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Contrasts of Mexico + Yucatan Peninsula

5.0Based on
21 days
21 daysDuration
Small Group TourUsually 8-12 participants
16 peopleMaximum group size
16 - 99 yearsAge range for participants
EnglishGuide language
Moderate
Involves sustained activity requiring a reasonable level of fitness and endurance.
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Best price guaranteedNo credit card or booking fees.Carbon neutral tours.

Highlights

Marvel at Mayan ruins - From Palenque to Tikal, get closer to Latin Americas mysterious heritage at these iconic sites. Soak up colonial charm - Visit idyllic cities like Oaxaca and San Cristobal, soaking up local life in the Zocalos and dipping into artisanal markets. See the Sumidero Canyon - Take to the water on a boat trip through this towering gorge, spotting wildlife along the way.

Itinerary

Embark on a colorful odyssey through Latin America with the "Contrasts of Mexico + Yucatan Peninsula" tour, a 21-day moderate activity adventure perfect for experienced travelers. Begin in Mexico City and venture through ancient ruins, colonial cities, and lush jungles before crossing into Guatemala and Belize.

Marvel at the enigmatic Mayan ruins of Palenque and Tikal, soak up the colonial ambiance of Oaxaca and San Cristobal, and immerse yourself in local markets brimming with artisanal crafts. The trip features a boat excursion through Sumidero Canyon, offering wildlife sightings amid towering cliffs, and a taste of Mexico’s vibrant traditions—especially if you choose a Day of the Dead departure.

Throughout, the tour offers a blend of sightseeing, cultural immersion, and natural wonders, with all logistics, meals, and accommodations covered. The unique selling point? The diversity of experiences in one seamless itinerary, from ancient civilizations to modern-day fiestas—ideal for travelers who crave depth, variety, and authenticity.

day 1Join tour in Mexico City

Our tour starts today in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico and the bustling heart and soul of the country. CDMX, as the city is also known, gives 'metropolis' a whole new meaning with a new landmark, museum or gallery at every turn, not to mention the countless colourful markets, cosmopolitan eateries and leafy parks. Due to the number of evening flights into the international airport, our tour leader will meet you on the morning of day two for a welcome meeting. Look out for a message in the hotel reception with timings and other details for the day. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to arrive at any time. If you'd like to receive an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Mexico City International Airport (MEX) which is around a 30-minute to one-hour drive from the hotel. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you might like to have a stroll around Alameda Central, Mexico City's oldest municipal park, or visit the Templo Mayor Museum, which is known for its exhibits relating to the Aztec civilization.

Accommodation
Hotel Casa Blanca

day 2Tour of Mexico City, including Museum of Anthropology

day 3Visit the Teotihuacan Pyramids and the Basilica de Guadalupe

day 4Journey to Oaxaca, free time to explore the city

day 5Visit the pyramids of Monte Alban, free afternoon in Oaxaca

day 6Journey to Tehuantepec via Teotitlan del Valle and the Mitla ruins

day 7Sumidero Canyon boat trip and journey to San Cristobal

day 8Explore indigenous villages of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan

day 9Travel to Palenque

day 10Explore the Maya site of Palenque

day 11Cross the border into Guatemala and continue on to Flores.

day 12Day trip to Yaxha ruins. Optional boat trip on Lake Peten Itza

day 13Explore Tikal, Guatemala

day 14Travel to San Ignacio, Belize

day 15Drive to Belize City Airport where tour ends

day 16Relax on Caye Caulker; optional snorkelling trip

day 17Boat back to the mainland then drive to Bacalar

day 18Visit Tulum before driving to Valladolid

day 19Explore Chichen Itza; travel to Merida

day 20Visit the ancient Maya city of Uxmal

day 21Trip ends in Merida

What's Included

Accommodation
Hotel Casa Blanca (3 nights)Oaxaca Real Hotel (2 nights)Hotel Calli (1 night)Casa Mexicana (2 nights)Hotel Maya Tulipanes (2 nights)Hotel Casona de la Isla (3 nights)Cahal Pech Village Resort (1 night)Seaside Cabanas (2 nights)Hotel Nueve18 (1 night)Mesón del Marques (1 night)Hotel Del Gobernador (2 nights)
Meals
20 Breakfasts
Transport
Driver(s)BusBoat
Guide
Boat CrewLocal Guide(s)Explore Tour Leader

Customer Reviews

4.8

based on 16 reviews
12
4
J
JeremyVerified Traveler
5.0 | Excellent

Anna was amazing. Highly professional and really helpful and cheerful throughout. She made everything easy for us. It’s a really varied itinerary - the archaeological sites are amazing of course but there’s so much else to see as well.

K
KrystynaVerified Traveler
5.0 | Excellent

Great trip - it exceeded my expectations. Excellent itinerary - we covered 2000 miles of beautiful, changing landscapes, exploring ancient ruins and colourful Colonial towns. Luis Flores was a great guide - knowledgeable, helpful and we had lots of laughs. I would highly recommend this trip..... I loved it!

K
KathrynVerified Traveler
5.0 | Excellent

This holiday was fantastic! I would highly recommend it. We added three extra nights before the tour in Mexico City, which we felt was absolutely necessary to properly explore this fascinating place. It far exceeded our expectations with its incredible architecture, beautiful parks, things to see, and how safe it felt on our daytime wanderings (just avoid the Plaza Garibaldi and surrounding area which did not feel safe, even during the day). The tour itself was excellent, with incredible variety. Each ancient architectural site was sufficiently different to the others to ensure they were all worth seeing. The wildlife we saw in Sumidero Canyon on the exhilarating speed boat ride, at the Guatemala jungle architectural sites, and on the island of Cayer Caulker in Belize (from the beach!) was amazing and each was a real highlight for me. Howler monkeys, spider monkeys, coaties, iguanas, crocodiles, so many birds including toucans and pelicans, stingrays, puffer fish, seahorses and so many more, all in incredible settings. The hotels were all pretty good, most with large rooms suitable for two people with luggage – only the hotel room on Flores Island was too small for us. There is a lot of travelling to cover large distances so be prepared for that. The landscapes are varied and interesting to see, which helps, and on some days there were interesting visits built into the travelling. All the buses we used were spacious and we could all spread out, apart from near the end where we moved into a minibus that felt too cramped, having to sit side-by-side, with small seats for those of us with broad shoulders along with our hand luggage. Our tour leader, Luis Flores, was also excellent - very knowledgeable, very helpful, and lots of fun. Overall, the holiday was fantastic and memorable in all the right ways. I’ve been back only a week and already two of my friends and family have said they want to do the same tour based on my social media posts and photos. We totally loved it! One of our most memorable holidays!

L
LenVerified Traveler
5.0 | Excellent

Excellent but demanding trip. Thoroughly enjoyed it however lots of travelling so not for everyone. Our trip went very smoothly and our tour leader Louis was excellent, full of knowledge and went out of his way to accomodate the needs of the group. I would recommend this trip

A
AnnVerified Traveler
5.0 | Excellent

Luis Flores was such a helpful, knowledgeable guide. Nothing was too much trouble , he looked after us so well and had a great sense of humour and treated everyone with much kindness and respect. His passion for Mexico came across and was very inspiring, The itinerary was incredible we saw so many archaeological sites and travelled by bus over 2,000 miles south from Mexico City across very diverse landscapes, giving us such a good insight into the pre Hispanic and contemporary Mexico. The holiday was a treat. Thank-you Luis you are one in a million and to Anna who kindly and knowledgeably looked after us in our first two days to CDMX. Highly recommend the trip.

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