Visit Mayan Ruins For A History Lesson or Adventure

Visit Mayan Ruins for a history lesson or adventure to zip line in the Riviera Maya. Our group of ten did both…and more at the Coba Ruins with AllTourNative Tours. The Coba Mayan Encounter tour was perfect for us.

Visit Mayan Ruins For a History Lesson

Our driver and tour guide, Rebecca, with AllTourNative Tours, presented the ancient Maya beliefs of embracing and respecting the environment and of the spiritual connections between good and evil — all in the van ride to the Coba Ruins. So began our visit to Mayan Ruins Coba.

Receive Blessings from a Shaman

Something quite unexpected happened to our small group on our visit to the Mayan Ruins Tour: we received blessings from a Shaman. The Shaman is a spiritual leader or healer who performs rituals. Shamans help those in need of spiritual or physical healing.

The Shaman spoke to our group in his ancient language, imparting the importance of cenotes to the Maya culture. He offered us blessings of good health and well-being for our day and afterward.

The words may have been in a language foreign to us, but the message was received. We were in the presence of spirituality of the deepest meaning.

Learn about Maya Writing

The Maya are known for their complex writing system, an alphabet of hieroglyphs. It is based on three types of symbols representing whole words, syllables, and of glyphs (representing the names of places and their gods).  An advanced numbering system used numbers 1-29. The earliest known writing dates are from around 250 B.C., found carved in bark, wood, jade, and stone.

Experience Maya Architecture

When you visit Mayan Ruins of Coba, there is an automatic lesson in Maya architecture. Impressive pyramids were built for spiritual purposes to observe the heavens and to please their Gods. It’s remarkable to see the structures constructed as far back as A.D. 600, without using metal tools.

The tallest pyramid in the northern Yucatan, Nohoch Mui, is in the Coba ruins park. It extends 137 feet high and consists of 120 steps to the top. Climbers in the park hike to the top for breathtaking views of the Yucatan jungle.

Swim in an Underground Cenote

Underground rivers are prevalent in the Yucatan. A cenote forms when the roof of a cave collapses and a pool forms. Because this clear pool is the Maya source of drinking water, visitors are responsible for respecting and preserving it. The villagers understandably asked us to shower before swimming in their drinking water.

Swimming in the clear, fresh water was a blessing beyond imagination. We couldn’t believe the natural beauty of the water and stalactites and stalagmites surrounding us.

Zipline Riviera Maya

History and adventure co-mingled throughout our day with AllTourNative Tours. We crossed two ponds on zip lines, watching out for crocodiles.

Rappel in the Jungle Maya

Our group rappelled into the jungle Maya, dropping over 55 feet, and found it exhilarating. Guides ensure harnesses and ropes are safely secure, and the drop is controlled for safety.

Canoe in a Freshwater Lagoon

We canoed through a freshwater lagoon feeling the chilly temperatures on our faces. We paddled through narrow waterways where we were eye-level to jungle plants.

AllTourNative Tours is a pioneer in Eco-Tourism

Whether you Visit Mayan Ruins for a lesson in history or to Zipline Riviera Maya, or both, the tours offered by AllTourNative are guaranteed to be ecologically friendly. No motorized vehicles are in the park.

The company, begun in 1999, focuses on the economic, social, and cultural development of Maya communities, through their tours of the Riviera Maya. AllTourNative emphasized the protection and conservation of the tropical rainforest. It actively employs Maya residents in the tourism industry, from the skilled photographers to the guides holding the rappelling ropes!

Visitors like us are treated to a typical home-cooked Maya lunch, so their culture and tradition are honored.

We bought locally-produced honey and cocoa powder in the community store. Notice the recycled helmets used as planters!

Loving our Coba Mayan Encounter

Grans on the Go (Melanie and Marla) had such a good time on a press trip with Travel Writers Academy. We met new friends, visited the beautiful Riviera Maya, and learned a lot too! Our many thanks to AllTourNative Tours.

By the way, we recommend Mexico in January…just sayin!

A huge thank you to AllTourNative Tours for their generous hospitality. We enjoyed this visit as professional bloggers, but as always, all opinions are our own.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we use personally and believe will add value to our readers.

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