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HIGHLIGHTS
A quick look about this trip!
DURATION
15 DAYS
COMFORT
LANGUAGE
RATING
  • Mexico City guided city tour
  • Puebla walking tour
  • Guided tours of Mexico's premier pre-Spanish monuments
  • Beautiful San Miguel: artist's haven
  • Colonial Guanajuato: guided walking tour
  • Pre- and post-Spanish arts, crafts, and costumes
  • Charming Morelia & Patzcuaro
ACTIVITIES ON THIS TRIP
Primary: Local Culture & Cuisine, Urban Exploration, Walking Tour
Other: Arts & Crafts, Historical Sites, sightseeing, church, ruins, Local Markets, national parks, museums, Local Food
$3620USD
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Applies to Departures Between:
4/25/2012 and 1/1/2013
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From 4/25/2012 To 6/1/2012
TRIP MAP
See the locations you'll visit!

Complete Mexico Tour

Standing on the top of the Pyramid of the Sun, we are standing at the site where the ancient god Quetzalcoatl began the very first chapter in his long legend. This story comes to life as we walk along the narrow hallways that take us deep into the colossal pyramid.
Standing on the top of the Pyramid of the Sun, we are standing at the site where the ancient god Quetzalcoatl began the very first chapter in his long legend. This story comes to life as we walk along the narrow hallways that take us deep into the colossal pyramid. The various antiquities of an ancient people give us detailed insight into their mysterious lives; they have even depicted the happenings of the Spanish conquest through the Diego Rivera Murals in Mexico City. Colonial architecture is part of another timeline that also shines through the many cities. Not only is this country bursting at the seams with a vibrant and compelling history, but the land itself is what makes this country a jewel. When we gaze up at the peaks of Mount Orizaba or inspect the massive diameter of the 2,000-year-old Tule Tree, we will realize that nature has created its very own crowning achievements. The elements of beauty range from thundering waterfalls to steaming volcanoes.
Day 1: Arrive in Mexico City
Arrival in Mexico City.

Overnight in Mexico City. Meal plan: Dinner, if required.
Day 2: Mexico City - Queretaro - San Miguel de Allende
We continue to San Miguel de Allende, one of Mexico's most beautiful towns. En route we stop at Queretaro for a walking tour. At the hub of this colonial city is the beautiful Plaza de la Independencia or, as it's more commonly known locally, Plaza de los Perros (the name is testimony to the four stone dogs which flank the central fountain, and not because the plaza is overrun with dogs!) Outdoor cafes, which can be enjoyed year-round in the moderate climate, line the perimeter of the spacious plaza and wide andadores (walkways).

On arrival in San Miguel we'll embark on a walking tour, starting at El Jardin, the main plaza. We continue 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. We then walk over to the ex-convento of La Purissimo Concepcion to see the courtyard and the hall with a strange mural by Alfonso Siquero (who was implicated in an attempt on Leon Trotsky's life). We finish with a visit to the ex-convento of San Francisco.

Overnight in San Miquel. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 3: San Miguel - Dolores Hidalgo - Guanaguato
We continue our journey through central Mexico to the town of Dolores Hidalgo, the cradle of Mexican independence. This is the town where the priest/intellectual Miguel Hidalgo made his famous cry, known as the "Grito de Dolores", inciting the Mexican people to revolution in 1810 which led, after many bloody episodes, eventually to full independence from Spain in 1821. We visit the parish church, where it all began, as well as the house where Hidalgo lived.

Later we travel to Guanajuato, located in the bajio, a central lowland plateau.

Overnight in Guanajuato. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 4: Guanajuato - Patzcuaro - Morelia
Today we travel to Morelia via Patzcuaro.

Patzcuaro's cobbled streets lie across a hillside, looking down toward a pristine lake dotted with islands. We will visit the museum of Popular and Regional arts, a collection of local pre- and post-Spanish arts, crafts, and costumes housed in a beautiful colonial-era building. We will also see the Temple of the Compania de Jesus, formerly a cathedral, as well as the mid-16th century Basilica which was made a cathedral in 1907, replacing the Temple of the Compania de Jesus.

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. It rests on a gentle sloping hill overlooking the Valley of Guayangero and is another of Mexico's colonial gems--a UNESCO World Heritage Site--wonderfully restful and clean with wide boulevards, lovely squares, and shady parks.

Overnight in Morelia. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 5: Morelia - Mexico City
This morning we have a walking tour of Morelia, starting at the courtyard of the Collegio San Nicholas, where Miguel Hidalgo was rector in the early 19th century, and where Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon was a religious student. We walk through the Plaza de los Martires (the Zocalo) to the Cathedral, an extraordinary building that took over 100 years to build. We leave the Cathedral and walk a few blocks to the Casa de Morelos, a very fine example of a Morelia house from the late 18th century and good displays regarding Mexico's War of Independence.

We then walk a few blocks to the Casa de la Cultura with its excellent Museo de las Masqueras which exhibits masks from all over Mexcio. Our next point of interest is the Plaza Valladolid and the Casa de los Artensanias where you can see artisans working on weaving and carving and other crafts.

Later we return to Mexico City.

Overnight in Mexico City. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 6: Mexico City: City Tour
We depart the hotel 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. We continue to the archeological site nearby, the Templo Mayor, or Great Temple. Unearthed in 1978, the temple was once the holiest shrine of the gods.

We continue to the Palacio Nacional, originally built as headquarters for Cortes from the rubble left from the destruction of Montezuma's palace. We view the Diego Rivera Murals that decorate the stairwell and central courtyard. These famous masterpieces of modern art depict the native cultures of Mexico which existed before the arrival of the Spanish.

We also tour of the Anthropological Museum at Chapultepec Park. The museum is considered one of the world's great museums, not only for its rich collection, but for the originality and practicality of its design. We continue by bus to visit the Palacio Bella Artes, one of Mexico City's more visually impressive art nouveau and art deco monuments housing a museum of art showcasing many well-known Mexican artists. We will linger here to admire the murals and striking decor and architecture.

Overnight in Mexico City. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 7: Mexico City - Teotihuacan - Puebla
Today we head into the highlands of central Mexico. Our destination this afternoon is the massive archaeological site of Teotihuacan (500 BC-AD 700). The site was the first major urban area in the New World and was named "the City of the Gods". On the site we will see the Pyramid of the Sun, which the adventurous can climb. Other structures on the site include the Pyramid of the Moon, the Avenue of the Dead, and the Temple of Quetzalcoatl. We have a comprehensive tour of the site, including the excellent museum.

We continue to Puebla, an important regional capital in the colonial era, and today one of Mexico's most charming cities.

Overnight in Puebla. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 8: Puebla - Oaxaca
This morning we tour Puebla and see some of the city's many ornate churches, including the gold-leafed Capilla del Rosario and the Museo de Santa Monica. This "secret convent" reflects the period when nuns and priests were forced underground -- literally -- in 1857. This convent was discovered in 1935 and later turned into a museum. The convent's entrance was through the homes of the religiously faithful through cupboards in the dining hall; today the entrance to the convent-cum-museum is still through a private home.

We arrive in Oaxaca early afternoon. As we enter town, there is a statue of Benito Juarez, who was a Zapotec lawyer from a nearby village, and Oaxaca's most famous son. We embark upon a walking tour of Oaxaca including the Governor's Palace, an attractive building housing several outstanding murals by Arturo Garcia Bustos. We proceed to the market, a very lively and colourful place. We also visit a small Chocolate Factory before leaving the market area.

We stop in at the ex-Convento de Santo Domingo (Regional Museum or Museo se las Cultruas de Oaxaca), one of the best museums we will visit on the tour. This museum contains, among other things, the Mixtec treasures from Tomb 7 at Monte Alban.

Overnight in Oaxaca. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 9: Oaxaca - Monte Alban - Mitla - Tehuantepec
This morning we visit Monte Alban. We visit the site museum before walking out onto the site itself for our visit. Situated on a flattened mountain top, the site affords commanding views of the Valley of Oaxaca, a stunning vista of endless mountain peaks. Monte Alban was an important religious site and today is one of the most impressive places anywhere; we stop at the ball court, the plaza, the Gallery of the Dancers, and the Observatory, considered to be the oldest in Mesoamerica.

We continue to the fascinating site of Mitla, a beautiful site distinguished by the finely-carved and inlaid stones that form unique geometric patterns. Another feature of the site is one that ties the pre-Columbian world with that of the Spanish Conquest: a small colonial church on the site of the ruins, typical of those that the Spanish frequently built as a symbol of the new religion they were bringing to this new the land.

Our last stop is 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 metres!

Overnight in Tehuantepec. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 10: Tehuantepec - Sumidero Canyon - San Cristobal de las Casas
Early in the morning after breakfast we will drive onto San Cristobal de las Casas. On the way we will stop by the Sumidero Canyon, where we will make a boat ride along the canyon. The 2-3 hour round trip on the boat will take you on a spectacular journey through the canyon, with some of the walls towering 760 m (2,500 ft) above you. The wildlife on display is spectacular, and your boat may take you on a tour past one or two caves in the area.

Afterwards we will continue our drive to reach the 2100 m (6,890 ft) high valley of Jovel, where San Cristobal is located, visiting the Indian villages of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan en route. This is the State of Chiapas, a region which is, without question, Mexico's most stunning scenic area; mostly wild and rugged, rich in indigenous life and culture.

Overnight in San Cristobal de las Casas. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 11: San Cristobal de las Casas - Agua Azul - Palenque
In the morning we will depart for Palenque, the waterfalls of Agua Azul on the way. Set amidst thick trees, Palenque still evokes some of the wonder that the early Spanish visitors must have felt when they first came across the ruins. The physical isolation of Palenque emphasizes the magnificence of its buildings, and the delicacy of the stucco ornamentation. In this way Palenque is unique among the Mayan cities.

Overnight at Palenque. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 12: Palenque - Campeche
This morning we will visit the archaeological site of Palenque. The ruins now visible are the heavily restored remains of the ceremonial center of a more extensive settlement bordered by agricultural fields. Our visit ends with a stop at the museum which has on display some remarkable Olmec relics.

We then transfer to Campeche and have a walking tour upon arrival. San Francisco de Campeche is the capital city of the state of Campeche and has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The name of Campeche comes from the Mayan word "Ah Kim Pech", which means "The Place of Boa Serpent". It was fairly unknown to the Western world until, on March 22, 1517, Spanish soldiers commanded by Francisco Hernandez de Cordova reached the village to replenish their water supply. The historic centre has kept its outer walls and system of fortifications, designed to defend this Caribbean port against attacks from the sea.

Overnight in Campeche. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 13: Campeche - Uxmal - Merida
In the morning we will drive on to Merida. On the way we will visit the archaeological site of Uxmal.

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'. The Palace of the Governor at Uxmal is considered by many to be the most beautiful of all the Maya structures in Central America. Here some 20,000 hand cut stones have been set into acres of geometric friezes. This truly is a step back into the years of Mayan glory (AD 7-10).

We arrive in 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. During the nineteenth century, European traders flocked to the bustling city to exchange their luxuries for the area's much sought after sisal hemp. The state capital's many buildings and the Moorish and rococo-style mansions of the Paseo Montejo reflect the strong Old World influences.

Overnight in Merida. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 14: Merida - Chichen Itza - Cancun
In the morning we transfer to Cancun and the Riviera Maya. On the way we will visit the archaeological site of 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. The El Castrillo, the temple of Panels and the Platform of Venus are superb architectural feats.

The most impressive monuments here are the Temple of the Warriors, the group of a thousand columns, the Temple of Kukulcan, the Temple of Chac-Mool and the Ball Court. The Toltecs interest in astronomy and mathematics is evident with a visit to the Astronomical Observatory, perhaps one of the most impressive revelations is the phenomenon occurring during equinoxes, when shadows cast across the ramp of the castle appear to form the shape of a slithering serpent.

Overnight in Cancun. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.
Day 15: Departure
Departure from Cancun.

BUEN VIAJE! Meal plan: Breakfast.
TRIP 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.
TRIP DOES NOT INCLUDE
  • Tour Leader gratuity, lunches, drinks, personal items (phone, laundry, etc), departure taxes, and international air taxes (if applicable).
  • Airport transfers for Land Only customers.
  • Optional trip cancellation insurance.
  • Our post-reservation trip notes offer further guidance on not included meal costs, and shopping.
CANCELLATIONS: 20% cancellation fee applied if cancelled 60 days prior to departure. Cancellations within 60 days are 100% non-cancelable

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