Ruta Puuc Tour
NileGuide Expert Says:
Visiting the Mayan archeological sites and the Loltun Cave is one of the top ten daytrips from Merida.Address:
NileGuide Expert tip:
A convenient but brisk way to travel the Ruta Puuc from Mérida is to take the daily ATS (Autotransportes del Sur) Ruta Puuc bus. It departs the 2nd class TAME station (Calle 68, between 70 and 72) at 8:00am and stops for one half hour at Kabah, Sayil, Xlapak, Labná, and two hours at Uxmal.Description:
Driving the Ruta Puuc, or Puuc Route, is a favorite day or overnight trip for visitors to Mexico that leads south from Merida, the capital of Yucatan, through the Puuc Hills to Mayan archeological sites like Uxmal, Labna, Kabah, Sayil, Xlapak, and Mayapan. The pre-historic Loltun Caves descend far into the ground near the towns of Santa Elena, Ticul, and Oxkutxcob, the three best towns in the area in which to spend the night and find good restaurants serving Yucatecan regional cuisine. The Puuc Route, which follows Highways 261 and 180, also passes interesting 19th century henequen haciendas that now live new lives as museums and hotels.The Puuc Hills command instant attention on the flat Yucatan Peninsula, beginning their rise 80 km south of Merida and extending into northern Campeche and western Quintana Roo states. Ancient Mayan builders used limestone quarried here to construct imposing edifices in a style that has come to be known as Puuc Architecture, which reached its peak period of accomplishment between 750 and 900 AD.
Puuc style is characterized by two significant developments, one seen and one unseen. At Uxmal's enormous residence, the Governor's Palace, these two developments can be easily discerned: the surface of the façade above the doorways is an intricate mosaic of carefully fitted stone pieces, creating an expansive, detailed, and beautiful decoration. Unseen is the Puuc style's other development: the façade hides a concrete core, which allowed the highly skilled Mayan architects to design larger and more stable interior rooms, whose crumbling walls reveal the construction.
During your travels along the Ruta Puuc, spend the night with the friendly owner-operators of Flycatcher Inn or Bungalows Sacbe in Santa Elena or at the luxurious Starwood property, Hacienda Temozon. Excellent regional cuisine can be found in Santa Elena at Restaurant Chac Mool or The Pickled Onion, and in Ticul at Los Almendros, the original restaurant of a popular chain that now extends across Mexico.
Getting There
By Car: Drive south from Mérida 80 km (50 miles) on Highway 261 past Muna to Km 78 where you will find Uxmal. Santa Elena is located X miles (20 km) farther south. Next, drive 9 km south to Kabah. Turn west on Highway X that leads to Sayil, Labna, Xlapak, and the Loltun Caves. Continue northeast to Ticul and follow Highway 180 that leads to Mayapan Ruins (don't go to the town of the same name by accident). Continue on Highway 180 to return to Merida.
By Bus: A convenient but brisk way to travel the Ruta Puuc from Mérida is to take the daily ATS (Autotransportes del Sur) Ruta Puuc bus. It departs the 2nd class TAME station (Calle 68, between 70 and 72) at 8:00am and stops for one half hour at Kabah, Sayil, Xlapak, Labná, and two hours at Uxmal. To Mérida: The return bus leaves Uxmal at 2:30pm. Round Trip: MX$148/US$15.
By Group Tour: Tour operators in Merida offer guided tours with transportation to the Ruta Puuc. Some recommended companies are Turitransmérida, Orbitur, Mayan Ecotours, and Catherwood Travels.
