Pirates, Maya & Day of Dead Festival

country_flag

Mexico

All about the tour

Mexico’s el Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) provides a chance for families to welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives. A macabre and fascinating mix of Mesoamerican ritual, Spanish culture and European dogma, its origins go back nearly 3,000 years, to the pre-Columbian rituals of the Aztecs and the Nahua people of Central Mexico. This remarkable journey takes us through a land steeped in these ancient traditions, where the reminders of Spanish expansion share the landscape with spectacular Maya ruins, colourful markets and the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Beginning on Mexico’s Caribbean coast we travel along the eastern fringes of the Yucatan Peninsula, visiting the Maya ruins at Tulum and Kohunlich and the tranquil waters of Bacalar Lagoon, before heading for the lush jungles of the Petén Basin.

Itinerary

Cancún → Playa del Carmen → Tulum → Bacalar → Kohunlich → Becán → Chicanná → Calakmul → Puerta Calakmul → Chicanná → Edzná → Campeche → Pomuch → Uxmal → Campeche → Kabah → Loltún Caves → Mérida → Hacienda Sotuta de Peón → Mayapan → Mérida → Izamal → Yokdz

Day 1: Cancún - Playa del Carmen

Day 1: Cancún - Playa del Carmen

The tour starts at Cancun airport this evening where we will be met and driven to the hotel in Playa del Carmen, situated along Mexico’s Caribbean coast.

Day 2: Playa del Carmen - Tulum - Bacalar

Day 2: Playa del Carmen - Tulum - Bacalar

We head to the Mayan rock fortress of Tulum, one of the last cities to be built by the Maya. After our visit, we then continue on to the small and tranquil town of Bacalar, located on the edge of a beautiful lagoon.

Day 3: Bacalar

Day 3: Bacalar

Bacalar was founded by the Maya, sacked by pirates and fortified by the Spanish. Today we have an opportunity to enjoy the picturesque waters of its lagoon, part of the world’s largest subterranean water cave system, on a boat trip, with time to snorkel.

Day 4: Bacalar - Kohunlich - Becán - Chicanná

Day 4: Bacalar - Kohunlich - Becán - Chicanná

We drive to Chetumal to discover the Mayan treasures at its Museo de la Cultura. We then explore the famed Pyramid of the Masks at Kohunlich and the ruins of Becán, the oldest architectural defence system in Mexico, before ending in Chicanná.

Day 5: Chicanná - Calakmul - Puerta Calakmul - Chicanná

Day 5: Chicanná - Calakmul - Puerta Calakmul - Chicanná

The journey then takes us to the Maya archaeological site at Calakmul, shrouded in the ancient rain forest and home to howler monkeys and birds. We then visit Puerta Calakmul’s remarkable ‘Bat Cave’, the haunt of some five million bats!

Day 6: Chicanná - Edzná - Campeche

Day 6: Chicanná - Edzná - Campeche

Close to Campeche lies the ancient ruins of Edzná, which can trace their early origins back to 400 BC. We will have the chance to climb the Pyramid of the Five Storeys staircase for beautiful views before reaching Campeche.

Day 7: Campeche

Day 7: Campeche

A tour of the UNESCO city takes in its narrow streets and colonial architecture before we pay a visit to the Museum of Mayan Architecture. The city is also home to the Fortress of San Miguel, which today houses the city’s archaeological museum.

Day 8: Campeche - Pomuch - Uxmal - Campeche

Day 8: Campeche - Pomuch - Uxmal - Campeche

Today we will witness the Day of the Dead celebration, believed to be of Aztec origin, in Pomuch. The locals remove and clean the bones and skulls from the decorated ossuaries that line the town’s cemetery. We then visit the UNESCO site of Uxmal.

Day 9: Campeche - Kabah - Loltún Caves - Mérida

Day 9: Campeche - Kabah - Loltún Caves - Mérida

Departing Campeche, we head to the spectacular ruins at Kabah. We will walk an ancient Mayan road to the caves of Loltún to enter a subterranean world of stalactites, tree roots and rock paintings, before completing our journey on to Meridá.

Day 10: Mérida – Hacienda Sotuta de Peón - Mayapan - Mérida

Day 10: Mérida – Hacienda Sotuta de Peón - Mayapan - Mérida

Founded by the Spanish in 1542, Meridá is still the economic and cultural capital of the region. We’ll tour the city this morning before we depart for the 19th century Hacienda Sotuta de Peón and Mayan capital of Mayapan.

Day 11: Mérida - Izamal - Yokdzonot - Chichén Itzá

Day 11: Mérida - Izamal - Yokdzonot - Chichén Itzá

As we journey to Chichén Itzá, we will stop at the Gran Museo del Mundo, where Yucatan’s social history is laid out, Izamal, one of the oldest towns in Yucatán, and Yokdzonot Cenote, where we can swim amongst the ancient trees and blue/green waters.

Day 12: Chichén Itzá - Valladolid - Cancún

Day 12: Chichén Itzá - Valladolid - Cancún

We meet an expert archaeological guide today at Chichén Itzá, a UNESCO site and one of the most important examples of Mayan-Toltec civilisation anywhere in the Yucatán. We then spend time exploring Valladolid before reaching the airport in Cancún.

Show less

Persons:

0

Rooms:

0

Close

Choose an option

Why Us

Travel through the Yucatan Peninsula stopping at Mayan ruins

Travel through the Yucatan Peninsula stopping at Mayan ruins

Witness the cleaning of the dead at the Day of The Dead festivities

Witness the cleaning of the dead at the Day of The Dead festivities

Visit the spectacular Mayan sites of Uxmal, Tulum, and Chichén Itzá

Visit the spectacular Mayan sites of Uxmal, Tulum, and Chichén Itzá

Snorkel in the natural beauty of Bacalar Lagoon

Snorkel in the natural beauty of Bacalar Lagoon

Marvel at the colonial elegance of Campeche and Meridá

Marvel at the colonial elegance of Campeche and Meridá

Explore the subterranean world of Loltún Caves

Explore the subterranean world of Loltún Caves

Our reviews
Trustpilot

Michael Morcos

Australia

Qatar World Cup experience was awesome, I travelled in 2018 with Varya and the team with my dad, this time around took my cousin and both times the team went above and beyond expectations. Thank you to the World of Discoveries team. Looking forward to USA, Mexico, Canada or even potentially Asian Cup in Qatar.

Gaz Roulston

Australia

EUROS 24 Can’t recommend WORLD OF DISCOVERIES highly enough My daughter and I joined them in Munich before travelling to Cologne then Berlin From the moment we arrived in Munich it was the full 5 star experience. They took care of every aspect of the trip from transport, tours and activities. Varya and Mike instantly made you feel welcome and included like life long friends, there chemistry and enthusiasm really do make all the difference. They have built an amazing team around them who are totally committed to making your trip the very best it can be I will defiantly use them again in the future

Lucas Müller

Germany

I traveled to the Australian Open with WofDi and was thoroughly impressed with the organization of my tour. The team at WofDi are true professionals who know their business inside and out. Any question or issue I had was addressed swiftly, showcasing their commitment to excellent customer service. They ensured that aside from the tennis, everything else was taken care of, allowing me to focus solely on enjoying the event. I’m grateful for such a hassle-free experience and will definitely be traveling with WofDi again!

Gabriel Carvajal

Mexico

My cousin and I attended the first Mexico soccer games of the 2018 World Cup and World of Discoveries was excellent. The lodging accommodations were great and centrally located. The personnel were wonderful. Thank you Tim for taking care of all our request. I was very surprised to received a message at 3 am informing me that our car was outside waiting to transfer us to the airport. That is the level of service that we received from World of Discoveries. Great company that made our trip even more memorable since it was absolutely hassle free.

Erika Proano

USA

I decided to take my dad to the World Cup to watch Ecuador play and enjoy the opening ceremony. After some online research, I found World Of Discoveries and I am beyond glad I found them. I trusted them with all the details and our experience was exceptional. World of Discoveries personalized approach is something I beyond appreciate; the team was in touch and answer my questions super timely and very clearly (I had many many questions). I received guidance on next steps as we were approaching the world cup and I knew I was not going to miss any details because they were on top of everything. The World Cup experience was above and beyond what we expected. We didn't have to worry about anything, World of Discoveries took care of the logistics and planned everything for us! even our side trip to Dubai was unforgettable! Thankful to companies that deliver above and beyond expectations and help us make memories that we will cherish forever. I can't wait for our next adventure!

Ian C

Australia

World of Discoveries make you feel like you are their only customer (in a good way) that they can personalise and achieve outcomes for the biggest events in the World. Since my awesome experience at the 2018 Men's World Cup in Russia to the recent Women's World Cup 2023 held in Australia and New Zealand, Varya and her team ensure that her customers are satisfied beyond expectations. If you are looking for a real experience and a trusted partner to deliver, you should not hesitate to contact World of Discoveries.