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

Brian King

USA

Highly Recommend Just back from Germany where World of Discoveries organized a fantastic custom trip for us to the Euro 2024 football (soccer) tournament, covering Frankfurt and Cologne. From start to finish, their communication was excellent, ensuring we were well-informed and prepared for our adventure. Our in-country host, Mike, was exceptional. He went above and beyond to keep everyone updated on game day, making sure everything ran smoothly. His knowledge and enthusiasm added a special touch to our experience. Seats obtained by them were great too! The hotel selections were spot on. In Cologne, our hotel was perfectly situated, allowing us to easily walk to the fan zone and along the river, soaking in the vibrant atmosphere of the tournament alongside fellow fans. The convenience and quality of the accommodations truly enhanced our trip. Overall, World of Discoveries exceeded our expectations with their attention to detail, customer service, and seamless organization. They made our Euro 2024 experience unforgettable, and we wouldn't hesitate to book with them again for future adventures. Thank you, World of Discoveries, for an incredible journey!

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.

Aubrey DeSouza

Australia

World Cup - Qatar Prior to our trip to the World Cup to Qatar, we were given helpful advice to plan the trip with staff of World of Discoveries (Wofdi). The Trip was very organized with good ground support and did not have any problems. The Wofdi was always just a "what app" away which was comforting and helpful Aubrey and Marilyn DeSouza

Anna Buck

Great Britain

Wow ! Thank you WODFI Wow ! Wow! Wow! Varya and Mike - Thank you so so much for an unbelievable 6 days in Germany for the Euros. You helped us escape travel chaos and landed us some fabulous seats at the opening ceremony and Englands first match. The hotels were fabulous. Great breakfasts and positions. Constant updates from the WODFI team added to the smooth running of my Franks perfect 50th birthday present. A highlight was the welcome party in the oldest brewery in Munich. Loved it. Will most definitely contact you again, thank you so much . Anna and Andy ❤️

Rene & Patricia Aguirre Olivares

Mexico

We have some issues with FIFA Haya card, and the agency support us all the time, ensuring we could enter to the stadium. Our manager behavior was so kindly and very responsible to support us at any moment.

Linh Taylor

Australia

We had such a wonderful time traveling with World of Discoveries. We were there for the World Cup in addition to touring. The company did an amazing job at communicating before, during and after. We felt very safe and taken care of our entire stay. We would highly recommend the company.