Uxmal, Kabah and Chocolate Museum Tour from Mérida

This full-day tour, running roughly eight to nine hours from Mérida, explores the Uxmal and Kabah Mayan ruins in the Puuc region and finishes at the Choco-Story Chocolate Museum, with round-trip transportation, a certified guide and a regional lunch included.

The first stop is Uxmal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose name, meaning built three times, has inspired theories about the different civilizations that may have occupied it. Highlights include the House of the Magician and the Governor's Palace, and you can climb the Nunnery Quadrangle for a view over the Great Pyramid. The drive from your hotel to Uxmal takes about an hour and a half.

From Uxmal you continue to Kabah, an archaeological site along the Puuc Route, a term that refers both to this region of the Yucatán Peninsula and to an architectural style marked by intricate stone mosaics and elaborate facades. Kabah is the second most important site in the region after Uxmal, yet it receives far fewer visitors, and it appears in the Chilam Balam of Chumayel, a colonial-era text documenting Maya history and mythology.

Lunch is served at the Halach Huinic Restaurant, generally between 1:40 and 2:40 p.m., and includes a three-course meal with a starter, a main course and dessert.

The day wraps up at the Choco-Story Chocolate Museum, just steps from the Uxmal ruins, where you walk through jungle paths past traditional Maya huts and cacao plantations, learning about the history of cacao from its sacred role in ancient Maya culture to the chocolate made today, including a live demonstration of how it was prepared in pre-Hispanic times, with a chance to taste it. One detail is worth flagging: this tour's included-items list mentions an admission ticket to Choco-Story, but the itinerary notes separately that museum admission is not included in the price, so it is best to confirm that directly with the operator when you book.

The tour includes a cooler with ice on the van, the three-course regional lunch, comfortable air-conditioned transportation, and a certified guide throughout. Entrance fees to the archaeological sites and beverages are not included. At Uxmal, admission runs 275 Mexican pesos for Mexican adults and 604 pesos for foreign adults, payable only in cash; at Kabah it is 85 pesos for Mexican adults and 155 pesos for foreign adults. Mexican citizens can enter the pyramids free on Sundays with valid identification such as an INE card.

There is no hotel pickup for this tour, so you will need to make your own way to the meeting point, and a same-day no-show or cancellation cannot be rescheduled, meaning you would need to purchase the tour again. Bring sunscreen, comfortable clothes, a swimsuit, a change of clothes, water and cash; a stop is made at a convenience store before leaving Mérida to buy water and snacks, since alcohol and coffee are not allowed on board and only bottled drinks are permitted. Wear a cap or hat and sunglasses, and if you are Mexican, bring identification such as an INE, driver's license, passport, or CURP if you are a minor. The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or pregnant travelers, though it otherwise suits all physical fitness levels.