Tour Details

SIAN KA’AN CANAL TOUR

This all day tour combines walking, swimming, and traveling by boat in an exploration of the coastal wetlands of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. It is an ecological tour for people interested in experiencing and learning about nature, ecosystems, tropical birds and plants, as well as Mayan culture and history. Although we occasionally see mammals, snakes, crocodiles and manatees, the tour does not focus on observation of large tropical animals.

Schedule*:

8:10 Pick up At Sian Ka’an Office

8:30 Begin Pick-ups in Tulum Hotel Zone

9:00 Stop at the entrance of the Reserve of Sian Ka’an where the guide will explain the objectives of the reserve and important facts about the existing flora, fauna and ecosystems. Walk an interpretive trail to learn about the vegetation found in the coastal dune areas. Leave for Caapechen Lagoon.

10:00 Get into a 23’ open-air boat with an outboard motor. See diverse ecosystems, plants and birds in the lagoons of Caapechen, Boca Paila and Chunyaxche. Travel through a natural canal used by the ancient maya as a trade route and explore mayan temples. Float in the fresh water canal and relax as the current takes you downstream.

14:15 Return to the boat landing and prepare for return trip.

15:00 Stop at a cenote leaving the reserve for an optional cool-off swim.

16:00 Drop-Off in Tulum Area.

*All times are approximate.

Price: US$68 per person

Recommendations:

We recommend that our passengers wear swimsuits under light cotton clothing with long sleeves, hat or cap, sunglasses, sandals or wet shoes and tennis shoes. Take an extra t-shirt, biodegradable insect repellant, sun block lotion, purified water, towel, simple camera. We suggest binoculars and snorkel gear if you have them.

Rules: -Do not leave any trash.

-Do not extract any materials from the Reserve (shells, coral, leaves), everything plays a part in the survival of the ecosystem.

-Do not feed the fish or any other animals

Tours in English and Spanish.

Cold water, drinks, snacks and lunch.

Tour limited to 12 people a day (6 people per boat).

Ground transportation in vans.

**Cancellations or changes accepted no later than 24 hours prior to trip.

No refunds for no-shows.

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SIAN KA’AN SUNSET TOUR

This tour is designed for people interested in seeing tropical birds as well as getting a general introduction to the Sian Ka’an Reserve. Taking place in the afternoon, the tour activities include swimming and snorkeling in a cenote, bird watching, watching the sunset over the lagoons and visiting a small Mayan ruin. The highlight of the trip is gently coasting along an isolated mangrove island which is nesting ground of numerous tropical birds.

Schedule*:

13:30 Pick-up at hotel along Tulum Hotel Zone.

14:00 Stop at the entrance of the Reserve of Sian Ka’an where the guide will explain the objectives of the reserve and important facts about the existing flora, fauna and ecosystems. Walk an interpretive trail to learn about the vegetation found in the coastal dune areas. Swim in a magnificent secluded cenote. Leave for Caapechen Lagoon.

15:00 Get into a 23’ open-air boat with outboard motor. See diverse ecosystems, plants and birds in the lagoons of Caapechen, Boca Paila and San Miguel. Visit a sea inlet, Mayan Ruin, visit the Bird Island, a nesting ground for tropical birds, and watch the sunset over the mangrove and lagoon.

17:30 Return to the boat landing.

18:30 Drop-off at hotel in Tulum.

*All times are approximate. Add 1 hour in summer time.

Price: US$70 per person

Recommendations:

We recommend that our passengers wear swimsuits under light cotton clothing with long sleeves, hat or cap, sunglasses, sandals, wet shoes, or tennis shoes. Take a sweater or light jacket, biodegradable insect repellant, sunblock lotion, purified water, towel, simple camera. We suggest binoculars and snorkel gear if you have them.

Rules: -Do not leave any trash.

-Do not remove anything from the Reserve (shells, coral, leaves), everything plays a part in the survival of the ecosystem.

-Do not feed the fish or any other animal.

Cold water, drinks and dinner provided. Tour limited to 12 people a day. Ground transportation in vans.

***Cancellations or changes accepted no later than 24 hours prior to trip. No refunds for no-shows.

Sian Ka’an (“Where the sky is born” in Maya) was established as a Biosphere Reserve in 1986 and incorporated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. Together with the adjacent protected area of Uaymil, Sian Ka’an covers a total area of almost 1.6 million acres in the central zone of Mexico’s Caribbean coast, making it one of the largest protected areas in the country.

· It is home to more than 345 bird species, receiving up to a million migratory birds from the United States and Canada each year.

· Sian Ka’an is host to 103 mammals such as the agouti, coatimundi, opossum, gray fox, anteater, bat, jaguar, puma, ocelot, margay, jaguarondi, spider and howler monkeys, peccary, and tapirs.

· We find a variety of reptiles, among them: two species of crocodile, iguanas, basilisks, serpents, and on its beaches, 4 species of sea turtles.

· The Reserve is approximately 1/3 tropical forests, 1/3 wetlands, and 1/3 marine ecosystems.

Detailed Tour Information