As I pedaled along the dirt path through the jungle, trees rising up high on either side around me, out of the corner of my eye I noticed a lump on the ground right beside my bicycle tire. It was the same brown and gold as the dirt and leaves around it, and I kept going. A couple of my companions ahead of me were already off their bikes. “Did you see the snake?” they exclaimed to me.
To be honest, I didn’t really want to see the snake – when it comes to some types of wildlife (most notably creepy crawlies), there are times I would rather look the other way. But they were so excited, I stopped and got off my bike and went back with them to see the snake, and flag down other members of our group so that they wouldn’t accidentally run over it, as I had been close to doing. On closer inspection, we saw it was a boa, and from the large bulge in its midsection, it was quite obvious it had just eaten. I felt safer knowing it had already had lunch and hopefully wouldn’t be tempted to try to consume any of us.
We were on the path leading to the Santa Rita cave system near Valladolid, in Yucatan State, and this was just the beginning of three days of fun and excitement with Maya Amazing Adventures that included kayaking, swimming in cenotes and in the ocean, cave exploring, and cycling, as well as enjoying delicious Yucatecan cuisine and relaxing in some truly beautiful locations.
The geography of the Yucatan Peninsula differs from the rest of Mexico. The ground here is primarily limestone with a thin layer of topsoil, making it rather flat and quite porous. Instead of rivers above ground, there is a preponderance of cenotes and underground rivers. There are also many caves. This unique topography, as well as the Yucatan state’s coastline allows for a great many adventure and ecotourism activities, and the chance to spot some special wildlife.The “Grutas de Santa Rita” cave system is located near the small village of Chemax, not far from the charming city of Valladolid. The local ecotourism project is run by a co-op of Mayan farmers. There are two caves that are open to visitors. We visited the one called Madre Cristalina which is very large and some of the rock formations are white and translucent, like crystal. This cave was used as shelter by Mayan people in ancient times, and more recently by wild animals such as jaguars. Deep inside the cave there are ancient handprints on the wall.
Yucatan state is home to over 2000 cenotes and about two hundred are open for swimming. On the adventure trip I took with Maya Amazing I had the opportunity to swim in several. Two of the most impressive were in the secluded Rancho Los 7 Cenotes. After a bike ride near the village of Sotuta we got in the van and headed to this privately owned ranch that contains seven sinkholes. The first we visited was very deep with a ladder leading down to the water. This one was beautiful, but the next one we visited, which was a huge underground cavern, was utterly breathtaking.
Although our previous adventures were great, the highlight of the trip was the last day. We made our way to La Carbonera lagoon on the north side of the Yucatan peninsula where our kayaks were already waiting for us. We paddled through the tranquil lagoon where we spotted flamingos, herons and other birds, and then we entered a canal in the mangrove forest and continued to kayak through the mangrove until we reached a natural spring, where we took a refreshing dip in the crystal clear water, enjoying the natural beauty of this singular location before making our way back out again. We later had a delicious lunch of grilled fish on a private beach as a flock of flamingos flew overhead. Then with cold beers from the cooler in hand, we walked into the cool ocean to enjoy the rest of the afternoon.
Maya Amazing Adventures is a tour company based in Merida, Yucatan. They offer a wide variety of eco-adventures in Yucatan state and Quintana Roo. Adventures can be for one day or for several, and can begin in either Cancun or Merida. Maya Amazing has their own equipment – good quality bicycles, kayaks and helmets.What really makes an adventure with Maya Amazing special is the personal care and attention to detail. The equipment was waiting for us at each stop, ready for us to start our activities. General Manager Ruben Encalada was our host and guide. He and his team were very attentive and always conscious of our comfort and safety.
Contact Maya Amazing Adventures:
Website: www.MayaAmazing.com
Facebook: Maya Amazing
