Tropical forests and coastal jungle surround the resort city of Cancun and cover much of the state of Quintana Roo on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Quintana Roo is one of the top ecotourism destinations in Mexico and home to a variety of plant and animal life, including numerous species of birds and reptiles, monkeys, jungle cats and marine life such as tropical fish, manatees and sea turtles. Here you’ll also find spectacular natural attractions such as cenotes (limestone sinkholes), underground rivers, caverns, caves and the largest coral reef system in the Western Hemisphere. The region, which extends south along Mexico’s beautiful Riviera Maya, can be best explored on Cancun jungle tours.

Adventurous travelers will find plenty of activities to get the adrenaline pumping on Cancun jungle tours. Enjoy horseback riding along scenic jungle trails, ATV adventure tours through the Cancun jungle and outback, or speed boat tours through the dense mangroves of the Nichupte Lagoon. Separating Cancun’s hotel zone from the mainland, the Nichupte Lagoon is a large lagoon comprised of several smaller interlocking lagoons. It’s a popular destination for sailing, birding and wildlife watching. Tours of the lagoon often include snorkeling along the Nizuk Coral Reef on the lagoon’s southern end. In the evenings, the Nichupte Lagoon is the best place in Cancun to watch the sunset.

Explore even more of the jungle region when you head south to Tulum for ziplining, snorkeling, skycycling and repelling down into a cenote where you’ll learn about the underground cave system and view stalagmites and stalactites, or opt for an exciting eco-adventure in the Reserva Ecologica de Sian Ka’an (Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve), a coastal ecological reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s home to more than 350 species of birds and a wide variety of plant and animal life. Eco-adventure tours to the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve include kayaking, hiking, swimming and snorkeling. Nature lovers will enjoy a guided wilderness tour of the ecological reserve, which includes a boat ride through the wetlands, wildlife spotting, hiking along remote jungle trails, visits to ancient Mayan archaeological sites and snorkeling in an underground river.