steve1526

Hi: Wondering if someone familiar with the area could help us with recommendation for a guide/naturalist to take a family of 3 on a private tour to ruins and swim sites in Cancun. We had a naturalist take us around parts of Costa Rica and it was amazing and changed our understanding of nature. We hope to visit ancient sites, learn about local history and the like - nothing extreme sports oriented. Someone very knowledgeable, with strong English (and a car or the ability to drive a car we rent), whose prices are fair in mid-February 2017 - staying in Quitana Roo vicinity - would be greatly appreciated. Everything we see online looks very commercial and a bit over the top either in prices, activities or both. Thank you, in advance, for any suggestions if you have used someone you liked.

SambaChula

IN Cancun?

If you want to see ruins in the Yucatan, Colonial towns, huge turtles and rays in Akumal, cenotes, and the Sian Ka'an biosphere, get out of tourist over-run Cancun and stay locally in posadas or rent a condo.

Yucatreks does small group tours in a van and comes well recommended.
For the biosphere, the Maya community runs tours from Tulum with locally-raised native residents who know the ecosystem intimately and who've been trained as guides.

kja

Consider a visit to the Sian Ka'an biosphere:
http://www.visitsiankaan.com

schmerl

Monica Rendon Tours. She does private tours. Very knowledgeable.
Also Edventure Tours. They have some set tours on their site but will design a day around what you want to do.

SambaChula

These folks (agency in Tulum) are LOCAL Maya, who grew up living out in the countryside in this area, and supporting the local Tulum Maya community is something I think is important:

https://www.facebook.com/Community-T...8020237642612/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Peninsula.html

jamie99

You can drive yourself to the ruins and hire guides onsite at the entrance. Otherwise Edventures is a good one, I met Eddie about 7 years ago or so, he is local and related somehow to the late Lalo.
He or his staff can setup a private tour to visit a ruin (maybe Coba where you can climb), stop on the way back to visit a cenote and stop at Akumal to swim with the sea turtles.
Otherwise maybe a tour of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve or the Punta Laguna Monkey Reserve (near Coba somewhat). Jungle Place books two months or more in advance.

steve1526

Thanks to each of you for responding and sharing ideas. It is very helpful. Contacting locals makes a lot of sense. Since it is a busy holiday week, it would be good to have a reservation nailed down sooner rather than later, but I'll keep the idea of looking for guides at entrances to sites in mind. Is there any kind of certification that helps a naive visitor distinguish one guide from another on site (e.g., Costa Rica Naturalists are certified and carry credentials)? Thanks, again

steve1526

Is anyone familiar with Viatour tour guides - local guides who work through a web service offering 100% guaranteed satisfaction and 20% down payment? Rates seem fair at first glance.

Also, I have tried repeatedly by phone, email and Facebook private messaging to make contact with Community Tours Sian Kaan Tulum with no success. Any suggestions?

Continued thanks

kja

Viator organizes tours all over the world. Some good, some not so much.

For Sian Ka'an, did you try the site I linked above? I believe I directed you to the official site -- the one authorized by UNESCO. I was very well satisfied with the tour I took with them.

kja

@ JCPE21 -- advertising is not allowed on Fodor's.