Caroline Chambers + Mattis + Calum: Yucatán and Riviera Maya
Your trip at a glance
Uxmal Ruins and Cacao Origins
Overview
Now that you've experienced the highlights of Mérida, you’ll venture into the city’s most compelling — and sweetest — outskirts. After breakfast, you'll meet your expert local guide for your transfer to Uxmal: an archaeological site that elucidates the secrets of the ancient Mayan civilization. Just over an hour outside the city, Uxmal harmoniously blends art, architecture, and culture, and serves as a testament to the ingenuity and sophistication of the Mayan people. When your archaeological experience winds down, you'll switch gears to another crucial component of Mexican culture. The focus of this afternoon's lesson? Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate, as you'll tour one of Yucatán’s most popular museums, dedicated to one of the most beloved Mayan beverages. To make the most of your time in this Willa Wonka-esque cultural paradise, you'll follow your expert local guide through fun and fascinating galleries that map cacao’s history. To further your chocolate education, you'll also witness a reenactment of a traditional Mayan ceremony and have access to an environmental management unit that shelters rescued animals. No day focused on chocolate would be complete without a taste (or two!), so to wrap up this tour, you'll partake in a creative workshop with a local chocolatier, who will teach you how to mold and decorate your own artisanal chocolates. You'll get to keep your creations as a souvenir, bringing the flavors of Mexico home with you. That is, if you don't sneak a bite first.
Highlights
Uxmal
As one of the most important archaeological sites in the Mayan world, Uxmal translates to “thrice-built” but will mesmerize you more than three times over. As you visit these famous ruins today, you'll be utterly transfixed by Uxmal's low and horizontal palaces that overflow with decorations, detailed sculptures, and geometric mosaics. Among the most remarkable structures, the Pyramid of the Magician, with its elliptical base, exudes an air of myth and legend, all the while demonstrating advanced knowledge of engineering and mathematics. Adorned with intricate stone carvings and decorations, the Governor's Palace likewise reflects the depth of Mayan art and culture.
Mayan Chocolate Workshop, Tour, and Tasting
Uxmal's chocolate museum sweetens the deal, inviting visitors for a thorough chocolate-based immersion. As you visit this museum today, your local expert guide will take you through its various sections, sharing stories about the Mayan relationship with chocolate. The interactive exhibits unveil the processes that underline cacao cultivation, harvesting, and preparation, while you'll also have ample opportunities to taste chocolate in all its forms, from traditional hot chocolate to chocolate bars with innovative flavors. To wrap up this immersive experience, you'll make chocolate alongside a chocolatier, crafting a personalized treat.
Importance of Mayan Chocolate
In Mérida, chocolate is more than a sweet — it’s a part of ancient culture. The Maya were among the first people to ever cultivate cacao and use it in rituals and as a sacred drink known as xocoatl. Now, you can still experience elements of these historic traditions by tasting the chocolate of local cafés, museums, artisan shops, and chocolate-making workshops.
Accommodations
Casa Loreto 1893
Built around an 1893 quinta, Casa Loreto undertook reconstruction projects in 2024, transitioning into the curated hotel of today. In addition to its three distinct types of rooms, the boutique property offers an on-site swimming pool, bar, restaurant, and gym, as well as wellness and concierge services. To further enhance these experiences, the hotel promises personalized attention to all guests, nurturing a haven of serenity, privacy, and relaxation.
Location:
Calle 59 #619 entre calles 82 y 84, Merida, Yucatán
Phone:
+529993033211
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What's included
Included in the final price
- Roadbook with local tips and expert recommendations
- On-the-ground support by your Travel Companion
- Personalized trip crafting
- Days 1 to 6: Private transfers and driver from Mérida to Playa Del Carmen Hotel
- Day 2: Mérida local experience (three hours), with guide and tastings (private service)
- Day 3: Uxmal Archaeological Site guided visit and entrance (private service)
- Day 3: Choco Story Museum and workshop (one and a half hours) with guide, entrance, tasting drink, Mayan ceremony (private service)
- Day 4: Yaxunáh's Cenote Lol Ha and Pig ib Pib cooking lesson (4 hour) with local host, entrance fee, life jackets, cooking lesson, food (private experience)
- Day 5: Discover Río Lagartos and Las Coloradas (two hours) with boat, guide, food, equipment, entrance (private service)
- Day 5: Guided tour to the archeological site of Ek Balam (one hour) with guide, entrance (private service)
- Day 6: Snorkeling in Akumal (one hour) with guide, snorkeling equipment (shared service)
- Day 8: Private transfer from hotel in Playa del Carmen to Cancún International Airport
- Three nights in Casa Loreto 1893 in Mérida in a deluxe suite double, two king-size beds and breakfast
- Two nights in Posada San Juan in Valladolid in a classic room, two queen-size beds and breakfast
- Two nights in Fairmont Mayakoba in Playa del Carmen in a beach casita, two queen-size beds, all-inclusive
Not included in the final price
- International flights tickets
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Anything else not mentioned or listed as optional in the itinerary