Uxmal and Kabah Day Trip from Merida
Merida, Mexico
Rating: 
Trip Type: Day Trips
Duration: 8 hours
Uncover the mysteries of the Yucatan as you explore two significant archeological sites with a local guide – Kabah and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Uxmal. Learn about the Puuc architectural styles of the ancient Maya at spectacular pyramids and buildings such as the Pyramid of the Magician, the Governor's Palace, the Palace of Chaac Masks and the Arch of Kabah. Stop by Hacienda Uxmal Hotel for lunch and some free time at the swimming pool before return transport to Merida! Enjoy personal attention on this small-group tour, limited to 25 people.
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Uncover the mysteries of the Yucatan as you explore two significant archeological sites with a local guide – Kabah and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Uxmal. Learn about the Puuc architectural styles of the ancient Maya at spectacular pyramids and buildings such as the Pyramid of the Magician, the Governor's Palace, the Palace of Chaac Masks and the Arch of Kabah. Stop by Hacienda Uxmal Hotel for lunch and some free time at the swimming pool before return transport to Merida! Enjoy personal attention on this small-group tour, limited to 25 people.
After hotel pickup in Merida by air-conditioned minivan, your first stop on the Yucatan Peninsula is Kabah – archeological site of a Mayan city that flourished around the year 800 AD. Situated in a series of low-lying hills, Kabah is known as the second largest religious center in the Puuc-style.
When you arrive, your guide will lead your small group on a one-hour tour of the grounds and enlighten you about the significance of each feature. See Kabah’s beautiful Palace, located on a high esplanade forming a quadrangle, and visit the Codz Pop, or Palace of the Masks, famous for its impressive facade of more than 250 masks of the rain god, Chaac. Admire these figures, as well as statues of Mayan rulers, all finely cut from stone and positioned in a magnificent design.
Follow your guide through the Arch of Kabah, which marks the entrance to the Sacbe, an ancient path that links Kabah to Uxmal. Then, hop back in your vehicle for a short drive to Uxmal, where you’ll spend three hours admiring impressive structures designed with geometrical figures and see more masks of the Mayan’s most significant deity, Chaac.
At the Nunnery Quadrangle, whose friezes represent owls and serpents, learn about the meaning of the four multi-level buildings arranged around a central plaza. Look up at the oval-shaped Pyramid of the Magician (the Pyramid of the Soothsayer), unrivaled in the beauty of its precise design. View more than 100 images of Chaac on the façade of the Governor’s Palace, where a central doorway was built in astronomical alignment with the planets.
You'll also visit the Choco Story Museum. Here, learn about the history of cocoa, its importance to the Mayas, the way it's cultivated and the traditional process to make chocolate. Then, explore the beautiful botanical gardens of the Hacienda Uxmal Hotel as you dine on a delicious lunch. In the afternoon, your guide will gather your small group for the return trip to Merida, where you’ll be dropped off at your hotel.
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