Crocodiles and Cenotes Photo Expedition: June 2020
This is a trip of a lifetime and I would highly recommend!!! I did this trip with a different provider/guide a few years ago and I can’t wait to go back. Swimming with the crocodiles is just beyond breathtaking - like swimming with dragons or dinosaurs - it’s completely different from any other experience and something you will remember forever.
Having said that, the accommodations in Chinchorro are a bit rough - everyone sleeps in one room in the hut in hammocks (cots are available if you can’t handle the hammock). There is no running water, so you rinse off after the dives with fresh rainwater from a barrel. They run a generator all day so you can charge any camera gear. The crew makes all the food and given the conditions, it is actually delicious! The crossing to the hut can also be quite bumpy, so bring any sea sickness meds if you’re even remotely prone to seasickness. I knew most of this before my trip, and I was dreading the conditions, but it turned out it wasn’t as bad as I expected. You don’t get much sleep in the hammocks (a few hours per night) but the crocodile interactions are so amazing that all the “hardships” are barely noticed. If the trip was longer, it may be difficult, but 2 nights stay is no problem.
In addition, the dives in Xcalak are amazing - the abundance of life is like nothing I’ve seen in North America, plus they tend to get dolphins and manatees (we didn’t get any on our one day of diving, but they do come quite frequently).
Finally, the crew is amazing and safety is their top priority. These are absolutely wild crocodiles (most are a good 10 feet or more) and they make sure that the water is safe to get into before anyone gets in.
All in all, this is one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The conditions aren’t luxurious, but the staff do an amazing job and any “hardships” are completely livable and totally worth it. This is one of the only places on earth where you can do this, and who knows how long it’ll last, so do it while you can. If you think about it, many more people climb Mount Everest every year than get to swim with crocodiles (this being one of the only places on earth; up to 8 people per week; 10 weeks per year = 80 people per year MAX).
