Uxmal and Kabah Ruins Tour with Chocolate History

This full-day excursion from Mérida combines two Puuc-route archaeological sites, Uxmal and Kabah, with a sit-down lunch and a stop at an artisanal Mayan chocolate factory. It is a day built around Mayan history, with guided time and free time at each ruin, and it ends on a sweeter note with a tasting and a ceremony.

The first stop is Uxmal, a site with several well-preserved structures, some of which you are allowed to climb. Your guide walks you through the history of this Mayan settlement for about an hour, and you then get roughly another hour on your own to keep exploring and take photos. The visit is scheduled at around 120 minutes in total.

From there the group continues to the Kabah ruins. The guide explains the reasoning the Mayans followed when they built the site, along with other facts about the place. As at Uxmal, there is a mix of guided time and free time: about half an hour of each, for a stop of roughly 60 minutes.

Next comes a three-course lunch at a Mexican restaurant, with a starter, a main dish and dessert, planned for about an hour. The last stop is the artisanal Mayan chocolate factory, where local Mayan people show how chocolate is made, walk you through the history of Mayan chocolate, and offer a tasting. A Mayan ceremony of around 90 minutes closes the experience. The whole day is listed at 630 minutes, and the source states that transportation time is already counted in that total.

The tour suits travelers interested in Mayan culture who like a mix of walking, learning and eating. It is listed as suitable for all physical fitness levels, although it is not recommended for people with spinal injuries, pregnant travelers or those with poor cardiovascular health. Infants must sit on an adult's lap.

Plan for the money side before you go. Entrance to Uxmal costs 604 MXN per person and Kabah costs 155 MXN per person; both are excluded from the price and must be paid in cash pesos. Drinks at the restaurant are also extra. Round-trip transportation from Mérida is included, but the operator may assign a meeting point even if your hotel is listed. The main points mentioned are Parque de Santa Ana and the Hotel Fiesta Americana in Mérida, and pickup time depends on where you are staying, so confirm it with the operator.