Lost City Marathon

24 Feb 2024

Lost City Marathon 2024: 9-Day Package

Start your visit to Mexico by the beach in Playa del Carmen, visit Chichén Itzá and experience the vibrant cities of Campeche and Mérida.
19-27 Feb
9 days
1 490 USD

Book package

The 9-day package is an excellent opportunity to experience the Yucatan peninsula and its unique cenotes, world class beaches, colorful cities and of course the Chichén Itzá - one of the 7 modern wonders of the world.

Leaving Playa del Carmen behind, we embark on a journey, exploring the path towards Palenque while preparing ourselves for the big race day! 

English

Itinerary

The itinerary is detailed below. This is what you'll be doing during your stay!

19 FEB 2024Arrival in Cancún - Transfer to Playa del Carmen

This tour starts in Cancún airport. According to your arrival time this day we will arrange transportation from the airport to your chosen hotel in Playa del Carmen.

The drive to Playa del Carmen takes 45-60 minutes and upon arrival you can simply kick back and relax in this famous vacation town.

Note: Check-in cannot be guaranteed before 15:00, but luggage can be stored at the hotel while you stroll the city or visit the beach if you arrive early.
It is possible to book pre-nights if you want more time to explore. 

Meals: No meals included on Standard package. Deluxe has all inclusive from the time of your check in.

20 FEB 2024Playa del Carmen

A full day to relax by the beach and enjoy Playa del Carmen.

Meals: Breakfast for standard package. Deluxe package has all inclusive.

21 FEB 2024Chichén Itza, cenote and Campeche

After breakfast it is time to wave goodbye to the beach as we head inland for the amazing Chichén Itzá. Named one of the 7 Modern Wonders of the World in 2007 the Chichén Itzá is of course the most famous of the Maya cities, but it was also one of the most important places of the Maya civilization.
The pyramid known as El Castillo - a geometrical, astronomical and architechtural masterpiece rises majestically in the center of the archeological zone, but Chichén Itzá has many excavated and reconstructed buildings including one of the finest ball courts from the period of the Maya. 

After our guided tour in Chichén Itzá we continue our journey west, but on the way we make a stop by a cenote for a swim. Cenotes are sinkholes where the limestone bedrock has collapsed and exposed groundwater. The Maya used these as a source of fresh water while today they are more popular as natural swimming pools. 

In the evening we reach the coastal city of Campeche - an often overlooked gem of the Yucatan peninsula. The city center has well preserved Baroque colonial buildings and a walled historical district.

Meals: Breakfast

22 FEB 2024Palenque

We start the day with a small sightseeing in Campeche before heading west to Palenque, which we reach in the late afternoon.

Palenque town is located 8km from the Maya ruins of Palenque.  It is a small and a relaxing place to stay, with a vibrant square andand several good restaurants.

As we check in to our hotel we can enjoy the evening ambience and get in to "race weekend" mode.

Meals: Breakfast 

23 FEB 2024Explore the Maya ruins of Palenque - race briefing

The day before race day we will drive to the Maya ruins of Palenque where the race kicks off. 

The Palenque ruins used to be a Maya city state, but perished on the brink of the 9th century after more or less 1000 years of existence. It was a medium-sized city on a Maya scale, but none-the-less a very important site. Due to its location right between the flat Yucatan and the mountains Palenque become a connecting center for several city states and has some of the finest architecture of all the Maya cities.
It is estimated that only about 10% of the constructions have been excavated with the rest of the city still being lost to the jungle...

After the guided tour there will be time to explore the area on your own before the bus leaves. On the way back all runners meet at the Chan-Kah Jungle Resort for lunch and a race briefing by the race offials. At this time your race packs will be handed out, the most important details about tomorrow's race will be explained and questions can be asked to the officials and medical team.

Back at your hotel the rest of the afternoon can be used to relax at the hotel or take a stroll through the cosy town of Palenque.

In the evening a pasta buffet dinner is served at your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner 

24 FEB 2024Race Day

Today is the big day! You will enjoy an early breakfast at your hotel before we take the bus to the start at 06:00 am.

All runners will be dropped off at the parking lot outside the Palenque Archeological Zone. Here bags and items for the finish line can be dropped and toilets will be available.
The race will be started in waves, with marathon runners in the first waves and half marathon runners in the last waves.
10 minutes before the start of each wave the runners in that wave will be allowed to enter the Archeological Zone and line up at the start. No items that are not being used during the race can be taken inside. This includes drinks of any kind, food of any kind, bags, and extra clothing that is not being worn for at least the first 3 kilometers.

The first wave starts at 07:00 am.

The finish line is located by the Chiapaneca restaurant where a post-race meal is included. Shuttle busses will be ready to bring runners back to their hotels.

Meals: Breakfast & lunch in the Finish Area

25 FEB 2024Optional excursion and celebration dinner

After yesterday's run some may want to relax at the hotel pool or take another visit to the Palenque ruins on their own.

You also have the option to reserve an excursion that takes you to the breathtaking waterfalls of Misol-Ha & Agua Azul with our adventure guides. 

In the evening busses will bring everybody to the festive celebration dinner.

Meals: Breakfast & celebration dinner (if the excursion to Agua Azul is booked, lunch is also included)

26 FEB 2024Mérida

Our time in Palenque has come to an end. We leave in the morning and drive to Mérida where we will spend the night.

Mérida is the capital of the state of Yucatan and has a rich cultural heritage of both the Maya and Spanish periods. It is also known to be the safest city in all of Mexcio.

Meals: Breakfast

27 FEB 2024Back to Cancún airport and goodbye Mexico

After an early breakfast our bus will bring us from Mérida to the airport in Cancún. Expected arrival is at 12:00pm, so keep this in mind when booking your flight home.

It is also possible to book a post-night in the airport if your return flight doesn't match the bus arrival time to the airport.

Meals: Breakfast

Excursions

Misol-Ha & Agua Azul waterfalls

25 Feb | 5.5 hours | 85 USD
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If you are a fan of waterfalls you should not miss this excellent excursion to two of Mexico's best - the Misol-Ha and the Agua Azul.

The Misol-Ha is a single drop 35 meter high waterfall that plunges into a circular crystal-clear pool surrounded by lush vegetation. A boardwalk will bring you safely behind the waterfalls, giving you a spectacular and awe-inspiring view.

Agua Azul, meaning "Blue Water" consist of several smaller falls and pools. The water is famous for its very clear and turqouise blue color.

Lunch is included in the excursion.
We recommend that you bring good footwear (no flip flops) as it can be a little muddy around the falls.

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Price information

Prices

All prices are per person in USD.

Standard
Shared double room: 1490 USD
Single room supplement: 450 USD

Deluxe
Shared double room: 1990 USD
Single room supplement: 690 USD

See more details under Accommodation.

Inclusions

  • 2 nights accommodation at chosen hotel in Playa del Carmen
  • 4 nights accomodation at chosen hotel in Palenque
  • 1 night accommodation in Campeche + 1 night in Mérida
  • Transfer from and to Cancún airport on 19th and 27th February 2024
  • Bus transportation as described in the program
  • Daily breakfast
  • Snack lunch and one beer or soft drink at the finish area day 6
  • Lunch day 4
  • Celebration dinner Day 7
  • Guided tour to Palenque ruins incl. entry ticket
  • Guided tour to Chichén Itzá ruins incl. entry ticket
  • English speaking tour leader

Note: If choosing the Deluxe package the stay in Playa del Carmen is all inclusive (some food and alcoholic beverages at a fee)

Exclusions

  • Race entry
  • Optional excursions
  • Travel and health insurance 
  • Meals not stated in the itinerary 
  • Beverages
  • Personal expenses
  • Anything not mentioned under 'Inclusions'

Race Entry

Marathon or Half-Marathon:

250 USD

Race entry includes: 

  • English-speaking race officials
  • English-speaking medical team from Denmark
  • Timing and results
  • Medal
  • Craft Runners T-shirt
  • Manned water and energy drink stations along the route 
  • Collapsible cup for hydration 
  • Transportation to start area and from finish area

Pre-night in Playa del Carmen. Post-night in Cancún airport.

It is possible to add one or two extra nights in Playa del carmen before the 9-day itinerary. Extra nights will be at the same hotel as chosen for the tour package.
Prices pr. person pr. night in USD:

Standard package: Hacienda Paradise Hotel
Shared doble room: 85 USD
Single room supplement: 85 USD

Deluxe package: Viva Wyndham Azteca
Shared doble room: 225 USD
Single room supplement: 100 USD

If finding a flight out of Cancún after 2:00pm is not possible on the last day of the tour it is possible to book a post-night at an airport hotel.

Cancún Airport hotel
Shared doble room: 100 USD
Single room supplement: 100 USD

Booking and Payment

The booking of a trip is binding for both customer and travel agency once the deposit (25% of the total trip price) has been paid at the time of booking on the booking.albatros-adventure.com website. The remaining amount must be paid 75 days prior to departure. A payment link will be send 7 days before due date. If the deadline for the remaining payment is exceeded, there is no guarantee against otherwise unnecessary changes. Bookings made later than 75 days prior will require full payment immediately.

The email sent to the customer upon booking a trip acts as the booking confirmation. It is therefore of vital importance that the customer provides a valid email address.

Refer to our Terms & Conditions for further information.

Important Info

Questions about Palenque or Mexico?

For information on visas, currency, electricity, and more, please check our Destination Guide page.

For information on weather and clothing, please check the our Climate & Weather page. 

If you're curious about the destinations that we'll be visiting or other background information on Mexico, you can read all about it on our Travel Destination page. 

Book this package

You will be taken to our booking site where you can complete your booking.