Mexico Mérida, Chichén Itzá and the Yucatan

  • iStock ©
  • Campache
  • MEX_Yucatan_Valladolid_Shutterstock_31769347
  • Uxmal
0 1 2 3

Explore pretty colonial towns, soft white-sand beaches and sacred Mayan temples hidden in lush, tangled jungles

Overview

The states of Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo form the huge wedge of low-lying, forest-covered territory of Mexico’s south-east. It is here that vestiges of the Mayan civilisation loom out of the undergrowth at every turn. Sites replete with temples and pyramids festooned with sacred carvings were, once abandoned, swallowed up by a rapacious jungle but are now gradually being revealed. The best known sites, Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, Tulum are easily accessible and have been spruced up for visitors. There are lesser-known sites rising from an untouched natural setting including Edzná, a huge ceremonial centre featuring the 30m high Temple of the Five Storeys, and Calakmul, the biggest archaeological area in Mesoamerica with 7,000 buildings in the central zone.

There are some pretty Spanish colonial towns too, the arched colonnades of Izamal and Mérida, a  bustling  place where colonial churches and mansions cram the grid of streets;  plazas host markets and impromptu musical and theatrical performances.

The nearby Riviera Maya spans the peninsula’s soft-sand Caribbean coast with its resort hotels and fishing villages, while the coastal mangrove-draped marshes at Sian Ka’an host a biosphere reserve heaving with wildlife.

Read More

THE UK’S NO. 1 SPECIALIST IN TRAVEL TO LATIN AMERICA

What our clients say Contact Us

Holidays Mérida, Chichén Itzá and the Yucatan

From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.

Palenque, Mexico

Group - Classic

Mexico

Eagle: Aztecs, Mayas and conquistadores

15 days from £4,267pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Pool at a hotel in Mexico

Private Journeys

Mexico

Luxury Mexico: Yucatan in style

11 days from £5,300pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Beaches and coast of Tulum, Mexico

Private Journeys

Mexico

Self-drive Mexico: Discover the Yucatan Peninsula

13 days from £2,320pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Colourful hammocks in the sea in Mexico

Private Journeys

Mexico

Self-Drive Mexico: Highlights of the Yucatan

10 days from £2,150pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Things to do

We proudly offer the widest range of activities, excursions and one-of-a-kind experiences across all our destinations, tried and tested personally by our travel experts.

Accommodation

Browse our unrivalled portfolio of accommodation . Every option has been carefully chosen by our team of travel experts, so you can rest assured that you’ll relax in utter comfort.

Casa Lecanda
Fiesta Americana
Hacienda Chichen
Hacienda Puerta Campeche

Where to go when - our guide to Mérida, Chichén Itzá and the Yucatan

Campeche

The weather in Mérida, Chichén Itzá and the Yucatan is wide and varied

Explore pretty colonial towns, soft white-sand beaches and sacred Mayan temples hidden in lush, tangled jungles. The Yucatán Peninsula and Mayan Riviera enjoy hot and sunny weather throughout the best part of the year, with temperatures which rarely drop below 25°C. From May to July, humidity can be uncomfortably high and there is a risk of tropical storms and hurricanes between August and October. The best months to visit for dry weather and clear skies are December to April.

View our Mérida, Chichén Itzá and the Yucatan weather guide

Papagaio

Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

View Extraordinary Inspiration
Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Charlotte
    Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

    Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.

  • Ben
    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

  • Chris
    Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

    Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.

  • Sallly
    Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

  • Carrie
    Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

    A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.

  • Lina
    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

0 1 2 3 4 5