Discover the Yucatán

Day 1:

Welcome to Mexico!

• Meet your Tour Director at the airport
  
• Travel to Valladolid, whose cobblestone streets and pastel-colored colonial facades conceal one of the Yucatán's best-kept secrets
  

Day 2:

Valladolid

• Visit Ek Balam, a remarkably preserved Maya archaeological site where you'll climb towering pyramids and explore intricate stucco carvings that have survived for over a thousand years
  
• Hop on a bike and explore Las Coloradas with a local guide, pedaling past the surreal pink-hued lagoons that have made this remote coastal village one of Mexico's most striking natural wonders
  
• Set out on a flamingo-watching tour at Río Lagartos, a protected biosphere reserve where thousands of vibrant pink flamingos gather along the shores of a pristine coastal estuary
  
• Relax on the unspoiled beaches of Río Lagartos, where the Gulf of Mexico meets one of the Yucatán's most peaceful and untouched stretches of coastline
  

Day 3:

Valladolid - Mérida

• With a licensed local guide, explore Chichén Itzá, where the towering pyramid of El Castillo, a vast ceremonial ball court, and an astronomical observatory reveal the remarkable sophistication of Maya civilization at its peak
  
• Swim in one of the Yucatán's legendary cenotes — sacred freshwater sinkholes that were portals to the underworld in Maya cosmology, and today offer some of the most beautiful natural swimming in the world
  
• Travel to Mérida, the vibrant cultural capital of the Yucatán, a city where grand colonial architecture, bustling markets, and centuries of Maya heritage converge on every corner
  

Day 4:

Explore Mérida

• Explore Mérida on foot with your Tour Director, tracing the grand Paseo de Montejo, the colonnaded Plaza Grande, and the stories of a city that has always stood at the crossroads of two worlds
  
• Enjoy free time on the beaches of Progreso, where the calm turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico and a laid-back seaside atmosphere make for a perfect afternoon
  
• Paddle through a lush mangrove ecosystem on a guided kayaking tour, weaving through natural waterways teeming with wildlife
  

Day 5:

Mérida - Playa del Carmen

• Explore the ancient Maya city of Cobá by bike, cycling through the jungle to reach towering pyramids and sacred temples still partially reclaimed by the rainforest
  
• Trade the ancient interior for the Caribbean coast as you head toward Playa del Carmen, where turquoise water and the vibrant energy of the Riviera Maya await
  

Day 6:

Playa del Carmen

• Explore the clifftop ruins of Tulum, the only major Maya city built overlooking the sea, where ancient temples frame one of the most dramatic backdrops in all of Mexico
  
• Snorkel the crystal-clear waters of Akumal Bay, one of the Yucatán's most beloved marine sanctuaries and a renowned habitat for sea turtles, tropical fish, and vibrant coral reef
  
• Spend free time on the calm, reef-protected shores of Akumal, one of the Riviera Maya's most beloved stretches of beach and a perfect place to slow down and take in the Caribbean
  

Day 7:

Playa del Carmen

• Free time or Optional Xcaret excursion
• Opt to visit Xcaret, an eco-archaeological park set along the Caribbean where jungle trails, underground rivers, coral reef aquariums, and Maya ruins come together in one of the Riviera Maya's most immersive natural and cultural experiences

Day 8:

Depart for home