Hi Mountain Mama. The following is a "copy and paste" from a post I made a while back. I highly recommend this tour. Realizing you have two children, I would imagine that one of the guides would be more than willing to passenger one of the kids. They were terrific hosts and quite accommodating whenever possible. Your kids will love it.
The Intermar
travel agency was a recommended shore excursion specialist in Froemmer's Guide to Cozumel. After attempting unsuccessfully to schedule a private trip to the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, I opted for an ATV tour they offered for my DS9 and I. It turns out that the tour itself is provided - directly - by a company called Wild Tours. They are terrific. I am grateful The Intermar travel agency advised us of this particular tour, but you can save money by booking direct with Wild Tours. Still in all, the adventure was well worth the price.
We were driven to their less-than-impressive "headquarters" along Punta Chiquero Beach (approximately 9 miles from downtown San Miguel) by Intermar. Wild Tours will also provide transportation. When we arrived, my son and I needed to make use of their facilities. A young man working on one of the ATVs smiled at us and said, in broken English, that the bathroom was located behind the building and "any tree" would suffice. He was joking, as we turned the corner to find a porta-potty. This was my son's first exposure to an "open-air" toilet. His response was swift and true, "Phew, Daddy, this stinks!" I said something akin to "Welcome to Mexico, son." Needing to sit to complete my requirement, I elected to stroll - quickly - over to the outdoor restaurant diagonally across the road. They had an enclosed toilet but without any paper. Upon request yours truly was handed a roll of tissue paper and then I proceeded to read the sign over the sink as nature screamed. A warning was posted to not flush ANY paper down the toilet. Violaters will be fined. Ok. It was an interesting dilema, yes, but I will allow everyone reading this to draw their own conclusion to this living parable. Just make sure all family members, including yourself, attend to personal matters aboard ship prior to disembarking in Mexico.
We were scheduled to take a four-hour ATV tour. Long, but stops were included. The ATVs were in good working order and easy to maneuver. Two guides accompanied our group, which was comprised of approximately 12 guests. My son and I were the only cruisers as everyone else was staying at local resorts. One guide rode in the front ATV and a second followed behind the last ATV in a Jeep. The trail was smooth and sandy in some parts, rocky and high-flying in other parts and fun all over. My son and I were laughing and yelling and yahooing along with everyone else. We had one rest stop and then eventually came to a shaded bit of sandy trail where the guides requested we park just off the trail itself. I was under the impression that we were going to share in some refreshments and then return to their less-than-impressive headquarters again. The ride had been wonderful and the ocean views were breathtaking. But "my impression" of our tour segment proved incorrect.
You see, the guides walked us over a crest and onto the beach. Waiting there was a rustic table shaded by a single large umbrella. Underneath were bottles of ice-cold bottled water and Coke. A cooler also rested in the shade, filled with even more bottled water and Coke. It was so darn hot that I think I downed a half-liter bottle of water by merely pouring it down my throat. No, I wasn't the only guest to do just that. And no, I didn't let my son see either. If he exhibited such uncouth mannerisms there would be hell to pay. Then I noticed several offerings in the distance: kayaks. It turns out that The Intermar travel agency failed to advise me of the complete tour package. I was under the impression it was simply an ATV tour. Well, this wasn't the case. Our entire group ventured into one and two-person kayaks after donning snorkeling gear. I took my son out in the kayak but we waited while the others snorkeled. One of the guides waited with us in his kayak. The snorkeling area was a roped off section of ocean, approximately 300 feet from shore, just inside a barrier reef. The others seemed to enjoy the snorkeling.
Upon our return to the shore, the guides walked us back to the ATVs. They made certain each vehicle was working properly and then we began the return trip. Along the way, they stopped at a local Mayan temple ruin. One of the guides provided us with a brief history of the Mayan culture and related the ruins we visited to those found at Chichen Itza. Our group was advised that this Mayan temple possessed a strong influence over the wishes of all humans. So we individually cast a personal hope to these Mayan forces. Meanwhile, the other ATV guide was scrutenizing the sky. He told us it was going to rain and started counting backwards from 10. By the time he reached zero, the skies darkened and a downpour ensued. There was no place to seek shelter. Within 30 seconds we were all completely drenched. A minute later the rain stopped. As we looked at each other in amused astonishment, my son called out to the group, "Ok, who wished for rain?" He has never before been so outgoing but you'd never know it the way everyone laughed. It was a good closing remark to a most wonderful tour.
When we finally reached Wild Tours' less-than-impressive "headquarters," my son and I noticed that the Intermar van driver was waiting to return us to the Disney Magic. It was then we learned that our Wild Tours ATV tour ALSO included a late lunch at the same outdoor restaurant which had lacked toilet paper. The food looked terrific and smelled even better than it looked, but my son and I opted to return to the Magic for our regularly scheduled dinner. The guides informed me that their meal included liquor at no additional charge. I thanked them for their hospitality, tipped them for their marvelous efforts and promised them we would most certainly return if possible.
This is a not-to-be-missed tour! Kids and adults alike will love it. Their web site can be viewed at
www.Cozumel.to/Tours/wildtours/wildtours.html. Go. And enjoy.
