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Tours in the Yucatan
If you're coming to the Yucatan, there are many ways to get around
and explore what the Peninsula has to offer. Chances are, if your
first destination is a large hotel in Cancun, you will be touring
with one of the larger corporate charters in an air-conditioned
bus, staying at prearranged hotels along the way.
If you are a more independent traveler and coming to Merida or the
surrounding area on your own, there are a number of attractive options
for personalized travel and tour services that will help you make
the most of your Yucatan adventure. There are travel agencies and
tour operators based in Merida that can arrange anything you can
imagine, or provide you with a structured itinerary.
An easy introduction to the city of Merida is the open-air bus tour
that leaves every day from Santa Lucia Park at the southwest corner
of Calle 60 and Calle 55. The bus leaves at 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 4:00
PM and 7:00 PM daily and the tour lasts about 1.5 hours and costs
$75 pesos. On board, a guide will point out and explain the stops
along the way, although sometimes he talks so fast, it's hard to
get it all! The tour starts downtown, goes up Paseo de Montejo,
past an old 15th century neighborhood church, past many old mansions
on Avenue Colon, south to the church of San Sebastian, through the
San Juan Arch and back to where it started. Halfway through the
tour, the bus will stop at Parque de las Americas where you can
get out and stretch your legs.
For more extensive tours, such as a day trip to Chichen Itza or
a private tour of the local haciendas, Yucatan Trails is a full
service travel agency located in downtown Merida. Established in
1947 and operated by Denise Lefoy, Yucatan Trails provides personalized
bilingual (English and Spanish) travel services.
Day trips to popular destinations like Chichen Itza, Celestun or
Uxmal are easy to sign up for and cost about $40 USD per day. Want
to go scuba diving in Cancun or go rock climbing in a cenote? Want
to book an airline ticket to another Mexican city or a day trip
to the town of Izamal? Yucatan Trails can work it out for you. Or
if you have your own ideas about what you want to do, but would
like a tour guide and a driver, the agency can arrange that as well. |
A typical day trip to Chichen Itza starts out at 9 am when the tour guide picks you up at your hotel in an air-conditioned van. You may be accompanied by up to 10 people. Included in the price is the entrance fee at the ruins, the guided tour
in English or Spanish, lunch with folkloric dancing and the drop-off at 5 pm at the door of your hotel. Tips for the guide are usually not included, so if you liked your guide, be sure to tip him. 50 to 100 pesos per person is a reasonable and much- appreciated gesture.
For the more adventurous t
raveler, consider BikeMexico or Ecotourismo
Yucatan. Ecotourismo Yucatan specializes in trips to the more out-of-the-way
places on the peninsula, while BikeMexico takes small groups of
cycling enthusiasts on challenging rides. If cycling, kayaking,
rock climbing and camping appeal to you, check out these tour experiences.
The guides for private tour groups such as these usually speak English
as their first language, and their knowledge will add to your travel
experience. The costs of the package may help you save money on
your trip as well.
If you would like to have a personal tour guide arrange your entire
trip, and take care of all the little things traveling in a foreign
country entails, you might consider Iluminado Tours or Yucatan Backroads.
Iluminado Tours specializes in tours for people who haven't traveled
much, but want to see the real Yucatan, not the typical packages
arranged by the resorts. Rest assured that your trip will be relaxed,
fun and informative. Yucatan Backroads also takes you off the beaten trail, with a native Yucatecan who speaks English as your guide.
There is a lot to see on the Yucatan Peninsula. Often it can be overwhelming to the first-time visitor. Sometimes letting these professionals create your itinerary or take care of the booking details can make the difference between a stressful trip and an unforgettable vacation.
Recommended travel agents and tour operators
TuritransMerida
Email: dtor@turitransmerida.com.mx
Web: www.turitransmerida.com.mx
Yucatan Connection
Email: info@yucatan-connection.com
Web: www.yucatan-connection.com
Home & Garden Tours
Email: www.meridaenglishlibrary.com
Ecotourismo Yucatan
Web: www.ecoyuc.com
Yucatan Backroads
Web: www.yucatanbackroads.com
Yucatan Trails
Web: click here
Email: yucatantrails@yahoo.com
Read more about
 Travel Agencies in Merida and Yucatan
Transportation in the Yucatan
Vacation Rentals in the Yucatan
Visit our maps
Map of Merida Historical Downtown
Map of Merida Downtown
Map of Merida City
Map of Yucatan Peninsula
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