The Puuc Route is the perfect excuse to get to know the interior of Yucatan, visiting Mayan settlements with the most exquisite architectural style: puuc
The one known as Puuc Route It is an area that aggravates different archaeological zones of the same Mayan architectural style. It is a very interesting area also for those who like history and town. A few days around here and you will get to know the Yucatecan soul.
How to travel the puuc route?
There are 3 basic ways to travel the area:
- CAR RENTAL: many travelers dare to drive through the tranquil Yucatan Peninsula. At your own pace and you get everywhere. If you decide to do it on your own, I recommend you stay a couple of days or more in this area, much to discover.
- TOUR WITH AGENCY: from Mérida travel agencies offer tours to different settlements of the puuc. They are one day tours.
- COLLECTIVE TRANSPORT: From Mérida, buses depart from the bus station on Calle 69 between 68 and 70, a bus leaves that runs along the Puuc Route. It leaves at 8am and returns at 16pm on Sundays.
What vestiges form the route puuc?
Basically the archaeological zones that form this route are Xlapak, Sayil, Labná, Kabah and Uxmal, the jewel of the puuc. Oxkintok and Acanceh is also part of this Puuc Route, although they are somewhat further away.
All of them were joined by sacba (White road in Yucatec Maya), facilitating communication and trade between the different cities. The network of roads along the Maya territory is impressive.
Explore the 5 archeological zones in Yucatán safety pins
What is the puuc style
All these old cities share a common and own architecture, the puuc style. For many the most exquisite, elaborate and careful among all Mayan styles.
Others Mayan architectural styles, marked according to times and territory, are the Bec River, Southeast, central Petén, Usumacinta, Chenes, eastern coast.
Puuc archeological zones
If you like stones Visiting this area will excite you. In addition to the beautiful walks among nature that these enclosures offer you, you will find details, buildings or recesses that will catch you. For me, visits to archeological sites is part of the tourism of culture and nature.
Uxmal it is a must, Sayil It has an amazing main building, Kabah it is a richness in details and history, in Labna you find one of the most notorious arcs of the Mayan civilization, Xlapak It has a nice walk between buildings to discover.
How to complement the Puuc Route?
MUSEUM OF COCOA: near the Uxmal area you will find the Eco-Museo del Cacao. Cacao is one of the original products of the region, the drink of the Mayan elites in ancient times.
LAS GRUTAS DE LOLTÚN: this area is also called puke (In the Mayan language it means hill or hill), because it is defined by several hills whose altitude reaches about 300 meters: a record for the practically flat Yucatan peninsula. These geological properties of the region puke They do not form the famous cenotes here, but rather incredible dry caves such as those of Loltún, Tzabnah or those of Tekax.
The underground is a world to explore, you will understand the special geological characteristics of the area.
ROUTE OF THE CONVENTS: The Route of the convents in this area was where the colonizer settled most strongly, and in each town there is at least one church. The Route of the Convents offers us some of the most relevant places for its history such as Maní, Chumayel or Teabo, Umán, Muna, Chumayel, Oxkutzcab, Santa Elena, Ticul.
Do you think renting a car?
Traveling by car the Puuc Route is the best option because of the ease it gives you in an area with little local transport.
I recommend you book your car online months before, especially if you travel in peak times such as Christmas, Easter or summer. They tend to increase prices as the date approaches, just as it happens with airline tickets. You do not need an 4 × 4 to travel the area. If you have any questions write us and we try to solve.
Book from this Rentalcars link directly with them, they give you the comparison of prices between companies and opinions of other customers.
Where to sleep in the Ruta Puuc:
In most towns you find where to sleep. For my part, I have a devotion to Santa Elena as a base camp for the area. In Ticul and Oxkutzcab you find lodgings, and in the vicinity of Uxmal. You have the possibility of sleeping in a Hacienda, some of them renovated in luxury hotels. Yaxcopoil and Sotuta de Paón are some possibilities.
I leave the offers of accommodation in the Uxmal area if you are interested in staying in the area.
Booking.comA few days populating around here and you can meet the affable Yucatec Maya. This area is an authentic delight, here you will live your authentic Yucatan.
The Puuc route, archaeological site
LOCATION:The Puuc Route is located about 80 kilometers south of the city of Mérida.SCHEDULE AND SERVICES: the archaeological zones open from 8 to 17 daily hours. There are services at the entrances to the archaeological zones.
PRICE ENTRY: less Uxmal, which costs 218 pesos for foreigners and 154 pesos for nationals, the others are about 53 mxn. On Sundays the entrance of the INAH is free for Mexicans and permanent residents. Access to archeological sites is free every day for children under 13, students, teachers and senior citizens with valid credentials.
HOW TO GET IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION?From Mérida, the ADO station on 69 Street between 68 and 70 leaves a collective that runs along the Puuc Route. Go to the 8 and return to the 16.
WHAT TO BRING? Light and light clothes, hat, insect repellent, closed and comfortable shoes to climb structures and protect yourself from insect bites, some water always goes well.
Good way,
- Offers on flights international and national ..
- Find the accommodation with the best offers from Booking.com.
- Stay with airbnb and get 25 € discount.
- Contract activities, tours and excursions organized.
- Rent a car with the indispensable and necessary best discounts.
- Secure your transfers of arrival or departure to the airport.
- Travel safely with IATI and take advantage of 5% off.
If you prefer, you tell us your idea of the trip and together we organize it.
It is a pleasure to know the world thanks to these post ...
Thanks Carlos 🙂
Of course the walk looks very healthy, as you present it, make you want to live it, greetings!
Hello! I will be traveling to the Yucatan Peninsula on February 2017, and the only doubt we have about the trip is ... Can you go to the puuc route every day or just on Sundays ???? It is a fact that we can not find anywhere!
Thank you!!
Hello Fernando, you can go every day. On Sundays it is free for the national and resident, but you can go daily.
Greetings and very good trip, February is an excellent time to visit here.
Hello, a question, is there a collective or way to travel the route from Santa Elena?
Hello Ixchel, yes there are groups from Santa Elena to the different tourist places. In the three lodgings there are, they give you the information with schedules and they support you in those things. I love Santa Elena Ixchel, a place with a lot of charm.
Best regards,
Good morning,
Do you know if the public transport route continues on Sundays?
Thank you very much!
Hi Sophia, we know we do go out on Sundays.
Best regards,
Hello! Does anyone know the cost of the truck for the puuc route? Thank you!
Hello Vanina, at the moment I have not been able to find out the price, to see if today they answer. I have the phone number for the truck station: 924 0830 ext. 2909 for info. I have not been able to communicate with them.
I hope to answer you soon.
Good morning ... could you tell me how much is the ADO ticket for the Puuc Route? I will thank you very much
Hello Lulu, we try to find out that information without success. Once we get it, we'll put it on, we're sorry.
Best regards,
Hello, I have planned to travel the puuc route; Where do you recommend staying to shorten distances between all the points of the route? I see that they mention Santa Elena; between this and Mérida what is more advisable? The itinerary you post is in collective taxis or is it trucks? Besides this route what other tourist places can we visit are in Yucatan? I hope you can support me with this.
regards
Hello Andres,
I would stay in Santa Elena, from here you can go in groups to the different points of the Puuc route, and I think it is a nice and interesting town where you can live in a more tranquil way. Merida, as a great capital, obviously has its advantages: from here every Sunday the truck goes on the Puuc route. The itinerary is by private car, but you can do it by public transport. In the accommodations that I mention Santa Elena give you the information to go through it. https://www.elcaminomascorto.es/santa-elena-momias-yucateca/
There are so many places to visit. I leave a map where you can get an idea of charming places yourself. I hope it is simple and helps you: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1RL3C9wSjL975IdKIUyXTvblIg70&usp=sharing
Any doubt we continue with it.
Best regards,
Hello, my idea is to go from Mérida to chichen itza and do the puuc route, what do you recommend for the second? Leave from Merida or from another location, and how to take advantage of the time between each site to the maximum without having the pressure to be taken to the car as in a tour? Thank you
Hello Ismael, if you have time I like very much the town of Santa Elena to visit the puuc route, it is where more than one explorer of ancient times stayed to know the area: https://www.elcaminomascorto.es/santa-elena-momias-yucateca/ But the other is to do it from Merida, but you will be more scammed. I hope it helps you.
Enjoy the route 🙂
Hello, I plan to travel the Puuc route with some calm, so I hope to stay nearby. Besides Santa Elena, is there accommodation in Ticul or Oxkutzcab that you recommend? From any of these three villages is there transportation to reach the archaeological sites of the Puuc route or is it necessary to move to Santa Elena to depart from there?
Thank you.
Hello Daniel, in Ticul you find several accommodations in the center without problem, it is a big town. In Oxkutzcab I like the Hotel Puuc, where they give good information to travel the Puuc Route, and Loltún is only 8 kilometers away. From these places you will also find transportation to the puuc route, that's right. In fact Santa Elena and Oxkutzcab are like the beginning and end of the route: Sayil-Labná-Xlapak-Loltun.
Enjoy the trip very much, any doubt I try to support you.
Hello! I plan to visit Uxmal, Mirador de Muna, Mummies of Santa Elena and Ticul next January. They recommended El Mirador (in Muna, Yuc.) As accommodation and starting point for the other points. The detail is that I don't have a car. How is mobility from Muna to the other points mentioned through public transport? Are there buses or combis from Muna to Uxmal and Santa Elena? Would Muna recommend me to establish my starting point or flat Santa Elena is a better option? And if so, how much do the prices of hotels in Santa Elena oscillate? Can I get from Santa Elena to Muna and Ticul without problems? Greetings and thank you very much for answering 🙂
Hi Joseph, how good you will have it here 🙂
The Mirador in Muna is excellent as a lodging, but in the middle of the Muna-Uxmal road, that's why I don't think it's the most convenient without a car. For the points you want to visit, Muna is perfect. Along with Ticul are large towns with several collective transport. Santa Elena is smaller and there is less transportation.
In Muna on 400 pesos you must find hotels with private bathrooms, Santa Elena is more expensive. I leave you the link of Santa Elena and the hotels.
Enjoy a lot, any doubt I try to support you.
enjoy and inform me on your site. Thank you, we will travel by land and we would love to be in Mayan land. They know if tourism is open in August, September. Greetings.
Hello Ricardo, tourism is open, you can travel without any problem following the recommended security protocols.
Have a good trip ?