Ría Lagartos Tours
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Ría Lagartos, a little fishing village on the Mexican Riviera, is home to Parque Natural Ría Lagartos, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve best known for its flocks of flamingos. Situated alongside a long estuary, the park boasts more than 380 bird species, including tens of thousands of flamingos. The birds use Ría Lagartos as their breeding ground.
The Basics
In addition to the pink-feathered birds, visitors can see egrets, herons, pelicans, and falcons, as well as crocodiles. If you visiting during the summer, you may get to see sea turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs on the beach. Ría Lagartos is also a great place to do some fishing. Several multi-day tours and bird-watching tours include Ría Lagartos on their itineraries.
Things to Know Before You Go
How to Get There
Ría Lagartos is about a 3-hour drive south from Cancun or Playa del Carmen via the toll road to Mérida. You can also take a bus from Cancun’s central ADO bus station; the trip takes about 3.5 hours. Private tours arranged from Cancun include hotel pickup and drop-off service.
When to Get There
Although you can spot flamingos year-round in Ría Lagartos, you will view more, along with other species of birds, during the winter months; starting in May the flamingos head off to mate. From May to September, you might be able to spot whale sharks, making this a popular time for snorkeling trips.
Nearby Las Coloradas
Another small fishing village typically coupled with Ría Lagartos on day trips from Cancun, nearby Las Coloradas is surrounded by pink lakes. The region’s salt industry attracts red-colored algae, plankton, and brine shrimp, which give the water its cotton candy hue. You’ll also spot flamingos here, when they come to feed on the shrimp.
The Basics
In addition to the pink-feathered birds, visitors can see egrets, herons, pelicans, and falcons, as well as crocodiles. If you visiting during the summer, you may get to see sea turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs on the beach. Ría Lagartos is also a great place to do some fishing. Several multi-day tours and bird-watching tours include Ría Lagartos on their itineraries.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Ría Lagartos is a must-visit for bird lovers.
- Bring plenty of cash since the nearest ATM is about an hour away.
- Remember to bring binoculars as well as a camera with a zoom lens to view the flamingos.
- Some tours offer the chance to float in the area’s salty waters, which are similar to the Dead Sea.
How to Get There
Ría Lagartos is about a 3-hour drive south from Cancun or Playa del Carmen via the toll road to Mérida. You can also take a bus from Cancun’s central ADO bus station; the trip takes about 3.5 hours. Private tours arranged from Cancun include hotel pickup and drop-off service.
When to Get There
Although you can spot flamingos year-round in Ría Lagartos, you will view more, along with other species of birds, during the winter months; starting in May the flamingos head off to mate. From May to September, you might be able to spot whale sharks, making this a popular time for snorkeling trips.
Nearby Las Coloradas
Another small fishing village typically coupled with Ría Lagartos on day trips from Cancun, nearby Las Coloradas is surrounded by pink lakes. The region’s salt industry attracts red-colored algae, plankton, and brine shrimp, which give the water its cotton candy hue. You’ll also spot flamingos here, when they come to feed on the shrimp.
Address: Ría Lagartos, Rio Lagartos, The Yucatan, Mexico
11 Tours and Activities to Experience Ría Lagartos
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Go Flamingo (Rio Lagartos - Las Coloradas - Ek Balam) from Valladolid
This English/Spanish spoken guided daytour to the nature reserve of Ria Lagartos, the pink lakes of Las Coloradas and the amazing Maya site of Ek Balam make this combination of nature and archaeology a must do during your visit in Valladolid. You won´t regret it!
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From
$139.00
Price varies by group size
From
$139.00
Price varies by group size
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Face masks provided for travelers
LAS COLORADAS & RIO LAGARTOS from Riviera Maya and Cancun (Private)
Discover some of Yucatan’s less-frequented natural attractions on a day tour from Playa del Carmen. Pose by the pink waters of the Las Coloradas lakes, then explore the Rio Lagartos estuary by boat, looking out for flamingos, herons, or even crocodiles. Avoid hidden costs with round-trip transfer and lunch included, and benefit from the undivided attention of your personal guide on a private tour.
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From
$233.34
Price varies by group size
From
$233.34
Price varies by group size
Rio Lagartos and Las Coloradas Day Trip from Merida
Discover Río Lagartos and Las Coloradas, virgin beaches characterized by the diversity of flora and fauna and for their beautiful landscapes considered as part of the main tourist attractions in Yucatan.
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From
$177.00
From
$177.00
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Las Coloradas and Ria Lizards from Tizimin
Contemplating nature and its colors is a life experience. This tour will take you through one of the national reserves, to get to know closely the habitat of many species.
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From
$107.70
From
$107.70
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Private Yucatan Discovery Tour
In this four day and three night Yucatan Discovery Tour we first visit the Rio Lagartos Biosphere home of the flamingos, crocodiles and other sea life. Stay the night at Valladolid in a colonial hotel in the city square then explore the Yucatan Peninsula and Quintana Roo first The Archaeological wonder of Chichen Itza a modern world wonder and capital of a great civilization then Ek Balam the city of the Black Jaguar. Merida the capital city of the Yucatan state also known as the white city, Uxmal the city three times built with its magnificent mayan baroque style architecture and we visit a Beautiful hidden Cenote of crystalline waters. Then onto Coba a classic mayan site and Tulum the city by the sea
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From
$1,000.00
Price varies by group size
From
$1,000.00
Price varies by group size
Private Northern Yucatan Route
We make interesting places even more interesting. We have specialized and passionate guides who will make your experience unique.
Tours at your own pace, according to your age, physical ability and interests.
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From
$1,300.00
From
$1,300.00
Pink Coast: Cancunito, Las Coloradas & Crocodiles Tour
Visit the beautiful Cancunito beach and the pink lagoons of Las Coloradas at sunset. Then, embark on a night tour of the Ría La Lagartos Biosphere Reserve to spot crocodiles and other marine life.
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From
$201.00
Price varies by group size
From
$201.00
Price varies by group size
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
10-Day Yucatan Heritage Ecofriendly Tour from Cancun
Enjoy a fantastic trip through the World Heritage Sites of the Yucatan Peninsula. This trip has a perfect combination of the core nature and cultural activities, that sum up what Yucatan Peninsula is all about! Explore the amazing Sian Ka’an, Calakmul and Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserves as well as the second largest coral reef of the world, the amazing Mayan jungle, the unique wetlands and the wide biodiversity that these ecosystems have to offer. Truly understand the history of the Mayans by visiting impressive archaeological sites such as Coba and Chichen Itza and visit the colonial cities of Valladolid and Merida.
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From
$2,495.00
From
$2,495.00
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Río Lagartos y Las Coloradas Private Tour from Merida
This tour takes you to explore the beautiful landscapes of Yucatan. We will take you to Las Coloradas, a set of pink lagoons located in Rio Lagartos
In this excursion you will enjoy a boat ride through the mangrove area at the Biosphere Reserve of Rio Lagartos, nest of a variety of birds and marine species, including the popular pink flamenco.
You will discover the spectacular pink color cause by high concentration of salt and microorganisms in Las Coloradas, a small fishing village characterized by having the largest salt mine in Mexico.
To complete our tour you will enjoy a lunch at Cenote Saamal
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From
$231.69
Price varies by group size
From
$231.69
Price varies by group size
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Face masks provided for travelers
Yucatan Adventure Fly & Drive
Enjoy this seven-day self-drive tour around the Yucatan Peninsula. Have the freedom to choose what you see and when you see it in your own vehicle.
The archaeological sites and natural wonders of Mexico will leave you breathless.
Chichen Itza: Uncover the mysteries of the Maya civilisation at this ancient archaeological site dominated by the imposing Temple of Kukulkan.
Izamal: This ‘magical town’ is known as the ‘City of Hills’ because of its numerous ruins of Maya pyramids.
Merida: Yucatan’s ‘White City’ is famed for the elegant 19th century tree-lined boulevards.
Uxmal: The enormous Pyramid of the Magician found in this UNESCO World Heritage Site majestically rises above the jungle canopy.
Valladolid: A historic colonial city where you will have time to explore this charming ‘magical town’.
Ría Lagartos: 395 species of birds reside in this biosphere reserve where you can observe flamboyances of flamingos and crocodiles roaming the mangrove.
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From
$1,550.00
per group
From
$1,550.00
per group
Las Coloradas and Río Lagartos Private Tour
This unique tour takes you to explore the beautiful landscapes of Yucatan. We will take you to Las Coloradas, a set of pink lagoons located in Rio Lagartos, where you will enjoy a boat ride through the mangrove area, nest of a variety of birds and marine species, including the popular pink flamenco who have made of this site the perfect place to nest and give birth to their young.
…More
From
$320.00
Price varies by group size
From
$320.00
Price varies by group size
Face masks provided for travelers
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
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