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Tulum
- All Day: Flights arrivals to Tulum, Mexico
- Evening: Welcome meeting and orientation at hotel
- Overnight in Tulum
FEB 7-15, 2025
Calakmul, the Snake Kingdom, and the Chenes Region
This 8-day tour will bring you to the ancient Maya ruins of Southern Yucatan, Mexico.
Participants fly in and out of Tulum's new international airport. After a night in the beach town and a
quick visit to the ruins of Tulum, the tour heads hours south to where the Yucatan Peninsula meets the
borders of Belize and Guatemala. For the next week, Zac will lead them on an exploration of the ruins hidden
in the jungle there.
In the ancient past, that region was known as the Snake Kingdom. At its heart, the largest city ever built
by the Maya - mighty Calakmul. Participants will will visit its remote ruins and the ancient cities around it.
After the fall of Calakmul, Maya civilization in that area evolved into what we call Chenes Maya. This tour will also
visit Chenes ruins and admire their "Maya Baroque" art and architecture. The adventure will end with an exploration
of the Maya people at European contact and the lives of their modern descendants.
10 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES, 2 HISTORICAL SITES, 1 MUSEUM, AND THE LAKE OF SEVEN COLORS - BACALAR
Itinerary
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Day 1: Arrival to Tulum - Friday, Feb 7
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Day 2: Tulum Ruins - Saturday, Feb 8
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Tulum to Chetumal
- 7-9am: Breakfast at hotel and check out
- 10-12pm: Tour of Tulum's ruins
- 12-1pm: Lunch break in Tulum
- 1-4pm: Transport to Chetumal
- 6-7pm: Lecture: Ancient Cities of the Chenes Region
- Overnight in Chetumal
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Day 3: Kohunlich and the Maya Museum - Sunday, Feb 9
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Kohunlich and the Maya Museum
- 7-9am: Breakfast at hotel
- 9-12pm: Transport to and tour of Kohunlich
- 12-2pm: Lunch break in Chetumal
- 2-4pm: The Maya Museum
- 6-7pm: Lecture: Calakmul and the Snake Kingdom
- Overnight in Chetumal
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Day 4: Xpuhil and Becan - Monday, Feb 10
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Xpuhil and Becan
- 7-9am: Breakfast at hotel and check out
- 9-12pm: Transport to and tour of Xpuhil ruins
- 12-2pm: Lunch break in Xpuhil
- 2-4pm: Exploring the ruins of Becan
- Overnight in Xpuhil
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Day 5: Calakmul - Tuesday, Feb 11
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Calakmul
- 7-8am: Breakfast at hotel
- 8-10am: Transport through the Calakmul biosphere
- 10-3pm: Exploring Calakmul all day - packed lunches
- 3-5pm: Transport back to Xpuhil
- Overnight in Xpuhil
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Day 6: Balam Ku, Chicanna and Hormiguero - Wednesday, Feb 12
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Balam Ku, Chicanna, and Hormiguero
- 7-8am: Breakfast at hotel and check out
- 8-12pm: Transport to and tours of Balam Ku and Chicanna
- 12-2pm: Lunch break in Xpuhil
- 2-4pm: Tour of Hormiguero
- 4-6pm: Transport to Lake Bacalar
- Overnight in Bacalar
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Day 7: Dzibanche and Kinichna - Thursday, Feb 13
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Dzibanche and Kinichna
- 7-8am: Breakfast at hotel
- 8-9am: Transport to Dzibanche
- 9-12pm: Tours of Dzibanche and Kinichna
- 12-1pm: Return to Bacalar
- 1-6pm: Lunch and free time in Bacalar
- 6-7pm: Lecture: The Maya Caste Wars
- Overnight in Bacalar
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Day 8: Fort Bacalar and the Talking Cross- Friday, Feb 14
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Fort Bacalar and the Talking Cross
- 7-9am: Breakfast at hotel
- 9-10am: Fort Bacalar Museum
- 10-12pm: Transport to Felipe Carrillo Puerto
- 12-1pm: Lunch break in town
- 1-2pm: The Shrine of the Talking Cross
- 2-3pm: Transport to Tulum and hotel check in
- 6-7pm: Final group gathering at the hotel bar
- Overnight in Tulum
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Day 9: Departures - Saturday, Feb 15
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Departures
- Morning: Breakfast and free time
- All Day: Taxis to the Tulum International Airport
- Or stay on in Mexico on your own
- END OF TOUR
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Lodging
Tulum
Aloft Tulum
Resort style hotel. AC, restaurant, bar, telephone, cable TV and wifi.
Chetumal
Hotel Los Cocos
Comfortable hotel two blocks from the Maya Museum. AC, restaurant, pool, cable TV and wifi.
Xpuhil
Hotel Casa Maran
Located on the highway through Xpuhil. Comfortable, but basic. AC, restaurant, cable TV and wifi.
Bacalar
Hotel Sur Bacalar
Boutique hotel two blocks from the beach town center. AC, restaurant, pool, and wifi.
Price Includes
All lodging, private ground transportation, breakfasts, archaeologist guide, local
guides, evening lectures, entry fees, and water bottles on the bus
Price Does Not Include
Airfare - Round trip to Tulum, lunches, dinners, gratuities (maids, drivers, guides, etc..), and travel insurance - MEC strongly suggests that every tour participant obtain travel insurance for the week
MEC strongly recommends travel insurance. If you don't have a trusted company, InsureMyTrip allows you to compare compare policies from many different companies and make your best choice.
This 8-day tour will extensively explore the ancient Maya ruins of Calakmul and many others located in Southern Yucatan.
Participants will stay on the move - four different hotels during the week. Each day will be another adventure through jungle shrouded ruins and an amazing learning experience.
10 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES, 2 HISTORICAL SITES, 1 MUSUEM, AND BEAUTIFUL LAKE BACALAR
- $500 deposit due upon registration
- 50% balance due 90 days before the trip
- Final balance due 30 days before