Majestic Mexico City to Canyon Adventure

Welcome to Mexico City – we arrange your transfer to the hotel, and you have free time to settle in. 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.

We spend a fantastic day exploring Mexico City. In the morning we head to Xochimilco for a ride on a colourful trajinera along its canals and floating gardens. Afterwards we take a panoramic tour, passing the Plaza of the Three Cultures, the historic centre with the Zócalo and its Metropolitan Cathedral, the Aztec Templo Mayor, Chapultepec Park, Paseo de la Reforma and the main avenues. You have free time for lunch at the Zócalo. In the afternoon we visit the Basilica of Guadalupe to see both the 18th century old basilica and the modern temple. In the evening we go to Plaza Garibaldi – alive with cantinas, restaurants and mariachi – and dinner is included at a typical Mexican restaurant.

We travel into the mountain and forest region where monarch butterflies spend the winter. We visit La Mina de las Dos Estrellas, now a museum showcasing local mining heritage, then explore Tlalpujahua, a Pueblo Mágico famed for handcrafted Christmas ornaments – you have free time to stroll its cobbled streets and enjoy lunch. We continue to Pátzcuaro for a panoramic tour of one of Mexico’s most beautiful colonial cities, with ancient roots, fine architecture, craft markets and a vibrant atmosphere.

We depart for Morelia, the capital of Michoacán and a UNESCO World Heritage city known for its pink stone architecture and elegant historic centre. We see the Cathedral, Plaza de Armas and the University of Morelia, founded in 1540 – you have free time to wander and have lunch. En route we stop in Tlaquepaque, a Pueblo Mágico filled with mariachi, live performances, artisan shops and excellent local cuisine. We then continue to Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco and cradle of mariachi and tequila, arriving in the late afternoon.

In the morning we visit Guadalajara, discovering its colonial historic centre, the Cathedral, the market and Plaza Tapatía, and we enter the Hospicio Cabañas, a UNESCO World Heritage site. We then continue to the town of Tequila to tour the Mundo Cuervo distillery and see how this famous Mexican drink is produced, with a tasting included – you then have time to stroll and have lunch in picturesque Tequila before we return to Guadalajara.

You have free time in Guadalajara until your scheduled transfer to the airport. On arrival at Chihuahua we provide a transfer to your hotel, and you then have free time in this city founded in 1709 by Antonio Deza y Ulloa and rich in history from the Mexican Revolution, including figures such as Pancho Villa.

We meet in the hotel lobby for a city tour, visiting the Pancho Villa Museum, the Cathedral, the Quinta Gameros Museum, the Government Palace and historic residential neighbourhoods.

After breakfast we journey through mountain and forest scenery, passing towns with Mennonite communities, travelling 260 km to reach Creel, a lively Pueblo Mágico and gateway to the Copper Canyon. Here we tour Lake Arareko, the San Ignacio Mission, Tarahumara caves still inhabited by local families, and the striking rock formations of the Valley of Mushrooms and Frogs.

Today we travel 130 km by road through dramatic landscapes. Our tour includes Piedra Volada Falls, the Adventure Park, the suspension bridge and scenic viewpoints. At the park you can choose from activities such as the cable car, zip line and zip rider, as well as ATV and bicycle rentals and guided hikes led by Tarahumara guides – these are not included and tickets are purchased at the entrance. After an included lunch we take a guided walk to admire further canyon views and visit a traditional Tarahumara cave, then continue to the hotel where dinner is included.

We board the Chepe Express through the Copper Canyon in tourist class. The train dives into the mountains, skirting cliffs and crossing 86 tunnels and 37 bridges over powerful rivers. Along the way we enjoy superb panoramas, including the highest bridge on the route and the El Descanso tunnel, the longest of the journey. We arrive at El Fuerte station, where a representative transfers us to the hotel. You have free time – you might wander the colonial historic centre or stroll the banks of the Fuerte River.

You have a free morning for independent activities. We recommend a raft ride on the Fuerte River, a visit to ancient petroglyphs nearly 2,500 years old, or a tour to an indigenous Mayo–Yoreme village to experience local customs, visit a family home for the celebrated Deer dance and make handmade tortillas to sample with traditional regional dishes – tours are not included. At 2:00 p.m. we transfer from El Fuerte to Los Mochis, a one hour journey. On arrival you have a free afternoon – you might visit Topolobampo Bay and the Maviri Island gastronomic centre to enjoy sun, beach and fresh seafood, not included.

We arrange your transfer to Los Mochis airport at the time that best suits your flight – your journey concludes here.