Yucatan Peninsula Adventure

8 Days | Ancient ruins, colourful cities and natural wonders in eastern Mexico

4.6 out of 5 based on 48 reviews submitted.
Explorer
From
NZD $2,404
View dates and book

From tropical beaches and colourful old cities to spectacular ancient ruins, the Yucatan Peninsula’s draws are many and varied. Learn more about the lives of mysterious civilisations at the Maya ruins of Chichen Itza and Tulum, try traditional cuisine and get cultured in the likes of Merida and Campeche and bathe in the crystal-clear waters of hidden cenotes and pristine beaches. Thousands of years of history mixed with a modern, laidback lifestyle means Mexico, and the Yucatan in particular, should be high on everyone’s bucket list.

Trip overview

Map of Yucatan Peninsula Adventure including Mexico
Start
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Finish
Tulum, Mexico
Theme
Explorer
Destinations
Mexico
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Original
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1 - Max 12
Trip code
QBSY
This trip generates 37 kg of CO2-e per person per day.
We offset these emissions on your behalf. But we know that is not enough, so we also have a carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • Kick back and relax in the lakeside town of Bacalar, known for its deep blue cenote and aquamarine lagoon.
  • Escape the crowds and take a refreshing dip at Yokdzonot, a lesser-known cenote in the heart of the Yucatan managed by the local Maya community.
  • Travel to Tulum and explore the archaeological site of Mayan ruins at your own pace. Then, enjoy some free time to find the best snorkelling spots or local bars.
  • Experience Chichen Itza – one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Your tour of the ancient ruins includes a visit to the nearby Piste community and a traditional lunch.
  • Sip zingy margaritas, munch on local cuisine and soak up as much culture and history as you can in Merida, Yucatan’s charismatic capital.

Is this trip right for you?
  • The tropical climate of Central America means conditions can be hot and humid. Always carry plenty of water with you and stay hydrated, especially on walking tours. There will of course be plenty of chances to swim!
  • It's a good idea to learn as many Spanish words as you can. Locals are very friendly, but can be shy, so you'll need to make an effort to break the ice. It's a great way to show respect and involve yourself in their culture.

Itinerary

Map of Yucatan Peninsula Adventure including Mexico

Inclusions

Meals

7 breakfasts, 2 lunches

Transport

Private vehicle

Accommodation

Hotel (7 nights)

Activities
  • Chichen Itza - Archaeological site (Entrance fee, Guide & Transport)
  • Piste - Traditional Maya Family Lunch
  • Merida - Leader-led orientation walk
  • Merida - Visit to Cenote Yokdnozot Piste
  • Campeche - Leader-led Orientation Walk
  • Becal - Visit to Jipi hat artisan cave studio
  • Bacalar - Leader-led orientation walk
  • Tulum - Leader-led orientation walk
  • Tulum - Archaeological Site (incl. entrance & national park fee - no guide)
Add on activities
  • Merida - Regional Museum of Yucatan - MXN90
  • Merida – Rio Lagartos (entrance and transport) - MXN1300
  • Merida - Uxmal Ruins tour (inc. shared transport and guide) - MXN1400
  • Campeche - San Miguel Fort (Entrance Fee) - MXN65
  • Cenote Azul - Natural rock pool with option to swim (Entrance fee & Transport) - MXN35
  • Dos Ojos Cenote - Fresh Water Rock Pool (entrance fee with snorkelling gear & life jacket included) - MXN550
  • Tulum- Bike rental - MXN250

Dates and availability

Loading trip dates and availabilities...

Important notes

1. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm on Day 1 in Playa del Carmen. There are no activities planned for the final day so you may depart at any time.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights on your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

Essential Trip Information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 based on 48 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

Filter by rating

Gabriella · Traveled February 2024
Highly recommend. Great trip for everyone wanting to discover the real Mexico.
Review submitted 12 Feb 2024

Gabriella · Traveled February 2024
Highly recommend to anyone wants to see the real Mexico.
Review submitted 11 Feb 2024

Dee · Traveled February 2024
Overall a really enjoyable trip. I learned a lot about Mexico and got a taste of several places in the Yucatán area. Despite having a variety of ages in the group, from mid twenties to late sixties we all got on extremely well and coming from a variety of places (Australia, Switzerland and the UK) we also learned a lot about one another’s home countries.
Review submitted 11 Feb 2024

Alexandra · Traveled January 2024
Mariana our tour guide was absolutely excellent - I cannot speak highly enough of her. Locations like Merida, Balacar and Campeche were lovely, with Bacalar being one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. The tours of ruins were really very interesting and Uxmal was fascinating and much more easily navigated than Chichen Itza in my view as there were far fewer people. Tulum and Playa were very very commercialised, overwhelmingly expensive, and not my thing at all and I was pleased we only spent 1 day there. The accommodation was VERY variable and completely sub-par in Playa (right next door to a thumping night club, no working shower etc). The best bit of this trip was the middle section involving smaller cities and ruins etc. Intrepid need to drastically improve the quality of the accommodation in some places however as (having gone on 5 intrepid trips and backpacked) this was by far the lowest quality I've experienced on an organised trip, and that includes some of the poorest countries in Asia, Cuba etc.
Review submitted 31 Jan 2024

Jacqueline · Traveled January 2024
Overall the trip was enjoyable as we had a friendly group but poor value for money with some disappointing hotels.
Review submitted 27 Jan 2024
Yucatan Peninsula Adventure
From
NZD $2,404