On this 3 week Regular-difficulty tour we start and end in Mérida. We will see most of what the northern Yucatan has to offer; cenotes, Mayan ruins, both gulf and carribean beaches, wetland birds and flamingos, haciendas, friendly Mayan villages and beautiful colonial towns and cities, and of course pleasant quiet roads to cycle on.
Your Itinerary
Day 1: Meet in Mérida
Mérida, the White City, was founded in 1542. Its architecture still shows an exquisite union of pre-Hispanic and European elements. During its Colonial era, this state capital was the most important city in the region, leaving such living monuments as the House of Montejo, Government Palace, and the main building of the University of Yucatan. Museums, theatres, handcrafts, nightclubs and beautiful parks have created a beautiful and vibrant city. Once settled into our hotel room, we will experience Méridas delicious culinary tradition at one of Mérida's numerous restaurants.
Day 2: Mérida to Tekit (81km)
Grutas de Dzabna caves, 13 cenotes tour in Tecoh. Haciendas, small towns quiet roads. On our first day of cycling we will leave the city of Merida to the south and meander along old hacienda country. There are ex-haciendas along the way, including Dzuyaxche as well as the working henequen hacienda, Sotuta de Peon. We'll be passing through several small towns on very quiet backroads. In Tecoh we'll stop for the incredible hour and a half tour of the Grutas de Dzabna caves and cenotes, and then onward, on more quiet backroads to Tekit. Tekit is a small Mayan-colonial town with a 16th century church, pleasant square and small market. Our comfortable hotel will be a suitable end to the first day of our adventure.
Day 3: Tekit to Muna (69-97 km)
Important Mayapan post-classic Mayan ruins, more haciendas, quiet backroads, and cenotes. The adventure continues. We will stay on our quiet backroads and start the day with a visit to the very important Mayan site of Mayapan. Mayapan was the most important center of Mayan civilization leading up to the arrival of the Spanish. It was the capital of a Maya Confederation, which included Chichen Itza and Uxmal. After Mayapan, we continue on past more ex-haciendas and visiting more cenotes on our way to Muna. Muna is another charming little Mayan-colonial town with several old churches and an interesting market.
Day 4: Muna to Hecelchacan (90 km)
Campeche State, Becal; Panama hat weaving capital. Today we will make our way into the state of Campeche. In Campeche State we'll visit the town of Becal where people weave the world renowned Panama hat, or jipijapa. The hats are made in the humidity of caves where the fibres remain pliable enough to be worked with. A fine Panama hat that can cost you US$50 or more can be rolled up and passed through a man's ring without damaging it. Moving on from Becal we will pass through Calkini and make our way to the larger town of Hecelchakan.
Day 5: Hecelchacan
Rest day, bustling town, market. Time for a rest to let those legs recuperate and get ready for more! Hecelchakan is a larger town with all the amenities, but it still has a strong Mayan influence and an interesting market. Not to mention more beautiful colonial architecture.
Day 6: Hecelchacan to Sta. Elena (100km)
Back to Yucatan State, Kabah Mayan ruins. More quiet backroads will take us back into the state of Yucatan crossing under a gradiose archway at the border. We will stop at the Mayan ruins of Kabah with its famous 'Palace of the Masks' on the way to the small town of Santa Elena with it's giant 18th centure church-fort perched atop a hill - a great spot to see the sun set over the Yucatan's endless forests.
Day 7: Sta. Elena to Tekax (85km)
Puuc route Mayan ruins, Hacienda Tabi, quiet backroads. Today we will ride the Puuc route along a winding road through rolling terrain, stopping along the way to visit a number of different Mayan ruins, possibly including Labna, Sayil and X-Lapak. We will then visit the beautiful restored ex-hacienda Tabi. Continuing along the backroads through ever more hilly terrain we will eventually get to Tekax, a colonial Mayan town with 16th and 17th century churches.
Day 8: Tekax to Piste (124 km)
Longer distance, old churches, cenotes, unexcavated Mayan ruins of Yaxuna. We have a longer day today. Travelling on almost traffic free roads we will go through several Mayan towns visiting an old abandoned church outside of Yaxcaba, cenotes in several towns and the mostly unexcavated Mayan ruins of Yaxuna. Our destination, Piste, a pleasant town on its own, exists to service the Chichen-Itza bound tourists.
Day 9: Piste to Tizimin (77km)
Famous Chichen-Itza Mayan ruins, quiet roads. Entering the most famous Mayan ruins of Chichen-Itza when they first open ensures that we will have them all to ourselves hours before the bus-loads of tourists arrive and take over. Long gone by then we'll be heading north along narrow old (but well paved) roads towards Tizimin, the livestock capital of the Yucatan.
Day 10: Tizimin to Kantunilkin (100 km)
Unexcavated Mayan ruins of Kubulá, backroads, cenotes, Mayan villages. Today we'll visit the mostly unexcavated Mayan ruins of Kubulá, well off the beaten path. Continuing on we will pass through many Mayan towns and villages where cenotes are still the town well that women come to for their daily water needs. We cross into Quintana Roo state to stay the night in the town of Kantunilkin.
Day 11: Kantunilkin to Isla Holbox (43 km)
Tall forest, quiet roads, ferry to the island. We head north along more very quiet roads, this time along some fairly untouched thick tall forest, quite unusual in the Yucatan. Arriving in Chiquila, we'll await the next ferry for a short crossing over to Isla Holbox.
Day 12: Isla Holbox
Beautiful beaches, carnaval madness. Enjoy a tranquil rest day on this scenic island. We'll also be seeing carnaval parades and other festivities.
Day 13: Holbox to Coba (126 km)
Longest day, Punta Laguna eco-park, lagoon, spider monkeys, Tres Reyes cenotes and rapel. This is our longest day of cycling, and there's plenty to enjoy along the way. Besides the quiet roads, very pleasant for cycling, we will visit Tres Reyes and Punta Laguna. In Tres Reyes we have the opportunity to visit some cenotes and do some rappelling. A little further down the road we will enter Punta Laguna eco-park where we can visit more cenotes, take a jungle trek where we'll see spider monkeys and can take a dip in a beautiful clear lagoon.
Day 14: Coba to Valladolid (77km)
Coba Mayan ruins, several cenotes, Mayan villages and towns, freshly paved backroads, remote Mayan ruins Ixhil, colonial city. We'll get an early start on the Coba ruins and again beat the crowds. Coba boasts the Nohoch Mul, which at 42m high is the tallest Mayan structure in the Yucatan peninsula. There are also a series of 'Sacbe' which are elevated stone roads built by the Mayans. One of these, the longest, extends for 100km all the way to Yaxuna. Leaving Coba, we'll take the back road out, along a newly paved stretch taking us towards Valladolid. Along the way we have the opportunity to visit several cenotes, pass through some small Mayan towns and villages and possibly explore the hidden Mayan ruins and lagoon of Ixhil.
Day 15: Valladolid to Peto (121km)
Quiet narrow roads, small towns. Another long day of beautiful cycling along quiet roads. We're well off the beaten track here.
Day 16: Peto to Tihosuco (98km)
The Church route, the Caste War museum. After cutting through the town of Dziuche, we will travel along the 'Church Route' with its many very old churches in each of the small Mayan towns. Finally arriving in Tihosuco, we will visit the impressive Caste War museum to learn about this interesting chapter of Yucatan history. As there are no actual hotels in town, we will be staying in modest rooms of houses that locals rent out to the occasional tourist that comes here.
Day 17: Tihosuco to Ek Balam (96km)
Pass through Valladolid, Ek Balam mayan ruins. We pass through Valladolid on our way to the impressive Mayan ruins of Ek' Balam with its unique winged sculptures. We will stay near the ruins at the beautiful Eco-Cultural Genesis Retreat.
Day 18: Ek Balam to Izamal (110 km)
Cenotes, small towns, quiet roads. We'll pass through many small Mayan towns and visit as many cenotes on the way as you want! There are literally hundreds of them along this route, including Mumondzonot, one of the most spectacular cenotes in the Yucatan, and one that very few people know about. At the end of the day we find ourselves in the splendid colonial yellow town of Izamal.
Day 19: Izamal
Mayan Ruins, huge pyramid, Convent, Zocalo, Market, beautiful Izamal, the best tacos in Mexico! Known as the Yellow Town because of the colour of the colonial buildings that line the zocalo, Izamal is famous for having the largest church plaza in Mexico. It includes an enormous Franciscan convent (built with Mayan stones) and the remnants of the most voluminous Mayan pyramids in the Yucatan. You can also visit the colourful market, or just stroll around the beautiful zocalo observing the daily routines of the local inhabitants.
Day 20: Izamal to Telchac Puerto (89 km)
Gulf coast, wetlands. After cycling north through more small towns, we'll hit the gulf coast. Riding along the quiet coastal road we can enjoy views of the sea on the right and lagoons on the left.
Day 21: Telchac Puerto to Merida (91 km)
More gulf coast, Dzibilchaltun Mayan ruins, cenote, Colonial Center, Zocalo, Market. We continue along the gulf coast before turning to the south. We'll take the backroads way into Mérida, passing through several little towns and visiting the Mayan ruins of Dzibilchaltun with its most unusual and interesting cenote, Xlacah Cenote.
Day 22: Mérida
Stay a bit longer or fly back home. Mérida, is a state capital and commercial center. It's also the cultural focal point of the entire peninsula. Tourists are attracted to the history and beauty of this vibrant city. Its colonial center, Centro Colonial, is busy with Maya men and women in traditional dress. College students lounging at nearby cafes and businessmen and women rushing to their offices. Meridians enjoy long, leisurely promenades in the zocalo. The zocalo's clock tower chimes 4 times an hour and dawn and dusk are greeted by a flag ceremony, accompanied by the music of a military band. Nearby you will be able to visit venerable old churches like the yellow cathedral with its twin towers containing what is claimed to be the second largest crucifix in the world. There is also the Palacio de Gobierno with its stairway painting depicting the Maya belief that humanity comes from maize. Under the balcony of the Palacio Municipal concerts and classes in jarana, a Yucatan colonial dance, take place. The nearby market or Mercado is huge, noisy, colorful and crowded. Anything you might want to buy can be found there or even made for you while you wait. Of special interest are the famous Yucatan hammocks. There are numerous museums and parks to visit as well as a never-ending series of free music and dance events to attend each day of the week.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price includes only the guiding fee. Accommodations (approx. $310) and meals (approx. $270) are NOT included
Also see tour packages in:
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Mexico
Bicycle Touring
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