January 13-22, 2027
An educational tour designed and organized by Archaeological Legacy Institute (ALI).
Guided by Guillermo Gonzalez, born and raised in Yucatan and with more than 20 years of experience as a tour guide in the area, this 9-day tour will lead you through the Yucatan Peninsula to some of the most iconic cities of the ancient Maya. Every night, you will stay in a 3- or 4-star hotel at one of the three main nodes of this tour.
The journey will begin in Merida, the old and charming provincial capital of Yucatan, with orientation and presentations and a visit to the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya, a striking, modern Maya cultural museum with many exhibits of art, handicrafts and history. From there, you venture out to Dzibilichaltun, the longest functioning city in the Maya world, with 3000 years of continuous occupation up to Spanish times. Heading east, the tour stops to see the convent and the massive grand pyramid at Izamal, the largest Maya city on the northern Yucatec plain.
Day 4 is devoted to Chichen Itza, with its massive step pyramid (the Temple of Kukulkan) and the largest ball court in Mesoamerica, followed by a lunch stop at Cenote Ik'il, where you can take a refreshing swim if you like. Then it's off to Tihosuco-a location new to our Yucatan tour!
In Tihosuco, you will visit the Caste War Museum and explore an abandoned 18th century hacienda. On Day 6, we head westward to Mayapan, enclosed by city walls and once the political and cultural capital of the Yucatan, and then on to Mani, which holds the church in which the Maya books were burned. Then Day 7 features Uxmal, one of the most important sites of Maya culture, with many impressive buildings and art works.
Day 8 holds in store a tour of the nearby Puuc Region, including the Kabah ruins (quite large, with its "Palace of the Masks"), a guided tour of Loltun Caves (Maya cave paintings and more than 10,000 years of human use), and Labna ruins (including "El Palacio," almost 400 feet long). The next day, your last full day of touring, includes a stop at Muna, with an amazing Maya pottery demonstration by Patricia Morales, before we return to Merida for some free time and our final dinner together.
Total Price(double occupancy): $4100/person. Add $900 for the tour if you are traveling as a single.
Registration fee: $1,500 to ALI by registration deadline of October 13, 2026. This amount is included in the total price above. Spots are limited, so register today!
Included Costs: All lodging, meals, private ground transportation, entry fees, evening lectures, and local guide.
Costs not included: Personal travel insurance, airfare to and from Merida, gratuities for service providers (such as waiters, drivers, maids), and alcoholic beverages.
Dates: January 13-22, 2027