Journey through Mexico's Cultural Wonders

Arrive in Mexico City – we arrange your transfer to the hotel and you have time to relax. Our guide will contact you in the late afternoon.
Please note: This tour may have travellers joining or departing at various points along the route, meaning group composition can change during the tour. Please also be aware that depending on group composition, guiding may be in additional languages as well as English.

After breakfast we begin at the Plaza of the Three Cultures, where past and present meet, then continue 40 km to Teotihuacan – entrance included – to explore the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon, the Temple of Quetzalpapalotl, the Citadel and the Avenue of the Dead, with a visit to a local artisan centre. Back in the city we visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. After returning to the hotel, you have the rest of the day free.

We transfer you to the airport for your included flight to Tuxtla Gutiérrez – the journey takes just under two hours. On arrival a guide meets us for our visit to Sumidero Canyon, where we take a boat ride of just over an hour to admire this spectacular gorge, with river depths of more than 250 metres and cliffs soaring over 1,000 metres. We continue to San Cristóbal de las Casas and you have the afternoon free to explore this enchanting Chiapas city, where many residents preserve traditional crafts, languages and culture.

After breakfast we set off with a local operator to explore the indigenous communities around San Cristóbal de las Casas. In San Juan Chamula we visit the Church of San Juan and the central plaza, as a community guide introduces us to distinctive local customs and traditions. We then continue to San Lorenzo Zinacantán to visit a family workshop, observe traditional weaving on waist looms and learn more about their way of life. Afterwards we take a city tour of San Cristóbal de las Casas, including the Temple of Santo Domingo, the Church of La Caridad, the Artisan Market, the Jade Museum and the Amber Museum, with time for shopping and lunch for you.

Today we set out on an excursion of about eight hours. From San Cristóbal de las Casas we visit Las Grutas del Mamut, a vast cave named for a rock formation that resembles a prehistoric mammoth. We continue to El Arcotete Ecotourism Park, a scenic area of lush vegetation and abundant wildlife, where a striking natural stone arch carved over thousands of years by the Fogótico River reveals caverns, rock formations and stalactites. Our final stop is Rancho Nuevo Ecotourism Park, home to a cave 10.2 kilometres long and up to 550 metres deep, with an illuminated pathway extending 750 metres inside. This geological marvel lies in a conifer forest where you can also enjoy horseback riding, camping, hiking and caving. We return to San Cristóbal de las Casas and you have free time.

We travel through beautiful mountain landscapes in the heart of Chiapas, passing communities that have preserved Mayan languages and traditions. After crossing the Ocosingo region we continue to Agua Azul – entrance to the National Park is included. Lunch is included and you have free time to walk or swim among more than 50 waterfalls ranging from 3 to 30 metres in height. We then continue to Misol–Há, an impressive waterfall with a path behind the cascade. Our journey continues to Palenque, where dinner and accommodation are included. Note – occasional road closures may occur in the Ocosingo region due to local social tensions.

We visit the impressive archaeological site of Palenque – entrance and guided tour included – to explore its temples, pyramids and ball court. After the visit we travel towards the Gulf of Mexico through the state of Tabasco, arriving in Campeche, a Mexican port city known for its colonial architecture and seventeenth–century fortifications built to defend against pirate attacks. Dinner included.

We head towards the state of Yucatán and, after just over two hours, arrive in Mérida. We enjoy a guided tour of this vibrant capital, rich in colonial and Maya heritage, including the fortified Cathedral of Mérida, the limestone Church of the Third Order and the House of Montejo, a sixteenth–century mansion that is a symbol of Plateresque colonial architecture. You have the afternoon free – you might visit the Museum of the Maya World independently. In the evening we provide a transfer to the Zócalo, where you can enjoy dinner and soak up the local atmosphere.

We spend a beautiful day exploring Yucatán. In Izamal, one of Mexico’s prettiest cities and designated a Magic Town, we make a stop before continuing to Chichén Itzá – admission and a guided visit included – to the most important and renowned vestige of the Maya civilisation, a World Heritage Site featuring the pyramid of Kukulcán and the Temple of the Warriors. After the visit we include a Mayan cuisine lunch. We then continue to Río Lagartos, a small fishing village in the heart of a Biosphere Reserve.

Today is devoted to nature. In the morning we include a boat ride of over two hours into the biosphere reserve, where we can see crocodiles among the mangroves and abundant birdlife including pelicans and pink flamingos. You can also try the mud experience – applying mineral–rich mud that acts as a gentle exfoliant and leaves the skin feeling soft. We then travel to Valladolid, the third largest city in Yucatán with a delightful historic centre – you may like to have lunch in one of the restaurants on the main square. In the afternoon we visit Cenote Choj Há, managed by the local Maya community, walking a short path through the jungle to explore its dry cave and, if you wish, swimming in the wonderful lake inside the wet cave. We continue to Cancún, arriving in the late afternoon.

Our services end after breakfast. If you would like to extend your stay, you can spend a few more days relaxing on the beautiful beaches of Cancún or the Riviera Maya.