From the Milpa to Tourism: Farming, Cenote & Ek Balam Pyramids Tour

This full-day ecotour from Mérida looks at Maya life through farming, jungle and archaeology. It centers on the village of Ek Balam, where Mayan is the most-spoken language, and combines a milpa visit, a cenote swim and the Ek Balam archaeological site. The itinerary lists a total of 750 minutes.

The day starts with pickup at 6:30 AM and a drive to Ek Balam, where a breakfast comes first. Then you set out by bike with a local guide to a milpa, the Mesoamerican crop-growing system. You taste traditional pozole and sweets made from regional crops while learning how the system works, and you enter the k'áax, the jungle, to hear about medicinal plants and the trees traditionally used to build houses.

Afterward you cover the 2 kilometers to Cenote X'Canché through the jungle, by bicycle or tuk-tuk. The cenote has crystal-clear water where you can cool off, and the surrounding biodiversity is part of the attraction. Before leaving you have a traditional Yucatecan lunch at the cooperative's restaurant.

The last stop is the Ek Balam archaeological site, known for its Maya architecture and its importance in pre-Hispanic times, with views from the top of the pyramids. You return to Mérida and are dropped off at about 7 PM.

Practical notes: the price includes admission to the Ek Balam site, entrance to X'Canché Cenote and its facilities, the bike tour to the milpa with a local guide, private transportation, breakfast and lunch. A guided tour inside the Ek Balam site is not included, nor are gratuities. The operator describes the tour as suitable for all fitness levels. Infants must sit on an adult's lap, and public transportation options are available nearby.