Tulum Coba Cenote

#If you don’t want to go bikeriding through Coba, we have tricycles for 2 passengers. In this case you would be taken by a Bikerider from Coba’s entrance to the highest pyramid and back to Coba’s entrance, it is a 2-mile and a half bike or tricycle journey. If you prefer the tricycle you must pay a 5 dollar-difference if just one person uses it, in case 2 persons decide on sharing it, you’ll just pay a 3 dollar-difference.

No doubt you will enjoy this magnificent tour. The exquisite and delightful outlooks of Tulum, the unique emotion you will experience by being in the middle of nowhere, right in the jungle in Coba, climbing the highest Maya construction in the Yucatan and what you are going to feel when your pupils are seduced by the amazing underground landscape you’ll discover in the Cenote Tamcach-ha or Cenote Choo-ha either; are justifiable reasons to make this tour part of your life. You can’t miss it!!!

*Cenote Tamcach-ha is a place for extreme adventure, it is a great Cenote with 2 platforms, 5 meters and 10 meters respectively you can jump from and dive in its darkblue water, you’ll never reach the bottom so don’t worry about crashing against those big stones which contribute to the beauty of this place. It is recomendable to bring your water visors along in order you can rejoice with the aquatic panorama of Tamcach-ha. You can go down the stairs and get into the water if you’re not a good diver. Aside from Cenote Tamcach-ha we have a second choice for you if you prefer a place where your family, specially children and non-swimmers are safer. This is cenote Choo-ha which is surrounded by very beautiful stalagmites and is a shallow water place. You can choose just one of these 2 cenotes.

Tour Overview

7:00 am to 7:30 am

Pick Up

We do recommend this pick up scheduled because this way you will arrive to Tulum at the appropiate time, avoiding the throngs, long lines and the extreme weather. The best time to arrive to Tulum is at 8 am because you’ll take pleasure of a very nice tranquil atmosphere and the weather conditions in the morning are undoubtedly the very best.

8:30 Aproximately

Arrival To Tulum

Lenght of stay 1 hr 40 minutes (50 minutes with your Tour Guide and 50 minutes free time). We’ll drive you from Tulum to Coba restaurant in around 50 minutes.

Around 11:45 am

Lunch Time

1 hour

Around 12:50 pm

Arrival To Coba

Lenght of stay 1 hr 40 minutes (50 minutes with your Tour Guide and 50 minutes free time). It is an around 10-minute drive from Coba to Cenote Tamcach-ha or Cenote Choo-ha either.

Around 2:40 pm

Arrival To Cenote

Lenght of stay 1 hour.

Around 5:30 pm

Back To Your Hotel

TULUM

BRIEF HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION

Tulum is a small area protected by a limestone wall, 385 meters from north to south and 165 meters from east to west. Tulum has the privilege of being located in a very spectacular panoramic point off the Mexican Caribbean. You will undoubtedly enjoy the contrast among the second longest coral reef in the world, the turquoise sea water, the fine white sand at Tulum beach, the Mayan architecture and Tulum’s astronomical clocks.
It is the most important Mayan center alongside the Eastern Yucatecan coastal line. According to various findings, Tulum was founded in the classical period (350 A. D to 850 A. D), however it reached its maximum splendor after the post-classical period (1400 A. D). Tulum was strategically located to carry out trading activities. It worked as a port and as an astronomical and ceremonial center all at once.
THE MOST IMPORTANT BUILDINGS, ASTRONOMICAL CLOCKS AND AREAS OF TULUM 1.- The Castle. The castle was built up along with other temples on a natural Cliff that dominates the Caribbean sea. The view facing towards the coast and the sea is out of this world. It has a 7.5 meter platform that supports a 2 chamber vaulted temple which is one of the most exquisite samples of the post-classical Mayan architecture. Its entrance is made up of 2 snake columns that represented the access to another world. High rank inhabitants (mainly priests) celebrated gatherings here and some theories suggest that ceremonial sacrifices were executed.

2.- Temple of the Bee. Mayan architecture is peculiar in that its architectural features are extremely unique because its walls have a pronounced negative inclination; the further up you go, the more the front facade broadens. On one of its interior walls, there are vestiges of a splendid painted mural.

This building is, in fact, an exact astronomical clock or calendar which calculates the summer and winter solstices through a small tiny window located on the back wall using the coordinations of sun rays. It can determine the equinoxes when the sun rises right behind the structure. It can be spotted through the same tiny window every March 21st and September 21st.

3.- Temple of the Affrescoes. It is made up of a small interior gallery, which is opened westwards through a series of columns. On the second floor there is a smaller temple. Some scholars say that this building was probably also used to observe the different movements of the sun. there is a smaller temple. Some scholars say that this building was probably also used to observe the different movements of the sun. On the inner Wall of the gallery there are murals, which in accordance with an analysis, date back to 1450 A. D.

*The rest of the buildings in Tulum might have been used as residential ones such as the set buildings located in the very center of the site, right in front of the Castle. Different searches indicate that some areas were used to speed up and optimize trading activities. Others were used to execute rituals or worked as altars.

**All the information regarding Tulum, its buildings and different places will be thoroughly explained by your Tour Guide, who is certified by SECTUR (Mexican Department of Tourism)

COBA

BRIEF HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION

It is located on the northeastern region of the Yucatan, which is the most humid area of this peninsula. Coba was the most powerful area of eastern Yucatan during the late classic period (600 A. D. to 800 A. D). According to different searches, it had a 100 square meter area. The city is surrounded by 5 small low deep lagoons (there are crocodiles in the largest lagoon located by Coba’s entrance).
Coba controlled the trading routes (maritime and terrestrial) and activities during the height of its power. The most antique stela found at this place dates back to 623 A. D. The site was probably occupied intermittently until the late post classic period (14th and 15th centuries). One of the best conserved monuments is the Stela 20 which dates back to 684 A. D. The most important buildings and places of Coba:

1.- The Nohoch Mul (Big Mound). This is the highest Mayan pyramid of the Yucatan península, it is a 42 meter () structure that was built up in the late classical period (600-800 A. D). This huge pyramid is crowned by a small building that worked as a place of worship and perhaps as an observatory and an astronomical clock. No doubt it will be an experience of a lifetime for you to climb this gigantic pyramid and enjoy the Yucatecan jungle from the top.

2.- The main group of buildings in Coba is dominated by the castle, a 24 meter () mound. Here you will be able to appreciate the fine archeological work and the classic crude Mayan architecture. You will discover the mystery behind the method of construction regarding the incredible Mayan false vaults.

3.- Coba has several groups of buildings that are interconnected through a series of paths. These paths are known as “Sacbe” which means “white path”. The white paths vary in length and width and were the same ones that connected Coba to other cities. To visit the most important monuments of Coba, bicycles are needed and are already included in your semi-private tour.

4.- There is a very beautiful elliptical structure near the Nohoch Mul, in Coba. If we take into account Linda Schele’s artistic and historic point of view, this building could represent a snake as well as our galaxy; the Milky Way.

5.- Ball Courts. There are 2 beautiful ball courts in Coba. After 2 teams faced up, some theories say that the winner captain was sacrificed, while others say that it was the loser captain who was sacrificed. We can not be sure yet of who was indeed sacrificed, that is why all the information you hear directly from your certified Tour Guide are theories subject to change without notice. Some experts on pre-Columbian cultures suggest that when a player scored (the ball had to pass through the center of the Stone ring) a cycle of 5114 years in the Maya calendar came to its end and a new 5114 year period started over since time for the Mayan astronomers was cyclical.

*All the information regarding Coba, its buildings and its places will be thoroughly explained by your Tour Guide who is certified by SECTUR (Mexican Tourism Department)