I wanted to go to Bacalar, not just to see the lake, but to experience the lake. There were a few different tour companies available, but the one I choose was Bacalar Adventure Tours. I went on the Bacalar Full Adventure, so here’s my review:
Disclaimer: I received media rates on the Bacalar Full Adventure with Bacalar Adventure Tours, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. All opinions are my own.
About Bacalar Adventure Tours
Bacalar Adventure Tours is still a fairly young company (at the time of writing), it has only been going for about a year. They offer a variety of tours from Bacalar and Chetumal to surrounding areas and ruins. This ecotourism company, runs snorkelling, kayaking, jungle and ruin tours. The guides will tell you about nature, biodiversity, Bacalar history and Mayan culture.
One of the reasons I was drawn to Bacalar Adventure Tours was their association with the Lynx Foundation. This foundation is a non-profit organisation, with projects to conserve the biodiversity of the region. The projects include conservation and education of the local people. This helps with jaguar conservation, something that I am very interested in.
Getting The Kayaks Ready For The Adventure
About Bacalar Full Adventure
The Bacalar Full Adventure was due to start with a 7 am pick up and finish at 2:30 pm. So a seven and a half hour tour, I’d class that as a full day! The early start is so that you are kayaking in the cool morning.
Starting with a kayak on Lake Bacalar, you make your way to the Pirate Canal, where you have some free time to swim and the guide gives you some information on the canal and the lagoon itself. The guide will also point out any species of interest as they appear (or if you ask about them). After the free time, you get a drink and some snacks before kayaking on. The next stop is the Black Cenote, on Bacalar Lake. Here there is more free swimming time.
At Bacalar Lake, Ready For Kayaking
After swimming in Black Cenote you kayak a little further to the pick up point. Once the kayaks are loaded up you drive on to the breakfast/lunch stop. At the restaurant the guide shows you what meal choices are covered by the tour, there are quite a few to choose from, plus a drink.
Once the meals are finished the tour takes you to the Pirate Fort in Bacalar. Here you can get some great views of the lake from the walls. You also have a guided tour of the museum, where your guide will tell you the history of Bacalar, the history of pirates and some of the important pirates of the time.
The last stop on the tour is Blue Cenote. Here there is free time to swim. Our guide swam across the cenote with us and told us about it. He even took us to a place where you could climb a tree and dive into the cenote.
My Review
I loved this tour and the company, I just loved everything about it. It was great that I’d contacted Rodrigo the evening before the tour and it was not a problem getting us on the next day. Rodrigo was very contactable and answered all questions that I had the evening before. He was even able to arrange for me to be picked up from the AirBnB I was staying at, rather than having to find a nearby hotel to walk to.
The guide, Rodrigo, is also the owner, was one of the best guides I’ve had. He was informative, happy to answer questions, friendly and just generally nice to be around.
The food was great and plentiful. There was a lot of choice on the menu.
The tour was well thought out, with a good balance of being guided, being told lots of information, and free time.
Also, the fact that this tour helps with the conservation of jaguars, really makes me like the company. It’s always good to know you are giving back to the place you travel to.
View Of Bacalar Lake From The Pirate Fort
My Score – 5/5
Easily one of the best tour companies I’ve been with. Everything was well thought out and I loved the tour. Infact I loved the tour so much I booked to do the Calakmul Tour for a few days later!
As I have said, Rodrigo was a brilliant guide and was amazing from booking enquiry to dropping me back off at the AirBnB. He could not do enough to ensure the tour ran smoothly and his guests were happy. What more could you ask for in a tour company?
Cenote Azul, Ready For A Swim
