El Yucatán

This itinerary is the starting point for your tour, but it’s not set in stone. If there are days you would like to change, or specific places you’d like to go, we can work with you to create a personalized program that fits the needs of you and your students.

Day 1: Merida

Depart from the USA. Arrive in Cancún, meet your ACIS Tour Manager, and transfer to Mérida where you will check-in to your hotel. The “White City” of Mérida, with its delicious gastronomy, contagious music, distinct architectural design and welcoming people, is an ideal base to begin to immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of the Yucatán region.

Day 2: Merida

Start the day with a visit to one of the city’s bustling local markets. Mercados here are the throbbing heart of the city, offering everything from hot chilis, to seasonal fruits and vegetables, to herbs and local spices, to handicrafts and prepared food—plus a great opportunity to practice your Spanish and interact with local residents. Collect some fresh ingredients from the market, and then the foodie theme continues as you enjoy a salsa cooking lesson. Soak in all the aromas and flavors as you learn the secrets to crafting authentic Mexican salsas from scratch, from scorching hot habanero salsa to milder salsa verde. In the afternoon, travel to the coastal fishing village of Celestún for a relaxing boat ride along the coast, home to flocks of flamingos and other wildlife, into a lush mangrove forest. After, enjoy time at the beach to swim and watch the sun set over the serene waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Day 3: Merida

The morning begins with a trip to the ruins of the Mayan city of Uxmal, where a guided tour takes you past majestic temples, pyramids and palaces that vividly reflect the ingenuity and spirituality of this ancient culture. Then visit the nearby Choco-Story Museum. Amid the sweet aroma of chocolate, you’ll learn all about the history of cacao and the Mayans’ reverent connection with it (they considered it a gift from the gods). Head back to Mérida for a fun and lively jarana dance lesson. An instructor will help you embrace the vibrant rhythms, joyful movements and contagious energy of this traditional Yucatán folk dance.

Day 4: Merida

Today is devoted to submerging yourself in the warm, turquoise-blue waters of the spectacular Santa Bárbara cenotes as you learn about these unique geological features. These immense sinkholes and caves within the jungle are formed in limestone rock, surrounded by moss and ferns, and filled with cool groundwater and rain. The Yucatán Peninsula is dotted with thousands of these beautiful oases, which the Mayans considered sacred because they provided a source of drinking water as well as an entrance to the underworld. You’ll spend the day enjoying their natural beauty and serenity as you escape the heat, then return to Mérida in time for dinner.

Day 5: Merida

After breakfast, journey to the historic city of Izamal, affectionately known as the “Yellow City” (when you get there, you’ll see why). Take a walk along its quaint cobblestone streets, visiting the Convento de San Antonio de Padua, an impressive Spanish colonial structure, as well as the vestiges of a Mayan pyramid that stand in the center of town. Next on the agenda is a guided tour of one of the wonders of the world: the fabled ruins of Chichén Itzá, which date back to 900 A.D. and stand as mute testimony to the engineering prowess of the Mayans. From the temples and palaces to ball courts and astronomical observatories, these ruins tell a fascinating story about the lives and culture of the ancient Mayans. Then transfer to Cancún for a farewell dinner on your last night in Mexico.

Day 6: Departure

Depart for the USA.