Haciendas in Yucatan & Pink Flamingos in Celestún

Stay at the luxurious Haciendas San José Cholul, Santa Rosa, and Hacienda Chichén. Enjoy a 4-day journey to the most significant attractions of Mayan culture and the beautiful colonial cities of Yucatan. In the Celestún Biosphere Reserve, you’ll witness a vast array of bird species, including the largest flamingo colonies in the Americas.

Highlights of This Journey

  • Explore Colonial Cities: Discover the 16th-century colonial cities of Valladolid and Izamal. These cities are rich with traditional Yucatecan life, filling historic plazas, homes, and churches. Your expert guide will bring to life the mysterious sacrificial sites in the Balankanche Cave and the monumental temples of Chichen Itza and Uxmal.
  • Experience Mérida: A visit to Mérida, the vibrant capital of Yucatan, includes a tour of a traditional Mayan village’s weekly market, a visit to a cenote, and a boat trip to see the flamingos in Celestún.
  • Stay at Iconic Haciendas: Staying at the Haciendas San José Cholul, Santa Rosa, and Hacienda Chichén makes this journey an unforgettable experience. These sisal haciendas, meticulously restored to their former glory, are among the most remarkable hotels in Yucatan.
  • Relax in Historical Ambiance: At Hacienda Chichén, located next to the UNESCO World Heritage site, you will find yourself in a long-standing meeting place for early archaeologists and researchers. Surrounded by tropical gardens, enjoy the historical ambiance and relax with a margarita in a traditional hammock.

Our Services

  • Private Tour: For groups of 2 people or more.
  • Comfortable Travel: 4-day tour in an air-conditioned SUV or van.
  • Expert Guidance: Our knowledgeable guides offer tours in English and German, with additional languages available upon request.
  • Luxurious Accommodations: 3 overnight stays in double rooms, including breakfast, at Haciendas San José Cholul, Hacienda Santa Rosa (The Luxury Collection Hotels), and Hacienda Chichen
  • Comprehensive Experiences: Entry fees, tours, and excursions according to the itinerary.
  • Celestún Boat Trip: Observe the pink flamingos up close.
  • Authentic Cultural Visits: Explore a traditional Mayan village.
  • Convenient Transfers: Return to your beach hotel on the Riviera Maya, connection to Holbox, or Cancún airport

The carefully selected daily routes allow you ample time to enjoy the beautiful hotel facilities of the haciendas.

Yucatan Haciendas 4-Day Trip Price per person in a double room Price per person in a triple room Single room surcharge
Private tour from 2 people from 2200 € n/a from 541 €
Private tour from 3 people from 1960 € from 1710 € from 541 €
Private tour from 4 people from 1870 € from 1680 € from 541 €
Private tour from 5 people from 1690 € from 1530 € from 541 €
Private tour from 6 people
from 1350 € from 1260 € from 541 €

Seasonal price surcharge: +15% for a double or triple room and 30% surcharge for a single room. / Christmas from December 15th to January 6th and from Palm Sunday to Easter as well as on local holidays

Price and offer changes reserved / January 2024

Hacienda Tour: 4-Day Journey to the Haciendas of Yucatan and the Pink Flamingos of Celestún

Day 1: Valladolid - Balankanché – Izamál

(Overnight at Hacienda San José Cholul)

Begin your journey in the morning with a departure from your hotel, heading to the beautifully restored colonial city of Valladolid. With its colorful houses, shady arcades, and charming patios, Valladolid offers a delightful start to your adventure. Continue your trip to the Balankanché caves, a site discovered only a few decades ago. Here, you’ll descend into the underworld of Xibalbá, where ancient sacrificial sites used by priests and shamans for secret rituals and worship remain preserved. If the caves are closed due to pandemic restrictions, the alternative visit is to Ek Balam.

Next, travel to Izamal, known as the City of Three Cultures. The ruins of massive pyramids and temple platforms rise above the ochre-colored buildings of this colonial town, a reminder of the last great center of the Itzá people and their dramatic fall. The main attraction is the visit to the Convent of Saint Anthony of Padua, built by the Franciscan friar Diego de Landa in the 16th century over a Maya temple. Izamal is a pilgrimage site where locals venerate the Virgin of Izamal, a devotion that even brought Pope John Paul II to visit in 1993.

Afterward, transfer to Hacienda San José Cholul. This former sisal plantation has been lovingly restored to its former glory and now shines with the splendor of its heyday. Enjoy an overnight stay in a double room, with breakfast included. Distance: approximately 250 km.

Day 2: Market Visit - Mérida - Celestún

(Overnight at Hacienda Santa Rosa)

Start your day with a visit to a traditional Mexican market, where you can discover the diverse spices, fruits, and vegetables that define Yucatecan cuisine. Continue to Mérida and explore the magnificent mansions along Paseo Montejo, built by the former hacendados. Experience the bustling life of the capital city with a walking tour through its historic center.

Afterward, head to the Gulf of Mexico to Celestún. Enjoy a 1.5-hour boat tour through the Celestún Biosphere Reserve, where you may spot pink flamingos, pelicans, cormorants, frigatebirds, and other rare coastal birds. The excursion includes a visit to a traditional fishing restaurant where you can savor fresh seafood from the grill and take a refreshing dip in the Gulf of Mexico.

Travel through Yucatecan Mayan villages and past decaying haciendas to the beautifully restored Hacienda Santa Rosa. With its few rooms, this charming guesthouse offers a personal touch that will delight you.

Overnight stay in a double room, breakfast included. Distance: approximately 210 km.

Day 3: Uxmal - Museo de Chocolate

(Overnight at Hacienda Chichen)

After a hearty breakfast, visit the archaeological site of Uxmal. A short one-hour drive takes you to the hilly terrain where the temples emerge from the forest. The creations of the Maya, built a thousand years ago without modern tools, inspire awe and admiration. Timeless elegance defines structures like the Governor’s Palace and the Nunnery Quadrangle, which have inspired architects and impressed the gods they were built for.

After refreshing yourself, visit the open-air Chocolate Museum. The Maya were the first civilization to cultivate the famous cocoa bean extensively. Explore the botanical garden to learn about the importance and origins of cocoa and taste the freshly prepared traditional Maya beverage spiced with chili and allspice.

In the afternoon, transfer to Hacienda Chichen, a stone’s throw from the ruins of Chichen Itzá. In the evening, you may have the opportunity to attend a sound and light show (optional, subject to availability).

Overnight stay in a double room, breakfast included. Distance: approximately 280 km.

Day 4: Chichen Itzá - Cenote

Early in the morning, at eight o’clock, you’ll be among the first visitors at Chichen Itzá, the most famous and frequently visited Maya site in Yucatan. As you walk among the intricately carved monuments, you’ll be transported back in time and space by centuries. Chichen Itzá is more thoroughly researched and restored than most Maya sites and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. Legends and mysteries still surround its dynamic history.

Learn about the bloodthirsty rituals at the Skull Platform (Tzompantli) and the Kukulkan Temple’s astronomical significance. Explore the Temple of the Warriors, the great ball court, and the observatory, among other highlights..

After a thorough tour of this World Heritage site, enjoy a Yucatecan lunch and visit a cenote. These unique freshwater pools were formed over hundreds of thousands of years in the Yucatan Peninsula’s extensive karst region when flooded limestone caves collapsed, granting access to crystal-clear groundwater. Thousands of these natural Maya wells have been discovered and studied over the years. The word “cenote” comes from the Maya language, meaning “sacred well.” After a refreshing swim in these natural wells, take a three-hour drive to your beach hotel on the stunning Riviera Maya, Holbox, or Cancun airport. Distance: approximately 250 km.

End of the Journey

Haciendas in Yucatan & Pink Flamingos in Celestún

Route: 4-Day Hacienda Tour

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