San Gervaisio Tours?

[jplee3]

Hey all,

 

Just wondering, if we opt to visit San Gervaisio on our own and take a taxi there, are there tour guides onsite there who are waiting to give tours? Or do you absolutely need to arrange the tour ahead of time?

 

If there are onsite tour guides, are they all part of the same company and do they all charge the same fee (and what do they charge?)?

 

I've seen excursions that you can book but I think we might consider either finding a tour guide when we get there or trekking out there on our own and doing a tour adhoc (if they're available), or as a last resort just getting some reading and audio material to do a self-guided tour.

 

Any recommendations? Our cruise tenders at 8:30am so I'd anticipate getting to the site between 9:30-10am. We're trying to get to Chankanaab between 1-2pm for a dolphin excursion.

 

TIA

[c-leg5]

Hey all,

 

Just wondering, if we opt to visit San Gervaisio on our own and take a taxi there, are there tour guides onsite there who are waiting to give tours? Or do you absolutely need to arrange the tour ahead of time?

 

If there are onsite tour guides, are they all part of the same company and do they all charge the same fee (and what do they charge?)?

 

I've seen excursions that you can book but I think we might consider either finding a tour guide when we get there or trekking out there on our own and doing a tour adhoc (if they're available), or as a last resort just getting some reading and audio material to do a self-guided tour.

 

Any recommendations? Our cruise tenders at 8:30am so I'd anticipate getting to the site between 9:30-10am. We're trying to get to Chankanaab between 1-2pm for a dolphin excursion.

 

TIA

 

We have done the ruins quite easily on our own.

 

There was a 2x$4 charge pp (paid in two lots) for entry to the ruins, although I think someone reported recently that had gone up $1 or 2 but the search engine on this forum is down and I cannot find the post. The taxi will wait in a taxi waiting area for you until you are done. The taxi prices quoted at the pier are for round trip with 2 hours waiting I believe, confirm before you leave.

http://www.cozumelinsider.com/Taxiinternational?From=Transonczm

 

You will be given a printed hand out describing the ruins which you can follow on your own, or you can hire a guide. The ruins are very small (height-wise) but spread out over a large area if you wish to see all of them or you can just stay in the main plaza area. We just followed the map and guide ourselves. We enjoyed the jungle walk but bear in mind depending on time of year it can be wet or very hot - remember water and bug spray! This link gives you more information about guides and the opportunity to purchase a more detailed guide http://www.everythingcozumel.com/San-Gervasio-Guide/. I think I have also seen an audio tour to down load if you Google.

 

When considering time planning just remember to keep ship time vs local time, and time of year regarding time change in mind.

[jplee3]

Thanks! How many hours would you roughly give for something like this? Whether doing a guided tour vs self-guided? Most of the excursion show 4-5 hours but if we're only visiting the ruins, will we really need that much time?

[c-leg5]

Thanks! How many hours would you roughly give for something like this? Whether doing a guided tour vs self-guided? Most of the excursion show 4-5 hours but if we're only visiting the ruins, will we really need that much time?

 

I would say 20-30 minutes each way travel depending on where you dock and 60-90 minutes at the ruins depending on how thoroughly you explore. It would not take very long to do the ruins round the main plaza area. If you follow the trails to the outlying sites, time would depend on how mobile you are. These time estimates are if you tour on your own. I have no idea how long it will take if you have a guide. Most of the groups with guides seemed very large and you wouldn't be able to self-pace.

 

Here is a link to some further reviews. http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2804905-san_gervasio_cozumel-i. The descriptions are accurate but the prices have increased.

Edited February 3, 2014 by c-leg5

[Kletina]

We have done the ruins quite easily on our own.

 

There was a 2x$4 charge pp (paid in two lots) for entry to the ruins, although I think someone reported recently that had gone up $1 or 2 but the search engine on this forum is down and I cannot find the post.

 

you are right, since January 1st entry fee to San Gervasio ruins rose from $8 to $9.50 pp($5 + $4.50)

[jwave]

This is very informative. Thank you.

 

We have done the ruins quite easily on our own.

 

There was a 2x$4 charge pp (paid in two lots) for entry to the ruins, although I think someone reported recently that had gone up $1 or 2 but the search engine on this forum is down and I cannot find the post. The taxi will wait in a taxi waiting area for you until you are done. The taxi prices quoted at the pier are for round trip with 2 hours waiting I believe, confirm before you leave.

http://www.cozumelinsider.com/Taxiinternational?From=Transonczm

 

You will be given a printed hand out describing the ruins which you can follow on your own, or you can hire a guide. The ruins are very small (height-wise) but spread out over a large area if you wish to see all of them or you can just stay in the main plaza area. We just followed the map and guide ourselves. We enjoyed the jungle walk but bear in mind depending on time of year it can be wet or very hot - remember water and bug spray! This link gives you more information about guides and the opportunity to purchase a more detailed guide http://www.everythingcozumel.com/San-Gervasio-Guide/. I think I have also seen an audio tour to down load if you Google.

 

When considering time planning just remember to keep ship time vs local time, and time of year regarding time change in mind.

[maldenmusic]

Hey all,

 

Just wondering, if we opt to visit San Gervaisio on our own and take a taxi there, are there tour guides onsite there who are waiting to give tours? Or do you absolutely need to arrange the tour ahead of time?

 

If there are onsite tour guides, are they all part of the same company and do they all charge the same fee (and what do they charge?)?

 

I've seen excursions that you can book but I think we might consider either finding a tour guide when we get there or trekking out there on our own and doing a tour adhoc (if they're available), or as a last resort just getting some reading and audio material to do a self-guided tour.

 

Any recommendations? Our cruise tenders at 8:30am so I'd anticipate getting to the site between 9:30-10am. We're trying to get to Chankanaab between 1-2pm for a dolphin excursion.

 

TIA

What ship are you on that has to tender in Cozumel?