General Information

Duration:

7 Days

Location Start:

Cancun

Location Finish:

Cancun

Phone:

01273 322046

Payment Types:

Cash, Paypal, Travellers Cheque, Payment Transfer

We Speak:

English

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival CancunOn arrival at the airport you can get some Mexican pesos from the cash machine before you're transferred to your hotel in the centre of town. Directly outside the hotel you'll find a bustling square with restaurants and souvenir shops open until late at night.The hotel is full of Mexican atmosphere; the walls are adorned with Mayan paintings and traditional masks and the reception has a palapa (leaf) roof. Recover from your flight at the pool or in the spa before heading out in the evening to one of the many nearby bars to celebrate the start of your holiday with a real Mexican cocktail.

Day 2

Cancun - Lagartos - San FelipeThis morning you can pick up your rental car at the city office and head inland. Destination: Lagartos nature reserve. On the boat trip along the Rio Lagartos you'll see bright pink flamingos as well as ibises and caimans. You'll make a stop at a large salt water lake where you can float around in the water (the high salt content keeps you afloat) and smother yourself in the mineral-rich mud. A free spa treatment from Mother Nature.After the boat trip it's a short 15 minute drive to San Felipe, a small fishing village on the Gulf of Mexico with pretty brightly coloured wooden houses. You'll be spending the night here, far away from the hustle and bustle.Distance: approx 4 hours incl. stops.

Day 3

Day 3 San Felipe - Izamal - Chichen ItzaThis morning it's a relaxed drive to the traditional town of Izamal, once an important Mayan settlement until the Spanish invasion. The Spaniards destroyed many of the traditional houses and temples and built a Franciscan monastery in the square. The monastery can still be visited today.Izamal is known as the yellow town, as you'll soon realise when you see all the houses in the centre are painted bright yellow. You can take a tour around the town 'local style' by horse and carriage or buy some lunch from the mercado in the town square.Then it's time to drive on to your accommodation for the night, you’ll stay in a traditional hacienda close to the entrance of the Mayan city Chichen Itza.Distance: San Felipe - Izamal: 3 hours, Izamal - Chichen: 1 hour.

Day 4

Chichen Itza - ValladolidWear light clothing and bring plenty of water as it's going to be hot today. Because your hotel is close to the entrance you can set out early in the morning to explore Chichen Itza and enjoy the quiet, serene atmosphere of the ruins before the coach loads of tourists from Cancun arrive. Walk to El Castillo (the castle), a temple dedicated to the god Kulkulkan. It's a perfectly symmetrical pyramid, though because it's so steep climbing the temple is no longer allowed. Nevertheless it's still one of the most prominent structures in the complex.After exploring the ruins you can freshen up back at the hacienda before setting off on the short (one hour) drive to the colonial town of Valladolid where you will be staying on the Playa Mayor. In the evening take a stroll through the San Bernadino quarter, the streets are beautifully lit at night.Driving distance Chichen - Valladolid: 1 hour incl. stop at cenote Dzitnup

Day 5

TulumTime to enjoy some sun, sea and sand. Drive along the coast to reach your tropical paradise Tulum for a couple of days of relaxing on beach, looking out across the turquoise Caribbean Sea. Tulum is 7km down road, the famous cliff-top Mayan ruins 15 min drive away. Worth a visit but only if you feel like it. After all, today's all about chilling out.You'll be staying in a cabaña on the beach, further up there's a sandy road with some shops. Don't expect any wild discos here, Tulum is very low-key. Your bungalow has no TV, no phone (even no light if you so wish). Instead you'll have candles and the soothing rush of the waves in the background. There's a hammock on your veranda and a great little bar close by.

Day 6

TulumIf you're up early, take a walk along the beach and watch the sun slowly rise over the Caribbean waters and the deserted beaches. If you want to go surfing you're in luck; there's nearly always a good swell here. Tulum is a good place for diving and snorkelling too; not just the sea but also, rather more spectacularly, in one of the underground lakes (cenotes) in the area. You can book a diving or snorkelling trip at your hotel reception but also rent a bike to explore the surrounding area or visit the Sian Ka'an nature reserve, where you can find several rare species of birds, overgrown jungle trails and deserted beaches.

Day 7

Tulum - CancunThis morning you can enjoy a couple more hours on the beach before heading back to Cancun. Then it's a two hour drive back to the airport where you will hand in your car and say 'adios' to Mexico.

Extra Information

Inclusions -

6 days (or 6x24 hour periods) car rental cat. A, accommodation (incl. breakfast in Valladolid), excursions as described

Exclusions -

International flights + (airport) taxes, car rental surcharges (i.e. compulsory CDW insurance), admission fees, other meals

Extras -

This is not a group tour and can be tailor made to create your perfect trip. We can play around with your itinerary until we get it just right.