29 November - 14 December 2025

Yucatán – the Mexican peninsula holds many treasures: impressive remnants of early Maya civilization, picturesque colonial towns, and rich natural landscapes. This comprehensive journey explores both the ancient and modern legacies of the Maya, shedding light on their history and showing how their rituals, medicines, and agricultural practices still endure today. You will visit famous Maya ruins such as Uxmal, Palenque, and Tulum, along with lesser-known but equally stunning jungle "jewels" like Calakmul and Bécan. Through various visits and encounters with cooperatives, families, artisans, researchers, and environmentalists, you will gain insights into the lives of women, craftsmen, and today’s Maya communities, as well as projects dedicated to preserving Maya culture and the rainforest.

Itinerary

Day 1: Departure to Mexico

• Flight Luxembourg-Amsterdam
• Connecting flight Amsterdam-Cancún

Day 2: Ek’Balam, market life in Valladolid

• Visit the archaeological site of Ek’Balam
• Explore the bustling market in Valladolid

Day 3: Chichen Itzá, Maya language, and women’s empowerment at Cenote Yokdzonot

• Visit the archaeological site of Chichen Itzá
• Meeting with a teacher (Maya language and mathematics)
• Cenote Yokdzonot (swimming or zip-lining opportunity)
• Meeting with a women’s cooperative (discussion about life in male-dominated Mexico)

Day 4: Colonial Mérida, historic hacienda, Maya art, and Uxmal pyramids

• Mérida (walk through the colonial old town)
• Visit a former significant hacienda
• Meet an artist family (high-quality reproductions of Maya art)
• Visit the archaeological site of Uxmal

Day 5: Salsa, hats, and Campeche

• Salsa-making workshop
• Visit hat makers in Bécal
• Explore the old town of Campeche

Day 6: Journey to Palenque, rainforest reforestation project

• Meeting with students from a research and technology transfer center focused on reforestation and ecosystem protection in Yucatán

Day 7: Enchanting ruins in Palenque, Aluxes Ecopark, and the waterfalls of Roberto Barrios

• Visit the archaeological site of Palenque
• Visit the Aluxes Ecopark (flora and fauna conservation project)
• Swimming opportunity at the waterfalls of Roberto Barrios

Day 8: Boat trip on the lagoon

• Boat excursion (dolphins, birdwatching) on Laguna Términos in Isla Aguada

Day 9: Hidden Maya cities in the jungle, guided by local students

• Visit the archaeological site of Calakmul
• Visit the archaeological site of Bécan and meet local archaeology students

Day 10: San Felipe Bacalar Fortress, meeting with researchers

• Visit the Fort of San Felipe Bacalar
• Visit the Intercultural Maya University (development and preservation of Maya language and culture)

Day 11: Agriculture, Maya Medicine, and the Current Situation of the Maya

• Visit to Señor (Maya agriculture, religious rituals)
• Visit to a botanical garden (nature, medicinal plants, and Maya medicine)
• Tihosuco (museum, the current situation of the Maya, discussion with the director)

Day 12: Day Trip – Jungle Lagoons, Tulum, and Discussion with Environmentalists

• Lagoons in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve
• Opportunity to swim in a jungle river
• Visit to the archaeological site of Tulum
• Meeting with local environmentalists (tourism, overtourism, and rapid development on the Riviera Maya)

Day 13: Free Day or Optional Excursion

• Free day
• Optional excursion: visit to the archaeological site of Cobá, cenote Choo-Ha, and cenote Tankach-Ha

Day 14: Cooking & Dining Like the Maya, Farewell to Yucatán

• Cooking class at a specialized school (Maya recipes) with lunch included

Day 15: Free Time in Cancún and Return Flight

• Free day
• Transfer to the airport
• Flight Cancún-Amsterdam

Day 16: Back Home

• 08:30 AM: Arrival in Amsterdam
• Flight Amsterdam-Luxembourg