Vibrant Journey Through Mexico's Heart

Arrive in Mexico City, where we arrange your transfer to the hotel. You have time to settle in – our guide will contact you later in the 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, then continue 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 stop at an artisan centre. On the way back we visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, then return to the hotel – the rest of the day is free for you.

You have the morning free in Mexico City. After lunch we transfer you to the bus station for the journey to Querétaro – about 200 kilometres – and on arrival we transfer to the hotel. This historic city, founded in 1531 and pivotal in Mexico’s Independence and Revolution, has a UNESCO World Heritage historic centre of plazas, baroque churches and colonial buildings where you can wander cobbled streets, see the 18th–century aqueduct, enjoy gardens and browse busy markets.

Today we visit the Pueblo Mágico of San Sebastián de Bernal, a tranquil town at the foot of the world’s third–largest monolith, home to skilled textile artisans. We continue to Tequisquiapan, known for mineral water spas and colonial streets, where a guided tour deepens our understanding of local history, before a tasting visit to the San Patricio Winery and the Bocanegra Cheese Cellar to learn about cheese production and high–altitude winemaking.

We keep the morning free in Querétaro for you to continue exploring. In the afternoon we head to Hacienda Atongo, a historic estate dating from the seventeenth century, for a guided visit with characters from another era that bring its buildings and vineyard to life, finishing with a refreshing drink made from the estate’s wine – then we return to Querétaro.

We depart for Tula and include entrance to the archaeological site, ancient capital of the Toltecs, where the Atlantes – warrior statues standing four metres tall – dominate a complex of pyramids, palaces and carved columns. We then arrive in Puebla for a panoramic tour of this historic city celebrated for its cuisine, colonial architecture and Talavera pottery, with a magnificent Renaissance cathedral and lively Zócalo – overnight in Puebla.

We travel towards the state of Oaxaca through mountain scenery and arrive in Oaxaca. We head up to Monte Albán – tickets and guided tour included – set high above the valley and the most splendid of the Zapotec cities. After the visit we return for a panoramic tour of Oaxaca’s historic centre, recognised as a World Heritage Site, and you then have free time to explore at your own pace.

We depart early, pausing in San Pablo Villa de Mitla, a charming Pueblo Mágico where you can stroll by the 16th–century Church of San Pablo and along rustic streets. We then continue through the Oaxacan mountains towards the Isthmus – lunch is included en route – arriving in Tuxtla Gutiérrez by late afternoon.

We explore the Cañón del Sumidero by boat, sailing through this dramatic gorge almost one kilometre deep and 14 kilometres long. We then stroll in Chiapa de Corzo before delving further into Mayan culture in villages of the Tzotzil people – in Zinacantán we admire traditional dress and weaving workshops, and in San Juan Chamula we visit a church whose rites blend Christianity with traditions from pre–Columbian times. We continue to San Cristóbal de las Casas, where the afternoon is free for you.

Today we include a five–hour excursion with a local operator to Moxviquil, a learning community for sustainability set amid lush vegetation, where we can watch native birds and pollinators, visit the orchid garden and follow the signature interpretive trail for a direct connection with nature. Afterwards we visit the Museum of Maya Medicine, dedicated to sharing and preserving Tsotsil–Tseltal healing practices in Chiapas, with settings that present traditional methods and the therapeutic resources used by community healers including the Jilol, Koponej witz, Tzakbak, Jvetome and Acvomol – we then return to the hotel and the rest of the afternoon is free for you.

According to your flight schedule we include a transfer to Tuxtla Gutiérrez airport, where you may take the most convenient flight – not included – to Mexico City or another destination, bringing your journey to an end.