Earth Ancients

Ancient Maya Ruins & Sacred MesoAmerican Sites

Mexico 2022

Earth Ancients & Body Mind Spirit Journeys Present

Ancient Maya Ruins & Sacred MesoAmerican Sites

Featuring Mexico City, Teotihuacan, Palenque,
Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Merida and more Sacred Sites

Hosted by Cliff Dunning

September 2-12, 2022

Mexico Tour

 

YOUR HOST: CLIFF DUNNING

Cliff is the host and producer of the popular podcast, “Earth Ancients: Startling New Discoveries from Our Planets Distant Past.” He is also a former Program Director for The Learning Annex, Whole Life Expo, and numerous national conferences. As a writer, his articles have appeared in publications around the world. Cliff has developed a keen awareness for provocative subjects on our planet’s known and unknown civilizations, as well as the thousands of anomalous archeological discoveries which are not covered by conventional science and the media. Possessing a deep understanding of ancient wisdom traditions, the Human Potential Movement, topics on personal growth, and spirituality, Cliff introduces programs which are ahead of their time, controversial and thought-provoking.

 

JOINING CLIFF:

Escorted by Memo Gonzalez

Guillermo “Memo” Gonzalez is a tour guide who specializes in the Chichen Itza area. One of his clients recently wrote: “His English was great and he was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. We had been there before with a guide and did not learn nearly as much about the background on what we were seeing. I would highly recommend Memo Gonzalez if you can get him as your tour guide inside the park.”

 

TOUR INCLUDES

  • Private transportation for all scheduled activities
  • First Class Hotel Accommodation
  • Hotel taxes
  • Breakfast every day
  • 6 Lunches
  • 9 Dinners
  • Sightseeing as per itinerary
  • Sightseeing entrance fees as per itinerary
  • Flight from Mexico City to Villahermosa

 

SPECIAL FEATURES

  • Led by Host Cliff Dunning
  • Escorted throughout by our spiritually knowledgeable Mexican guide, Memo Gonzales
  • Mexico City sightseeing tour
  • Travel to Teotihuacan to see the ancient Aztec pyramids
  • Visit the archaeological site at La Venta Archaeological grounds to view the ancient Olmec ceremonial site
  • Visit Palenque a flourishing Maya city of the 7th century
  • Visit to the Museo of Palenque “Alberto Ruz L Hullier,” considered one of the most remarkable archaeological museums in the Maya area
  • Spend time in San Francisco de Campeche, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the Museum of Anthropology
  • Spend time at the archaeological sites of Uxmal
  • Visit the Loltun Caves and Kabah ruins in Uxmal
  • Time at Chichen Itza, easily the best known and most-restored of Yucatan site
  • Time at the site of Mayapan that represented the doorway to the spiritual underworld.

 

FEATURED FIRST CLASS HOTELS OR SIMILAR

  • 3 Nights in Mexico City at Historic Central Hotel Mexico City
  • 2 Nights in Palenque at Hotel Villa Mercedes Palenque
  • 1 Night in Campeche at Hotel Plaza Colonial
  • 2 Nights in Uxmal at Hotel Uxmal Resort Maya
  • 1 Nights in Chichen Itza at Hotel Villas Arqueológicas Chichén
  • 1 Night in Mérida at Hotel Misión Fray

 

MEXICO TOUR ITINERARY

Day 1, Friday, September 2:  Arrival in Mexico City (D)

Tour starts in Mexico City. Upon arrival and after going through Immigration and Customs, transfer on your own to our hotel. Check into our hotel and take 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 guide, Memo, who will be with us for the duration of the journey. Overnight and welcome dinner in Mexico City.

Click photos to view larger

Day 2: Saturday, September 3: In Mexico City (B/D)

This morning, open our mind to live new experiences. We begin our journey by visiting Mexico City, the only city in the world where you can see the union of three eras: pre-hispanic period, colonial period and modern time. The city was built on the very site that was once the center of Aztec Culture and where we will visit “El Templo Mayor.” It’s located on the ancient site that was the Aztec city of Tenochtitlán. We continue with a visit to Zocalo (or Plaza de la Constitución), the main square. Continue to the National Palace, the Metropolitan Cathedral. Just outside the National Museum you will have time to enjoy lunch on your own. Maybe try the Casa de los Azulejos while enjoying the outside architecture at its surroundings.  We meet again and end our touring with a visit at the National Museum of Art (MUNAL) and its Diego Rivera murals. Return to our hotel for dinner and our overnight.

templo-mayor-mexico-city

 

Day 3: Sunday, September 4: In Mexico City – Teotihuacan tour (B/D)

After breakfast, we recharge our energies and our spirit as we travel to the Teotihuacan, a UNESCO city known as the “The City of the Gods”, and is the most important and largest city of pre-Aztec Mexico. During the Aztec time, it was even one of the largest cities in the world, as well as the region’s major economic and religious centre. Here we will tour the archaeological sites including the Avenue of the Dead that is capped by the Pyramid of the Moon, the second largest structure in the city that rises to 140 feet. Next to the Pyramid of the Sun, one of the largest structures of its type in the Western Hemisphere. It dominates the central city from the east side of the Avenue of the Dead, and stands over 200 feet high. Continue to the Ciudadela (“Citadel”), a large square courtyard where stands the Temple of Quetzalcóatl (the Feathered Serpent) in the form of a truncated pyramid an where we see projecting from its ornately decorated walls numerous stone heads of the deity. In the early 1980s archaeologists discovered the ceremonially interred remains of 18 men, probably soldiers who had been ritually sacrificed. Further work has revealed more than 130 skeletons of both sexes in mass graves along the edges of the temple, as well as beneath it. We will have some free time to explore and also have lunch on our own. In the afternoon, we visit the Outer Compound to see Tetitla or Tepantitla before returning to our hotel in Mexico City. Overnight and dinner at our hotel in Mexico City.

 

 

Day 4: Monday, September 5: To La Venta and Palenque (B/L/D)

We depart our hotel for the airport and board our flight to Villahermosa. Upon arrival, we transfer to our coach to visit the La Venta Archaeological site. Here at La Venta we will view the ancient Olmec ceremonial site that still fascinates as the largest and most important ‘capital’ of Mexico’s mother culture.  La Venta flourished between about 800 and 400 BC on a natural plateau rising about 60 feet above an area of fertile valley is known for its four huge Olmec heads sculpted from basalt including the 90 foot high Edificio, a rounded pyramid constructed out of clay and sand. Afterwards, we have lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to Palenque for dinner and our overnight.

Olmec Head

 

Day 5: Tuesday, September 6: In Palenque (B/L/D)

After breakfast, we meet with Cliff for a morning discussion followed by meditation. Then we are off to visit the Palenque Archaeological site. Considered one of the most important historical sites in Mexico, Palenque was a flourishing Maya city of the 7th century consisting of elegant sculptures, pyramids, and temples with mythological themes.  After its abandonment in the 9th century, thick trees grew and surrounded the temple and palaces. That provided a form of preservation for the structures which kept some of its integrity. In 1987 UNESCO recognized it as part of World Heritage. After lunch at a local restaurant, we continue our touring with a visit to the Museo of Palenque “Alberto Ruz L Hullier”, considered one of the most remarkable archaeological museums in the Maya area,  featuring over 200 objects from different areas of Palenque. It has six rooms where they show remarkable pieces as sculptured panels, whose depictions of rulers and hieroglyphic texts attest to the prominence that reached the city during the Classic period. Overnight and dinner at our hotel in Palenque.

Palenque

 

Day 6, Wednesday, September 7: To Edzna and Campeche (B/L/D)

After breakfast we check out of our hotel and depart for Escarega, named after Francisco Escárcega, a native of Tlaxcala who fought in the Mexican Revolution and where we will have lunch. Then onto Edzna, 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 continue to Campeche for dinner and our overnight.

 

Day 7, Thursday, September 8: To Muna and Uxmal (B/L/D)

We depart Campeche for Muna where we will have lunch and also have some time to shop at Patricia Martin’s ceramic store and visit her workshop. Then continue to Uxmal where we visit the archaeological site 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. 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 into 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. After dinner at our hotel, we will attend a Sound and Light show. Overnight in Uxmal.

 

Day 8, Friday, September 9: In Uxmal (B/L)

Today we spend time visiting the Loltun Caves and Kabah ruins. We start at the Loltun Caves whose  name is derived from two Maya words, LOL (flower) and TUN (stone). Located in the Puuc Route, these are the largest, more famous, and most studied caves on the peninsula. Evidence has been found here of human contact going back 7,000 years. Mammoth, bison, feline and deer bones have been found in the caves, along with fresco paintings on the walls. The tour starts at the entrance of Nahkab, or beehive, where the famous bas-relief known as El Guerrero de Loltún (the Loltún warrior) is located, who seems to be emerging from the caves and is believed to be the God of the underworld. Another attraction of great interest is the cave paintings: on one wall one can see negatives of hands, on another there are more elaborate paintings representing faces, animals and staggered fret patterns. After time to enjoy a box lunch, we visit the Kabah ruins. Although only a small part of this site has been excavated, it’s home to some very interesting and unusual building and sculptures. Overnight in Uxmal.

 

Day 9, Saturday, September 10: To Mayapan and Chichenitza  (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.  We then depart for Cenote Ik kil. The word Cenote comes from the Mayan word “dzonot” or “ts’onot” which means sacred well. Cenotes were the main source of fresh-water for the ancient Mayan civilization. For Mayan people, it represented the doorway to the spiritual underworld. We will have lunch here and some free time. Take your bathing suit, because if it is warm enough, you will be able to swim in these beautiful cenotes. Continue to our hotel in Chichen Itza for dinner and overnight, as well as an Optional Sound and Light program if you wish to attend.

 

 

Day 10, Sunday, September 11: At Chichenitza and onto Merida (B/D)

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 Mayas 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. Afterwards there will be some free time to be able to explore more of Chichen Itza and lunch on your own before we continue to Izamal to tour the Kinich Kakmo Pyramids. Overnight and dinner in Merida.

 

Day 11: Monday, September 12: Depart Merida (B)

This morning depart on your own to the Merida city airport to board your flight back home. You will return renovated and full of new vibes, beautiful memories and new knowledge of ancient cultures. Hasta pronto Mexico.

 


PRICING

Bonus! SAVE! You will receive a 5% discount if ALL payments are made by check or money order. This discounted price is noted below in red.

Tour – Land Only Costs Per Person, double occupancy:
$2,999 payments via check or money order
$3,149  payments via credit card

Tour – Land Only Costs Per Person, single room occupancy:
$3,599 payments via check or money order
$3,789  payments via credit card

Pre-Paid Gratuities:
$125 payments via check or money order
$130 payments via credit card

Optional Sound and Light Show at Chichen Itza on Day 9
$50
  via check or money order
$53 via credit card

Special No Interest + No Payments for 6 Months Plan Now Available!
RMC Travel now offers the “PayPal Credit” Plan (Click here for details)

 

NOTE: The Single Room Supplement applies for those who would like to secure a private room throughout the tour.

ROOMMATES: We will be happy to try to find a suitable roommate for those who are traveling alone and would like to share a room. Per our Terms and Conditions, registration for the tour will be held open until four weeks before the departure date in order to try to match everyone with a roommate. If, by that date, we have not been able to match you with a suitable roommate, you will be responsible to pay for the single supplement. An early registration will facilitate this process.

DEPOSIT SCHEDULE:
Non-Refundable Deposit Payment – due as soon as possible in order to ensure a place on the tour
Per Person Double or Single accommodations: $500 by check or money order, $525 by credit card

Final Payment (final installment due on or before July 1, 2022)

Please read the Terms and Conditions of this tour.

 

If you have already registered and would like to go to the payment page, Click Here.

 


Air Reservations

Body Mind Spirit Journeys is pleased to announce that it has opened an expanded Air Reservation Desk headed by Jeannifer Brady.

Jen can be reached at 1-800-545-1300 or travelbyjeannifer@gmail.com.

Jen will be happy to answer your questions and assist you in making your airline reservations to join your BMSJ Spiritual Journey.

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.