Izamal and two cenotes
Izamal’s yellow first, then two cold cenotes
They call Izamal the yellow city because it genuinely is: façades, walls, even the convent share the same shade. What almost nobody notices is what lies underneath. The 16th-century Franciscan convent was not built on flat ground but on top of a Maya platform, still visible if you look at the changes in level. Inside is the baroque altarpiece, five bays across and three tiers high, and afterwards there is free time to wander the town with no guide and no rush. Later in the day we drop down to the Homún cenote ring, which is where the morning’s heat comes off: two cenotes, with lunch served between them.
Schedule: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM · daily
Izamal and Homún, Yucatán
What is included
- Transport
- Guide
- Entry to both cenotes
- Lunch
Not included
- Drinks
Itinerary
- Departure from the office — An hour on the road. The guide uses it to explain where Izamal comes from before you arrive.
- The yellow town — The convent and its atrium, among the largest on the continent, the baroque altarpiece, and then free time around the streets.
- On to the Homún ring — Forty more minutes to the cenote area.
- Yaxbacaltún cenote — The first swim, landing right after the morning’s walking.
- San Antonio cenote and lunch — A semi-closed cenote that feels nothing like the first one, and lunch served right there.
- Back to Mérida — Back to Mérida, arriving around five.
Meeting point
Our office at Calle 61 #518-B, Centro Histórico. If your accommodation is on the way to the tour or near the centre, we can pick you up there — agreed over WhatsApp
Questions
Can you climb the Kinich Kakmó pyramid?
Yes, it is inside the town and free to climb. If you have time left in the free part, it is worth it.
Are the cenote entrances included?
Both are included. The only thing you would pay for separately here is drinks.
How much walking is there in Izamal?
Not much, and no climbs: the convent atrium and a few blocks around the square.