Arrival at Merida International Airport
Joining our next community adventure in the Yucatan?
We value your participation in this Adept Expedition. Our team genuinely cares about you, your safety and your experinece and we don’t mind going the extra to ensure that.
So decided we’ve put together this virtual guide for guests joining our annual community adventure and study trip: The Mysteries of the Maya Expedition. Watching this video below so that by the time you arrive at the Merida International Airport you’ll already have a sense of familiarity.
Welcome to Merida!
After exiting the plane you will turn right, proceed down the escalator and through the sliding glass doors into the Immigration customs area. Here you can use the rest room or pick up another blank customs form if for some reason you missed the hand out during your flight. Be sure to enter in the line marked for non-citizens.
You’ll need to have your customs form already filled out and your passport ready for the first check point. Be prepared to give the guard details about how long you’ll be staying in Mexico and inform him that you’ll be staying at the Hacienda Uxmal. As a tourist they will likely ask you for this information.
Next you will pick up your luggage from the carosel. You may notice a security guard walking a dog inside this section of the airport. This is a common procedure to inspect the area. You will then enter another line where you’ll need to show your passport again and a final check point to inspect your luggage before exiting the Immigration / customs area and entering Yucatan.
After exiting the door (See video above) you’ll turn to your right. Walk the length of the lobby until you start to see people just beyond the sliding glass doors at the entrance.
There you should see our local rep waiting for you. He will be holding a sign with your name on it.
The Merida International Airtport is VERY small – so no worries!
If you do not see our rep holding a sign with your name on it, he may be attending to another guest arriving at the same time. He will likely be back in a few short minutes. You can wait inside the airport next to the outdoor exit. He will find you. Again, the airport is very small and many of the local reps and drivers know each other. So you can ask for the driver from Uxmal Hacienda. If you run into any issues you can call our host at the Uxmal Hacienda. See the email sent out to you one week before the trip for all contact details.
Our local rep will be happy to greet and meet you. He will assist with loading your luggage into the shuttle. You will then be transfered about 60 miles south to our hotel.
We’ll be making our home base the historical Hacienda Uxmal, conveniently located just across the street from the Uxmal Pyramids.
Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Phillip of England, Prince Rainer & Grace of Monaco, Jacqueline Kennedy and her family, along with the Yucatan’s pioneering mayanists, archaeologists and adventurers have all enjoyed the comfort of the historical Hacienda Uxmal while exploring the Yucatan.
Our host at the Hacienda will greet you before helping you get checked-in. No meals are included on this day because guests arrive at different times however if you arrive early and get hungry, the Hacienda Uxmal offers a wonderful restaurant with gourmet meals and the bar by the pool also serves food items. If you have special dietary needs please let us know so our chef can prepare off-menu items for you.
The Uxmal Hacienda will gladly accept US cash, master card, visa and/or exchange your USD (or other currency) into Pesos. You will find a much better rate exchanging your USD into Pesos at Hacienda Uxmal than you will at a bank.
In the evening we will hold a brief meet and greet with your tour leaders, Anyextee and Karina Ceja. Here you’ll meet other members of our expedition over a short oritentation where we’ll review the program itinerary together and answer all questions from guests.
CLICK HERE For Travel Tips and Further Reading – Yucatan Tour