Mexico
The Legacy of the Maya: Archaeology of the Northern Yucatan
Program No. 22516RJ
Discover the ancient ruins of the Maya people and learn about the importance of water to their cities and way of life. Meet local archaeologists for a scientific look into Maya culture.
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12 days
11 nights
28 meals
11B 10L 7D
6
Kiuic, Oxkutzcab Town
Yunku
8
Transfer to Valladolid
Valladolid
At a Glance
The ancient Maya of the Yucatan knew that water was crucial to their health and well being — so much, in fact, that they built sacred sites around their water sources to protect them. Under the tutelage of archaeologists and Maya experts, get a first-hand look into an array of Maya ruins in the Northern Yucatan and learn how water impacted their cities, beliefs and eventually their downfall. Throughout your adventure, thrill in the beauty of local cenotes — natural pits filled with crystal-clear groundwater —hike to remote ruins and enjoy opportunities to observe birds and wildlife in the rainforest.
Activity Level
Let's Go!
Walking up to three hours at a time over varied terrain. Hot/humid weather conditions increase level of difficulty. Climbing steep steps without railings at archaeological sites.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
What You'll Learn
- Get an archaeologist-led look into investigating Maya sites as you explore the Pre-classic city of Kiuic.
- Discover how the Maya built their pyramidal structures at Uxmal, considered by many to be one of the most beautiful Maya sites.
- Delve into Itza and Maya history at Chichen Itza, known for the Kukulkan pyramid that served as an astronomical calendar for the Maya.
Suggested Reading List
(18 books)
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The Legacy of the Maya: Archaeology of the Northern Yucatan
Program Number: 22516
Yucatan, Recipes from a Culinary Expedition
Lavishly produced with hundreds of color photographs, this ode to Yucatan's cuisine showcases 275 authentic and tested recipes and is spiced with an insightful travelogue.
Breaking the Maya Code
Michael Coe chronicles the centuries-long search for the "rosetta stone" of the Mayan language, a search which received an enormous boost in 1952 when Yuri Knorosov successfully translated the Dresden Codex, a Mayan bark-paper text. The book also includes an extensive discussion of Maya studies and political activism in the wake of Knorosov's discovery.
Maya Art and Architecture
An illustrated overview of the art and architecture of the Maya, making use of the latest discoveries at Tikal, Copan and Palenque to demonstrate the range of Maya artistic influence. With 200 illustrations, 50 in color, including site plans, maps, strikingly rendered reconstructions and color photographs of key temples and buildings.
Quest for the Lost Maya
After discovering a forgotten Mayan society in the Yucatan, American archaeologists George Bey and Bill Ringle dig deeper to find an ancient royal palace complex buried beneath an old pyramid. Runtime: 60 minutes.
The Chocolate Tree, A Natural History of Cacao
A rich concoction of cultural and natural history, archaeological evidence, botanical research, environmental activism and lush descriptions of the author's own adventures, The Chocolate Tree offers an appreciation of the plant and the environment that provide us with this Maya food of the gods.
Conquest: Montezuma, Cortes and the Fall of Old Mexico
An entertaining and monumental tome on the conquest of Mexico. It's rare to find a work of such scholarship and importance that is also an enjoyable read.
Yucatan Peninsula Riviera Maya Adventure Map
With site diagrams and insets of Merida and Cancun, this detailed map (1:500,000) shows cities, roads, parks and Maya sites, including Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Tulum and Coba, south to Sian Ka'an, covering most Yucatan itineraries.
The Classic Maya
An excellent overview of what we know about the Classic Maya, the builders of Tikal, Copan, Palenque and other major sites in the Yucatan Peninsula and surrounding areas, this book focuses on the Maya people, not just the kings, queens, nobles, gods and ancestors but also farmers and common folk.
The Code of Kings, The Language of Seven Sacred Maya Temples and Tombs
A vivid guided tour of seven Maya sites, including Palenque, Tikal and Chichen Itza. This outstanding book features photos and line drawings throughout, and introductory chapters with a succinct introduction to Maya history and culture.
The True History of Chocolate
This scholarly history of pre-Columbian chocolate by these married archaeologists reveals chocolate's origins as a ceremonial beverage in ancient Olmec and Maya society. The Coes trace the treat's evolution from a food of the gods to the salons of Europe down through the masses to Hershey Pennsylvania.
The Lost Cities of the Mayas
The discoveries of British artist Frederick Catherwood and his American companion John Lloyd Stephens, the first Westerners to see the Maya cities of the Yucatan, are chronicled in this illustrated, oversized volume, featuring 200 color engravings of the monuments of Central America, Chiapas and the Yucatan.
Birds of Mexico & Central America, Princeton Illustrated Checklists
An admirably compact, comprehensive guide featuring color plates.
The Modern Maya, Incidents of Travel and Friendship in Yucatan
In his superb photo essay on the lives of the modern Maya, Everton, who spent more than four decades living among the Maya, updates our perception of the people by revealing how the Maya live, work and preserve their rich culture today.
Moon Handbook Yucatan Peninsula
A compact, comprehensive travel guide with an excellent overview of the natural history and culture of the region, including Yucatan but also Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche and Quintana Roo.
A Forest of Kings, The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya
The history of the Maya, as it was recorded in the previously undecipherable hieroglyphs of the Maya. This excellent account traces the kingships and politics of the Maya, and features narratives recreating scenes of burials, blood sacrifices, battles and other events.
Maya Cosmos, Three Thousand Years on the Shaman's Path
This book finds coherence in 3000 years of Central American religious history.
The Labyrinth of Solitude
These essays by the Nobel Prize-winning poet address Mexican culture and character. The chapters on the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead and the conquest are especially memorable.
Incidents of Travel in Yucatan
In this beloved classic, first published in 1841, Stephens chronicles his adventures and explorations in the Yucatan, including his rediscovery of important Maya sites, among them Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Kabah and Tulum. This traveler's edition features modern and archival photographs in addition to Frederick Catherwood's original lithographs.
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