Hacienda Yaxcopoil
This 17th century hacienda, situated between Temozon and Uman, was converted to the production of sisal at the end of the 19th century. A half-hour visit gives great insight as to what life must have been like in the days when Mexican haciendas operated like small fiefdoms. Hundreds of Indians provided the labor necessary to grow and harvest the thorny henequen plant which, until after WWII, made the owners of these small kingdoms millionaires. At Yaxcopoil, you will see furniture from 1890s and 1900s in the drawing room and dining room, hinting at the gracious life those owners (Patrones) enjoyed.
Touring Temozon
If you wish to see the Hacienda Temozon as in the old times, we will take you on a short tour of the hacienda grounds in a small train which is pulled by a donkey or a mule, visiting the orange fields and a cenote nearby.
Cenotes
When flying over the Yucatan peninsula you can see circular ground patterns caused by the hidden movement of underground rivers and lakes. The water level rises and falls with the cycle of rain and drought. The constant ebb and flow erode the underground limestone and it collapses creating steep walled caverns and exposing the water below. Cenote or dzonot meaning "cavity of water" is a term used by the Maya for any subterranean chamber that contains permanent water. While some cenotes are vertical, water-filled
shafts, others are caves that contain pools and underwater passageways in their interior. Around these water sources the Maya villages grew, since the cenotes were the only source of water, and therefore essential to survival. They were used as sources of drinking water, sources of "virgin" water for religious rites, burial and/or sacrificial sites, art galleries, places of refuge, and mines for clay or minerals. (Cenotes nearby, highly recommended to visit by car or bike, are Kankirixche and Xaca`mucuhi).
Merida - Half day trip
Merida was originally called T´ho or Ichcansiho by the Maya inhabitants, depending on which chronicler you read. It was the principal city in the Maya province of Chacan. The first Spaniards found a large Maya commercial centre with ornate stone structures that reminded them of the Roman ruins in Spain's city of Merida - hence the name.
Mexico's Merida was founded on January 6, 1542 by Fransisco de Montejo "El Mozo" (The Son), to celebrate his victory over the Indians after 15 years of conflict. The Maya Indians were forced to dismantle their temples and palaces and use the materials to build homes, government buildings, cathedrals, and parks that they were not permitted to enjoy. Merida became the capital and trade centre of the Peninsula, the seat of civil as well as religious authority.
It was not until the late 1840s that the Indians finally rebelled in the Caste War, one of the bloodiest in the history of Mexico.
Sights to see in Merida include: Central Plaza Area, the Cathedral, Casa de Montejo, Paseo Montejo including Casa Cámara, and the Palacio Canton (National Institute of Anthropology and History).
Puuc Route - Full day trip
The Puuc Route is located in the southwestern part of the Yucatan peninsula below Merida. It consists of a number of ruins: Kabah, Sayil, Labná and the famous Uxmal. The Puuc style is recognizable by its sophisticated architecture made up of clean lines, rounded walls, ornate stone frescoes with intricate patterns, rows of columns and high vaulted arches. Many of the buildings are flat, low elongated built on artificial platforms and laid out in quadrangles. They are perhaps the most elegant ruins in the Maya world.
Loltun (stone flower)
Seven kilometers south of Oxcutzcab, and about 66 kilometers south of Hacienda Temozon are the Loltun Caves. These are the largest known caverns in Yucatan. In addition to being a fabulous natural phenomenon, Loltun is an important archaeological site. These caves contain evidence of humans' earliest presence in Yucatan. Researchers have found a collection of bones belonging to extinct mammals, including mammoths, dated from 9000 - 7500 BC. Early pre classic ceramics (2000 - 1250 B .C.) have also been discovered here. The most important archaeological find is the relief called "the Warrior", which is just outside the entrance. Researchers believe that it was carved in the Izapan style of Kaminaljuyu, the enormous pre classic site near Guatemala City.
Labna (abandoned house)
Once a city of some 1,500 to 2,500 people, inhabited between 750 and 1,000 AD. Presently 4 buildings are in a restored state. The palace at this site has 70 "Chultunes" (water cisterns) that are not visible. There is also an artistically intricate arch to be found at this site.
X-Lapak (unglued walls)
A site of some 14 mounds and 3 somewhat restored pyramids. This site and the following are less restored and manicured so you can see how the sites were originally found. Notice the many carved stones just lying around on the ground.
Sayil (the place of the red ants)
This site is home to the interesting palace that included 90 bedrooms for some 350 people. From the top level of the palace you can see the church at Santa Elena and across the way a tiny ruin on the side of a mountain, which is called "The nine masks". Check out the huge stellae. Dating from 800 - 1,000 AD.
Kabah (man with strong and powerful hands)
Kabah is famous for its "Palace of Chaac Masks" (The rain god). There is also the arch that is thought to be the center of the city and the entrance to the "sac-be" (white road Mayan highway) that went to Uxmal.
Uxmal (thrice built)
Located 80 kilometers south of Merida in a range of low hills covered with brush, Uxmal is the largest Maya city of the Puuc region. The city is believed to have been the hub of a district that includes the sites of Kabah, Sayil, Labna, and Xlapak. These sites, largely restored, experienced their golden years between AD 800 and 1000. The characteristics of the Puuc architecture are the thin squares of limestone veneer, decorated cornices, boot-shaped vault stones, rows of attached half columns, and upper facades heavily decorated with stone mosaics. The city is characterized by its quadrangles in which large, elongated, multi roomed buildings form a closed complex around a square courtyard. The nunnery quadrangle is considered the most outstanding example of Puuc architecture in the Maya world.
Little is known of the origins and development of this important political, economic and learning centre. Although the Maya word Uxmal means "Thrice Built", there is strong evidence that it has been rebuilt 5 times.
Light & sound show schedule: Winter 7 p.m., Summer 8 p.m.
Oxkintoc & Calcehtok - Half day trip
Calcehtok Caves
The Calcehtok caverns also known as "Aktun Spukil", are considered along with the Lol-tun caverns, among the biggest in the Yucatan peninsula and have a very complicated tunnels system. The meaning of this word derives from the mayan "cal" (neck), "ceh" (deer) and "tok" (flint). It got this name in 1875 when a sculpted stone with the form of a deer was discovered in an open well of the area that lead into it.
The main access to the entrance is a 3 km paved road, the descent is made on an iron ladder. Once into the main chamber, four different tours can be made, the most interesting has 2 km of galleries. Natural formations called "the crocodile", "the horse", "the tongue", "the mommy", and "the divine face" can be seen in the largest gallery called cave #4. Abundance of pre-hispanic materials is found in all the cavern; intact vessels, and unexplored chambers are still waiting to be discovered to add more knowledge of the Mayan culture. Archeologists have found bones of deer and other animals, ceramics, quartzite hammers, arrowheads, human graves, etc.. Some vessels that were used by the Mayas to collect the filtered water of the ceilings are completely petrified. In the first two chambers one can see something similar to small fences used as stockades that the Mayan rebels used during the "Guerra de Castas" rebellion.
It is not advisable to go alone into these caverns. You may ask the help of the "Cuy family" that offers an expertise touring service into the caves, they live downtown in the village.
A big complex of more than 30 caves suspected to be communicated exists in the surroundings, caution is recommended.
Oxkintok
One of the oldest cities in Yucatan. Steles and inscriptions found here have provided valuable information on the Mayan culture. Its architecture is representative of the splendid Puuc style. This archaeological site is located at 5 km southeast of the village of Maxcanu. Its architecture belongs to the "early puuc" style. It features four architectural groups called Ah-Canul, May, Satunsat and Dzib.
Celestun - Half day trip
This fishing community is located 59 miles (95 kilometers) west of Merida, towards the western tip of the Yucatan Peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico. It is a picturesque coastal traffic port, with a revolving reflector lighthouse, 12 meters high, signaling 4 intermittent flashes. Its inhabitants still preserve the traditions and folklore of the Mayan fisher folk. Their activities consist out of fishing (octopus, grouper, dogfish and king crab), salt extraction and agriculture (corn and citric).
The "Ría de Celestún", as the estuary is locally called, is 22.5 km long and has an average width of 1.25 km. It displays an exceptional landscape created by the unusual combination of natural resources, flora and fauna that constitute an ecosystem representative of the dry tropics. Its shape is rectangular and stretches out from northeast to southwest. The connection to the Gulf of Mexico is through a narrow mouth, 0.46 km wide, in the farthest southern part of the lagoon. Celestun offers the main wintering area for greater flamingos, nesting beaches for endangered sea turtles, endemic plants and birds in coastal dune scrubs, estuary "nurseries" for countless fish and marine species, highly productive mangrove communities, two endangered crocodile species, migrant and wintering waterbirds, shorebirds and songbirds.
Over 300 bird species can be found in Celestun's Special Biosphere Reserve: cardinals, orioles, motmots, woodpeckers, hummingbirds, flycatchers, kingfishers, cormorants, magnificent frigate birds, herons, egrets, white ibises, wood storks, ospreys, hawks, vultures, sandpipers, roadrunners, owls, pelicans, etc.
There are some endemic birds such as the Yucatan Wren, the Black-throated Bobwhite and the Mexican Sheartail Hummingbird. Celestun is considered the fourth largest wintering ground for ducks in the Gulf region. In winter you're likely to observe over 13 migrant duck species. But surely the most popular bird and the most sought after is the Pink Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber).
Convent's Route - Full day trip
The convent route is a trip where you can meet the heart and the roots of Yucatan. Since the arrival of the Franciscan priests in 1524 many of the indigenous buildings were destroyed in order to build on top of them convents or catholic constructions, these was a common symbol of the triumph over Mayan beliefs.
Muna (new water)
Muna is a small town on the road to the Puuc sites (Uxmal is just a few miles to the south). The 16th century Franciscan monastery, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin, stands in the large plaza and, like most Yucatecan monasteries, is partly preserved. The church square has been transformed into a public square. The monastery and church were enlarged in the 17th century and other elements added. The furniture and altars were destroyed in 1915.
Tikul
Referred to as the Pearl of the South, this bustling city is located 62 miles (100 kilometers) south of Merida. Tikul produces all the wonderful red clay planter pots that you see in the area. It is also known for the fine leather shoes designed and made here in town. Most of these businesses - clay and shoes - are home based workshops where you will find the entire family working.
Oxkutzcab (Place of the Ramon, Tabacco and Honey)
Was founded by a group of Maya Xiu and named after St. Francis of Assisi, the church was built between 1581 and 1699 with a convent beside it. The Franciscan coat-of-arms is carved on the central arch in the facade, at the level of the bell towers.
Mani (Everything ended)
There is a church and a convent on Mani. The first temple was raised in 1547 and in 1559 was built over on stone. The greatest importance of Mani in history is on July 12th, 1562 when Friar Diego de Landa settled a rule of faith against Mayan chiefs. He tortured, humiliated and maimed hundreds of the Maya, burned and destroyed priceless Mayan manuscripts and codices. These codices, the first books believed to have been produced in North America, were hand lettered on a type of bark that had been carefully worked until it was thin and pliable. For this reason, little is known today of Mayan history.
Tipikal (Place where they multiplied or stayed to live)
In Tipikal you can find the church dedicated to the Virgin of Magdalene, its construction is dated to the second half of the XVI century.
Teabo (There where Ek lives)
The temple of Saint Peter the Apostle was built here in Teabo between 1664 and 1696. The convent was established in 1607, which in time marked the beginning of the temple construction. This 17th century basilica church was built along similar lines to the churches of Oxkutzcab and Tekax. The nave is 60 yards long and 22 yards wide. Frescos recently discovered in the sacristy are clearly of European inspiration and are among the most beautiful found anywhere in Yucatan. The cloister, like most Yucatecan colonial buildings, was part of a complicated network of massive structures. Fragments of frescos on these structures have survived the eroding effects of the weather.
Chumayel (Mayan trunk or base)
The sacred book of the Mayas, "Chilam Balam" was first found on Chumayel. The temple and convent are believed to be built on the XVI century and are dedicated to the Virgin of Conception.
Mama (Where there is no water)
You can also visit the church of the Ascension in Mama. Built in the XVII century, its facade is distinguished from the rest of the temple by its marvelous Mayan handwork on the stones. The church has a display of paintings and saints on each wall. It has room for five bells and the convent's inner patio contains the remains of four sundials.
Mayapan
This important archaeological site (Mayapan was the last Maya capital) is in the process of being restored. Kukulcan II of Chichen Itza founded Mayapan between 1263 and 1283 AD. After his death an aggressive family named the Cocoom seized power and used Mayapan as a base to subjugate northern Yucatan. They succeeded through wars using Tabascan mercenaries and intermarrying with other powerful families.
The Cocoom ruled for 250 years until 1441 - 1461 AD, when an upstart Uxmal based family named Xiu rebelled and slaughtered the Cocoom.
Tekit (Place where there were rubber trees)
At Tekit you can visit the church of Saint Anthony of Padua, built in 1591, the convent next door has a collection of paintings from the XVI century.
Tecoh (Place of the puma)
Tecoh's the place where the temple of the Candelaria is found. The temple was built in 1751 and is dedicated to the Virgin of the Ascension. This temple is also built on top of a Mayan pyramid.
Acanceh (deer moan)
The main attraction here is "the square of the three cultures" which brings together the pre-hispanic, colonial and contemporary eras. In Acanceh you can find the chapel and convent of the Virgin of Guadalupe, both from the XVI century. The 17th century facade has an entrance with twisted columns and an entablature at the dividing point between two parts. Above the entrance, the chancel window is surmounted by a curved pediment. Next to the church are the ruins of a pyramid with four tiers and a central staircase (above) and, about 300 yards further on, the ruins of another, monumental pyramid. The facade of the so-called "Stucco Palace" is decorated with an extremely rare, Late Classic cosmological composition whose main figures are symbolic animals.
