Small-Group Full-Day Tour of Bonampak and Yaxchilán from Palenque

You will be picked up from your Palenque hotel in the early morning and travel to the archaeological eating breakfast along the way to the site of Yaxchilán. Absorbed and hidden in the Lacandon Forest, this site has a terrific setting above a horseshoe loop in the Río Usumacinta. The control this location gave it over river commerce, and a series of successful alliances and conquests, made Yaxchilán one of the most important classic Mayan cities in the Usumacinta region. Archaeologically, Yaxchilán is famed for its ornamented facades and roof combs, and its impressive stone lintels carved with conquest and ceremonial scenes. A flashlight is helpful for exploring some parts of the site. After the exploration is done, you will break for lunch (included).

Next, you will see Bonampak, which gives you a striking view of the social organization and daily lives of the Mayan people. Embedded in the Lacandon Jungle, the ruins lay with their painted walls in the Mayan language. They stand out from surrounding temple complexes because of the famous Temple of Murals. The murals lining the walls of this temple depict with astonishing realism and vivid colors of the actions of a battle. These murals are considered some of the most impressive of pre-Hispanic Mexico's many treasures. Spanning over four thousand hectares, to date, this ancient city has only been explored in two buildings: the Great Plaza and the Acropolis, which together make up a rectangular space of 110m (360ft) in length and 87m (285ft) in width. When you are done exploring, you will return to Palenque, and end the tour with a drop-off to your hotel.