About Us

For an intimate, harmonious adventure that will connect you with the land and people, Arkeogato Tours is the ideal choice. We offer small-group, bespoke tours of southern Mexico led by trained academics and knowledgeable locals.

If you’re tired of having the same travel stories as everyone else, let us connect you with local communities, nature, and culture to give you a customized, unforgettable adventure. We provide in-depth experiences focusing on sustainability and meaningful interaction, and we make sure every tour is as unique as our guests. To do that, we use a method developed for the science of anthropology.

In anthropology, there are emic and etic studies. Emic studies look at cultural beliefs from an insider’s perspective. Etic studies look at those from an outsider’s perspective. To understand a place, you need to have both perspectives: Our trips are dual-perspective, with an academic guide and a local guide. That way, you get a truly comprehensive understanding of a place. When you get home from one of our trips and people ask how it was, you won’t mumble, “Pretty, but a lot of tourists.” You’ll be able to share deep, meaningful stories about your adventures.

Tours are led by Zac Lindsey, who has a Masters in Anthropology from Texas State University. He’s attended digs in Blue Creek and Cahal Pech, Belize, written a monthly column for the Institute of Maya Studies newsletter for more than seven years, and published on Mexican art and history in a number of journals. He’s also worked as a journalist, a teacher, and a museum docent in Texas, so he’s well-trained in presenting academic ideas in a way that is entertaining and painless without dulling down their complexity.

More importantly to him, he’s a long-time resident of the Yucatan Peninsula and he’s had the opportunity to meet amazing people with important perspectives to share with outsiders. He’s one of the few outsiders that speaks the Maya language, and he’s probably the only guide you’ll ever meet who was saved from death by a medicinal herb prepared by the descendant of a Maya revolutionary. When he’s not on a beach or an archaeological site, he’s usually playing with his daughter or trying to convince himself not to adopt another stray cat.

Erica Matos Sánchez coordinates tour logistics. Previously, she was the program coordinator for an immersive language exchange school in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo, where sustainable travel experiences funded education opportunities for the local community. Erica holds an M.Ed in Educational Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Mérida with her daughter, singing, engaging in creative pursuits, and trying to convince Zac to adopt another stray cat.