¡El Tour
Budget Bicycle Tours in Mexico
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The Complete Archive · 2000–2020
One Week Tour 2010
Season 2009–2010 · all tours that season
This will be a 1 week regular - challenge difficulty tour. We start and end in Valladolid (you fly into Cancun ). We will cycle some of the Yucatan's wonderful backroads to visit Isla Holbox during their very authentic carnaval celebrations. Later we'll visit Coba mayan ruins and do a Mayan homestay in the town of Tihosuco, center of the Caste War.
Archive note: One Week Tour 2010 '& cArNaVaL!!!' - the Yucatan One Week Tour renamed for this season.
| Dates: | Thurs Feb 11, 2010 to Thurs Feb 18, 2010 (1 week - 5 cycling days) |
| Distances: | Average/day: 96km Maximum/day: 126km Total Approx: 480km |
| Route Type: | REGULARRegular DifficultyA good level of fitness is required. Distances average around 50 - 80 km per day (depending on hills), and are always less than 120 km. Roads range from flat to very hilly. We may climb up to 1500 metres on a hard day.CHALLENGEChallenge DifficultyYou need to have excellent fitness and good cycling experience. Distances generally average about 70 - 110 km per day (depending on hills), and are always less than 150 km. Roads range from flat to Sierra Madre (mountainous!). We may climb up to 3000 metres in a day.WeatherThe Weather: Yucatan PeninsulaThe Yucatan's best weather is during our winter months. From November till March the temperature hovers in the mid 20's to the mid 30's (celcius) with sunny clear skies. Humidity levels can be high as we head inland but a warm steady breeze and the occasional but rare tropical thunderstorm will keep you feeling refreshed.RoadThe Road: Yucatan PeninsulaThe Yucatan's roads are considered the finest in Mexico. They are generally in excellent condition with even, paved surfaces. Some stretches of our route also include a paved shoulder. The route meanders along flat terrain with the occasional rolling section. In most places traffic is light to non-existent. Depending on the time of day, roads may be busy near towns such as Cancun, Valladolid and Merida, however drivers are generally respectful of cyclists and will give you as much room as possible.LandThe Land: Yucatan PeninsulaThe Yucatan peninsula at the south eastern tip of Mexico is comprised of three states, Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo. The peninsula is a massive, flat carbonate - limestone shelf formed by prehistoric high sea levels. Too porous to support a river system, fresh water accumulates underground forming an extensive subterranean river network. Where the erosive process has broken through the earth's surface, cenotes (se-no-tes; limestone sinkholes or pools) have formed. Erosion has also formed numerous caves, some of them enormous and accessible to tourists. The peninsula's landscape is covered by thorn forest in the north and rain jungle in the south. |
| Highlights: | Real Mexican-Yucatecan culture. Authentic Carnaval celebrations in Isla Holbox. Mayan homestay and Caste-war museum in Tihosuco. Small towns, ruins, cenotes, quiet roads. Colonial Valladolid, art, food, market. |
The Route
Itinerary
Click any day for the full description. Itineraries were always subject to minor changes.
WhenWhereDistanceHighlights
Day 0 — Thurs Feb 11, 2010Meet in Valladolid-
Meet the group. Yucatan cuisine, Colonial Architecture, cenote, market [more]
Arrive early and you can spend the day exploring this beautiful city. You can fly into Cancun or Merida and then take the very comfortable 1st class bus to Valladolid - it's about a 2.5 hour trip. Valladolid is one of the Yucatan's largest and most pleasing colonial cities. The spectacular cenote Zací is a great place to take a dip and cool off. Valladolid's churches, parks, markets and the beautiful zocalo are all worth a visit.Day 1 — Fri Feb 12, 2010Valladolid to Tizimin (via Ek Balam)64 km
Ek-Balam Mayan Ruins, cenotes [more]
Ek Balam means 'black jaguar' in Mayan. This site many well have achieved pivotal status in the public affairs of eastern Yucatan and judging from its monumental architecture it was quite probably an influential city. Much of the Yucatan's agriculture is centered around Tizimin, a pleasant town with some great Yucatecan restaurants.Day 2 — Sat Feb 13, 2010Tizimin to Isla Holbox123 km
Tall forest, quiet roads, ferry to the island [more]
We head north along more very quiet roads, this time along some fairly untouched thick tall forest, quite unusual in the Yucatan. Arriving in Chiquila, we'll await the next ferry for a short crossing over to Isla Holbox.Day 3 — Sun Feb 14, 2010Isla Holbox-
beautiful beaches, carnaval madness [more]
Enjoy a tranquil rest day on this scenic island. We'll also be seeing carnaval parades and other festivities.Day 4 — Mon Feb 15, 2010Holbox to Coba126 km
longest day, Punta Laguna eco-park, lagoon, spider monkeys, Tres Reyes cenotes and rapel [more]
This is our longest day of cycling, and there's plenty to enjoy along the way. Besides the quiet roads, very pleasant for cycling, we will visit Tres Reyes and Punta Laguna. In Tres Reyes we have the opportunity to visit some cenotes and do some rappelling. A little further down the road we will enter Punta Laguna eco-park where we can visit more cenotes, take a jungle trek where we'll see spider monkeys and can take a dip in a beautiful clear lagoon.Day 5 — Tues Feb 16, 2010Coba to Tihosuco98 km
Coba Mayan ruins, cenotes, Mayan villages and towns, freshly paved backroads, Caste War museum, homestay [more]
We'll get an early start on the Coba ruins and again beat the crowds. Coba boasts the Nohoch Mul, which at 42m high is the tallest Mayan structure in the Yucatan peninsula. There are also a series of 'Sacbe' which are elevated stone roads built by the Mayans. One of these, the longest, extends for 100km all the way to Yaxuna. Leaving Coba, we'll take the back road out, along a newly paved stretch taking us towards Tihosuco. Along the way we have the opportunity to visit several cenotes, and pass through some small Mayan towns and villages. In Tihosuco we will visit the Caste War museum and experience modern Mayan culture with a homestay.Day 6 — Wed Feb 17, 2010Tihosuco to Valladolid69 km
final stretch, cenote possible [more]
The final stretch back to Valladolid is pretty much straight north. We'll ride along quiet forested roads through some towns and finally back to the colonial gem of Valladolid.Day 7 — Thurs Feb 18, 2010Fly back home, or stay a little longer-
Return home or enjoy more Yucatan cuisine, Colonial Architecture, cenote, market [more]
You can get on a bus back to Merida or to Cancun to catch your flight back home, or else stay a little longer and enjoy the colonial gem that is Valladolid. Visit its churches, parks, markets and beautiful zocalo, cool off in the cenotes and sample the Yucatan's delicious cuisine at one of Valladolid's many restaurants.What it cost that season
| Guides' Fee | + Accommodations | + Food & Drink | + Misc. | = Approx. Total Land Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $470 | $110 | $95 | $120 | $795 |
All figures in US dollars, as published at the time. Riders paid their own accommodation, food and entrance fees on the road — the Guides' Fee was the only charge from ¡El Tour. Full history: price of One Week Tour through the years.
Photo Album
