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Day 1 – To Mexico City:
Fly from London to
Mexico City with British Airways. Transfer to
the Melia Reforma Hotel for
3 nights. (N)
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Day 2 – Mexico City:
Morning tour of Mexico
City, including the Zócalo (main plaza), the
murals of Diego Rivera, the National Cathedral
and the Anthropological Museum, with its
displays of Mexico’s ancient civilisations. (B, L)
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Day 3 – Teotihuacán:
Morning visit to the
historic Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Continue to the magnificent pyramids of
Teotihuacán, an ancient city dating back 2,000
years where the main Pyramid of the Sun is
more than 70 metres high. (B, L)
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Day 4 – To Oaxaca:
Fly to Oaxaca, one
of Mexico’s most beautiful colonial cities.
Afternoon visit to the impressive ancient
Zapotec capital of Monte Alban. Stay 2 nights
at the Camino Real Hotel†, a former convent
with peaceful courtyards. (B)
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Day 5 – Oaxaca:
Morning tour of Oaxaca,
including the regional museum and Santo
Domingo church. Afternoon at leisure or
optional visit to the 2,000-year-old tree at El
Tule and the ruins of Mitla. (B)
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Day 6 – To San Cristobal de Las Casas:
Fly
to Tuxtla Gutierrez, via Mexico City. Take a
boat along the Grijalva river to the Sumidero
canyon. Continue to San Cristobal de Las
Casas and stay 2 nights at the Hotel Diego de
Mazariegos. (B)
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Day 7 – San Cristobal de Las Casas:
Morning tour of this colonial town and nearby Indian
villages of Zinacantán and San Juan Chamula.
Afternoon at leisure. (B)
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Day 8 – To Palenque:
Drive from the cool
highlands to the tropical lowlands and
Palenque, via the waterfalls of Agua Azul. Stay
1 night at the Chan Kah Resort. (B, L)
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Day 9 – To Campeche:
Morning tour of
Palenque, one of the greatest Mayan sites,
set in dense rainforest. Afternoon drive to
Campeche via the scenic Sabancuy coast.
Overnight at the Hacienda Plaza Campeche. (B, L)
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Day 10 – To Uxmal & Mérida:
Short morning
tour of this colourful colonial town and its
forts before heading to Uxmal for a visit of
the Mayan ceremonial centre. In the afternoon,
continue to Mérida and stay at the Hotel Presidente InterContinental Villa Mercedes for 2 nights. (B, L)
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Day 11 – Mérida:
Day at leisure in the
whitewashed city of Mérida or take an optional
tour to an old henequen (sisal) hacienda or the
Celestun Biosphere Reserve, a wildlife sanctuary
for pink flamingoes and other water birds. (B)
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Day 12 – To Chichen Itza:
Transfer to Chichen
Itza and take a tour of the ancient Mayan city,
which contains the magnificent 23-metre El
Castillo pyramid. The carved image of the
god Quetzalcoatl, in the form of a feathered
serpent, is a notable feature. Stay 1 night at the
Hacienda Chichen. (B)
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Day 13 – To London:
Transfer to Cancun on
the coast for a direct afternoon flight to London
Gatwick with British Airways. (B)
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Day 14 – London:
Morning arrival. (N)
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†Festivals:
The 2 April tour coincides with
Semana Santa, Easter week in Mexico, with
colourful ceremonies and processions and the
tour includes a stay at the Parador San Miguel
in Oaxaca instead of the Camino Real hotel.
The 29 October departure coincides with the
Day of the Dead celebrations, where families
pay respect to the deceased with offerings
such as flowers and food.
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Accessibility:
This tour is fully escorted from
Mexico City to Cancun. Hotels Diego de
Mazariegos, Chan Kah and Plaza Campeche
are standard tourist class. You will cover uneven
terrain during the visits to the ruins.
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Meal Basis:
(B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner, (N) = No Meals
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