No. 073 4×4 Cenotes & Haciendas

Riding a powerful 4x4 ATV, enjoy your weekend with an incredible tour to the heart of the Maya jungle, going through henequen plantations, cenotes, and tasting Yucatecan cuisine. By the end of a day full of adrenaline, relax and enjoy the night in a Yucatecan Hacienda.

This experience takes place in the heart of functioning Henequen Haciendas region, namely, the Yucatecan Maya jungle surrounding Sotuta de Peón property, a real estate with more than 741.3 acres with plentiful of attractions like flora, fauna, cenotes, and henequen plantations with their classical green color, which is a natural stage for this adventure´s pictures.

The tour starts at Hotel´s front desk, with the precise instructions to wear gloves, eyewear or goggles, and the guide’s instructions on how to operate the ATV unit. The tour can be done individually or in couples, it takes around 3 hours, during the route you can admire the Yucatecan jungle, the henequen plantations, the remains of the Xtohil Hacienda, you can visit the three cenotes, learn about history, and of course you can enjoy restaurant´s local cuisine. A plunge in the swimming pool, a visit to the vegetable garden and the animals’ farm will complete your stay. An excellent option is the adventure tour called “Kids Route” for children going with their parents.

Located at the Magic Town of Valladolid, Yucatán, it is an ideal market to make purchases. It is full of handcrafts, traditional clothing and it is located in the main square of the city. It is unavoidable not to enter and see Mayan hands creating beautiful pieces. Its squares, neighborhoods, and monuments invite you to take your time for relaxing and enjoying its delicious cuisine.

Walk around the Choco-Story Museum, learning about the harvest process, elaboration, and by-products of this ancient aphrodisiac fruit.

If Chichén Itzá impressed you at day, at night it becomes a unique and distinct experience. Apart from the gorgeous Mayan buildings like El Castillo de Kukulkán (Kukulkán’s Castle) and the Observatorio (Observatory), you can go on a night tour through history, finishing with a video mapping. The show will fascinate you and will leave you willing to come back.

Did you know there are lonely bees, bees with no sting, and that some of them are carnivorous? There are more than 20,000 bee species registered all over the world, but when we think about bees, we generally think in just one of them. We frequently listen about the danger we are in due to the quick loss of bees, and the significant role they have in food crops pollination. In this sense, it has become a compulsory and shared responsibility to protect bees; but protecting something we do not know becomes an even harder job.

Miel Nativa offers two tourist experiences in this fascinating world of bees:

Honey tastings with no stings: It is a multi-sensorial experience that explores the flavors of different honey varieties, learn about the medicinal properties and its by-products. Let’s learn, surprise ourselves, and think together about how we can contribute to the ecosystem to honor the job of all those who form part of the development of fair and responsible value chains.

Meet the bees with no sting: In this experience you will learn about the bees with no sting and the heroes that devote their lives to safeguard these little insects.

Let’s deconstruct everything we know about bees and open our eyes into an unknown world. This place is meant for that, to discover the fascinating world of bees and contribute to their survival.

It is recommended to make a reservation by phone call or social media.

This supplier is pet-friendly, contact them to ask for more information.

Enjoy a day at the hacienda to learn about its history, its architectural rescue, gastronomy, culture, and tradition.

Tour around the animal’s sanctuary, where you will see more than 30 species and will learn about them. Besides the sanctuary tour, you have access to bikes to ride around the community or the hacienda, and you also have access to the swimming pools and a snack.

It includes:

• A regional meal and snacks, accompanied by a refreshing drink at “ORO VERDE” restaurant.
• Contact with animals and the opportunity to feed some of the species, you can also take a souvenir picture.
• Horseback ride around the hacienda (Horse feeding fee).

Yucatecan nature fills us with pride as it has always been source of livelihood and income for families. The objective is to let you learn about the natural beauties we have, you will learn about the mangrove, the birds, and the environment preservation, near Telchac Port.

Welcome to our home, a traditional Mayan hut located among exotic gardens. Each element inside and outside will be explained in detail. Here, you will learn about our traditional way to cook: we use local spices, aromatic herbs, and seasonal fruits, everything is natural, from our garden to your table.

Hosts, a couple of mestizos, will show tourists the indoors of the straw house (supposedly their home) where you can see a hammock, a skillet, a space where they have their meals, play, and gather. They will show you the courtyard with the hen’s farmyard, the hole for the pib, and the elevated crop fields known as “canché” where they plant their aromatic herbs for cooking.

During the activity, you will learn how to make your own corn tortillas and you will enjoy a delicious Mayan breakfast prepared at the moment for your delight.

The regional Mayan breakfast consists of:

• Choco ha (Hot chocolate with water and honey).
• Home-made bread.
• Seasonal mix of fruit.
• Huevos encamisados (eggs covered in fresh-made corn tortillas), cooked in a skillet and then over charcoal. Or Cochinita pibil tacos.
• Class to learn how to make corn tortillas.
• All ingredients for preparing the food (dietary food available upon request).

The state of Yucatán is widely known as a cultural and nature destination, birds have always been revered since Mayan times, and being able to watch them in their habitat contributes to learning about all wonders in this tourist destination. The level of knowledge you have about birds does not matter, this tour will let you learn about and value the natural resources surrounding us and the contact with Mayan communities.

Come and learn about Mayan culture in a tour that combines it with the fascinating experience of birdwatching, which is what the “Great Mayan Birdwatching” is about. Apart from learning about endemic species like the Yucatán Woodpecker, the Yucatán Flycatcher, the Yucatán Jay, and the Yellow-lored Parrot, just to mention some of the great diversity of birds that live in the surroundings of Valladolid municipality, you will also learn part of the famous gastronomy, traditions, and customs of a Mayan community, while enjoying nature, hiking in pathways of the gorgeous Yucatecan jungle; all this, accompanied by a federal, expert guide, certified by tourist authorities.

This magnificent experience finishes watching birds in a splendid cenote, where, if you want, you can swim. With a two-week notice, you can add to this experience the activity of watching the sunrise in Chichen Itzá, highly recommended for those who love the tranquility and peace of mind provided by this tourist location.

Walk around the main streets of El Cuyo in a golf cart, visit the main avenue, the lighthouse, the murals, the fishing port, and the ideal place for watching the sunset.

Tour along Progreso Port in two wheels. In an hour you will be able to visit the traditional and international areas of the Boardwalk. You will want to spend more time to admire the murals, the photographic booths, and even to refresh yourself in the beach before returning the bike.