A stone building with a mountain in the background

Cozumel - Ruins & Mayan Traditions

Embark on a new adventure and discover connections between past and present on picturesque Cozumel Island. Explore the Mayan ruins and enjoy visiting the Mayan Bee Sanctuary.

  • Discover past and present connections on Cozumel
  • Visit the Mayan ruins of San Gervasio
  • Learn about Mayan pilgrimages to worship the goddess lyxchel
  • Tour the Mayan Bee Sanctuary and learn about the importance of Melipona bees

  • Difficulty level

    Level 3: Active - good mobility needed

  • Duration

    4h15

  • Min. passengers

    30

  • Booking code

    A-CZM5

  • From

    62 €

  • Please note

    Comfortable walking shoes, light clothing, a hat and insect repellent are recommended

You will be greeted at the pier by a bilingual guide before boarding an air-conditioned motor coach for the short drive to the ruins of San Gervasio, the most important pre-Hispanic settlement documented on the island of Cozumel. Your guide will walk you through and explain the Mayan pilgrimages that worshiped the goddess ‘Ixchel’.

The San Gervasio ruins are made up of six architectural ensembles and other isolated temples, which convey how this sacred Maya centre was also a strategic site for trade and political development.

Later, we head towards the Mayan Bee Sanctuary and learn about the importance of the sacred stingless Melipona bees in Mayan culture as well as the significance of cenotes: freshwater sinkholes. Open your eyes to a new landscape surrounded by lush vegetation and a small cenote as the bees interact in their natural space. Melipona bees were not only essential for the pollination of crops and environmental balance, but a key to Mayan traditions and beliefs. Learn about the benefits and properties of the bee’s marvellous golden liquid in its different manifestations as you enjoy a small tasting.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION:

  • Duration: 4h15
  • Language: English (Spanish subject to availability)
  • Remarks/requirements: Comfortable walking shoes, light clothing, a hat and insect repellent are recommended
  • Walking information: Approximately 1 km walking with ascents and descents on uneven limestone and loose stones and climbing on uneven, rough surfaces at the ruins.
  • Wheelchair accessbility: No
  • Minimum pax: 30