Experience Overview
What’s the best way to top off your Yucatán adventure? Pshh, that’s easy: add a stop in Cancún! With some of Mexico’s best hostels as your home, explore the Yucatan Peninsula on this nine-day adventure that wraps up with beachside days in Cancún. Kicking off in Merida, visit the jungle for a swim in crystal clear cenotes. Next, go on a guided tour of the massive Mayan site of Chichen Itzá before descending into a cenote for an epic dinner of local dishes cooked over a fire. After a couple of days in chilled-out Tulum, head to Cancún for an insider's tour away from the resorts, and spend your free time relaxing at the beach, your hostel, or doing all sorts of optional activities.
Highlights
- Bike and swim your way through cenotes in the jungle
- Take a guided tour of the massive Mayan site of Chichen Itzá
- Descend into a cenote for a delicious spread of Yucatecan cuisine cooked over the fire
- Hit the beach after visiting the ruins of Tulum
- Stay at hostel near the beach in Cancún
- Venture away from the Cancún hotel zone to prepare a meal in a local community
- Enjoy free time for optional activities or hanging out at the hostels
Trip Details
Product Code: 1831
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Basic
Transport: Private vehicle, public air-conditioned bus, taxi.
Guide Language: English
Tour Operator: G Adventures
Supplier Code: CMYCHW
Starts: Mérida, Mexico
Finishes: Cancún, Mexico
Duration: 9 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating: Light
Includes
Activities
- Your G for Good Moment: El Hongo Mexican Community Restaurant & Youth Art Program, Playa del Carmen Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group Your Foodie Moment: Yucatecan Community Lunch Experience and Cenote Swim, Cancún
- Excursion from Mérida to cycle between and swim in cenotes
- Guided tour of Chichen Itzá and Tulum ruins
- Dinner inside a cenote near Valladolid
- Beach time at Tulum and Cancún
- Visit to an insect museum
- Beach time at Cancún
- All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
Accommodation
- Hostels (8 nts)
- 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 1 dinner
Transport
- Private vehicle, public air-conditioned bus, taxi.
Group Leader
- CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $1,260 ($140 /day)
Itinerary
Day 1: Mérida
Arrive at any time, and kick back at the hostel or head out to explore the city before meeting up with fellow Roamies in the evening. Later on, head to one of the many bars and restaurants near the hostel for some eats and make sure to check out the main plaza at night.
Day 2: Mérida
Ok, so every day on this trip is amazing but we'll venture to say that this one is ridiculous. You'll explore some of the many cenotes in the area, giant sinkholes in the earth formed by underground freshwater rivers. Hop on a bike to cycle between a few of them and swim in the crystal-clear waters to take a break from the heat. After a yummy lunch, return to Mérida and spend the rest of the day wandering the city or relaxing in a hammock at the hostel. Sound about right?
Day 3: Mérida/Valladolid
Ready for another epic day? Keep your sunscreen and the camera handy today as you'll be checking a major bucket item off of your list. Head into the jungle to the massive Mayan ruins of Chichen Itzá for a guided tour and time to walk around on your own. Then continue to Valladolid to drop off your stuff at the hostel and chill for a bit before heading out for dinner, where you'll learn about the Mayas and have a chance to devour a spread of delicious Yucatan dishes cooked over the fire, like pollo pibil and tamales with fresh handmade tortillas.
Day 4: Valladolid/Tulum
Pile into the bus and head to the white sand and turquoise waters of the Mayan Riviera. But before you hit the beach we have more ruins to see - Tulum! The only of the Mayan temples to be built right next to the ocean, you will be filling your feed with jaw-dropping photos in no time. Spend the rest of the day on the beach, hanging out at the hostel or at one of the many bars and cafes in town.
Day 5: Tulum
The beach at Tulum is pretty stellar that's for sure, and today is yours to do with it what you want. Feeling active and want to explore more? Go snorkelling at the natural waterpark of Xel-Há or visit some more cenotes. Feeling the ocean vibes instead? Stay local and hit the beach before shoring up at the hostel bar for a cold beverage. After dinner head to one of the beach clubs to dance the night away under the stars.
Day 6: Tulum/Cancún
Squeeze in a bit more beach time in Tulum before heading north to Playa del Carmen in the late morning. Have lunch at El Hongo, a community project that supports youth art initiatives that also happens to have delicious food. After, take some time to browse the shops along the vibrant pedestrian strip of "la quinta." Next stop, Cancún - where more beach, adventure and nightlife await! Check into the comfy hostel in the hotel zone and laze about by the pool with a cold beverage before deciding what's on for the evening.
Day 7: Cancún
Day trip! Head away from the tourists into the jungle of the Yucatán to a local community. You'll learn all about the delicious regional cuisine and help prepare some of the dishes before scarfing it down on the spot for lunch. Later, top it all off with a swim in a nearby cenote to cool off from the midday heat. Don't worry, you'll still have time to hit the beach or hang out at the hostel pool when we get back to Cancún in the afternoon.
Day 8: Cancún
A free day in Cancún, how good does that sound? If you're craving more adventure you could head out on a day trip to Isla Mujeres or Playa del Carmen, or stay local and squeeze every last moment out of that white sand beach or the hostel hang-out spots. Your CEO is always on hand to give recommendations or to show you the best local stretches of beach, the rest is up to you. Ready to party? Of course you are! Your CEO knows all the best bars and clubs Cancún has to offer. Who needs sleep anyways?
Day 9: Cancún
Depart at any time, or maybe decide to add on a few more nights at the beach.
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
G Adventures
G Adventures is an operator of small-group escorted tours. It is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with 28 offices worldwide. It offers more than 700 itineraries in more than 100 countries, and carries 200,000 travelers from 160 countries each year.
In Business Since 1990
Reviews
Yichao R. - Traveled, November 2023
cost, local guide that help us immensely
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/10/2023
Daniel P. - Traveled, November 2023
G Adventures took all the stress out of travelling alone. The activities were all phenomenal and I know that I would have never found a lot of them without the tour. I got to turn my brain off and just enjoy.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/10/2023
Fergus R. - Traveled, October 2023
We felt this tour was a great way to see a lot in a short amount of time. Overall we really enjoyed it and it was fun doing it as part of a group. All of the guides for our tours e.g Chichen Itza/Mayan Ruins were really impressive too and very knowledgeable. Our guide, Ale, was brilliant and super helpful. He had great energy and enthusiasm throughout the whole trip. He went above and beyond if anyone ever needed anything.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/26/2023
Allison U. - Traveled, October 2023
It was very affordable and easy. The planning is done for you. Also great for solo travellers who don't want to go it alone.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/26/2023
Jennyfer B. - Traveled, October 2023
It was a nice trip and our guide was amazing
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/26/2023
Megan J. - Traveled, September 2023
Laura made every minute of the tour so special, the group itself was amazing. The whole trip was very memorable and showed a different side to Mexico rather than just the super Americanized cancun
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/29/2023
Holly C. - Traveled, September 2023
The organisation and the types of activities included were great! And Laura our guide was so helpful
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/29/2023
Tessa S. - Traveled, September 2023
I loveeed doing the this trip. The only thing I might say is that sometimes you don't have the time to explore activities to the fullest because the schedule needs you to move on to a next activity. However, if you aren',t an experienced traveller, participating in a trip like this will help you get used to travellingm
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/29/2023
Emma D. - Traveled, September 2023
There was great value for money with a wonderful itinerary and a great location. I felt like this trip was longer than 10 days and didn't feel like too much was missed
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/29/2023
Mathangi S. - Traveled, September 2023
First time trying Roomies tour and I liked how you can meet different people
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/29/2023
Ulrike P. - Traveled, September 2023
2 out of 4 hostels were in pretty bad condition
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/29/2023
Bruno K. - Traveled, September 2023
Very inclusive, experienced Mexico in many different angles, felt like a got my moneys worth, loves the tour activity selection and had an amazing group and tour guide
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/15/2023
Philipp D. - Traveled, September 2023
I realy enjoyed it so i would recommend IT every time. But there is always room to improve
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/15/2023
Onyinye M. - Traveled, September 2023
Very well organised Excellent guide Good balance of travel & rest
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/15/2023
Anna-Maria S. - Traveled, September 2023
Kevin our guide
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/15/2023
Laura M. - Traveled, August 2023
Group during the day and option to go alone/ small group in the evening. Safe way to discover new countries. Planned well, very informative, low stress holiday
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/17/2023
Ronan B. - Traveled, August 2023
Very well organized. Good mixture between organized tours and free time. Laura was an excellent guide and looked after all of our needs
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/17/2023
Alexandra W. - Traveled, August 2023
I had the best week of my life. Not sure if it was the style of travel or the people I was surrounded with. But the combination of all was a completely new experience that I want to do over and over again
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/17/2023
Katie C. - Traveled, August 2023
value for money
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/17/2023
Sinem O. - Traveled, July 2023
many thanks to our lovely CEO, Laura!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/27/2023
Jason P. - Traveled, July 2023
Balance of structure and independence, with a sense of safety and fun!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/17/2023
Grace C. - Traveled, July 2023
While the CEO did a wonderful job of showing us different parts of the Yucatan and Quintana Roo and the itinerary was impressive, the accommodation choices were very poor and substandard. I felt very uncomfortable in most of the hostels that were chosen on this trip, and there were many issues with assigned rooms for people who paid extra to have their own private rooms or a twin share.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/27/2023
Daniel P. - Traveled, November 2023
G Adventures took all the stress out of travelling alone. The activities were all phenomenal and I know that I would have never found a lot of them without the tour. I got to turn my brain off and just enjoy.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/10/2023
Taiya S. - Traveled, November 2023
I loved how action packed it was, so many diverse activities, Anni our guide was so energetic and full of knowledge, the accommodations were all lovely and clean, the transportation was a/c with friendly drivers. I couldn't fault any of it
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/24/2023
Catherine N., - Traveled, November 2023
I had a great experience, the tour was great, Kevin was fantastic, I rated it an 8 because it was a little expensive
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/10/2023
Benjamin H. - Traveled, November 2023
This is my second group travel event. Kevin, the CEO, made the trip very special. His service, knowledge, and personality was impeccable. The events in the tour were perfect. What made it so special were the events that you wouldn't be able to do without booking through G Adventures. One suggestion for this trip in particular is: I would have 1 less day in Cancun, 1 more in Tulum. Cancun really is not the best place to visit, especially on a trip centered around culture. Tulœm provides a good mix of culture, beach, and bars, etc.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/10/2023
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