Cultural
Departure city: Mexico City, Mexico
End city: Cancun, Mexico
See the best that Mexico has to offer on this amazing 15-day trip! Explore the famous archaeological sites of Teotihuacan, Monte Alban, Palenque and Chichen Itza. Visit indigenous communities, experience the lush jungle and be captivated by unique sights such as Hierve el Agua, Agua Azul and Sumidero Canyon. Discover the flavours of Mexico's best street markets, relax on the beach and enjoy free time to explore on your own.
Mexico City Airport Transfer
Type: Shared Shuttle (Arrival)
You will be picked up at your accommodation/meeting point for your shuttle transfer to Mexico City, where you’ll be dropped off at your next accommodation/meeting point.
Mexico City Markets & Food Experience
Departure Time: 8:30 hrs
Duration: 5 hrs
Markets are some of the most lively places in Mexico City, and on this tour, you will experience them as a local by getting to each market by public transportation.
Make your own way to the meeting point. We will start our adventure in the subway to reach a relatively unknown market, even for some Mexicans. If you are into Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera's stories, you will definitely like this spot. Your expert guide will give you some fascinating facts about the history of the market from the first half of the 20th century, and you will learn about contemporary Mexican society as well.
Next, we will head to the witchcraft market by public transportation. This market is one of the most unusual spots in Mexico City. You will be amazed at the variety of things, colours, sounds and smells you will find in this place. Admire colourful piñatas, eccentric costumes, curious voodoo dolls, magic potions and even the cure for a hangover. After this unforgettable experience, we will walk to the subway to reach the biggest flower market in Mexico City, where you will find an incredibly diverse offer of the most exotic flowers. In the aisles of this amazing place, you can also find fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as traditional food. As you walk along the market, you will find herbs, spices, fruit, vegetables, legumes, meat and fish among others. Sample traditional Mexican food and beverages such as tamales, mole, fresh fruit juice or tepache. We will make one last stop at a local patio for the last sample of our tour.
After this, we will drop you off at the meeting point, where our Mexico City markets adventure will come to an end.
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Hidden Teotihuacan & Meal
Departure Time: 8:00 am
Duration: 9 hrs
Ancient pyramids, town, local businesses, and a delicious meal... sounds like a recipe for an amazing day outside Mexico City!
Head out of Mexico City by public transit (depending on the size of the group), and experience how locals move about this crowded city. Hop off at the archaeological area of the Teotihuacan pyramids, where you’ll learn about the people who once lived here and all the mysteries that still surround this site. As you tour the grounds, you’ll see the Moon Pyramid, the Calzada de Los Muertos (Dead Pass), and the Sun Pyramid, which is the tallest and most spectacular in the area, it’s 63 metres to the top!
After exploring the pyramids, we’ll continue the day walking through the streets of a nearby town. Our first stop will take us into a family-run business where you will learn about ‘obsidian’, the material that the Teotihuacan people use as the main element in making their tools, idols, and decorations. As well, you’ll get to sip an ancient sacred drink called ‘pulque,’ which is extracted from the heart of the maguey (another kind of cactus) and considered by some to be the great-grandfather of tequila.
Next up on this Mexico tour, pay a visit to the cactus product factory, where you’ll find jams, candies, spicy lollies, alcoholic creams, and more products made by the local people from the endemic vegetation such as nopal, xoconostle, and a cactus fruit called tuna. Not only will you be able to see all the cactus varieties at this family-run factory, but you’ll also get to try some samples and, if you like them, you can pick up some of these exotic products as a souvenir.
To finish our journey, we’ll visit a local family for a nice meal. Their business is catering, so you’ll be in good hands to try some traditional dishes. Their menu is always changing based on whatever they’ve cooked for the day, but there are always delicious options for every palate. You’ll be welcomed into their home and experience traditional customs. Plus, you’ll be able to practice all those Spanish words you’ve learned along your trip as you enjoy some real local flavours of typical Mexican kitchens. Delicious! After enjoying a delicious meal, we’ll head back to Mexico City, happy, full, and relaxed.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is not permitted to climb the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon.
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Mexico City to Oaxaca
Type: Bus
Times: 12:10 am, 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 11:00 pm
Duration: 7 hours
Transfer from Oaxaca to Mexico City. Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to Mexico City.
Hierve El Agua, Mitla & Tule Day Trip
Departure Time: 08:00 hrs
Duration: 11 hrs
Take this amazing tour and explore the petrified waterfall of Hierve el Agua and the majestic nature surrounding it (closed in the rainy season). Also, see a gigantic 2,000 year-old tree in Tule and then gaze at the beautiful stone carvings at the Zapotec ruins of Mitla. Visit a local village to learn the process of making woolen rugs from hand. Round off the tour by visiting a Mezcal factory and learn how this popular Mexican drink is made.
Hierve el Agua
Due to the variety and high concentrations of mineral salts, a prehispanic irrigation system and various waterfalls are now petrified. A series of small natural pools have been excavated to form an esplanade called "the amphitheater", from which you can admire the amazing scenery. There are two distinct levels: in the lower level there are springs and the irrigation system, and in the upper level there are facilities for visitors.
Mitla
Its name in Nahuatl means "Place of the Dead", while the Zapotecs called it lyobaa, meaning "Place of burials" Mitla was a place of residence for the Zapotec priestly class. It was inhabited from the classic period of Monte Albán (100 to 650 AD), and reached its peak in the post-classical period (750 to 1521 AD). The layout of the city was probably planned with structures grouped in five sets, currently called the Columns, the Church, the Stream, the Adobes and the South.
Santa María El Tule
Among the natural beauties of this town is the huge, ahuehuete cypress called "El Árbol del Tule". The tree is a wonderful example of Oaxacan flora, 40 meters high with a diameter of 52.58 meters, it weighs around 509 tons and is approximately 2000 years old. We suggest you visit the handcraft market of the community and to sample the wide variety of local foods.
Teotitlán del Valle
This town is where woollen rugs are made on domestic looms. The artisans here use natural dyes such as indigo, moss and grana cochinilla. We will take you to an artisan house to see the process of making a rug.
Mezcal Factory
Perhaps the most famous drink to come out of Mexico is one made from the agave plant: tequila. But there’s another drink derived from the agave, one less known but just as potent: Mezcal. And lately, it is moving on up among the hip and the chic, not only in Mexico but also abroad. The New York Times recently published an article about this spirit beverage newfound fame in New York and beyond. We will take you down to a mezcal distillery where you will be able to discover all about Mezcal. You've gotta try it, Mezcal is the new tequila! As the old saying goes: "Para todo mal, mezcal, y para todo bien, también" (for any harm, mezcal, for every charm, as well).
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Monte Alban & Indigenous Villages Day Tour
Departure Time: 9:00 am
Duration: 9 hrs
This adventure begins at 9 a.m. when we pick you up at the hostel of your choice. You will visit the Monte Alban ruins, the greatest ancient capital built by the Zapotec culture and the most important archaeological site in Oaxaca. Then, you will continue to Arrazola to visit a famous wood-carving village, where Alebrijes are made. Alebrijes are brightly coloured Mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical creatures. Following this, you will visit Cuilapan de Guerrero, a 16th-century Dominican ex-monastery. Lastly, you will stop in San Bartolo Coyotepec to visit the home of the popular regional black clay pottery.
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Oaxaca to San Cristobal de las Casas
Type: Bus (Overnight)
Times: 7:00 pm, 9:00 pm, 10:30 pm
Duration: 12 hours
Transfer from Oaxaca to San Cristobal de las Casas
Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to San Cristobal de las Casas.
Sumidero Canyon Experience
Departure Time: 09:00 am
Duration: 6 hrs
This tour starts in the morning when we pick you up from your hostel and drive you 45 minutes from San Cristobal through the mountains along the scenic highway towards Tuxtla Gutierrez. Keep an eye out for the beautiful panoramic views as you drive through the clouds to reach the canyon. You will arrive at the colonial town of Chiapa de Corzo, from where you will embark on a boat trip that will take you on a 2-hour ride down the river, where the steep walls of the canyon tower overhead. Look out for stunning waterfalls, caves and dramatic cliffs. You may have the chance to glimpse a crocodile and tons of other natural wildlife, especially birds. Take your last photos as we make our way back to the dock where we will meet our van again.
From here we will make the return trip to San Cristobal passing along the curvy mountain roads to reach the colonial town of San Cristobal. You will be dropped off in the city centre so you can continue your day of sightseeing, shopping or popping into a local cafe for a fulfilling lunch on your own. From the city centre, you can easily walk to your hotel.
WHAT TO BRING: Take a hat and if you will be wearing shorts please remember to use sunscreen for your legs, because you will be on a boat cruising by the immense walls of this amazing canyon. Do not worry about wearing your swimsuit as swimming is not allowed (due to the crocodiles!).
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Palenque Ruins, Agua Azul & Misol-Ha Waterfalls (San Cristobal to Palenque)
Departure Time: 4:00 am
Duration: 11 hrs
You will be picked up early in the morning and transferred to Agua Azul where you will have 1 hour and 30 minutes to freely explore this beautiful area. Then you will be transferred to Misol-ha where you will spend 30 minutes. The last stop will be at the Palenque ruins. You will have 2 hours to visit these beautiful ruins hidden in the jungle on your own. After visiting Palenque, you will be taken to Palenque and dropped off at the City Centre.
Description of the attractions:
Palenque Ruins:
The ancient Mayan city of Palenque is one of Mexico's most breathtaking archaeological parks surrounded by lush tropical forests and jungles. This site has a serene, mystical atmosphere. From the moment you enter, you feel engulfed by a sense of history, timelessness and awe. Explore the site on foot and climb up the pyramids for great views of the ancient city and the jungle. (approx. 3 1⁄2 hours)
Agua Azul Waterfalls:
Rio Xumul-Ha (meaning River of Blue Water, or in Spanish, Agua Azul) features a series of torrential cascades and fast-flowing waters rolling down a limestone ridge to form pools and small streams. Take a one-hour walk next to the falls in the breathtaking green valley and swim in one of the calm parts of the refreshing blue river. (approx. 2 1⁄2 hours)
Misol-Ha Waterfall:
River Misol-Ha (meaning "Streaming Water"), in the "Chol Maya" tribe area of Chiapas, creates one of the state's most wonderful natural sights as the river glides off the edge of a cliff and 40 meters down into a deep pool of water surrounded by lush vegetation. Swim in the deliciously refreshing water and be impressed by the sight of the fall from below. A small walkway will take you behind the water curtain created by the waterfall where you can walk inside the caves. (approx. 45 minutes)
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Palenque to Merida
Type: Bus
Times: 8:30 am, 8:45 pm, 10:00 pm
Duration: 9 hours
Transfer from Palenque to Merida. Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to Merida.
Cenotes Underground Snorkel
Departure Time: 8:45 am
Duration: 7 hrs
Please make your own way to the meeting point in the centre of Merida and from there we'll move as the locals do. Walk through the colonial streets of Merida to catch the local transportation that will take us to a traditional Mayan village. Take a motorbike ride and get into the jungle to find 3 different cenotes (sinkholes), you'll hear the stories and mysteries about this gorgeous subterranean world. Swim and snorkel in these cenotes, and if you dare, try to reach the bottom and some other hidden places inside these beautiful caverns. After this refreshing time, you will continue your visit to the Mayan Village where you will learn about the traditional Mayan medicine and listen to a prayer in the Mayan language to show gratitude towards the spirits and guards of these places. A local family will give you a taste of local life using their ancient cooking skills to prepare the lunch you are going to taste. To finish your adventure day, take the local transport back to Merida and make your own way to your hotel, or if you want, feel free to stay longer on your own to explore more in this incredible land.
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Chichen Itza Day Trip (from Merida to Tulum)
Departure Time: 8:00 am, 8:10 am, 8:15 am, 8:20 am
Duration: 9.5 hrs
Chichen Itza is one of the most well-preserved Maya archaeological sites in the country and once stood as a mighty citadel of the Maya civilization in the 9th and 10th centuries A.D., serving as its political and economic centre. One of its most legendary structures is the Kukulkan pyramid, also known as El Castillo, which is a giant Maya calendar with exactly 365 steps divided among 4 staircases and the pyramid’s highest platform. During both equinoxes (around March 21st; September 21st) the sun’s shadow cast on this pyramid at a perfect angle creates the illusion of a serpent creeping its way along the structure’s northern staircase.
Don’t miss the Gran Juego de Pelota, in which ancient Maya warriors battled to the death in this ceremonial game. Check out the acoustics of the structure by holding a conversation with someone standing 135 meters away at the opposite end of the field and the stone carvings of players in action. Feel the spirit of the Maya world by standing here admiring this unique and majestic construction that was once of monumental importance to the former inhabitants here.
Other impressive structures you can’t miss are the Plataforma de los Craneos (Skull Platform) and the Cenote Sagrado (Sacred Cave). Check out the impressive stone carvings on other pyramids and temples of jaguars, flowers, birds, trees, eagles and among the more gruesome, human sacrifices and human hearts in the clutches of bird claws. The observatory, El Caracol, named The Snail for its spiral staircase, was once an important point from which priests determined important dates for ceremonies and rituals.
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Enjoy a free day to experience Tulum on your own.
Tulum to Playa Del Carmen
Type: Bus
Times: 8:10 am, 10:20 am, 11:20 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, 2:20 pm, 3:20 pm, 4:30 pm, 5:35 pm, 6:45 pm, 7:20 pm, 8:20 pm, 9:25 pm, 10:20 pm, 11:57 pm
Duration: 1 hour
Transfer from Tulum to Playa del Carmen. Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to Playa del Carmen.
Playa del Carmen to Cancun Airport Transfer
Type: Shuttle
Times: 12:00 am, 6:00 am, 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm, 6:00 pm, 8:00 pm, 10:00 pm
Duration: 1 hour
You will be picked up at your accommodation/meeting point for your shuttle transfer to Playa del Carmen, where you’ll be dropped off at your next accommodation/meeting point.
Terms and conditions apply. Subject to change and availability. Prices are per person twin share and subject to currency fluctuation. (ba)
