The Ultimate Adventure in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula

Marta Marinelli, raised in Italy’s serene Prosecco Hills, dreamt of global adventures, inspired by her father's travel stories. Her passion evolved into a career, backed by a decade of studies including degrees in international tourism and destination management. She’s worked in the adventure travel sector since 2012, living in Italy, the UK, and now sunny Portugal.

Over twenty years, Marta has explored over 55 countries, visiting remote areas like Ghana, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Haiti and Nepal’s Upper Mustang region. As a Senior Adventure Expansion Manager at Much Better Adventures, she focuses on creating life-changing experiences, ranging from multi-activity adventures, challenging treks to ultimate adventures in iconic places. She loves the challenge of finding the best local adventure hosts around the world, collaborating on adventures that offer genuine immersion, pushing beyond the beaten path and working on exclusive itineraries that challenge your comfort zone.

What makes her tick? Enabling people to live adventure-rich lives while positively impacting and empowering local communities around the world, generating sustainable opportunities for both the host, guides, community, and the environment.

The itinerary has been designed to escape the crowds, choosing lesser known (but equally stunning) heritage sites and Mayan temples, which offer a far more intimate experience than places like Chichén Itzá. Your host has also hand picked some hidden cenotes and secluded jungle settings, which normally don't attract large number of visitors. Whilst it's likely you'll find places like Tulum downtown or the Tulum ruins a bit busier, your guide will schedule the activities in order to avoid the crowds as much as possible, and you'll often just be immersed in wild nature. The beach at the end of the trip has been selected as it's rarely visited by tourists, and is a real contrast to the busy, built-up Riviera Maya.

You'll meet various members of different Mayan communities during the trip – which is a fantastic opportunity to learn about local culture, history, and their adaptation to contemporary life. Your local host has been at the forefront of responsible tourism in the region. Their core values of respect, conservation and education have led them to create lasting bonds with the many people and groups who share an interest in protecting the local environment and in the promotion of culture and conservation. They work alongside local families, communities, small businesses, associations and an awesome group of guides; all of whom uphold the same values and make a positive impact in their everyday lives through their example and hard work. This trip has been designed to allow you to experience the authentic side of the Yucatan away from the overcrowded beach resorts – be it in secret cenotes, in the middle of the jungle, or amongst little-known ancient temples.

On the trip you'll spend an evening with Ocho, a spiritual leader who grew up in Mexico. Since he was little he has felt a call to nature, and he left the city to reconnect with his ancestors and Mother Earth. In 2005, he became a guide in the Yucatan region, and created a friendly relationship with the local community of Nuevo Durango. He began to teach classes about Mayan culture, their language, their plants, their animals, cosmology, astronomy, natural medicine, dance, music and silence. His goal is to share all this knowledge to open awareness and perception. Today, he lives in harmony with nature and his path is to depend less on the system. You'll camp near his house, surrounded by jungle, and join him in a special Mayan energy-cleansing ceremony.

On request, your group can choose to arrange a longer traditional Temazcal ceremony, an ancestral shamanic ritual practised by ancient civilisations throughout Central and North America (including the Maya, Aztecs and Toltecs). The ceremony's purpose is therapeutic healing to relieve stress, aches and injuries, skin or respiratory disease. It is often compared to other sweat lodge activities such as a hammam, a sauna and hot water baths. This is guided by a Temazcalero, who accompanies you throughout the experience. Your guide will be able to provide you with further information locally, if you are interested in this option.

Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion, but there is an expectation to tip for good service. Your guide will help with advice, however we suggest the below as a guideline per person:

USD $40 per person for the main guide USD $25 per person for your local guides (your leader will collect this in the form of a kitty and distribute it among the various local guides and communities who provide their services during the trip) USD $15 per person for the driver

Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality – a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.

Tap water in Mexico is not safe to drink. Water bottles with inbuilt filters are becoming increasingly popular for travellers to use in countries without clean tap water. Please see our guide for advice on the best water filters for adventurers if you wish to bring your own filtration bottle on this trip.

Your main luggage will be stored securely on the bus when you're on the move and you'll have access to it on a daily basis. During the activities, you'll only need to carry a personal day rucksack with your essential items.

If it’s just a case of drizzling rain you can wear a rain jacket and carry on, although occasionally you may have to wait for it to stop and seek shelter along the route. In case of adverse conditions, your guide may choose to alter the duration or order of your activities with your safety in mind.

This trip visits locations where daytime temperatures can be extremely high during the times of year when this trip operates. High humidity and limited access to shade can also be factors, and warm temperatures can continue into the nighttime, which additionally influence the body’s ability to cool down. Personal care should be taken to keep cool as best possible in the conditions, such as wearing appropriate clothing and proper hydration. Very high temperatures can impair an individual’s physical abilities to perform an activity that they may otherwise be able to do competently at cooler temperatures. People may experience symptoms associated with dehydration and Heat Stroke. Your guide(s) are trained to mitigate the risks associated with high temperatures, by carefully managing the intensity of the activity, and to provide the appropriate support response should someone feel ill during the trip. Should you experience health issues during your trip you should inform your guide immediately so the proper care can be provided.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing.

Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness.

We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last-minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.