Earth Ancients: Startling New Discoveries from Our Planet’s Distant Past
And Body Mind Spirit Journeys

Present

SACRED PYRAMID TOUR
OF YUCATAN MEXICO

Featuring Merida, Uxmal, Campeche, Edzna, Sayil, Labna, Ek Balam & Chichen Itza including viewing the “Shadow of the Serpent” and more

Hosted by Cliff Dunning
March 11-19, 2020

YOUR HOST: CLIFF DUNNING
Cliff Dunning is the host and producer of the popular podcast, “Earth Ancients: Startling New Discoveries from Our Planet’s Distant Past.” A writer, his articles appear in publications around the world.

TOUR INCLUDES:

• Roundtrip transfers from/to Merida airport and hotel
• Private transportation for all scheduled activities
• 7 hotel nights in Merida at Gran Real Yucatan or similar
• 1 hotel night at the hotel Lopez Campeche in Campeche
• Hotel service charges and taxes
• Breakfast every day
• Lunches every day but Day 7
• Dinners every day but Day 6 and 7
• Welcome dinner and Cocktail party hosted by Cliff and Memo
• Hosted through by Cliff and our special Spiritualist, Memo Gonzales
• Plus protection by BMSJ’s $1,000,000 per traveler Errors & Omissions coverage

SPECIAL FEATURES

• Escorted throughout
• Visit to the famous Mayan Harbor, considered a “must see” on the Yucatan Peninsula
• Visit the ruins of Uxmal including the “Pyramid of the Magician”
• Travel Yucatan’s “Puuc Route”
• View the Great Pyramid at Chichen Itza
• View the “Shadow Of the Serpent” at the Great Pyramid at Chichen Itza
• Visit the famous Campeche Museum of Anthropology

Featured Hotels or similar:

In Merida: The First-Class Hotel Gran Real Yucatan in Merida
The First-Class Hotel Gran Real Yucatan in Merida is located near the Main Squire and the Merida Cathedral.

Each room is air-conditioned and features a flat-screen TV with cable channels and WiFi throughout the property. The hotel also features a year-round outdoor pool, sun terrace and a cozy restaurant.

In Campeche:The Lopez Campeche
Harmonious art deco style architecture, alleys open to the sea breeze and a relaxed and modern atmosphere make our hotel an oasis of tranquility right in the heart of the city. This first class hotel with air-conditioned rooms with a private bathroom, free wi-fi, also offers a beautiful garden and an outdoor swimming pool,

ITINERARY

Day 1, Wednesday, March 11: Arrival in Merida (D)
Tour starts in Merida. Check into our hotel for some time to relax before our “Welcome to Mexico” dinner. Here we will do an opening meditation to set intention for the trip. We will meet our personal Spiritual Guide, Memo, who will be with us for the duration of the journey. After dinner, Cliff and Memo will host a welcome cocktail party. Overnight and welcome dinner and cocktail party in Merida.

Day 2, Thursday, March 12: To Mayapan and Cenotes de Santa Barbara (B/L/D)
Breakfast at our hotel, and then we depart for the archaeological sites of Mayapan, which means “The Shield of the Maya.” It is considered the last great Maya city and was still alive when the Spaniards arrived to the region. Mayapan was an important and powerful urban center and is considered the last great Maya capital, dating back to the beginning of the Common Era and reaching its Golden Age in the Postclassic Period. Mayapán was a powerful urban center that eventually became the sole political and cultural force in the Yucatan. The social hierarchy is well studied and shows evidence of a high level ruling class made up of priests and kings, skilled laborers made up of tradesmen and craftsmen, and agricultural slaves that worked the fields around the walled city. We will have some time to explore the site. After lunch we depart for Cenotes de Santa Barbara. Here we will visit one of the best-known Cenotes (so bring your bathing suit). The word Cenote (pronounced se-NO-tay) comes from the Mayan word dzonot, ‘sacred well’.  Cenotes were used by Mayans as sources of fresh water, building their ancient cities near them. They considered the Cenotes to be both water sources and entrances to the underworld. We will spend some time here exploring before we return to Merida later in the afternoon for our overnight and dinner.

Day 3, Friday, March 13: To Muna & Uxmal (B/L/D)
Today we depart for Muna. Imagine going to the top of the highest hill in Yucatán, from which you can observe the beautiful Maya jungle, with the magnificent pyramid of Uxmal in the background! After our arrival, we will visit 18th C temple, colonial churches and enjoy a journey to the past in an antique hacienda. Muna, means “place of soft or tender water,” inhabited by Locals, mainly of Maya origin and the city is considered the “Star of the South.” After our lunch, we are off to the archeological site of Uxmal, which is the most representative site along the Route Pucc. Uxmal means “three times built”. This splendid site shows how elaborated and decorated is the Puuc Style compared to the rest of the Mayan sites. Here is where Chac the Rain God ruled supreme. Our sightseeing will include the Pyramid of the Magician, at 120 feet the easiest of the Mayan Pyramids to scale. Here we will ground down to the Earth to help us immerse into the energy of this new land. We will begin to integrate this new energy, so that we may more easily navigate it. Return to Merida for dinner and our overnight.

Day 4, Satursday, March 14: To Oxkintol, Becal and Capeche (B/L/D)
After breakfast, we depart Merida and our first stop is to Oxkintol, a pre-Columbian Maya archaeological site characterized for the existence of a labyrinth-like construction, that is considered as unique in Yucatan There is no evidence of warfare, or famine to cause the abandonment of Oxkintok. Nor is there evidence for occupation after it had been abandoned around 1500 CE. Then we head to the town of Becal, a center of the Yucatán panama hat trade. Many of the inhabitants here make their living weaving jipijapas, as the soft, pliable hats are known locally. The tranquil town clearly identifies with its stock-in-trade, as is made obvious by the centerpiece of its plaza.  We will visit a local Mayan home where we will see how these hats are made and have an opportunity to purchase some. After lunch and visiting Becal we will arrive in San Francisco de Campeche, capital of the state and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The name of Campeche is derived from the Mayan name of a settlement called “Ah-Kin-Pech” where the city of Campeche is now. When the Spanish first arrived to the area in 1517, they made contact there and Hispanicize the pronunciation. The original name meant “place of snakes and ticks.” Here we will enjoy the beautiful walled city, perfect for exploring and photography. It still has remains from the time of the pirates that invaded it.  We will visit the Campeche Museum of Anthropology before continuing to our hotel for our dinner and overnight in Campeche.

Day 5, Sunday, March 15: To Edzna and return to Merida (B/L/D)
Located in the north of the Mexican state of Campeche, Edzna is a fascinating Mayan city that has a unique combination of styles and features that reflect its position at a crossroad of trade and cultural influences. Its roof combs and corbelled arches are reminiscent of those at Yaxchilán and Palenque, and several buildings are in the Puuc style. Its giant stone masks are characteristic of the Petén-style architecture of southern Campeche and northern Guatemala. Located in a very dry area, Edzna also has one of the most sophisticated Mayan systems for channeling and retaining water. The word Edzná comes from “House of the Itzás” which may suggest that the city was influenced by the Itzá Maya long before they arrived in Chichen Itzá. After lunch at a local restaurant, we return to Merida in the late afternoon and some free time before dinner and our overnight in Merida.

Day 6, Monday, March 16: To Chichen Itza and Ek Balam. Return to Merida (B/L)
A very full day as after breakfast, we are off to Chichen Itza, easily the best known and most-restored of Yucatan Maya archaeological sites. Chichen Itza is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. “Chichen Itza, a transcendent of the great Mayan soul, a transcendent of the human soul.” You won’t believe your eyes as you start this amazing experience…it will leave you breathless and longing for more. The Great Pyramid, The Ball Park, The Observatory, The Monk Convent and The Water Well are just a few of the magnificent buildings and sites we’ll tour and admire as we learn every custom, hear mystical stories and learn how the Maya became the most powerful civilization in the area. We will gather here to connect in brotherhood with the devic council of the region as we calibrate our frequency to the Earth’s frequency to bring about harmony. Highlight of our visit will be time to view the “Shadow of the Serpent.” The Chichen Itza Equinox effect begins with no shadow and as time passes by, the triangles created by the platforms start to move along the staircase until it’s completely covered up by shadow. After this effect, the Serpent’s head is the only part of the staircase with sunlight, only to be also covered up as the sun continues his path. Afterwards there will be some free time to be able to explore more of Chichen Itza on your own before we continue for lunch. Then to the archaeological site of Ek Balam. The startling and amazingly well preserved sculptures uncovered here are exciting to both newcomers and repeat visitors of Mayan sites. It is unlike any other Mayan site. Ek Balam has a feel all its own. The name means “the black jaguar.” The main temple is impressive, both in size and architecture. Its massive size of over 500 feet long and 200 feet wide easily makes it one of the largest structures ever excavated in the Yucatan. It is so big that one wonders how this could have been built without the aid of iron or the wheel. The intricate detail of the artistry and symbolism incorporated into the frescoes and sculptures decorating this temple are an artistic marvel. Ek Balam´s most striking temple is one with a huge “monster mouth.” To the Maya this represents a portal to the “other world.” The enormous mouth of the Witz Monster (entry to the underworld), complete with teeth, is awe-inspiring. There is also Evidence has been found at Ek Balam that bloodletting rituals were practiced here. This was self-inflicted by the priest and nobles. Some suggest that one of the human figures depicted above the mouth is in the posture of a defeated enemy about to be sacrificed, so it may also be a site of human sacrifice but to what extent they are not sure yet. Late in the afternoon, we return to Merida for our overnight and dinner on our own at one of the many local restaurants.

Day 7, Tuesday, March 17: The “Puuc Route” visiting Kabah, Sayil and Xlapac (B)
This morning we head south to the “Puuc Route.” La Ruta Puuc (Puuc Route) is an official name given to this network of secondary roads through Yucatán state. Our first stop is Kabah and the Palace of the Masks that hold 300 masks of Chac. Kabah has the energy of the Solar Plexus chakra. Then onto Sayil, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sayil flourished during the Terminal Classic period. A number of badly damaged monuments suggest that Sayil was governed by a local royal dynasty, with wealth among lineages based, at least in part, upon control of the best agricultural lands. Highlight will be a visit to the Great Palace has a 270-foot long facade and is built upon a two-terraced platform, giving the impression of three stories. Various rooms are arranged around the four sides of each terrace. After lunch on our own, we end our day’s touring at Xlapac, which dates from the Late to Terminal Classic periods. Return to Merida in the early afternoon where we have the evening free to try one of the city’s wonderful restaurants.

Day 8, Wednesday, March 18: In Merida (B/D)
After breakfast we will do a city tour of Merida. Known as the “White City,” it was founded on the abandoned Mayan metropolis of Ichkaansihó. Our tour will visit the Market of Merida and have a tour of the Museum of Merida that traces the city through history from its colonial Spanish plazas to the modern bustling streets of today. The afternoon is free for lunch on your own, shopping and independent exploration. Merida is a quiet paradise. The peacefulness of the town and the beauty of its streets, make it a place of elegance and contrast amid its colonial houses, Its food, layered with exquisite gastronomic heritage, will take over your taste buds.  Visit the Plaza Mayor, a vibrant meeting place where locals enjoy traditional drinks, such as champola or sorbet. Tonight we will enjoy our Farewell dinner.

Day 9, Thursday, March 19: Depart Home (B) – Tour ends after breakfast
Breakfast at your leisure as you depart for the airport on your own and your flights home.

Please read the Terms and Conditions of this tour.

TOUR PRICES:
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Travel Insurance

As travel professionals, Body Mind Spirit Journeys highly recommends travel insurance. Sometimes unexpected circumstances can arise. A sudden emergency just before or during your trip could spoil your vacation and deplete your resources.

We have recently seen some of our valued travelers lose not only their non-refundable deposits, but also their entire tour payments because they hoped they would not need trip cancellation insurance.

You should protect your trip investment and yourself in regards to health, property and trip payments. That is why we provide you with an easy way to contact BMSJ’s preferred insurance provider, Allianz Global Assistance. If you need additional information or have questions, please call Allianz directly at 1-800-284-8300, and refer to code F025323.

BMSJ will be sending you additional details and a brochure with your confirmation on trip cancellation/interruption insurance.

For Flight Assistance and Ticketing

BMSJ is pleased to announce that it has opened an expanded Air Reservation Desk headed by Bob Ryder. Bob can be reached at 888-551-8184 or BRyder@Prodigy.net. Bob will be happy to answer your questions and assist you in making your airline reservations to join your BMSJ Spiritual Journey.