Days 1 – Start of your rental car tour through Yucatan
Day trip: approximately 1-1.5 hours – approx. 70 km (transfer)
After landing in Yucatan, a representative from our local partner will be waiting for you. They will take you to your hotel in Playa del Carmen, approximately an hour's drive south of the airport. You will spend the first night of your rental car tour through Yucatan in this comfortable mid-range hotel near the beach. Quinta Avenida, with its many shops and restaurants, is also nearby.
Day 2 –
From Playa del Carmen to Valladolid
Day trip: approximately 2 hours – approximately 140 km
You'll pick up your rental car starting at 9:00 a.m. Today, after receiving practical information about the car and the route, you'll begin your individual tour through Yucatan by rental car. After approximately two hours, you'll arrive at your first destination, Valladolid.
It's said that this city is the only place travelers can truly experience Mexico on vacation, as many touristy beach resorts don't convey Mexican authenticity. Valladolid, on the other hand, is surrounded by a nostalgic atmosphere, which is also characterized by the buildings from the Spanish colonial era.
On a stroll through the town, you'll learn about the daily lives of the locals. Women wear traditional Mexican clothing and go to the shoemaker, men get shaved at the barber, and children play in one of the many public squares.
You'll stay overnight in a charming colonial hotel on the central square. Plenty of benches invite you to linger. The hotel has a courtyard where you can enjoy a wonderful meal. In the immediate vicinity of the Franciscan Cathedral are typical residential neighborhoods with colorful houses.
A cenote is located in the heart of the city. Shafts filled with clear freshwater are formed in the brittle limestone of the Yucatan Peninsula. The Mayans used the term "cenote" for the approximately 3,000 holes in the ground. The most beautiful cenote, located a quarter of an hour outside of Valladolid in a bright grotto, is called Dzitnup.
In the evening, we recommend a visit to the San Bernardino district. Stroll through the romantically lit alleys that lead to the San Bernardino Convent and stop for a drink at one of the bars on Calle 41.
Day 3 –
Discover the highlights of the Yucatan
Day trip: approximately 2 hours – approximately 110 km
This morning, on your rental car tour through Yucatan, you'll visit the famous Mayan ruins. After a half-hour drive, you'll reach the entrance to the ruins. We recommend visiting in the morning to discover the ruins before the tourists from Cancun arrive and before the midday heat.
When discovered, the Mayan site showed a highly developed infrastructure. The excavated, partially reconstructed part of the former Mayan settlement consists of temples, a ball court, a cenote, the turtle house, and many smaller outbuildings. You'll automatically come to "El Castillo," a temple dedicated to the most important god, Kulkulkan. This is a geometric structure with seven levels. Due to the steep outer walls, climbing the temple is no longer permitted. Nevertheless, it is one of the most famous sights that you should definitely visit during your 10-day stay in Mexico. The entrance fee is currently approximately 25 euros per person.
In the afternoon, you will continue to Izamal, which was an important Mayan settlement before the Spanish colonization. The Spanish destroyed the Mayan temples and used their stones to build a Franciscan monastery, which still stands here today.
You will stay in a small hotel that feels like an oasis. The bungalows are spread throughout the tropical garden, and there is also a small pool.
During your 10-day Mexico tour, be sure to visit the Mercado, the local market in Izamal, and enjoy delicious churros – Mexican doughnuts that you shouldn't miss on your vacation.
Day 4 –
Continue from Izamal to Campeche
Day trip: approximately 3.5 hours – approximately 245 km
Experience Yucatan's historic cities with a rental car! Today, you'll continue to the former pirate city of Campeche. En route, you'll reach the lively city of Merida, which you can also visit if you wish. However, many travelers find the direct drive to Campeche more relaxing.
Campeche is located by the sea and has a diverse historic center. In recent years, many buildings have been restored, which are atmospherically illuminated in the evening. For dinner, try the city's specialty: shrimp with tortillas and tomato sauce.
Your hotel is located right in the city center, within walking distance of the sea. Various attractions are also within walking distance.
Day 5 –
Continue from Campeche to Palenque
Day trip: approximately 5.5 hours – approximately 360 km
After breakfast, pack your bags and head toward the jungle. After about five to six hours, you'll reach Palenque, today's destination on your rental car tour through Yucatan.
There, you'll stay in a cozy hotel just outside the village. It's surrounded by a tropical garden and features a pool. In the distance, you'll hear birdsong and the cries of howler monkeys. The ruins of Palenque, which you'll visit the next day, are about a quarter of an hour away.
Day 6 –
Visit the Mayan site of Palenque
Today, on your rental car tour through Yucatan, you'll explore the Mayan ruins of Palenque, located deep in the jungle, on your own. The discoverers of Palenque were able to reconstruct many historical facts based on intact hieroglyphs on the walls. They tell of dynasties, conquests, wealth, and decline. We recommend a morning visit to explore the site before the midday heat. The entrance fee is currently approximately 14 USDollar per person.
Day 7 –
Continue to Chicanna
Day trip: approximately 5 hours – approximately 360 km
You leave Palenque and drive to your next accommodation in Chicanna. On the way to the Caribbean coast, there are numerous Mayan ruins that are also worth a stop. Many of the ruins receive relatively little attention from visitors, although they are very worth seeing.
You will stay overnight at a small eco-resort with a tropical garden full of birds. If you wish, you can make a short detour to the nearby Mayan pyramid of Chicanna.
Day 8 –
Continue to Chicanna
Day trip: approximately 2.5 hours – approximately 130 km (approximately 4 hours from Calakmul)
The next day, we recommend setting off early for the Mayan site of Calakmul. From the main road exit (about an hour west from the hotel), it's about an hour's drive to the site's entrance (partially by bus from the parking lot). Calakmul is roughly the same size as the ruins at Tikal or Palenque, but due to the smaller number of visitors, it's much quieter. You'll be alone almost the entire time, surrounded only by the sounds of the jungle – that's what makes this Mayan city incomparable (entrance fee approximately $8)!
Towards the afternoon, you'll head to Laguna Bacalar.
Day 9 –
Relaxation or optional activities at Laguna Bacalar
After a few active days, during which you passed several jungle temples, it's now time to relax. Laguna Bacalar is known for its various shades of blue, which the water turns at sunrise and sunset. During the day, the lake is ideal for swimming or various water activities such as stand-up paddleboarding or kayaking. We can also offer you a canopy tour here. You will stay overnight in a comfortable hotel centrally located in town.
Day 10 –
Continue your journey from Laguna Bacalar to Playa del Carmen
Day trip: approximately 4 hours – approximately 280 km
After breakfast, you'll continue your rental car tour through Yucatan to Playa del Carmen. You'll drive north along the coast. After about four hours, you'll reach your destination for the day, Playa del Carmen. If you wish, you can make interesting stops along the way, including the coastal ruins of Tulum.
Once you arrive in Playa del Carmen, you'll return your rental car and spend the last few nights in a comfortable city hotel near the beach.
Day 11 & 12 –
From Playa del Carmen to the airport
Playa del Carmen, with its dazzling white sand beach, is a lively place. You'll hear mariachis singing in the streets, boisterous salsa music from the bars on Fifth Avenue, and a mix of reggae and lounge music on the beach. Here, you can end your tour in peace.
Tip: You can extend your stay in Playa del Carmen or nearby Tulum as much as you like. We can also arrange for a longer rental car if you'd like to take a few more day trips from Playa del Carmen.
Day 13
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Day 13 – From Playa del Carmen to the Airport
Day trip: approximately 1-1.5 hours – approx. 70 km
After 13 days in Mexico, your tour ends today. You will be picked up this afternoon and taken to the airport in an hour, from where you will fly home.
Day 14 –
Arrival at your home
You will arrive back at your home the following day.
