Native Trails MyTrails 2025 307 Yucatán a tower. On the square in front of the church, you will notice the vivid bustle of a big fruit market. Although a wide range of vegetables and fruits is on sale here, it is in particular the offer of citrus fruits that is likely to surpass anything you have known before. 56 Visit of the ruins of Kabah Duration: 01:30 h · Level: Easy Kabah is one of the most spectacular places in Puuc style. It is thought to have been an affiliated town of Uxmal since they were linked by a sacbé (Mayan causeway). Kabah is primarily famous for its Palace of the Masks, a structure 46 m (150 ft.) long, which is also called Codz Poop (“rolled matting”). The western façade of the building is completely covered with about 250 masks of the rain god Chaac, with archaeologists supposing their number to have once been nearly 450. 57 Tekax city tour Duration: 01:00 h · Level: Easy You start your tour through Tekax de Álvaro Obregón at the church of San Juan Bautista. The impressive façade of the former monastic church from the early 17th century features two large, slightly retracted bell-gables. The next destination, a car service, is only seemingly unusual, because it is accommodated in one of the highest old buildings of Tekax, the “Casa de los 3 pisos”; if he is not too busy, the owner will be glad to show you around. You should not neglect to take the ascent to the hermitage of San Diego – you will be rewarded with a magnificent view over the town. 58 Visit to the Grutas Chocantes Duration: 04:00 h · Level: Easy At the foot of a hill near Tekax, the ‘city of forests’, you begin your short hike with an ascent to a fascinating panoramic view over the desert thorn forest of Yucatán. Continue to the entrance of the Grutas Chocantes; one of the most extraordinary caves in Mexico opens up beneath the earth's surface here. Whimsical stalactite formations hang from the ceiling like giant curtains, cascades of calcium carbonate glitter in the light, which is why the cave is also known as the Crystal Grotto, and spread across the walls and floor. Finds of broken clay vessels, cave paintings and signs of campfires suggest that the cave was once used by Mayans. 59 Visit of the ruined site of Sayil Duration: 01:30 h · Level: Easy The ruins of Sayil, a site flourishing in the 8th century AD, are scattered over a wide area. The “Place of Ants” impresses the visitor mainly by its “Great Palace,” which has 94 rooms in several stories and a highly symmetric layout. Despite its size, it is unlikely that more than 9,000 people have ever lived in the town. Sayil was rediscovered by the archeologists Stephens and Catherwood in 1842. 60 Visit of the archaeological zone of Xlapak Duration: 01:00 h · Level: Easy Located between its larger neighbors Sayil and Labná is the small archaeological area of Xlapak. As in other Puuc architectural sites, elaborately decorated masks of the rain god Chaac dominate the upper areas of the palace structures. On your tour you will also see the chultunes (artificial water cisterns in contrast to the natural fresh water cenotes), which indicate a strong settlement and important agriculture. 61 Visit of the archaeological site Labná Duration: 01:30 h · Level: Medium Labná was built in Puuc style and is less well known than the big archaeological excavations in Yucatán, however it is no less interesting. In the predominantly unspoilt surroundings, the city is impressive thanks to the ornate façades and beautiful relief of the rain god Chaac. Enjoy the architecture of the area during a walk along one of the last preserved sacbés which leads from the large palace to the “El Mirador” temple, located on a pyramid (total height almost 20 m [65 ft.]), to the superb archways. Sacbés, the Maya roads, once connected Labná with neighbouring Sayil, Kabah and Uxmal.
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