Almost the entire Yucatán peninsula is a flat, sun drenched lime stone shelf only slightly above sea level. The Ruta Puuc takes us through the few rolling hills in the Yucatán. January through March the weather is hot but comfortably dry.

12 days in México, Yucatán:
Tour by bicycle along the Ruta Puuc, visit 7 Mayan archeological sites, a cave with prehistoric remains, two haciendas, three cenotes, a flamingo reserve, the oldest cathedral on the continent, as well as many beautiful towns and churches...

Tours leaving the 4th of January and the 1st of February, 2001

The tour includes 12 days accommodation in hostels, camping and hammocks, 12 breakfasts, 12 meals, and water and refreshments during the days on bicycle. A car or truck as support vehicle will be with us for the days cycling along with an english/spanish speaking cyclist/tour conductor who is very familiar with the routes...

65 dollars US per day
 
NOTE: We recommend you bring your own bicycle. If you need to rent a bicycle it can be arranged for $140 extra for the duration of the ride.

Xlacab Cenote

Day 1: Mérida
Arrive in Mérida. Enjoy a warm welcome at Nomadas Youth Hostel. Take a walk in the colonial city of Merida where you can admire the many beautiful buildings and cultural centres: museums, theatres, churches, etc. Here we will take some time to get to know each other, go over the maps of the route and share information about the region.

Day 2: Mérida
To get warmed up - and it will be warm - we take a trip to the ruins of Dzibilchaltún 15 Km from Mérida. Here we can visit the Museo Maya, swim in the Cenote de Xlacab explore the ruins and the Observatorio de Dzibilchaltun.

Day 3: Ochil
We set off early for Hacienda Temozón and later Ochil another beautiful Hacienda from the 18th century. We will camp on the grounds and enjoy the food in the dining room of Hacienda Ochil.

Hacienda Temozón

Day 4: Ochil-Uxmal-Sacbé (60 kms)
After breakfast we ride to one of most impressive archeological site in the Maya world Uxmal, along the road we will stop briefly at colourful towns like Muna and stop for a swim at a cenote. We will spend the night at Camping Sacbé, a hotel/camp ground run by a French and Mexican couple who serve excellent vegetarian or regional food.

Day 5: Sacbé-Kabah/Sayil-Sacbé (34 kms)
We travel part of the Ruta Puuc: Kabah y Sayil just a few kilometers apart, are some of the most magnificent examples of the Puuc Mayan archetectural style. In the afternoon we return to Camping Sacbé.

Day 6: Sacbé-Labná-Loltún-Oxcutzcab (54 kms)
Continuing along the Ruta Puuc we visit the ruins of Labná and the caves of Loltún. Here we take a guided tour through caverns stretching 1000 metres underground where evidence of prehistoric Mayan ceremonies can be seen. In the afternoon we arrive in Oxcutzcab, a town with a distinctive mix of modern and traditional culture. The large market is a main distribution point for the produce of the region. Here we will have dinner at the Swiss Chalet (no relation to the big corporate chain) and spend the night in a hotel.

Day 7: Oxcutzcab-Hacienda Tepich (94 kms*)
We pass through quiet small towns on the road north: Maní, Teabo. Tekit... Along the route we can visit some beautiful convents and take a swim in a cenote. We will spend the night at the Hacienda Tepich Carrillo, a restored plantation house. There is a swimming pool and the restaurant serves excellent regional dishes.

Day 8: Tepich-Mayapan-Tepich (74 kms*)
The archeological site of Mayapán was one of the three most important Maya centers along with Chichén Itzá and Uxmal. It is interesting to see the work of archeologists and anthropologists in process as the city is presently in the middle of intensive excavation and restoration.

*riding in the car or van accompanying us for any part of the trip is always an option

Pirámide de Kukulkán, Chichén Itzá

Days 9, 10, 11 y 12 : Mérida
Ride into Merida ending our bicycle trip (22 kms). There is much of historical and cultural interest in Mérida. On day 10 we will take the bus to Celestún on the gulf coast to visit one of the few reserves in the world for flamingos. We will take a boat into the lagoon to see the pink flamingos. In the evening we can have dinner on the beach. On day 12 we will drive out to Chichén Itza in an air conditioned van. Our tour of this spectacular site will be conducted by an knowledgeable guide.

May we recommend that you stay a few more days in Merida to visit other attractions in and around the city. Or you may want to spend some time on the beaches at Playa del Carmen and Tulúm. If you would like to extend your vacation we can help you with the necessary arrangements.

NOTA: The support vehicle accompanies us form the 2nd to the 9th day.