Our Journey of 1,000 miles and 2,000 years of history in the Yucatan Peninsula
- Dan Griffin
- May 26
- 14 min read
Updated: May 30
A look back at the Best of Yucatan Tour January 2025.
I had an idea to offer a tour through the eastern portion of the Yucatan Peninsula—an area that, aside from Chichen Itza, most travelers and tour companies rarely include in a cohesive itinerary. I had planned to offer this tour years ago, but the pandemic slowed down tourism, and I shelved the idea for a couple of years while I traveled elsewhere with my groups.
The Yucatan Peninsula is home to thousands of ancient Maya ruins. Just like in Guatemala, Belize, the states of Chiapas and Tabasco in Mexico, and other areas of the ancient Maya world, the vast majority of these remains lie hidden deep in the forest. Aside from the grand, reconstructed sites that attract travelers from around the globe, there are thousands of lesser-known Maya sites that are still worth visiting and offer valuable insights into the region’s history.
Finally last summer, I had a small group ready to follow in the footsteps of archaeologists and early explorers to these remarkable sites in Yucatan. What follows is a brief blog of our adventures!
The common perception among many travelers is that the climate of Yucatan is always very warm. Not so! It’s true that the tropical heat (and humidity) can be stifling during our summer months, but after the rain stops in November, the weather here can be quite pleasant from December through March. You might even need a sweater or light jacket at times! Our Yucatan tour started in mid-January.
My group arrived in Merida where we planned to stay the first two nights before embarking on our adventure. International flights usually don’t arrive until late afternoon or early evening, so I prefer to give my guests time to acclimatize to the climate and culture. This way, we can also explore a bit of the historic city of Merida, Yucatan.
Most of my group decided to arrive even earlier than our official starting date, so I offered to show them a l few places in Yucatan that were not part of our planned itinerary. Our first day of exploring took us to Uxmal, one of the largest ancient Maya cities in northern Yucatan. The site is an excellent showcase for the Pu'uc-style architecture, which was dominant in this region during the last few centuries of the first millennium. Uxmal is easy to walk through, and it never seems to be overrun with tourists like the ones at Chichén Itzá. The architecture is spectacular—there’s is no better introduction to the ancient Maya world!
Our second day, before the official start of our tour, was a morning ride to Celestún on the western coast of the peninsula. There lies the National Marine Reserve, where on any given day you can see anywhere from a few dozen to thousands of iconic pink flamingos. The number of these beautiful birds (and other species) that pass through this area—here located right at the edge of seemingly never-ending mangrove swamps—varies daily. It all depends on the weather, the winds, the tide, and other natural conditions. But there is always something spectacular to see. In addition to flamingos, there always seems to be a small group of spoonbills hanging around, ospreys diving for fish, and even—according to one traveler (not in our group or day)—posted a video of a jaguar swimming across the reserve, caught on video!
For me, one the highlights of our boat trip at Celestún is when the captain of our little craft suddenly veers into a channel that has been cut into the mangroves, and we find ourselves floating silently through the massive tangle of suspended roots. These magnificent trees are the protectors of the coastal regions. In that moment, it truly feels as if you’ve been transported to another magical world.
Our first day of the tour officially begins! After breakfast, we walked the eight blocks from our hotel to the central plaza of Merida for a walking tour of the historic district. Merida is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. Founded in 1542 by Francisco de Montejo (the conqueror of Yucatan), Merida was built over the remains of an ancient Maya settlement. In some of the church walls, you can still see that the first Spanish settlers used carved stones from Maya structures to construct their first cathedrals. The Maya city of T'ho had been abandoned for centuries before the Spanish arrived, but the stones from its fallen buildings were still present—ready to be repurposed as construction material.
We spent a few hours visiting the cathedral (one of the oldest in North America), the house of Francisco Montejo (now a museum), the Governor's Palace, and a few other notable places.
Our archaeological tour of Yucatan departed from Merida. As we headed to our first Maya ruins at Akè—only about a thirty-minute drive—we first stopped at the 17th century church in Tixkokob. This small city of around 10,000 was one of the earliest areas settled by the Spanish, with the first mention of it in historical records in 1549. I find all early churches in Yucatan to be fascinating for their historical context and longevity, and I was happy to discover that this group enjoyed exploring these little extra stops as much as I do. The churches reflect the culture of the village and offer insight into local traditions.
Only a 15-minute drive from Tixkokob, we arrived at the Maya site of Aké. Next to it, the village with the same name is built around a hacienda constructed in the 1800s for the cultivation of henquén. Until very recently, a working textile mill there still wove henequén into rope and twine. The impressive site of Aké was connected to the grand ancient Maya city of Izamal by a 20 km sacbé . Photographed in the 1890s by Teobert Maler, the structures today are still as beautiful as they were then. Aké is close to Merida, but very few tourists stop by—it’s well worth the visit.
Still in our first day, we continued on to the Pueblo Mágico of Izamal. The ancient Maya site of Izamal was the dominant power over northern Yucatan around 600 A.D., And its main structure is one of the largest by volume in the ancient Maya world. This small city of today was built directly atop this ancient settlement, a common occurrence in Yucatan. When the first Spanish settlers arrived, the abundance of building materials from ancient sites meant there was little need to quarry or transport stone over long distances. One of the ancient platforms now supports a very large and impressive 16th-century church. Traces of pyramids and other structures are still visible throughout Izamal. The town beautifully encapsulates both the ancient and the modern.
We enjoyed a typical Yucatecan lunch at Restaurant Kinichná. At the end of the day, we visited the small but attractive museum in the town square.
We spent the night at Hacienda Chichén Itzá, just outside the ruins of Chichén Itzá. Constructed in 1847, the hacienda eventually was purchased by E.H Thompson, the U.S. consul to Yucatan in 1894. His purchase even included the archaeological site of Chichén Itzá, which he excavated and explored for over three decades. Eventually, Sylvanus Morley began his own excavations under the support of the Carnegie Foundation.
Chichén Itzá is a UNESCO Heritage Site. It deserves that status and and is visited by millions from all over the world. We devoted the entire day to exploring the ruins and checking out the (almost) new site museum. Both did not disappoint. The new museum at Chichén Itzá is spacious and displays many fascinating pieces that have been excavated and collected over the years. In the past year, I have been accompanied by architects and museum directors—and they all give a thumbs up to this welcome addition to Chichén Itzá!
No matter how many times that one has visited the ruins, there is always more to see. There are even archaeological pieces embedded in the walls of the old hacienda where we stayed. We arrived at the site as early as possible to avoid the crowds—but they came anyway!
After spending the night in Valladolid, our first visit of the day was to Uayma, a small village about 20 minutes away. The church there is one everyone should see—It’s truly unique. Nothing else in Yucatan resembles this style of architecture! A visual treat.
Our next stop was in the newly designated “Pueblo Mágico” in Espita, just a few kilometers from Uayma. Historically, Espita is significant because, during the mid-1800s Caste War, the city of Valladolid was nearly surrounded by rebellious Maya forces, and thousands of residents walked the 20 kilometers to Espita for shelter.
The center of the town is, of course, dominated its church. The main square is picture-perfect, surrounded by brightly painted colonial buildings. We shopped at a small local market for fruit and bananas—and then we were on our way!
As our group was spending a couple of nights in Valladolid, we were joined by Ivan Batun, a Yucatan archaeologist and educator working in the area. Ivan is involved with an anthology/archaeology project—Proyecto Arqueológico Colaborativo del Oriente de Yucatán (PACOY)—based nearby in Tahcabo, and we were invited to visit.
The project focuses on linking the deep pre-Hispanic and colonial past with the more recent history of the local population. Excavation and ceramic analysis show that an ancient settlement here starting more than two thousand years ago. Tahcabo was a small Maya community. Today, no standing architecture remains from that settlement, only large slumping pre-Hispanic mounds, According to the Mayan priest who authored the Chilam Balam of Chumayel, in the seventeenth century, the rulers of Chichén Itzá once came to Tahcabo in search of honey.
What a wonderful experience it was to witness the work in progress! One of Ivan’s students from the U.S. was there working on her dissertation assisted by two local students. With Ivan’s explanation and the chance to observe her work, we gained valuable insight into her methodology and what she hoped to discover. It was a rewarding experience for everyone.
Our last stop of the day was a visit to Ek Balam, one of the few remaining sites where visitors can actually climb a Maya structure. Ek Balam was a powerful city that controlled trade in the northern peninsula around 900 A.D., before the rise of Chichén Itzá. The partially excavated main structure is massive, and many stucco decorations have survived, offering a glimpse into the majesty of these ancient cities. Climbing to the top of this 25-meter-plus pyramid is a remarkable experience—you can look out over the entire region and imagine what it must have been like over one thousand years ago.
The next morning, as we were leaving Valladolid on our way to the great Maya site of Coba, Ivan Batun suggested there was still one more interesting historic church along our route—in Chemax, Yucatan. So, off we went. The church was definitely worth the visit. But when we left, the smell of baking mixed with the scent of cinnamon wafted through the air. The hunt was on to find the source.
Two blocks away, we discovered pastry paradise. We all went inside and chatted with the owner, who gave us a tour of the bakery. We bought a ton of rolls, cookies, and other treats. The owner was happy to share the moment with us.
When we arrived at Coba, we arranged tricycle taxis for everyone. It’s truly an enormous site, though much of it still hidden in the forest. I worked here on an archaeological project for one season before the pandemic. The site is massive, covering more than 60 sqaure kilometers. Of course, the highlight for our tour was the central civic center, home to the tallest pyramid (43m) in northern Yucatan. Until a few years ago anyone could climb it—but that’s no longer possible. Another great day on our tour!
It was a long drive from Cobá to Laguna (Lake) Bacalar. We arrived late, so this day was planned as a light day to rest and recharge after spending a full week on the road! That morning, those who were interested visited the newly opened Maya site of Ichkabal.
Ichkabal was a very important early site, likely dating back to the Preclassic era, and it certainly influenced the development of many other sites in this region. At this moment, only one part of this site is restored/reconstructed, but it’s all very nice and clean. It's great that visitors can finally explore it—it’s been more than 15 years since the authorities first announced that it would be “soon”.
What seems to be missing from the tourist experience at Ichkabal is a clear understanding of the great importance of this very early Maya city and how it shaped so much of this part of the expanding Maya culture, including its possible interactions with southern neighbors in today's Belize and Guatemala. It is an extremely important site in the development of the Maya in this part of Mexico. Hopefully, as more is learned about Ichkabal, that information will be passed along to the general public, and we will better understand its place in Maya history.
We returned to Laguna Bacalar by noon. With a free afternoon, many of our travelers opted for a refreshing boat trip across the lagoon.
The next morning, after breakfast, we were back on the trail, looking for more Maya ruins. Less than 45 minutes south of Bacalar, we arrived in Chetumal, where the Mexican archaeologist Luis Pantoja was waiting for us at the recently reopened site of Oxtankah. Located right on the Bay of Chetumal, Oxtankah was a smaller Maya settlement that participated in the lively trade routes up and down the Caribbean coast. Having the archaeologist who worked to consolidate and restore the structures over the last few years made it a special day for our travelers!
We learned quite a bit as Luis explained what the structures and building groups scattered throughout the site were probably used for. It makes such a difference to learn from the person who has dedicated years to excavating and understanding the site. The day was a rewarding experience for everyone.
After the visit to Oxtankah, we found a lovely restaurant right on the coast. Great shrimp tacos, guacamole, and ceviche! We overnighted in Chetumal.
Many Maya sites in the Yucatan peninsula have (or had) been closed temporarily for the last year or more for reconstruction projects associated with the Tren Maya. It was with some trepidation that we set off for Dzibanché after the director at Oxtankah commented to me that Dzibanche was unofficially open. I wasn’t even sure what that meant. So we left Chetumal in the direction of Dzibanche and asked people along the way. Everyone confirmed that it was open.
It actually took us quite a bit longer than usual on the road because of the then-still unfinished work on this part of the Tren Maya. The roads were literally clogged with so many trucks hauling stone and materials to finish the section of the new rail system that runs through and around the Yucatan Peninsula. When we arrived, there were workers and military personnel milling around the unfinished ticket booth area. They didn't pay much attention to us but directed us on to the site. It's another one-km drive to the main site of Dzibanche. We were warmly greeted there. They didn't charge us for entry, and we had a nice security guard (Beatriz) escort us around.
Dzibanche is a major, ancient, and powerful Maya city. Actually, it’s more like a megalopolis, consisting of at least four major centers (Dzibanche and Kinichna are the two most recognized). Lidar mapping has revealed that these four centers were surrounded by smaller residential groups, creating a vast city. This very city was ruled by the Kanul (Snake) kingdom and was heavily involved in territorial warfare with Tikal 1,500 years ago for control of the eastern portion of the Maya territories.
Archaeologists and ongoing research are unearthing more secrets and helping us understand more about the history of the Maya civilization—and ancient Dzibanche seems to have been in the thick of things for a long time! So much to think about. It turned out to be another great day of exploring with our tour group!
Our final day on the road. After sleeping in Chetumal, we were finally returning to Merida. Our travelers didn’t want to stop for lunch along the way, so we visited the huge local mercado in downtown Chetumal and created our own picnic to go: cheese, bread, pastries, avocados, and more.
It is a 5-6 hour drive, and we had one more stop. Our last Maya site to visit was Chacchoben. The first human settlements in the area of Chacchoben have been dated to around 1,000 B.C. By 360 A.D., this important early Maya city had become the largest community in the region and had consolidated as a key ceremonial center with an important ritual plaza. I would think that the dating of this site must be somewhat similar to the timeline of the newly opened Ichkabal that we had visited a few days earlier.
What a visitor can see today is a nicely preserved central area with pyramids and plazas that can be explored in a relatively short period of time (1-1.5 hours). Back in the van, we had our lunch as we rolled down the road and were back in Merida by 3 p.m.!
I was happy with our tour. We included the classic sites that should be seen, like Chichén Itzá, and Coba, Dzibanche, (Kohunlich was a planned visit, but closed for maintenance), but we also visited some less familiar sites that other tours almost never offer, like Aké, Tacahbo, and Oxtankah. We were also dealing with many sites being closed because of a governmental program to consolidate, repair, and fix everything up again for tourism. What was supposed to be finished a year earlier was behind schedule and not open yet. Even Oxtankah, near Chetumal, announced in August last year (2024) that it was open again.
I went in September to check my planned visits. The gate was open. I entered with two friends. The employees, in their uniforms, came out and asked us to leave. They were waiting for the President of Mexico to arrive and officially open the site. He never inaugurated the site before he left office at the end of September. Luckily for us, the new President of Mexico finally opened the site in November.
All of these ancient Maya sites—big and small, open for tourism or mostly abandoned—have contributed to the history of the Maya civilization in the Yucatan Peninsula. Our tour wove its way through sites that spanned centuries or even millennia. Some were already in decline before others had even reached their apogees. It is fascinating to see so many sites and try to explain when they were inhabited and what was going on more than 1,000 years ago.
At almost every site that we visited, my travelers would ask, “When does this date from?” Well... that was actually hard to define. Definitely, some sites were inhabited for more than a millennia. I tried to explain that what we see today represents the last constructions of the people who lived there. It was tough to put a definite date on anything, but I think they understood that we were looking at the bigger picture.
This group was adaptable. I realized soon after we started out that not everyone is as interested in archaeology as I am. I live here. I work in sites. It's my passion. But for someone coming in with a different background and just a general interest in the Maya, it can be intimidating. Our group, however, was happy to explore early churches and communities along the way. We were seeing the living Maya culture of today!
When we returned to Merida, I asked our driver, Willy, how far we had driven. He said that it was almost exactly 1,600 km. I thought to myself, “Huh, we just went on a 1,000-mile journey and explored 2,000 years of history!”
New tours for later this year and early 2026 are already in the planning stages. Please let me know if you would like to receive more info. Learn more about the 2026 Yucatan Tour here.
An amazing, incredible, comprehensive archaeological and cultural tour, unlike any other one that's available. Dan is the perfect person to lead this tour not only with his first hand, archaeological experience and networking with others in that field, but also his can-do, spontaneous spirit to enrich the adventure for everyone. Oh, and he's witty too.
Wish I were there to enjoy the 2026!