam are some of the most outstanding examples of the art of the ancient Maya. Some figures are winged, some in the meditative ¨lotus¨ position, one sits headless above the center of the "Witz Monster" (entry to the underworld)". All are beautiful and exquisitely crafted. At the end of the day we´ll return you back to any coastal hotel.













Tour Specifics

Cost per person for a private tour (double occupancy):

2 people $1,490 per person
4 people $1,195 per person
6 people $1,000 per person
8 people $850 per person
For private groups of 9 or more people, please contact us for further discounted prices.
If you would like to be grouped up with other people please let us know and we´ll let you know
what dates we currently have for groups.

The price of this 4 day 3 night tour includes:
  • 3 nights hotel and taxes (Villas Arqueologicas Chichen Itza and Uxmal and Casa Del Balam Merida)
  • All ground transportation in private air-conditioned vehicle with licensed chauffeur
  • The services of a licensed guide who will travel with you for the duration of the tour
  • 2 breakfasts per person
  • Tourist train at Tulum
  • Bicycle or human powered tricycle rental at Coba
  • Evening lightshow at Uxmal
  • All other entry & guide fees for activities listed on the itinerary


Spring Special:
10-25% OFF
If booked by June 1, 2010 for tours
between May 1 and August 1st, 2010!
 Contact us for a discounted price quote.		  

Price is based on medium range lodging. If you would prefer less expensive or more deluxe accommodations please contact us about the price difference. Prices for Thanksgiving week, Dec. 18-Jan. 6 and Easter week may be slightly higher depending on hotel policies and availability.

If you'd like to continue on to the highland rainforest sites in the Palenque area see our 8 day 7 night Maya of the Caribbean Coast, Yucatan and Highland Rainforest tour which includes Palenque, Bonampak, Yaxchilan and La Venta Olmec Museum.

For more information or to make a reservation call MayaSites Travel Services

U.S. office toll free 877-620-8715
Outside of the U.S. (1) 505-255-2279)
Or e-mail us at mayasites@yahoo.com
SPRING EQUINOX at CHICHEN ITZA and DZILBILCHALTUN,
plus Ek Balam, Uxmal, Labna, Kabah, Mayapan, colonial Merida, Tulum and Coba
March 18-22, 2011: 4 nights 5 days
$1,210 per person (double occupancy)
All photographs and text Copyright 2000-2010 by MayaSites Travel Services. All rights reserved.