Excursion to Celestun Biosphere and Beach Day from Merida
Description
We will depart from downtown Mérida and head to the Celestún Biosphere, a multicolored paradise full of wildlife, mangroves, and fresh water springs. Once there, we will take a guided boat tour through the estuary, with the main goal of seeing the flamingos in their natural habitat. Along the way, we will spot various bird species, as well as possibly crocodiles and other wild animals. After the biosphere visit, we will drive to Celestún Beach, just 20 minutes away, where we will enjoy local cuisine and the amenities of the beach club. The rest of the afternoon will be spent relaxing and enjoying the day on this beautiful Yucatán coast.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We will travel to the Celestún Biosphere Reserve, a multicolored paradise, where we will take a guided boat tour through the estuary, the mangroves, the bird island, and we will also visit a freshwater spring.
After the boat tour, we will drive to the beach in Celestún, where we will enjoy a delicious lunch (optional), the beach club faciities and have time to swim in the ocean and spend a relaxing day at the beach.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The best season for flamingo viewing is typically from mid-November through March, when larger numbers are usually present in the area. From April through mid-November, sightings become highly inconsistent. During these months, there may be days when only a few flamingos are seen — or none at all. As this is a protected natural ecosystem, wildlife behavior is entirely beyond our control. Flamingos migrate seasonally, and their presence depends on factors such as climate, water conditions, and food availability. For this reason, we do not and cannot guarantee the sighting of flamingos, nor a specific number of flamingos, on any day of the year. By booking this experience, guests acknowledge and accept that wildlife sightings are not guaranteed and are subject to natural conditions.
Reviews(134)
I had an amazing time on the Celestún Biosphere and Beach Day from Mérida excursion! It was a beautiful and relaxing experience, and Sergio made it even better. He was an excellent guide—very knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive throughout the whole trip. He made everything easy, answered all our questions, and helped the day run smoothly from start to finish. His positive attitude and professionalism really added to the experience. I highly recommend this excursion, especially with Sergio as your guide!
Jorge is the best travel guide a girl could I ask for. Came here from Los Angeles with my partner. I know Spanish and my partner does not. Despite this, they were able to understand the entire tour just by how enthusiastic, charismatic, and engaged Jorge was as our guide. 10/10 :)
Good experience and Rodrigo had a wonderful service. I loved it, it was very good experience to meet the flamingos
So amazing! Certainly worth more than the price! Rodrigo was a fantastic guide, friendly, flexible, knowledgeable, and clearly cares deeply about the local ecosystem. His warmth and enthusiasm made everyone feel connected.
The guides were very attentive, friendly and with knowledge of where we went
We had a great day in Celestun, and really appreciated how our guide, Alicia, our boat captain, Daniel, and our driver, Jaime, contributed to a fun and educational day. We were fortunate enough to see some flamingos, despite April not being prime viewing season - most have already left at this point. We also saw several other bird species, including a roseate spoonbill, which was not shy at all and was fascinating to watch. And we saw a couple of crocodiles, both from a safe distance. Alicia prioritized safety and advised against swimming in the spring, which, given that there was a crocodile hanging out right nearby, made perfect sense! Alicia was a wonderful guide and shared facts about the biosphere and the mangroves throughout our trip. We followed the Celestun trip with lunch and time on the beach. It was fun and relaxing, but a couple of hours was plenty. I would definitely recommend this trip to others and try to book with Alicia if she's available - you won't regret it!
Great tour guide and driver Sergio but the company should not have sold a flamingo biosphere tour knowing that most flamingos migrate away from Celestun February to March. Of the 100,000 flamingos on the lagoon, we saw one small group of 7 flamingos. The company should not sell this tour after March. They should also make it clear that in March there are likely to be less flamingos vs December and January. I was also looking forward to travelling through reeds and mangroves - we did this for about 100 metres and a few minutes only. Essentially I paid over £200 for a driver and guide and to be taken to a restaurant they wanted to take you to. Sergio salvaged what he could of the day but I wouldn’t book again. Ps please pay attention to the additional 500 pesos per person you need to pay to get onto the lagoon / boat!
Thank you for your feedback, and we truly appreciate your kind words about Sergio — we’re glad his effort made a positive difference during your day. We would like to clarify a few important points for future travelers: First, this experience is not sold as a flamingo tour, but as a visit to the Reserva de la Biosfera Ría Celestún. In the tour description, it is clearly and explicitly stated that flamingo sightings vary depending on season and weather conditions, and that the best time to observe higher concentrations is typically from November through March. This information is provided in advance so travelers can make an informed decision before booking. While it is true that numbers tend to decrease after March, wildlife is inherently unpredictable — on any given day, guests may see a small group or significantly larger numbers. This is a natural ecosystem, and sightings can never be guaranteed. Additionally, the statement mentioning “100,000 flamingos in the lagoon” is not accurate. The estimated flamingo population across the entire Yucatán Peninsula is significantly lower, and they are never all concentrated in one single area. Regarding pricing, the amount mentioned reflects the total cost shared among four travelers, not a per-person rate, which may lead to confusion for future readers. As for the dining stop, we take guests to one of the best available locations where they have access to beach club facilities; however, dining is completely optional, and guests are always free to decide whether or not to eat there. Finally, the additional conservation and boat fee is also disclosed in advance as part of the experience details. We always strive to be transparent and to set accurate expectations, and we appreciate the opportunity to clarify this for future guests.
We enjoyed the day, however it isn’t anything more than a taxi service to the Celestún Biosphere and beach. You have to pay extra for the boat per person (which I was aware of). You get a bit of the guide and explanations on the boat but definitely not worth the money paid. Other than this, we saw some flamingos, exotic birds and crocs! The restaurant at the beach was nice but there are better if you just crab a taxi for the day and do this trip on your own especially if there are are few of you!
Hello, thank you for your feedback. We’re glad you enjoyed the wildlife and your overall day. However, we would like to clarify that the tour includes exactly what is described: transportation, guidance throughout the day, an English-speaking specialized guide during the biosphere visit, and access to the beach club facilities. All of this is included in the tour price. Regarding costs, the additional boat fee is clearly communicated in advance. In fact, one of the main advantages of our tour is that we organize and coordinate the boats so travelers share the cost, allowing you to pay a moderate amount rather than the full private boat price, which is significantly higher. Additionally, having an English-speaking guide during the biosphere experience is not something typically available when arranging a boat independently. Most tours with similar inclusions are typically 30–40% more expensive. We are certain this experience offers a strong value but we are sorry it didn’t meet your expectations.
What a great tour! Our tour guide, Alicia, and our driver, Herman (spelling), were excellent . The boat trip to see the wild flamingos, other birdlife, even crocodiles, plus going by boat into the mangroves was stuff from television nature shows. Brilliant! The beach stop, restaurant lunch, and dip in the Gulf of Mexico, how delightful. Terrific. Recommended.
This was a fantasy experience and tour of the biosphere here in the Yucatán. I could not imagine coming to this area with such rich biodiversity and not seeing some of it firsthand. We saw Flamingos in flight which is rare. We saw crocodiles, other water foul, and the mangrove forests. Our guide Rodrigo was fantastic and we later took some time on the beach. I highly recommend the tour as it offers something very different than the others.
