Physical Difficulty
Cultural rating
Wildlife expectation
The Yucatan peninsula is famous for its idyllic sandy beaches and Mayan ruins. Chichen Itza is probably the most famous Mayan ruin in existence. The City of Merida is usually on the list of places to visit for anyone visiting the Yucatan Peninsula. The area is famous for its haciendas, colonial history, spectacular beaches and coral reefs, of course. This 9 day itinerary combines 4 star hotels with some off the beaten track adventures, including swimming with the magnificent whale sharks and visiting Mayan temples…to combine the prefect aspects of this spectacular area!
Special features of our 9 Day Yucatan Peninsula Tours:
Type of Tourism: Sealife, beaches, archaeology, surfing, adventure, off the beaten track.
Places to Visit: Cancun, Isla Holbox, Merida, Uxmal, Chichen Itza,
Duration: 9 Days and 8 Nights.
Type of Service: group tours.
Accommodation: 4 star hotels at every destination that you will visit. These hotels have been carefully chosen and we can guarantee that you will feel comfortable and your every need catered for!
Today is arrival day at Cancun International Airport! We will be waiting for you to take you to the luxury hotel in Cancun.
After breakfast, we will head to Chiquila Dock for a boat journey across the Caribbean Sea to the idyllic island paradise of Isla Holbox. We will have a free afternoon to settle in and enjoy the spectacular beaches to soak up some rays while relaxing on the soft, white sands of this idyllic Mexican-Caribbean island.
Today we will enjoy a private snorkelling trip to swim with the elusive whale sharks that are found in these waters from June to September. These magnificent sea creatures can reach up to 10 meters long, making them the largest fish in the world, but are actually very docile. After this unforgettable experience, we will return to the hotel for a free afternoon in paradise.
After breakfast, we will head out on another whale shark snorkelling tour to spend some more time with these giant and impressive fish. In the afternoon, we will return to the Chiquila Dock for an onward to the city of Merida. Along the way, we will make a stop in Tixkokob to visit a hammock weaving family and learn all about how they make these famous Mexican artisanal products. After lunch at the Hacienda Teya, we will continue to Merida, where we will enjoy an orientation tour of the city. In the evening, we will head to the...
Today we will take part in a traditional Mexican cooking class with one of Merida’s finest chefs, Mario Canul, at his beautiful colonial cooking school, Los Dos. In the afternoon, we will head out on a private tour of Merida City to visit the Palacio de Gobierno, Paseo de Montejo and the Anthropology Museum. We will then head to the ancient citadel of Uxmal to the hotel for the evening.
Bright and early, we will head out to marvel at the world-renowned Maya temples and ball courts of Uxmal. Our guide will explain all about this magnificent temple and one of the finest examples of classic Maya architecture on the planet. This archaeological site has spectacular palaces, 15 groups of buildings, including the Adivino Pyramid and the Palacio del Gobernador. After this visit, we will enjoy a delicious "pibil" lunch, a regional delicacy, before returning to the hotel in the afternoon.
Today, our day begins at the living-museum of Hacienda Sotuta de Peon. Here, we will learn about the traditional henequen haciendas, which was the source of the Yucatan’s wealth during the Colonial era. We will visit the processing plant, which is still working today, visit the beautiful main house and take a mule-drawn rail cart to tour the fields, ending at a refreshing cenote. We will have a traditional lunch at the hacienda before heading to the city of Izamal to visit the magical Franciscan monastery and a crafts co-operat...
Today, we will explore Chichen Itza before the crowds arrive with our private guide. We will witness the most important feature, such as the ball courts, temples, and plazas of this ancient citadel. We will be heading out of the site as the heat rises and the crowds begin to arrive, towards a little known cenote “pool” to access the cool, deep-blue, crystal-clear waters of the vast underground river system that zigzags the Yucatan Peninsula!
Today is the final day of this spectacular tour. We will take you to the Cancun Airport in time for your flight back home or on to your next exciting destination.
Guides & Drivers:
2.2. Protective Measures and Equipment to consider:
2.2.1. Mandatory Equipment:
• Face mask
• Tied Hair (in case of having long hair)
• Closed Shoes (not sandals)
• Constant use of Hand Sanitizer
• Use pants with the uniform (not shorts)
• Sanitize your backpack and equipment constantly when providing services
• Limit the use of accessories (wallets, fanny packs, watches, etc.)
• Avoid sharing glasses, spoons, bottles, etc.
• Avoid the use of reusable tissues, make use of disposable towels or napkins
• Make use of the digital thermometer
• Avoid wearing a tie or scarf
III. SPECIFIC PREVENTION MEASURES
3.1. Tourist Guide Service
• Maximum 1 Guide for every 14 visitors
3.2. Tourist Reception
• Welcome: greet without physical contact and maintaining a distance of 1.5 meters.
3.3. Delivery of Preventive Utensils
• Take the temperature of Each Visitor
• Hand Sanitizer
• Masks, if necessary.
• Gloves
Physical distancy and wear masks in public spaces are mandatory for clients, guides and drivers.
We do not include travel or health insurance and we strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance for any unexpected circumstances. This is not obligatory, however. An full travel insurance policy that covers cancellations and delays as well as medical insurance.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure that you are up-to-date with the recommended vaccinations when traveling to the destination. In any case, a negative Coronavirus Molecular Test (PCR) is needed to enter the country.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure what medications you will need to bring to the destination. Pharmacies and drugstores are common in all cities, however, it is not certain that you will be able to find a specific drug that you can find in your country of origin.
As in any city in the world, there can be pickpockets in crowded places. We suggest being vigilant at all times, but if you are in a group you will always be safer.
We do not include the cost of any domestic or international flight in any of our programs. These services must be booked independently by each guest.
Yes, hotels will charge the cost of a double room as standard, so a single supplement will be charged if you are traveling alone.
VA Expeditions is supported by Valencia Travel, a company with more than 12 years of foundation with a solid financial position. We have insurance from the insurance company La Positiva, that supports us and protects our guests from any eventuality at the destination, covering our guests for more than 5 million US dollars.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, in addition to multi-day programs, we offer half-day experiences and excursions without overnight, which you can purchase as additional services. In case you wish to purchase one of these services, you can ask your guide, the transfer representative or your sales representative to provide you with the support you need.
Yes, you can add additional or optional services to your regular tour. We appreciate contacting your sales representative for any changes you wish to make.
Yes, you can travel with children and we have many activities to do as a family, however, depending on your itinerary, some experiences can be a bit demanding for young children. As a recommendation, we suggest that you ask your sales consultant if the tour you wish to book is suitable for children.
We work with a maximum group size of 12 passengers for sustainability reasons and a more personaized experience.
We suggest making your reservations at least one month before your trip in order to reserve the best hotels, transportation and services for your travel dates, however, in last minute cases, we can reserve up to 15 days in advance.
We suggest consulting with your embassy to review any documents, tests or special visa you need for your trip.
The official currency in Mexico is the mexican peso (MXN). In large cities there is a good chance that you will find ATMs or ATMs, however, we suggest that you do not rely entirely on this solution, as it may not be enabled to work with your bank.
Yes, we cater for all special dietary requirements. Please let us know at the time of booking if you have any allergies or special dietary needs.
As a sustainable travel company, we are in constant search of how we can improve the sustainability of our operations. An example of our sustainable projects:
Sustainable Tourism Policy
Our partner, Martsam Travel, organizes trips focused on sustainability while respecting the natural environment, the communities, and their traditions, trying as much as possible to use suppliers committed to sustainability practices, and collaborating with them in the implementation of these practices that lead us to raise the quality of the services offered.
Environmental Friendliness (Eco-Friendly):
All the activities of the company are analyzed, and it considered in order to avoid, mitigate, reverse or compensate any kind of environmental impact, since the natural environment is an essential part of our product and therefore is vital for our daily survival.
Social and Cultural Responsibility
It implies that the company analyzes and takes into account the social and cultural background of the sites and their areas of influence, in which it develops activities, so that these result benefits the local inhabitants as much as possible. The cultural environment is the most charismatic part of our product and therefore conserving it is conserving our way of life.
Financial Sustainability
We make sure that our operation generates profits for the local communities and make sure the benefits are real, we also ensure that the payments to the services they provide are fair.
Our partner, Martsam Travel, cooperates with different service providers such as hotels, restaurants, community projects, leaders, and local guides, relying on the “Best Practices Agreement in Sustainable Tourism”, established with the Rainforest Alliance in 2006.
Tips are not included in the cost of the tour. You should plan to tip 10% in restaurants and for your guided services, however, tipping is never required.
Cultural norms vary within each Latin American country, even within each city within the country, however, we recommend the following measures to have a pleasant visit in each destination: Latin American culture in general tends to be closer and more informal than in others cultures, so there is usually always a friendly approach in all conversations, and going directly to the point could be considered offensive to some people. Personal space can be much shorter as well, but without being interpreted as sexual in nature.
The schedules are also usually more relaxed and informal, however, this is not the case of VA EXPEDITIONS, since we will always respect the hours indicated in your itinerary. This may be different for other appointments that you can book on your own at other locations.
This depends on each itinerary, and will be indicated in the detail of the day. However, our itineraries always usually include free times to offer more flexibility to our guests.
For any emergency, we appreciate contacting the following number: + (502) 5417-5517
At VA Expeditions we believe that every action we take should generate a positive impact on the communities and the environment of our entire production chain, which is why we carry out various activities focused on this objective. An example of our sustainable projects: Conservation in Ria Lagartos,
Conservation in Selestun, Merida Yucatan
Conservation at Sian Kan Reserve and Muyil Archaeological Site,
Visit local families, markets, etc
Visit communiarian projects at Señor and Tihosuco in Quinta Roo,
Projects at Oaxaca with artisanal agave production.
All our guests have 24/7 support for any type of emergency or eventuality. For emergencies you can contact the following number: + (502) 5417-5517. For general inquiries, you can write to us at the following email: info@valenciatravelcusco.com
This depends on each itinerary, but generally is a ratio of one guide for every nine guests.
This depends on the type of the type of Travel insurance that the passenger has. We recommend that you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy for better care and hospital facilities.
The tours are carried out by an expert team that has determined the optimal times of visits to make the most of our guests' time, without rushing. All our programs are customizable, so if at any time at the destination you want to adjust the pace of the trip, you can ask your guide to reach a consensus with the whole group in case you need to make adjustments to the pace of the trip.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, you can safely store any luggage at your hotel.
For city tours, there are public bathrooms available, in remote destinations bathroom facilities are more sparse.
In the mountains and remote places there is no Internet connection. Hotels and public places usually have WIFI available.
In cities and tourist centers you will have good telephone reception. In remote areas, there may be no cell phone reception.
It depends on each itinerary. We suggest contacting your account representative to give you specific information regarding your program.
We suggest that you bring a refillable water bottle or purchase bottled water if necessary. Depending on your destination, at various points on your trip there will be places where you can fill your water bottle.
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