Under Mayan Skies
An Eight-Day Spring Equinox Adventure to the Yucatán
March 16-23, 2006

Every Spring Equinox, the shadow of a giant snake appears on the Templar Mayor, built by the Mayans over 2,500 years ago. Join the Adler Planetarium and Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum for this once-a-year marvel of ancient astronomy, culture and architecture on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.

Under Mayan Skies will feature architecture and astronomy in the great Mayan ruins. More than 30 buildings stand at Chichén Itzá, including the observatory in which Mayans became the most astronomically advanced society of their time.

Travelers will stay in first-class historic hotels in the Yucátan capital city of Mérida and the historic Maya ceremonial city of Valladolid. Experience the lush tropical environment in Balankanche Caves, the entrance to rituals of the Mayan underworld; Río Lagartos National Park, a biosphere reserve sheltering sea turtles and North America’s largest nesting ground for Pink Flamingos; and Cenote Ik Kil, a sacred underground freshwater lake made by fragments of a giant asteroid.

Itinerary

Thursday, March 16, 2006
2:00 PM - Fly Continental Airlines – O’Hare to Houston arriving 4:40 PM
7:15 PM – Fly Continental Airlines – Houston to Mérida arriving 9:21 PM
Group Transfer (via private, air-conditioned bus) to Hotel Casa del Balam in Mérida

Hotel Casa del Balam (The House of the Jaguar) is in the center of Mérida (near the historical Santa Lucia Square) with antique furnishings and a lush and relaxing tropical courtyard.

Friday, March 17th (breakfast and dinner provided)
Morning: City Tour of Mérida
We will stay in this bustling, cosmopolitan, Colonial town for two nights with ample time to tour the city, see the Casa de Montejo (residence of Mérida’s founder), the Cathedral de San Ildefonso, the Museum of Archaeology in its beautiful mansion, and the marketplace with its excellent shops and vendors. Each night, the city hosts a free neighborhood event, such as a concert, dance or art fair.

Lunch at Los Almendros (on your own)

Afternoon: Short visit to nearby city of Izamal
Izamal is considered one of the prettiest of the small Colonial cities in Mexico. The 16th Century monastery of St. Anthony de Padua was built on and from the remains of a Maya pyramid devoted to the god of the heavens.

We will return to Mérida for free time to explore the city historical center on your own.

Dinner/Evening: Welcome Reception and Dinner at Hacienda Taye
Overnight at Hotel Casa del Balam – Mérida

Saturday, March 18th (breakfast and lunch provided)
Morning: Check out of hotel, visit Puuc (hilly) Route
Visit to archaeological sites of Uxmal, Kabah, Xlapak, and Mayapan

• The Uxmal Maya site is the largest site in the Puuc Highlands and the finest example of Classic architecture (600-1,000 AD). We will visit the Temple of the Magician, the Palace of the Governor, and the Quadrangle of the Nunnery.
• The Codz-Poop (Palace of the Masks) features an intricate stone facade of 250 Chac (Rain God) Masks. The monumental Kabah Arch marks the processional route entrance to the ceremonial center of Uxmal.
• Mayapan was the last great stronghold of the Maya against the Spanish invaders.

Lunch at Uxmal
Afternoon: Visit to archaeological sites of Kabah, Sayil and Labna

• Sayil has a Great Palace with more than 100 rooms occupied during the Terminal Classic Period (900-1,000 AD).
• Labna features a monumental corbelled arch, the largest and most ornate archway built by the Maya.

We will continue to the colonial city of Valladolid, originally a Mayan ceremonial center which the Spanish conquered and renamed in honor of where King Ferdinand and Isabella were married. It is quiet and unblemished by large crowds of tourists – and the food is excellent.

Evening: Check into El Mesón del Marqués Valladolid
Hotel El Mesón del Marqués is a nearly 200-year-old gem of colonial architecture with a wonderful pool and center courtyard. The restaurant serves excellent regional specialties.

Tertulia/Evening Chat or evening visit to the Ek Balam Observatory (if possible)

Sunday, March 19th (breakfast and lunch provided)
Morning: Tour of Ek Balam archaeological site and observatory
Ek Balam (Black Jaguar) was a vigorous Maya city for over 1,000 years beginning in the Pre-Classic Period (about 100 BC). In its day, the city was larger than Chichén Itzá, and its main pyramid is slightly taller than the castle of Kukulcan. Those who are eager to climb a pyramid will have that opportunity at Ek Balam, though not at Chichén Itzá.

Though the city of Ek Balam was very large, fewer of its buildings have been uncovered than at Chichén Itzá. When we visit, some of the buildings may be undergoing active excavation and restoration, bringing to light beautiful wall paintings and elegant plaster sculptures. The pyramid – tomb of the ruler of Ek Balam – is completely restored and is the only building in the Mayan world to have pure white plaster sculptures. The contents of the tomb have been transported to the Museum of Archaeology in Mérida, which we will have toured on Friday.

Time TBD: Travel to Río Lagartos National Park – Pink Flamingo Nesting Grounds
Río Lagartos National Park is a national park that shelters sea turtles and Mexico’s largest nesting ground for Pink Flamingos. On our boat tour of the park, we will see numerous other exotic birds and animals and bathe in the park’s precious white and pink muds. The mud from Río Lagartos is exported all over the world for beauty products.

Visit to Cenote en route
Lunch en route – site to be determined

Tertulia/Evening Chat – The Mayan Culture
Overnight El Mesón del Marqués Valladolid

Monday, March 20th (breakfast and lunch provided)
Morning: Visit to Balankanche Caves (Sacred Caves of the Mayas)
Balankanche Caves are the Sacred Caves of the Maya, the entrance to the Maya underworld, and the site of secret rituals.

Lunch and swimming at Cenote Ik Kil
The Yucatán Peninsula is supported by a coral reef, and in certain places pieces of the reef have disappeared into the sea. These places are called cenotes and many of them are beautiful, tropical, underground gardens. We will descend to this sacred cenote by rock staircase and enjoy a refreshing swim in its clear freshwater. Cenote Ik Kil is hailed as the most beautiful on the peninsula.

Tertulia/Evening Chat – Slide presentation introducing Chichén Itzá
Overnight El Mesón del Marqués Valladolid

Tuesday, March 21st (breakfast provided)
Morning: Check out of hotel and transfer to Chichén Itzá – Hotel Mayaland
Hotel Mayaland is a 100-acre botanical garden with three pools and palapas, traditional cottages roofed with palm fronds, for guests. There are also three restaurants serving Yucatán specialties. In one restaurant a company of Mexican folkloric dancers – Las Palapas – perform at mealtimes. The homemade tortillas and the view of the observatory at Chichén Itzá make this hotel a highlight of Under Mayan Skies.

Guided tour of Chichén Itzá
Chichén Itzá is the centerpiece to our tropical adventure. It is a large and important mercantile and ceremonial city that flourished during the Classic Period (300-900 A.D.). For those travelers who have dreamed of seeing the famed serpent descend the Castle of Kukulcan, this may be one of your last chances! Chichén Itzá was a fairly large city with outlying settlements many kilometers away from what we now know as the city’s center. The northern settlements have never been open to the public. But, in 2009, the Mexican government will close the city’s center and the Castle of Kukulcan to preserve it from further wear and tear. They will then open the other area for the first time.

Chichén Itzá was abandoned by the Maya and re-inhabited by the Toltecs around 1,000 A.D. While the central area features a pure Maya architectural style, the vivid decorations near the ball court exhibit a combination of Maya-Toltec styles. We will visit the Observatory, El Caracol (The Snail), Temple of the Warriors, the Sacred Ball Court, and, of course, the Castle of Kukulcan. The castle served as a ceremonial calendar that marks each spring and fall equinox with the shadow of a giant serpent descending the pyramid and disappearing at sunset in the direction of the sacred cenote. On our visit to this incredibly complex and ancient city, we will learn many of the castle’s secrets and watch the night sky.

Please note that travelers will not be allowed to climb the steps at Chichén Itzá in order to preserve the view for all visitors.

Lunch on site
Afternoon/Evening: Viewing of the serpent descending the castle
Evening Sound and Light Show – Optional
Evening lecture (tentative) The Solstice Sky at Sound and Light Show stage (after performances) with Adler Astronomer

Wednesday, March 22nd (breakfast and dinner provided)
Morning: Check out of hotel, transfer to Coba and Cancun
Visits to Cobá and other sites to be determined en route to Cancun.
Cobá is a city built around four lakes that mostly dates back to the Classic Period (600-900 A.D.). The Nohoch Mul Pyramid has 120 steps and is considered the tallest pyramid in Mexico. Conjunto Macanxoc houses magnificent examples of stelae, large stone slabs with carved figures.

Afternoon: Check into Villas Tacul Boutique Hotel in Cancún

Our boutique hotel is a secluded tropical paradise on the beach. Rooms are set in 23 villas nestled among 12 acres of lush gardens. Enjoy a relaxing swim in the Caribbean Sea or jump into the resort’s free-form freshwater swimming pool. Water sports are available as are two restaurants on the property.

Evening: Farewell Dinner at Private Hacienda or Home

Thursday, March 23rd (breakfast provided)
Morning: Free at the Beach
11:00 A.M. – Transfer to Cancún Airport for flight home
1:55 PM – Continental Airlines flight to Houston arriving 4:16 PM
5:34 PM – Continental Airlines flight to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport arriving 8:15 PM

Optional Pre- and Post- travel programs available upon request.