Your day of exploring and sightseeing will start right outside the cruise terminal in Progreso - no need to take the shuttle bus into town to meet your excursion. Your guide will greet you and get you onboard the air-conditioned transportation to begin the day combined with Mayan ruins and sightseeing. Dzibilchaltun, pronounced d-zeeble-chal-toon, are ruins situated just south of Progreso. The imp
ressive ruins are lesser-known than Chachhoben so fewer crowds! Along the short route, your certified, English speaking guide will go over the plan for the day. Have your questions ready and your cameras handy. When you arrive at Dzibilchaltun, you will have the opportunity to see many of the structures and learn more about the Mayans culture. One of the most famous structures is the Temple of the Seven Dolls named for the seven small dolls found when archaeologists discovered the ruins in the 1950's. One of the unique features of the Temple is the position the Mayans constructed the building. The Temple is situated so that on the day of the Spring Equinox, the sun rises and shines directly through one temple window and out the other. Cenote de XLacah, a large freshwater sinkhole, is also well known and you will be able to take a dip in it if you wish if conditions allow. An unusual oddity is the ruins of a 16th-century Spanish church built within Dzibilchaltun grounds making it a unique combination clash of religions side by side. Located on the grounds are a visitor center with maps, restrooms, and gift shop. There is also a renovated museum with many examples of Mayan artifacts that you may view. Your transportation will take you back to your cruise pier terminal in Progreso after this Dzibichaltun Mayan Ruins Excursion.
