Spanish Language Immersion Tour – Merida, Mexico (9 Days)

A regular focal point of our Spanish immersion tour will be participating in Spanish language classes that will enhance our cultural understanding and linguistic skills.

This afternoon, we will learn about Merida's history and culture as we explore the town with a local guide.

Enjoy an evening meal with your group in a local restaurant or at our hotel.

A key component of our Spanish immersion tour will be participating in Spanish-language classes that will enhance our cultural understanding and linguistic skills.

This afternoon, we will travel to the Celestun Biosphere Reserve, famous for its mangrove forest, flamingos, and vast array of wildlife. We'll take a boat ride to view the beautiful and unique pink flamingos in their natural habitat and cruise through the dense mangroves that surround this biosphere. Mangroves are a vital component in the climate change discussion, as they are far more efficient at eliminating carbon than rainforests. They are also the nursery for many coral reef species and provide a barrier against hurricanes and other coastal storms in protecting nearby human settlements.

Enjoy an evening meal with your group in a local restaurant or at our hotel.

Today, we will have the opportunity to participate in Spanish language classes that will enhance our cultural understanding and linguistic skills.

This afternoon, we will learn about traditional Mexican cuisine and try our hands at cooking some. We will be able to practice the Spanish lessons we've had as we cook!

Enjoy an evening meal with your group in a local restaurant or at our hotel.

Explore both parts of the ruins at Chichén Itzá: the northern zone, which shows distinct Toltec influence; and the southern zone, with mostly Puuc architecture. Our visit will also include the El Castillo Pyramid, the Main Ball Court, the North Temple, the Temple of Jaguars, the Temple of the Skulls, the Platform of the Eagle, the Platform of Venus, the Sacred Cenote, the Temple of the Warriors, the Tomb of the High Priest, the Observatory, and the Temple of Panels.

We will stop at the Cenote Ik-kil. A cenote is a deep, water-filled sinkhole. The area around Merida is famous for its cenotes, and each provides a unique experience. This cenote is often considered the most beautiful in Mexico. The waters here were sacred to the Mayans, who performed human sacrifices to their rain god here. We will consider the cultural significance of the cenote in Mayan culture as we enjoy the serene beauty.

Located halfway between Merida and Cancún (two hours from each), Valladolid is a bustling Mayan city with a special colonial flavor. This is where you will see the majority of the townspeople still using the typical dress of the Mayas and the buildings around the Main Plaza painted pastel colors. You will surely get a sense of the laid-back pace of life.

Visit the Chocolate Museum of Valladolid to learn more about the history of chocolate in Mexico.

Enjoy an evening meal with your group.

Today, we will travel from Valladolid to Merida. En route, we will visit Puerto Morelos and Tulum.

Puerto Morelos is a laid-back town on the Caribbean with a beautiful beach and "La Colonia" (the neighborhood). Separating the beach and the Colonia is a strip of mangrove forest. While here, we will enjoy a snorkeling tour. Our certified guide will snorkel with us as we explore. The reef around Puerto Morelos is divided into a barrier reef and a coastal bench. Look for green turtles in the coastal bench and spot dense schools of fish in the barrier reef. You might even see a barracuda!

A town on the Caribbean coastline of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, Tulum is known for its beaches and well-preserved ruins of an ancient Mayan port city. The main building is a large stone structure called El Castillo (castle), perched on a rocky cliff above the white sand beach and turquoise sea. Near the ruins is the Parque Nacional Tulum, a coastal area with mangroves and cenotes. Tulum is one of the most representative Mayan ruins of the Riviera Maya. By the time the Toltecs had annexed the Maya lands to their vast territories, Tulum was a thriving merchant port and remained so until the Spanish arrived in 1518. The city reached its splendor in around 1200 A.D. and was a characteristic example of the Mayan late Postclassic Period. ''Tulum'' means ''wall, trench, or fence'' in the Mayan language. The conquerors were amazed by the beauty, size, and strength of this ancient fortress built on a cliff, overlooking the turquoise waters of the Caribbean.

Discover the Tulum Archaeological Site, a Mayan fortress city overlooking the Caribbean. By 900 A.D. the Mayan civilization had begun its decline, and the large cities to the south were abandoned. Tulum is one of the small city-states that rose to fill the void and came to prominence in the 13th century as a seaport, controlling maritime commerce along its section of the coast.

Enjoy an evening meal with your group in a local restaurant or at our hotel.

A key component of our Spanish immersion tour will be participating in Spanish language classes that will enhance our cultural understanding and linguistic skills.

This afternoon, we will practice our Spanish as we have a photography lesson. We will capture fabulous images to remind us of our time in Mexico!

Enjoy an evening meal with your group in a local restaurant or at our hotel.

Tour the Mayan ruins of Uxmal and view the remarkable Pyramid of the Magician, unique because of its rounded sides, height, steepness, and its doorway with heavy ornamentation. The visit will also include the Nunnery Quadrangle, which resembled a Spanish convent and was possibly a military academy or a training school for princes; the partially restored Ball Court; the Governor's Palace; the Great Pyramid; and the Dovecote.

Visit Hacienda Yaxcopoil. The mansion is now a museum offering fascinating insights into life on a hacienda. A henequen plantation surrounds the house.

In addition to swimming at Cenote Peba, we will continue to discuss the ecological phenomena of cenotes and the sacred place they hold in Mayan culture.

Enjoy an evening meal with your group in a local restaurant or at our hotel.

This evening, we make the final entries in our Reflection Journal and share some of the most significant observations and perspectives that have taken shape in the course of our Spanish language immersion tour. We will also discuss how these insights may be most relevant for us all as we return home.

Our rewarding and enjoyable Spanish language immersion tour comes to an end as our Tour Director accompanies us to the airport on our final day.