Playa del Carmen Trip Overview
History and nature in this Yucatan day trip from Cancun. Visit the Mayan ruins sites of Chichen Itza and Ek Balam and swim in a cenote.
Discover history and nature in this terrific day trip from Playa del Carmen. An expert guide will lead you throughout the day, sharing fascinating facts and information about the ancient Maya civilization and the natural history of the Yucatan Peninsula. A guided tour of Chichen Itza will show you why this was one of the most important cities of the ancient Maya civilization.
Next up you’ll immerse yourself in the sacred waters of a cenote, a natural limestone sinkhole where you can splash and refresh in mineral-rich waters. Finally a visit to Ek Balam where you can climb the Acropolis pyramid!
Additional Info
Duration: 12 hours
Starts: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Playa del Carmen Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico
History and nature in this Yucatan day trip from Cancun. Visit the Mayan ruins sites of Chichen Itza and Ek Balam and swim in a cenote.
Discover history and nature in this terrific day trip from Playa del Carmen. An expert guide will lead you throughout the day, sharing fascinating facts and information about the ancient Maya civilization and the natural history of the Yucatan Peninsula. A guided tour of Chichen Itza will show you why this was one of the most important cities of the ancient Maya civilization.
Next up you’ll immerse yourself in the sacred waters of a cenote, a natural limestone sinkhole where you can splash and refresh in mineral-rich waters. Finally a visit to Ek Balam where you can climb the Acropolis pyramid!
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Chichen Itza Mexico
Depart Playa del Carmen and travel by air-conditioned minivan to Chichen Itzá, stopping for a 10-minute break along the way. Arrive at the sacred city of the Itzáes, where the sun (
k’in Ahau in the Mayan language) sets on March 21 and September 21 during the spring and fall equinoxes.
Marvel at the great “pyramid” of Kukulkan Castle and discover an icon of astronomical, architectural, mathematical and engineering wisdom. Together with the platforms, the castle tells a story of the past through its many sculptures and representations of feathered serpents. See the masks of Chaac, the god of rain said to live in the sacred cenote (entrance to the underworld).
Admire ancient engravings and glyphs established by the gods, according to the sacred book of “Popol Vuj.” Explore the Astronomical Observatory (also known as “The Snail”) and the area of the church, where masks from the Mayan classic period can be found.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Cenote Hubiku, Kilometro 1.5 Carretera Temozon-Tizimin, Temozon 97740 Mexico
Then, go to the Cenote Hubiku and cool off in the water. Enter the subterranean
cenotethrough its stone stairway. Marvel at how the sunlight pours through the entrance to turn the water a beautiful blue. Experience the water temperature of approximately 20-21 Celsius.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Zona Arqueológica de Ek Balam, Ekbalam, Yuc., Mexico
End at Ek’Balam, where you can climb the acropolis and see the monumental entrance to the underworld. Look at representations at the grave of Uk’it Kan Lec Tok before he was reborn as the mythical god of corn. Admire motifs such as the jaws of a jaguar and an offering of over 7,000 pieces of jewelry by the best goldsmiths of the time. Appreciate the wealth of the former city, comparable to sites found in Egypt and China.
Experience the unique mysticism of the Mayan world as you look at sculptures in the form of winged beings. Comparable with images from other cultures, such as in India, the site also provides a chance to learn more about the Kingdom of Talol in the city of the “Jaguar Star.”
Duration: 1 hour
