Suggested itinerary
| Day | Plan | Type of day |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Historic center, Plaza Grande and Paseo de Montejo | City, on foot |
| 2 | Chichén Itzá, Izamal, a cenote and Valladolid | Long |
| 3 | Santa Bárbara cenotes or Hacienda Mucuyché | Short, water |
| 4 | Uxmal and the Puuc route with private transport | Medium |
| 5 | Coast: Celestún, Sisal or Isla Columpios and Progreso | Medium, beach |
According to the state distance table, Chichén Itzá is about 122 kilometers from the historic center, Uxmal about 85, Izamal about 68, Sisal 75 and Progreso 43.
City day
The city government runs a free walk of about 90 minutes around the Plaza Grande and nearby historic buildings, plus an afternoon guided visit along Paseo de Montejo (check they're still running on your dates). The Palacio Cantón, an early-20th-century mansion, hosts exhibitions of the Regional Museum of Anthropology.
Uxmal: the other great Maya city
If you've already seen Chichén Itzá, Uxmal shows you a different style: Puuc architecture, with stone-mosaic façades and masks of the rain god. With the private transfer to Uxmal and Yaxcopoil, the van also takes you to a henequen hacienda, a cenote and the Chocolate Museum, waiting at each stop.
What about the Caribbean?
If you want to see Bacalar, Isla Mujeres or Tulum, swap one of the medium days for one of those long trips. Put it after a short day so you arrive rested. For groups of 4 or more booking from this page, those three trips come with a per-person coupon.
Tips
- Don't put two long road days together.
- Keep the city day for a Sunday if you can: downtown is livelier.
- Remember that many archaeological-site and cenote entry fees are paid separately.
- In the rainy season, schedule the beach for the day with the best forecast.
Fun facts
- Based in Mérida, you can see ruins, cenotes, the coast and colonial towns without changing hotels.
- The Palacio Cantón is an early-20th-century mansion.
- Uxmal is the most representative site of the Puuc style.
Related tours
Archaeology · 11 h
Chichén Itzá, Izamal and Valladolid
Four stops in one day, and none of them rushed
from $1,200 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 8:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour on the road to Izamal. The guide uses the drive to set up what comes next.
- 9:00 AM San Antonio de Padua Convent — The story of the 16th-century Franciscan convent told in its atrium, then free time to walk the yellow town.
- 11:15 AM Chichén Itzá — Guided walk through the Temple of Kukulkán, the Sacred Cenote, the Ball Court, the Tzompantli and the Jaguars and Eagles platform.
- 1:45 PM Regional lunch in Kaua — Buffet of Yucatecan dishes: cochinita, relleno negro, lime soup and meat-free options.
- 3:00 PM Selva Maya cenote — The swim lands exactly when the sun is at its worst. Changing rooms and showers on site.
- 4:20 PM Valladolid — Francisco Cantón Rosado park with its original railings, the church of San Servacio and the murals in the town hall.
- 8:00 PM Back in Mérida — We drop you off where the day started.
Included: Air-conditioned transport, General culture guide, Regional buffet lunch
Not included: Chichén Itzá entrance, Cenote entrance, Drinks
Cenotes · 7 h
The four cenotes of Santa Bárbara
Four different cenotes and a lunch made by hand
from $1,450 MXN per person
See itinerary
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM · daily
- 10:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour on the road to Homún, through the ring of cenotes.
- 11:00 AM Cascabel cenote — Closed, cave type. You descend inside and the water sits in half-light: the most striking of the four.
- 11:30 AM Chaksikín cenote — Semi-open. You go down between limestone walls painted with Maya-themed murals.
- 12:00 PM Xooch cenote — Semi-open, with a shaft of light that falls straight onto the water mid-morning.
- 12:30 PM Pool Cocom cenote — Open and surrounded by vegetation. You swim along a channel out to the wide part.
- 1:30 PM Regional lunch — Home cooking with hand-made tortillas. Plenty of time to eat without rushing.
- 4:00 PM Back to Mérida — An hour back, arriving around five.
Included: Transport, Certified guide, Entry to all four cenotes, Regional lunch
Not included: Drinks with lunch
Transfers · 10.5 h
Transfer to Uxmal and Yaxcopoil
The Puuc route at your own pace, with the van waiting
from $2,550 MXN per vehicle
Nature · 9 h
Celestún and the pink flamingos
The largest flamingo colony in North America
from $1,600 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour and a half west, out to the port.
- 9:30 AM Boat ride — Flamingo and bird watching, the mangrove tunnel, the freshwater spring and the Maya bath on the sandbar.
- 11:00 AM Lunch by the beach — Fish, octopus or shrimp from the gulf, at a table facing the sea.
- 1:00 PM Free time on the beach — Almost three hours to swim, walk the shore or do nothing at all.
- 4:00 PM Back to Mérida — Arriving around five.
Included: Transport, Guide, Boat ride, Lunch from a set menu
Not included: Drinks
Beach · 9.5 h
Sisal: kayak, flamingos and beach
A magic town that is still a fishing port
from $1,500 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 5:30 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour and a half on the road to the port.
- 10:00 AM Kayaking in the coastal wetland — A paddle by kayak or flat-bottomed boat through the mangrove, with birdwatching — pink flamingos included — and a dip in a freshwater spring.
- 11:45 AM Sisal beach — Over four hours free. There are seafood places along the shore and palapas you can rent for shade.
- 4:00 PM Back to Mérida — An hour and a half back.
Included: Transport, Kayaking in the coastal wetlands, Free time on the beach
Not included: Food, Drinks, Palapa rental
Frequently asked questions
How many day trips fit into 5 days?
Four day trips and one city day is a comfortable pace.
Should I change hotels?
There's no need: every Mary Tours trip leaves from Mérida and returns the same day.
How far is Uxmal?
About 85 kilometers from the historic center, according to the state distance table.
Can I fit in the Caribbean?
Yes, by swapping a medium day for Bacalar, Isla Mujeres or Tulum, which are long days.
