Beach & Beyond: Yucatan Self-Drive with Cancun

8 days
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Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Get behind the wheel and explore Mexico's Yucatan! The southern tip of Mexico is brimming with fascinating hidden gems, from Mayan ruins to colonial cities to beautiful cenotes.  Arrive in Cancun and drive to Chichen Itza, home to the most famous Mayan city in Mexico. See the magnificent El Castillo pyramid, recently named one of the Seven New Wonders of the...
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Overview

Trip type
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

    • Drive across the Yucatan Peninsula, one of Mexico's most culturally and ecologically diverse regions.
    • Explore two of Mexico's famous Mayan ruins on this trip: Chichen Itza and Uxmal!
    • Taste the unexpected and unique flavors of Yucatan cuisine, from cochinita pibil to paunches.
    • Stroll past colonial mansions and leafy squares in Merida, also known as the "White City."
    • Spend your last days in Mexico lounging on the beach in Cancun on the Caribbean Coast!

What's this trip about?

    Get behind the wheel and explore Mexico's Yucatan! The southern tip of Mexico is brimming with fascinating hidden gems, from Mayan ruins to colonial cities to beautiful cenotes.  Arrive in Cancun and drive to Chichen Itza, home to the most famous Mayan city in Mexico. See the magnificent El Castillo pyramid, recently named one of the Seven New Wonders of the World.  You'll then drive to Uxmal, home to the best preserved Mayan city built of limestone. Explore the fascinating ruins before heading to the Yucatan capital of Merida. Discover the cultural and culinary delights of this charming city! End your vacation in paradise, also known as Cancun. Whether you choose to spend your days at the beach or learning about history in town, you'll be enamored with the bright blue waters of the Caribbean Sea that surround Cancun. Helpful links for travel to Mexico: Visa & Passport Info Vaccines & Medications Info

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeIndependent
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transport
Start CityCancun
End CityMexico

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • Nature & Wildlife
  • National Parks
  • High Adventure

Destinations

Activities

  • Culture
  • Historic Sightseeing
  • History
  • Independent
  • Nature
  • Ruins & Archaeology
  • Snorkeling
  • Swimming

Trip includes

    • Round-trip economy class airfare to Cancun (CUN)
    • Automatic, mid-sized car rental for 7 nights (Dodge Attitude, or similar) Pick up and drop off at Cancun Airport
    • 1 night in Chichen Itza at the Hacienda Chichen Resort, or similar
    • 1 night in Uxmal at the Hacienda Uxmal Plantation & Museum, or similar
    • 2 nights in Merida at the Hotel Gran Real Yucatan, or similar
    • 3 nights in Cancun at the Hotel Flamingo Cancun Resort, or similar
    • Breakfast daily *Note: Driver must be at least 26 years old

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Itinerary

Day 1 Welcome to Cancun!

Welcome to Cancun! Pick up your rental car from the airport and drive approx. 2 hrs and 15 mins to your first destination in Chichen Itza. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure.

Try your first taste of Yucatan cuisine! The most popular dish is cochinita pibil, slow-roasted pork flavored with citrus and annatto seeds, which gives the dish its signature burnt orange color.

Day 2 Chichen Itza - Uxmal

Explore Chichen Itza today! Built by the Mayans between 600 and 900 AD, it was abandoned by the end of the 10th-century and re-established in the 11th and 12th centuries, possibly by the Toltecs.

Visit the Ball Court, site of sacrifices; El Castillo, a f...

Day 3 Uxmal - Merida

Today, visit the most famous ruins of the Puuc region, Uxmal! The existence of this city is a testament to the engineering abilities of the Maya who built reservoirs to provide water to it during the dry season. See the House of the Pigeons, Nunnery Quadrangle,...

Day 4 Merida

Explore Merida at your leisure! Roam around the roomy halls and courtyard of the Palacio de Gobierno (Governor's Building), built in the late 1800s. From the balcony, you will have excellent views of San Ildefonso Cathedral.

You can't visit Merida without...

Day 5 Merida - Cancun

Say goodbye to Merida as you make the approx. 3 hr and 10 min drive to your last destination, Cancun! On the way, make a stop in the charming colonial city of Valladolid, known for its charming streets and sun-splashed walls. Have lunch and take a stroll in tow...

Day 6 Cancun

Enjoy your first full day in paradise! Cancun's crystal clear waters and white-sand beaches are some of the finest in Mexico, if not the world - spend the day snorkeling, swimming, or sunbathing near your resort.

In the evening, consider heading into downtown Cancun for a Mexican meal and a night of dancing!

Day 7 Cancun

After a hearty breakfast at your resort, consider visiting the Maya Museum, which holds one of Yucatan's most important collections of Maya artifacts. Besides a museum, there is an archaeological site called San Miguelito on the same grounds that is worth explo...

Day 8 Depart Mexico

Your Yucatan adventure ends today. After breakfast this morning, depart for Cancun Airport to drop off your rental car and board your flight home. 

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Dates & Availability

Price From $1,583
Price per day$198
Last Updated: 10/30/2023

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Great Value Vacations.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Age Requirements
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Additional Information
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Trip ID
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