Cenote Ik Kil in Mexico – photo, description, map
Our planet is rich in extremely beautiful and unusual places that amaze with the beauty of their nature! Separately, in the list of amazing places on the planet, is the so-called cenote Ik-Kil, lurking in Mexico, on the Yucatan Peninsula. The meaning of the word “cenote” is literally defined as a natural well, formed due to the forces of the elements and time. Ik-Kil is not the only cenote on the peninsula, but its natural beauty and gigantic size attract more and more tourists every year, as well as those who just want to leave unforgettable impressions of what they saw with their own eyes.
Story
Yucatan is a peninsula in Mexico that is home to three states: Quintana Roo, Campeche and Yucatan. Belize and Northern Guatemala are located nearby. The peninsula is washed by the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. The climate in the Yucatan is hot tropical with a rich variety of flora and fauna.
The civilization of Yucatan remained intact until the 16th century, when the Spanish conquest disturbed its peace. Despite the hardships and hardships of that time, some of the natives of Yucatan managed to preserve the ancient language of their ancestors to this day. Until the middle of the 20th century, some of the traditions, culture and cuisine of Yucatan had clear differences from the culture of the rest of Mexico. Local Yucatans to this day keep and honor the ancient culture of their ancestors.
Yucatan in ancient times was the birthplace of the representatives of the Maya tribe and the remains of the city of Chichen Itza, in which they lived, are located within walking distance from the Ik-Kil cenote. Chichen Itza belongs to the ancient Mayan city and is one of the major trading and religious centers. Translated, Chichen Itza means “The mouth of the well of the Itza tribe.”
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This city was founded in 500 AD. e., not so long ago it was included in the list of “7 new wonders of the world.” Found during the excavations of the city, the ruins testify to the great importance of this ancient city. This is confirmed by the legends widespread in the Yucatan. The found remains of the city also indicate the fact that the traditional culture of the Maya, to a large extent, was influenced by the civilizations of other inhabitants of Mesoamerica. The ruins of buildings found during excavations clearly differed from each other in their size and architecture.
Chichen Itza also houses the mystical 8th wonder of the world – the pyramid of Kukulkan, the sun god of the Mayan tribe. This building embodies the huge Mayan calendar. The pyramid, or rather its architecture with optical and sound metamorphoses, is still an unsolved world mystery to this day.
How Cenote Ik-Kil Was Formed
Cenote Ik-Kil was formed by nature from an underground cave and, since it consisted of limestone, the walls of the cave were easily washed by underground waters and crumbled, increasing more and more in diameter and depth. At present, the depth of this underground lake exceeds forty-two meters, the diameter of the cenote is sixty-one meters.
To this day, you can already see the walls of the cenote reliably fortified by local residents and the stone staircase, which was created for the convenience of tourists descending to the water to plunge into the legendary waters of this cenote. Also, the walls of the cenote are decorated with artificial waterfalls and have balconies in the form of viewing platforms for those arriving so that they can admire the beauty of this place and take photos from different angles. This helps tourists to keep in memory all the charm of a local attraction for a long time.
On the Yucatan Island, there are a fairly large number of cenotes (several thousand), and they were formed due to the structure of the local soil, consisting of limestone and the impact on it of underground rivers and showers, which are distinguished by their amazing power in a tropical climate.
In ancient times, the need of people for fresh fresh water was satisfied by the very cenotes, which were the precious keepers of clean drinking water. Perhaps for this reason, the Maya treated them as a sacred manifestation of God. There is an opinion that the ancient tribes perceived the cenotes as the gates of the other world. And this is not surprising, since during your stay, near the cenote, and looking at this unusual and bewitching beauty, you feel a sense of mysticism and mystery.
A cenote of the size of Ik-Kil can be compared to an underground lake, the formation of which was also facilitated by underground rivers and channels. Crystal clear water in the cenote, with a turquoise hue, allows divers and ordinary divers to observe the beauty of the underwater world of Ik-Kil, admiring the fish swimming nearby.
Information for tourists
The mystical attraction of tourists to this place forced local Mexican entrepreneurs to equip the surrounding area for a comfortable stay for visitors. You can taste traditional local dishes, as well as comfortably accommodate in a small but comfortable cottage hotel, enjoying the beauty of the local nature, as well as man-made waterfalls.
Tourists visiting Cenote Ik-Kil are allowed to swim in it, there are even specially equipped platforms and stairs, and the water temperature of twenty-five degrees will pleasantly surprise a dipped body after being in the heat of forty degrees. In the existing local belief that bathing in the waters of the Ik-Kil cenote gives the feeling of being “born again”, you are 100% convinced when you swim there. The rules for visiting Cenote Ik-Kil by tourists include the obligatory bathing in the shower before they are going to swim in this underground lake.
The Yucatan Peninsula is also known for its exquisite beaches where you can relax from the bustle of the city and enjoy the breeze in the shade of tropical trees. For example, in Tulum, the coastline stretching for many kilometers is covered with soft white sand, coastal water has a pleasant turquoise color in contrast to the bright blue sky. Expectations of the beauty of local beaches in many ways exceed the wildest expectations.
Once in a lifetime, visiting this wonderful place with rich nature, unusual architectural structures, amazing cenotes, pleasant memories remain in your memory for a long time. This allows you to realize the fact that life is not lived in vain!
Another interesting place in Mexico is the Aztec Pyramids.