Yucatan in a Week 2003

Season 2002–2003 · all tours that season

Real Mexican-Yucatecan culture. Small towns, quiet roads, cenotes, caves, Mayan ruins. Mérida; bustling city, colonial architecture, art, food, market.

Archive note: NEW! Yucatan in a Week 2003. Not present in the Oct 2002 listing; likely added mid-season. Renamed Haciendas, Cenotes & Ruins from the following season.

Dates:	not preserved — season 2002–2003 (1 week - 6 cycling days)
Distances:	Average/day: 64km Maximum/day: 80km Total Approx: 448km
Route Type:	LITE Lite DifficultyYou must have a basic level of fitness and at least aspire to be able to complete the distances in this tour (we know you can!). Distances average around 60 km, and are always less the 100 km per day. Roads are flat and generally not demanding. - REGULAR Regular 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. difficulty. Mainly very flat, some short climbs, 6 days of cycling in a row. A variable itinerary and some unknown (to us) areas. Weather The 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. \| Road The 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. \| Land The 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. Small towns, quiet roads, cenotes, caves, Mayan ruins. Mérida; bustling city, colonial architecture, art, food, market.

Itinerary

Click any day for the full description. Itineraries were always subject to minor changes.

WhenWhereDistanceHighlights

Day 0Meet in Cancun-

- [more]

Day 1Bus to Mérida-

Yucatan cuisine, Colonial Architecture, market [more]

Mérida, the White City, was founded in 1542. Its architecture still shows an exquisite union of pre-Hispanic and European elements. During its Colonial era, this state capital was the most important city in the region, leaving such living monuments as the House of Montejo, Government Palace, and the main building of the University of Yucatan. Museums, theatres, handcrafts, nightclubs and beautiful parks have created a beautiful and vibrant city. Once settled into our hotel room, we will experience Méridas delicious culinary tradition at one of Mérida's numerous restaurants.

Day 2Mérida to Ticul72 km

Picturesque Towns, Mayan villages, quiet roads, cenotes [more]

This section is mostly unexplored for us. We expect to see many small towns and villages. There is a good chance that we will also find some cenotes to cool off in.

Day 3Ticul to Oxcutzcab (via Uxmal ruins & Loltún cave)90 km

Rolling, hilly roads. Spectacular Mayan ruins and caves [more]

Since we'll be returning to Ticul in the afternoon we can leave most of our luggage behind and move a little faster and lighter to the Mayan ruins of Uxmal. Upon returning to Ticul we'll get our things and ride on to Oxcutzcab, with a detour to Lolún caves; the largest and most interesting cave system in the Yucatán.

Day 4Oxcutzcab to Tecoh70 km

Quiet roads, no tourists, cenotes [more]

This is another section that is mostly unknown to us. We will be away from commonly touristed areas, in REAL Mexico! There's a good chance for several cenotes today.

Day 5Sotuta to Izamal60 km

Cenotes, Mayan Ruins, Convent, Zocalo, Market, Cenote Ixcolasc [more]

Known as the Yellow Town because of the colour of the colonial buildings that line the zocalo, Izamal is famous for having the largest church plaza in Mexico. It includes an enormous Franciscan convent (built with Mayan stones) and the remnants of one of the tallest Mayan pyramids in the Yucatan. You can also visit the colourful market, or just stroll around the beautiful zocalo observing the daily routines of the local inhabitants.

Day 6Izamal to Pisté (via Stilpech, Tunkas and Dzitas)80 km

Cenotes, quiet roads, small towns [more]

There are many cenotes and caves to visit along the way. An option detour will take us to the town of Cenotillo where there are even more cenotes and caves. In Pisté we can see the light and sound show of Chichén-Itzá, and explore the ruins early tomorrow morning.

Day 7Pisté to Valladolid50 km

Chichén-Itzá ruins, caves, cenotes, colonial town. [more]

In the early morning we will visit the important Mayan-Toltec ruins of Chichén-Itzá, avoiding all the crouds. After that we have a short ride with many attractions on the way. The Balancanchen Caves are about 6 km before Pist�. They are believed to have been a center for Maya-Toltec worship. The impressive stalactites and the ceramic religious offerings left behind by the Maya-Toltec civilization are definitely worth a visit. Cenotes X-Keken and Samula are a few kilometers before Valladolid. We will stop in for a refreshing dip in their cool, limpid waters. Valladolid is another colonial gem well worth spending some extra time in after the tour is over.

Day 8Bus back to Cancun-

- [more]

What it cost that season

Guides' Fee	+ Accommodations	+ Food & Drink	+ Misc.	= Approx. Total Land Cost
$300	$60	$85	$115	$560

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 Yucatan in a Week through the years.

Photo Album

The colonial city of Mérida, once Tihó, a Mayan settlement, was first settled by the Spanish in 1542.

The church in Santa Elena. Churches are generally quite massive in this area, probably because of the abundance of building materials that the Spanish found in the form of Mayan temples.

Kabáh just one of more than a dozen Mayan sites in this area, the Ruta Puuc.

Izamal's giant monastary was built atop the riuns of Popul-Chac from 1533 to 1561.

Taxi anyone? Ride in style in Izamal - then again, you can walk to anywhere that you'd want to go too.

Standing amongst the tree roots under the ground in a cave

El Castillo, the pyramid of Kukulcán at Chichén Itzá.

Cenote Xkeken. At around midday the sun comes through a hole in the ceiling penetrating deep into the cenote and in turn illuminating the cave in a magical soft blue light.

Jumping into cenote Zací in the heart of Valladolid

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