Yucatan, The Mayan Route, and Chiapas

October 21, 2014

Tuesday, October 21 through Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Cost: $4,350.00 per person, double occupancy/$950.00 single supplement (including airfare and a $300 tax-deductible contribution to the Friends of Archaeology)

From Mérida to San Cristóbal de las Casas, this exciting tour will take us to some of the most interesting sites of the Mayan world. We start with Uxmal and Kabah, two of the three archeological remains in the Puuc Route. We continue to remote Calakmul located within the rich Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. We cross the land of the Lacandon people to marvel at the murals of Bonampak, reachable only by air until a few years ago. We navigate down the seventh largest river in the world, the Usumacinta, to the site of Yaxchilán. This river constitutes the border between Mexico and Guatemala. We will explore Palenque, one of the most extensively studied archaeological sites in the Americas. The discovery of the Tomb of King Pakal in 1952, with its prolific inscriptions, helped determine an early dynasty of Palenque rulers. We continue to Toniná and San Cristóbal de las Casas, the crown jewel of the Chiapas central highlands and the center of one of Mexico's most authentically indigenous regions. From here we will visit the surrounding villages of Chamula, Tenejapa and Zinacantán to observe some of the celebrations for the Day of the Dead. Finally, we will take a day to travel down the Grijalba River through the Sumidero Canyon with vertical walls as high as 1,000 meters.

Come and experience Mexico with the Friends of Archaeology. Join Tim Maxwell, OAS Director Emeritus and Rosa Ramírez Carlson, of Journeys International, Inc. in this special fundraising tour to some of Mexico’s most remote and beautiful lands.

 

DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

Day 1: Tuesday, October 21—MÉRIDA

Program: International departure
Arrival in Mérida, Mexico
Transfer and check in at hotel

Our departure from Albuquerque will be on United Airlines flight # 4706 at 12.50pm and arriving in Houston at 3.54pm. There we will connect to United Airlines flight # 1426 leaving Houston at 7.15pm and arriving in Mérida at 9.23pm. Upon arrival and after clearing customs and immigrations we will be met and taken to our hotel.

Day 2: Wednesday, October 22—MÉRIDA (B L)

Program: Morning tour of Uxmal and Kabah
Group lunch – Hacienda Ochil
Panoramic tour of Mérida

We will travel south of Mérida to visit two sites along the Ruta Puuc. The Mayan city of Uxmal was founded c. 700 CE and had some 25,000 inhabitants. The layout of the buildings, which date from between 700 and 1000 CE, reveals knowledge of astronomy. The Pyramid of the Soothsayer, dominates the ceremonial center, which has well-designed buildings decorated with a profusion of symbolic motifs and sculptures depicting Chaac, the god of rain. The ceremonial sites of Uxmal, Kabah, Labna and Sayil are considered the high points of Mayan art and architecture. Kabah, further down the road, remains mostly unexcavated. This small site features one great building, the Palace of the Masks; the façade of this structure is covered profusely with masks of Chac and is one of the most stunning of all Maya buildings. As we return to Mérida we will stop for lunch at Hacienda Ochil, an old henequen hacienda with a beautiful setting of tropical gardens. Upon returning to Mérida we will have a panoramic tour of the city including Paseo de Montejo and the fine mansions built by wealthy families at the end of the 19th century.

Day 3: Thursday, October 23—CALAKMUL (B L D)

Program: Check out of hotel and travel to Campeche
Visit the Museo de la Cultura Maya
Group lunch
Travel to Calakmul and check in at the hotel
Group dinner

We leave Mérida and head south to the city of Campeche, recognized as a World Heritage Site in 1999; the town will give you a glimpse of what life was like in the time of pirates. At the height of the pirate attacks (and probably the reason for them), Campeche had become one of the main ports of New Spain, exporting many Yucatecan products. We will visit the Museo de la Cultura Maya; this museum houses the stunning jade masks found in Calakmul, the most impressive pieces from their collection. After lunch we continue to Calakmul and the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, the largest tropical forest reserve in Mexico. Encompassing 1.7 million acres, the Calakmul Reserve is located in the northern portion of the Petén Region. Over 358 species of birds have been recorded for the area including twenty species of birds of prey.

Day 4: Friday, October 24—CALAKMUL (B L D)

Program: Morning tour of Calakmul
Late group lunch
Group dinner

After breakfast we will visit Calakmul, which means “Adjacent Mounds”. Calakmul was rediscovered in 1931 by American biologist Cyrus Lundell while conducting an aerial survey of the region. Experts consider Calakmul to be a site of vital archaeological significance and a leading city in a vast region known as the Kingdom of the Serpent's Head. This historic site was the seat of a nearly unrivaled superpower in constant struggle with neighboring Tikal in Guatemala.

Day 5: Saturday, October 25—PALENQUE (B L)

Program: Check out of hotel
Travel to Palenque
Group lunch
Arrival and check-in at hotel

After breakfast we will travel from Calakmul to Palenque. The rest of the day is free to relax by the pool or enjoy the surrounding area.

Day 6: Sunday, October 26—PALENQUE (B)

Program: Morning tour of Palenque
Free afternoon

After breakfast we will visit the beautiful ruins of Palenque. Palenque is perhaps the most celebrated of the great Maya sites; known especially for its rich royal burial, stucco sculptures, and many unique or rare architectural features. Innovations and high-quality craftsmanship in stucco, jewelry, ceramics and mosaics set Palenque apart, perhaps along with the site of Yaxchilán, as an artistic center, with its own special style in the Maya world. We will also visit the Archaeological Museum of Palenque which houses dozens of intact masks, sculptures and bas-reliefs, many displaying the vibrant red and turquoise paints that had once coated the now pale walls of the city. One of the most impressive exhibits is the tomb of Pakal, who had ruled Palenque from 615 to 683 CE, longer than any other king.

Day 7: Monday, October 27—FRONTERA CORAZAL (B L D)

Program: Check out of hotel in Palenque
Travel to Bonampak
Lunch at Lacandon village
Continue to Frontera Corazal and check in at hotel
Group dinner

We head deeper into Mayan country to visit the ruins of Bonampak, where we will see the famous painted murals - said to be the best preserved ever found in the Maya world. If possible we will have lunch in a local village and meet the Lacandon Maya, one the most isolated and culturally conservative of Mexico's native peoples. We will continue to Frontera Corazal, right at the border with Guatemala, where we will check in at the Hotel Escudo Jaguar, a rustic group of cabañas perched above the Usumacinta River, which delineates the border between Mexico and Guatemala.

Day 8: Tuesday, October 28—PALENQUE (B L)

Program: Check out of hotel
Boat ride on the Usumacinta River and visit the archaeological site Yaxchilán
Return to Frontera Corazal
Group lunch
Travel to Palenque and check-in at the hotel

Early this morning we will board boats for the hour long ride on the Usumacinta River to the site of Yaxchilán. This site was first inhabited around 200 CE, but most of the structures at the site date from about 500 to 800 CE. The city was dominated by the dynasty of the Jaguar cult, and reached its peak from 681 to 771 CE. Numerous large carved and hieroglyphic stelea have been recovered from the site, as well as some of the finest carved lintels in Mexico. After our visit and lunch we will return to Palenque. The rest of the afternoon and evening are free for independent activities.

Day 9: Wednesday, October 29—SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LAS CASAS (B L)

Program: Check out of hotel in Palenque
Travel and visit the archaeological site of Toniná
Group lunch
Travel to San Cristóbal de las Casas and check-in at hotel

The impressive site of Toniná, located in the highlands of Chiapas, developed in the Early Classic period of the Mayas. Toniná has always been known among the Maya cities for its military emphasis on monuments as well as for its historical and recurrent conflicts with Palenque. The two cities, about 40 miles apart, often fought for control over the Usumacinta region.

Day 10: Thursday, October 30—SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LAS CASAS (B)

Program: Morning visit to the Thursday market of Tenejapa
Orientation walking tour of San Cristóbal de las Casas

Our morning excursion will start in the weaving town of Tenejapa where we will visit the church of San Ildefonso, where the altar is an exuberant display of candles, saints and an image of Christ. There is a famous weaving co-operative with some of the finest work made in Chiapas. Hopefully we will meet one of the master weavers of Chiapas, Maria Meza. We will also observe some of the preparations for the Day of the Dead celebrations.

Day 11: Friday, October 31—SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LAS CASAS (B)

Program: Morning tour of Sumidero Canyon and Chiapa del Corzo
Return to San Cristóbal de las Casas

The Sumidero Canyon is considered one of the most specular places in Mexico and the second most visited place in Chiapas after Palenque. Native warriors resisted the Spanish by hurling themselves into the canyon. We will board high-speed boats and ride the Grijalba River through the canyon observing the impressive scenery and the varied wildlife including 400 crocodiles some of which you might see sunning themselves in the riverbanks. We will continue to Chiapa del Corzo, a colonial town on a bluff overlooking the river. In the center there is a fine 16-century crown-shaped fountain, the 16-century Santo Domingo Church, and several artists who work with gold, jewelry and lacquer work.

Day 12: Saturday, November 1—SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LAS CASAS (B)

Program: Morning walking tour of San Cristóbal de las Casas

San Cristóbal is home to several indigenous groups descended from the Maya, two of the largest being the Tzotzils and Tzeltals who inhabit highland villages surrounding San Cristóbal. The indigenous people of Chiapas speak their own language (often in addition to Spanish), practice their own unique customs and can be identified by their traditional dress that varies by group. San Cristóbal, one of Mexico’s best-preserved Spanish colonial towns, is made up of a series of traditional neighborhoods, each of which is known for a particular trade or custom, such as iron working, carpentry and woodcarving. The city was founded in 1528 by the Spanish conquistador Diego de Mazariegos who named it Villareal de Chiapa de los Españoles. In 1535 the city was renamed San Cristóbal de las Casas after Saint Christopher, their patron saint and Saint Bartolomé de la Casas, the first bishop of Chiapas and 16th century human rights advocate. If time allows we will visit some of the co-operatives in town: Los Leñateros (papermaking and book making), Sna Jolabil (weaving) and Kun Kun (pottery and weaving).

Day 13: Sunday, November 2—SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LAS CASAS (B)

Program: Morning tour of San Juan Chamula and San Lorenzo Zinacantán
Rest of the day is free for independent activities

We will visit the towns of Chamula and Zinacantán to observe the celebrations for the Day of the Dead. The ancient indigenous peoples of Mexico believe that the souls of the dead return each year to visit with their living relatives - to eat, drink and be merry. Current practice calls for the deceased children (little angels) to be remembered on November 1st, All Saints Day, with toys and colorful balloons adorning their graves. And the next day, All Souls Day, adults who have died are honored with displays of the departed favorite food and drinks, as well as ornamental and personal belongings. Flowers, particularly the zempasúchil (an Indian word for a special type of marigold) and candles, which are placed on the graves, are supposed to guide the spirits home to their loved ones. At 6:00 pm, the bells begin to ring (every 30 seconds), summoning the dead. They ring throughout the night. At sunrise, the ringing stops and those relatives who have kept the vigil go home.

Day 14: Monday, November 3—VILLAHERMOSA (B L)

Program: Check- out of hotel in San Cristóbal de las Casas
Depart for Villahermosa
Group lunch
Arrival and check-in at hotel in Villahermosa

After a leisure breakfast we depart San Cristóbal de las Casas for Villahermosa. We will overnight there due to our early departure the next day.

Day 15: Tuesday, November 4—USA

Program: Check-out of hotel in Villahermosa
Transfer to the airport

Our departure from Villahermosa will be on United Airlines flight # 4647 at 8.30am and arriving in Houston at 11.11am. There we will connect to United Airlines flight # 4088 leaving Houston at 3.10pm and arriving in Albuquerque at 4.07pm.

 

COST OF TOUR

$4,350.00 per person, double occupancy/$950.00 single supplement*

The cost of the tour includes:
• $300 tax-deductible donation to the Friends of Archaeology
• Round trip international airfare on United Airlines from Albuquerque, New Mexico
• All accommodations and meals as per itinerary
• Transfers and transportation as per itinerary
• All entrance fees to museums and sites
• English-speaking local guides
• Tips for porters, maids, guide and drivers

Not included:
• Meals not specified in the itinerary
• Items of a personal nature

*Price is subject to change due to currency exchange fluctuations or fuel surcharges. If alterations to the tour are necessary, they will be replaced by its equivalent.

 

RESERVATIONS, DEPOSITS AND PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS

To reserve a place on this tour please call (505) 310-1863 or send an email to carlsonrosa@hotmail.com. If you are calling after May 1, 2014, please call the Friends of Archaeology Hotline at (505) 992-2715, ext.8, to leave your message and your call will be returned within 48 hours.

Please return the booking form (linked below) along with a photocopy of your passport and a deposit of $500.00 per person to hold your space. Please make your check payable to Journeys International, Inc.

Please mail all three (3) documents to:
Friends of Archaeology/OAS
PO Box 2087
Santa Fe, NM 87504-2087

Final payment is due on June 25th, 2014. Journeys International, Inc. cannot accept credit cards. For more information about the tour please contact Rosa Ramírez Carlson of Journeys International, Inc. at (505) 310-1863 or email carlsonrosa@hotmail.com.

 

 

PENALTY FOR CANCELLATIONS

• Cancellations received after deposit: $100.00 administrative fee
• Final payment is due on June 25th, 2014
• Journeys International, Inc. cannot accept credit cards

We strongly recommend you purchase trip cancellation insurance.

Important: Purchase of trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended. If you have any pre-existing conditions for which you would like coverage, most companies require that you must purchase the insurance within 14 days of your first payment for the tour. In addition, many health insurers, including Medicare, do not provide coverage for insured persons traveling abroad. Health insurance for overseas travelers is readily available with companies such as Medex, Travel Guard, Allianz Travel Insurance and similar companies. Journeys International, Inc. does not sell travel insurance.

SAFETY

Our destinations are specifically excluded from the most recent Travel Warning issued by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs (January 9, 2014). No advisories are in effect for Campeche, Chiapas or Yucatán. You can find the latest information at the U.S. State Department's website.

For more information about the tour please contact Rosa Ramírez Carlson of Journeys International, Inc. at (505) 310-1863 or email carlsonrosa@hotmail.com.

 

Please check back on this website and the Museum of New Mexico Foundation's Friends of Archaeology website for updates.