Mexico Yucatán (Maya) extension

15th – 18th November 2018

Flying to Mérida in the evening of Friday 15th November, we will stay at the Hotel Hacienda Uxmal Plantation and Museum, situated in the heart of the jungle, where Prince Rainer and Grace Kelly, and author Yukio Mishima, among others, have stayed.

This short extension offers a chance to unwind but also to discover another region of Mexico (the Puuc region within the Yucatán province, south of Mérida) and some amazing Maya sites.

Three nights will be spent at the hotel with the site of Uxmal (75 mins south of Mérida and a five-minute walk from the archaeological site) being our main destination focus, but we will offer visits for the more adventurous to the less-explored archaeological sites of Kabah (25 mins south of Uxmal) and Labna (45 mins south of Uxmal).

Itinerary

Saturday 16th November

The morning will be spent exploring the magnificent site of Uxmal, perhaps the most decorative of the Maya sites and certainly one of the most important in terms of Maya culture – its intricate woven sculptures and architectural features are unparalleled in Mexico.

After lunch we will head off to the lesser-known site of Kabah, a Maya archaeological site in the Puuc region, connected by a grand 18-km-long raised pedestrian causeway 5 m wide with monumental arches at each end. After this, a visit to Labna. The site was built in the Late and Terminal Classic era. A date corresponding to AD 862 is inscribed in the palace. The first written report of Labna was by American explorer John Lloyd Stephens who visited the site with artist Frederick Catherwood in 1842 as part of their pivotal explorations of Maya civilisation in central America.

Sunday 17th November

Today we will spend the morning exploring the colonial city of Mérida, the capital of the province and originally the Maya city of T’ho. The afternoon will be spent relaxing by the hotel pool or some may wish to return to explore the site of Uxmal further. Another option is on the return journey from Merida we visit the cenote X’batun, an underground pool forming part of a network of ancient natural wells that stretches underneath the Yucatan peninsula, where we can enjoy a dip (halfway towards Uxmal – 50 mins south of Mérida).

In the evening we will take in a short sound and light show on-site at Uxmal, which narrates (in Spanish) the story of the Maya rain god Chaac as the legendary founder of the city.

Monday 18th November

After one more relaxed morning, we will depart from Mérida Airport to Mexico City for connecting flights home, or say goodbye to those who may wish to continue their journey independently within the region.

Costs are £1290 and single occupancy supplement is £50

Please contact [email protected] for more information