Exploring the Yucatan

Today you'll be kicking off your holiday with a bang, and making excellent use of your jetlag with a sunrise visit to Chichen Itza. Your expert guide will meet you at your hotel and take you around the ancient Mayan city before it opens to the public, allowing you to explore and soak up the atmosphere of the majestic site alone. As you meander through the site, visiting the Temple of the Warriors, the ball court and the sacred cenote (sinkhole), you will learn all about Maya cosmology, religion and the dualism of life and death from your expert guide. Visiting the 'Castillo' or Pyramid of Kukulkan, you will discover the ingenious architecture that results in a figure of a snake descending and ascending its steps during the equinox, making it one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. At the end of your visit, you will be privately transferred to your next hotel, just outside the colonial city of Merida, which will take about two hours.

From city tours and cenote diving to expert cooking classes, we’ve got a couple of exciting days in Merida for you. You’ll begin with a cooking class with an expert local. Head to the market to pick out your fresh and locally-grown ingredients, before heading to the kitchen to cook up a storm and tuck into your delicious creations. During the session, you’ll learn about authentic Mexican living and understand the important role their cuisine plays in day-to-day life.

Swimming in a Mexican cenote sinkhole should be at the top of every bucket list. With that in mind, you will be met at your hotel by your expert guide for a visit to some of the most beautiful cenotes in the area. After a quick private transfer, you’ll switch to a horse and cart and make your way deep into the jungle. Your guide will take you to three different cenotes, each of which offers something unique. Make sure to have your swimming togs at the ready, because as well as learning about the ancient Mayan beliefs about cenotes, and their slightly gory history, you will also be able to take a dip in their clear waters.

Finally, you’ll be met at your hotel by your expert guide for a private transfer into the centre of Merida where you will have lunch at a local restaurant before spending the afternoon on a tour of the city. The tour will take in the historical centre of the city, where your expert guide will tell you about Merida's history and contemporary importance, as you explore the Zocalo, the cathedral and the Monument of the Homeland.

This morning you’ll wave goodbye to mesmerising Merida as you head to Uayamon, just outside Campeche, stopping at the ancient Mayan site of Uxmal along the way. You'll be among the first people to enter the famed Maya ball courts and temples of Uxmal where your expert guide will tell you about the achievements and mysterious demise of the Mayan people. Spread over 150 acres, you will explore the ancient water systems (unique because they use man-made cisterns to collect rainwater) and the Magician's Pyramid, whose rounded sides with a great height and steepness making it unique among Mayan structures. However, it is rivalled by the size and complex stonework of the Governor's Palace for the title of the masterpiece of Uxmal. After your tour you will be privately transferred back to your hotel in Uayamon to spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure.

Today you will get to explore the city on a guided tour. The Spanish settlement of Campeche, a UNESCO recognised site, was built on the foundations of a former Mayan fishing village. Spend the day with an expert guide, delving into ancient battle history, Mayan life and artefacts, and taking in the city’s stunning surroundings. From Independence Square and Puerta de Tierra to the cathedral and the archaeological museum, you’ll have tonnes to see and explore.

It's an early start this morning, as your expert guide will meet you at your hotel before dawn for your private transfer to the ecological reserve of Calakmul. After a few hours, you will reach the reserve which is located slap bang in the middle of Tierras Bajas and surrounded by verdant greenery. Spend the next couple of days exploring the dense vegetation which is home to an impressive amount of vibrant flora and fauna as well as a number of imposing pyramids, courtyards and steles that are beautifully preserved and depict a snapshot of life in the ancient Mayan capital. Accompanied by an expert guide, embark on a tour of the key Mayan features in the area and soak up the treasures, royal tombs and reliefs, all bought to life by fascinating facts and anecdotes.

Bacalar’s aquamarine cenote is calling today as you wave goodbye to ancient Calakmul. This quaint Mexican town is famed for its otherworldly freshwater lake known as Laguna Bacalar, or ‘La Laguna de Los Siete Colores’ (The Lagoon of Seven Colours). Spend your days bobbing around in the crystalline waters or simple sitting back and relaxing with a good book. We’ve also arranged for you to explore the lagoon aboard a glorious catamaran. The lagoon is home to seven cenotes that have merged together and this is an opportunity to discover three of them. During the cruise you’ll have the chance to don your mask and snorkel and dive into the blue to see what flora and fauna you can spot.

You will say goodbye to Bacalar and head to the coast. Spend your last few days making the most of the Riviera Maya’s glorious white-sand beaches, history-packed ruins and mirror-clear cenotes. Whether that is while taking part in adrenaline-fuelled water sports, donning a snorkel and hitting the waves, or simply kicking back and relaxing on the pristine beach, your last few days on holiday are sure to be a treat. Amid all the R&R, we have arranged some sightseeing excitement with a tour of Tulum’s archaeological site with a private guide. Roam the walls of the fortress, learning about Mayan life and the trials and tribulations that went along with it. We have also arranged a tour of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve where you will wander between Mayan ruins and through animal-filled forest, before jumping into a small boat and heading to Muyil. The ancient ruins here are brimming with myths and legends, and the area that surrounds it is overflowing with all kinds of creatures, from crocodiles and manatees to stingrays and birds. Enjoy a guided tour, before heading back to paradise and continuing with the well-earned R&R.

Sadly, today is your last day in Mexico. Before your evening flight home, we recommend spending the day relaxing at your hotel; perhaps join a yoga class, treat yourself to a pampering spa treatment, spend some time by the pool or just lay back and take in the white sands and turquoise waters. After a late check out and a last long leisurely lunch, you will be privately transferred to Cancun Airport for your flight home. The direct overnight flight leaves in the evening and takes roughly nine hours.