Much more than just a beach holiday destination, Mexico does indeed boast beaches that are nothing short of stupendous, but it has so much to offer away from the sand and surf. This is our longest and most comprehensive journey. We delves deeply into the ancient origins of Mexico's venerable cultures - huge pyramids and ancient treasures feature prominently. We also fully explore and revel in Mexico's colonial and post-colonial periods - vibrant markets, lively zocalos, dancey mariachi, and period architecture add grace and life.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in Mexico City. Arrival in Mexico City. Overnight in Mexico City. Dinner if required.
Day 2: Mexico City - City Tour. We depart the hotel on foot for a comprehensive city tour. The flagpole in the Zocalo (central plaza) is our start point; we proceed to the cathedral for a brief visit. The Catedral Metropolitana, dating from 1562, took over 250 years to complete and reflects the most popular architectural styles from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. Overnight in Mexico City. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 3: Mexico City - Puebla. A morning departure from Mexico City takes us to the southeast toward Puebla. We depart the city limits and travel through scenery of pine forests, rivers, waterfalls and magnificent mountains. En route we will pass the Popocatepetl volcano, said to be dormant, but occasionally belching forth a puff of steam! Overnight in Puebla. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 4: Puebla - Cholula - Cacaxtla - Puebla. Our morning departure takes us first to the church of San Francisco de Acatepec for a brief look at its impressive facade. We then continue to the village of Tonatzintla to visit the Church of Santa Maria with its extraordinary baroque interior (sorry, no video/flash). We drive on to Cholula, arriving first at the Great Pyramid of Cholula, the largest in Mexico, though it is almost all hidden inside a hill. Overnight in Puebla. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 5: Puebla - Oaxaca. We have morning departure from Puebla for a scenic journey of about 5 hours, with stops along the way. The various species of cactus you are seeing on the hillsides in this arid area are the Pitahaya (organpipe) cactus. It looks like what its name suggests: many shoots, and very large. Overnight in Oaxaca. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 6: Oaxaca - Mitla - Monte Alban - Oaxaca. Early this morning we travel 45 km to the fascinating site of Mitla. En route we stop at the Tule Tree, or "Taxodium Mucrunatum". In Spanish, it is called "Sabino". This extraordinary tree is supposed to be over 2000 years old with a circumference of almost 60 meters! Overnight in Oaxaca. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 7: Oaxaca - Veracruz. An early departure today takes us from the high plateau of Central Mexico to the lush green Caribbean coast, a total 1600 m / 5,280 foot descent. We'll stop at a mountain viewpoint (weather permitting), just after the turnoff for the coast, to see Mount Orizaba, the highest in the country at over 5700 m / 18,810 feet. We will continue through the towns of Orizaba and Cordoba, important centers for sugarcane, tobacco, and coffee production. After a lunch break en route, we continue to Veracruz. Overnight in Veracruz. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 8: Veracruz - Zempoala - El Tajin - Papantla. Today we travel along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico through a balmy tropical region producing rice, coffee, sugar, tobacco, oil, cattle, and a large assortment of fruit. Overnight in Papantla. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 9: Papantla - Teotihuacan. We drive up from the coast back into the highlands of central Mexico. Our destination this afternoon is the massive archaeological site of Teotihuacan (500 BC-AD 700). Overnight near Teotihuacan. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 10: Teotihuacan - Tula - San Miguel de Allend. This morning we travel to San Miguel via Tula, capital of the Toltecs. Tula achieved dominance between AD 950 and 1150. According to Aztec legends it was a magnificent place - palaces were decorated with gold, turquoise and jade. The town has a flourishing artistic community. Overnight in San Miguel. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 11: San Miguel - Dolores Hidalgo - Guanajuato. This morning we will have a walking tour of San Miguel, starting at El Jardin, the main plaza, and on to the house of Ignacio Allende, an attractive example of an 18th century San Miguel house. After a pause at the museum we cross to La Paracchia, the main church with its bizarre Gothic towers added in the early part of the 20th century. Overnight in Guanajuato. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 12: Guanajuato City Tour. This morning we enjoy a walking tour of the cobbled streets in this colonial city which became famous from silver mining. The city is alive with music everywhere; at the Jardin de la Union bands play year-round. This is a great city for people watching. Overnight in Guanajuato. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 13: Guanajuato - Morelia. Today we travel to Morelia. Morelia has the atmosphere of a European cathedral town. Set at a bracing altitude of 1930 m (6,368 feet), it is the state capital of Michoacan and one of Mexico's most gracious cities. Overnight in Morelia. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 14: Morelia - Patzcuaro - Morelia. Today we have an excursion to Patzcuaro, located 30 minutes from Morelia. We stop en route to visit the archeological site at Tzintzuntzan, which was the Tarascan capital at the time of the conquest. Overnight in Morelia. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 15: Morelia. Today is at leisure in this charming town. Overnight in Morelia. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 16: Morelia - Toluca - Mexico City. This morning we depart Morelia and travel across the plateau toward Mexico City via Toluca. Recently enlarged but still pleasant, Toluca is famous for being a food production center and a city of vibrant cultural activity. After lunch we leave Toluca for Mexico City, arriving in the early evening. Overnight in Mexico City. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 17: Mexico City - Cancun. Today we fly from Mexico City to Cancun in the Yucatan. Cancun is a world famous beach resort area with shimmering white sand beaches. Overnight in Cancun. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 18: Cancun - Chichen Itza. Today we travel to Chichen Itza. This is a wonderful archaeological site incorporating the ruins of two different cultures, the ancient Maya and the later arriving Toltecs. The substantial fusion of highland central Mexican and Puuc architecture make Chichen Itza unique. Overnight in Chichen Itza. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 19: Chichen Itza - Merida. Today we drive to Merida, probably the most beautiful town in the Yucatan peninsula. We find that the most enjoyable way to sightsee is from a calesa, or horse drawn carriage. We include a half-day's sightseeing in this most elegant of fashions. Overnight in Merida. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 20: Merida - Uxmal. Uxmal, our destination for today, is a stunning place. Uxmal was one of the sites to which the Maya returned again and again in the course of their civilization. The name means 'thrice built'. Overnight in Uxmal. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 21: Uxmal - Coba. Today we depart Uxmal for Coba. The morning's drive takes us through Valladolid where we stop for our lunch break. The peaceful Zocalo in the heart of Valladolid is shaded by large trees and surrounded by a variety of restaurants. Because our hotel is so close to the site you may choose to stay in the site and climb up Nocoh Muh -the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan. Watching the sun set from the top of this Mayan pyramid over an endless stretch of forests is truly one of Mexico's most magical experiences. Overnight in Coba. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 22: Coba - Tulum - Cancun. In order to beat the crowds, we depart early today for Tulum, one of the most beautiful Maya sites, perched high on the cliffs above the Caribbean. Tulum means "wall" in Maya. The most impressive site at this area is the large pyramid on the edge of the cliff overlooking the sea. Overnight in Cancun. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 23: Departure from Cancun. Breakfast. Buen Viaje!
Price Includes:
- Breakfast and dinner daily (hotels and local restaurants)
- All transport, sightseeing and entrance fees for sites noted as 'visited' in the detailed itinerary
- Gratuities for local guides, drivers, restaurant staff, hotel porters (if available)
- Airport transfers for land / air customers arriving / departing on tour dates.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
All pricing reflects per-person Land Only expenses, however, we can book flights from virtually every city.
Price Excludes:
- Tour Leader gratuity, lunches, drinks, personal items (phone, laundry, etc), departure taxes, domestic and international air taxes (if applicable)
- Airport transfers for early / late arrivals / departures or Land Only customers
- Optional trip cancellation insurance
- Our post-reservation trip notes offer further guidance on not included meal costs, and shopping.
Also see tour packages in:
North America
Mexico
Archeology/History
Cultural Journey
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