Mexican Contrasts

Welcome to Mexico! Transfer to the hotel and free time. Our guide will contact you late in the afternoon.

Today, we’ll explore MEXICO CITY and the remarkable site of TEOTIHUACAN (entrance included), located just 40 km from the capital. After breakfast, we’ll begin our journey at the Plaza of the Three Cultures, where past and present merge seamlessly. From there, we’ll continue to the impressive archaeological site of Teotihuacan, where we’ll visit the monumental Pyramids of the Sun and Moon, the Temple of Quetzalpapalotl, the Citadel, and the Avenue of the Dead. We’ll also stop by a local artisan center. On our way back to the city, we’ll visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of Latin America. After returning to the hotel, the rest of the day will be free.

Free morning in MEXICO CITY. After lunch, we’ll provide transfer to the bus station for the journey to QUERETARO, located 200 km from Mexico City. Upon arrival at the station, you’ll be transferred to the hotel. QUERETARO is a historic city known for its rich cultural and architectural heritage. Founded in 1531, it played a key role in both Mexico’s Independence and the Mexican Revolution. Its historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is filled with charming plazas, baroque churches, and colonial buildings. Over the next few days, you’ll have time to stroll through the magnificent center, with its cobblestone streets, vibrant plazas lined with colonial architecture, the 18thcentury aqueduct, lush gardens, and bustling markets.

Today, we’ll visit the Pueblo Mágico of SAN SEBASTIAN DE BERNAL, a charming town known for its tranquil atmosphere at the base of the world’s thirdlargest monolith. Here, you’ll find skilled textile artisans. We’ll also explore TEQUISQUIAPAN, famous for its mineral water spas and colonialstyle buildings that line its cobblestone streets. This town is renowned for its handmade artisanal products, especially the woven baskets sold in the artisan market. A guided tour will be included, allowing us to delve into the local history. Our excursion will also include a delightful culinary experience, with a visit to the San Patricio Winery and the Bocanegra Cheese Cellar. You’ll learn about cheese production and the unique challenges of highaltitude winemaking, accompanied by a tasting of regional wines.

We’ll enjoy a free morning in QUERETARO for you to continue exploring this charming city. In the afternoon, we’ll include a unique theatrical experience! Just 40 km from Querétaro lies the Hacienda Atongo, a historic seventeenthcentury estate. Here, we’ll take a guided tour with characters from another era, immersing ourselves in the rich history of the hacienda, from its main buildings to the vineyard. The visit will be brought to life with theatrical performances by local actors. We’ll also enjoy a refreshing drink made from wine produced on the estate. We’ll then return to QUERETARO.

We’ll depart for Tula, the ancient capital of the Toltecs. Admission to its archaeological site is included. The Atlantean figures, imposing fourmetertall warrior statues, are the site’s main attraction. You’ll also see pyramids, palaces, and carved columns, showcasing the sophistication of this preHispanic civilization. We’ll then arrive in Puebla, a historic city renowned for its culinary traditions, colonial architecture, and ceramics. Highlights include its impressive Renaissance cathedral and its lively main square. We’ll spend the night in this lively and active city.

We’ll travel toward the state of Oaxaca, passing through mountainous regions with beautiful scenery along the way. We’ll arrive in Oaxaca by late morning and enjoy an included visit to this UNESCO World Heritage city, originally founded by the Aztecs and renowned for its impressive historical heritage. We’ll then head up to Monte Albán, set atop a mountain rising 400 meters above the Oaxaca Valley. This ancient site—tickets and guided tour included—is the most magnificent of the Zapotec cities. We’ll return to Oaxaca, where you’ll have free time to continue exploring the city at your own pace.

We’ll depart early in the morning, making a brief stop in SAN PABLO VILLA DE MITLA, a charming Pueblo Mágico. You’ll have time for a stroll near the 16thcentury Church of San Pablo and along its picturesque rustic streets. We’ll then continue our journey through the mountains of Oaxaca toward the Isthmus. Lunch will be included en route. By late afternoon, we’ll arrive in TUXTLA GUTIÉRREZ, the capital of the state of Chiapas.

We see the CAÑON DEL SUMIDERO, on a boat we sail up this impressive canyon almost 1 km deep and 14 km long. Then we take a stroll in CHIAPA DEL CORZO, a colonial site of tradition and culture. After this, we go further into the Mayan culture and visit beautiful villages inhabited by the Tzotziles Indians. In ZINACANTAN we can admire the dresses of the women and the beautiful shops and weaving workshops. In SAN JUAN CHAMULA we will be surprised by its church which mixes Christianity with precolumbine traditions in its rites. Continuation to SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS. Afternoon free in this very beautiful colonial city founded in 1528.

Today, we’ll embark on an 8hour excursion with a local tour operator. From SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS, we’ll visit Las Grutas del Mamut, named due to its rock formation resembling a prehistoric mammoth. This massive cave is filled with impressive rock formations that captivate visitors. We’ll then continue to El Arcotete Ecotourism Park, a scenic site surrounded by lush, varied vegetation and abundant wildlife. Here, a striking natural stone archway, shaped over thousands of years by the flow of the Fogótico River, awaits us. This unique formation combines elements of a natural arch and caves, with numerous caverns, rock formations, and stalactites to explore. Our final stop will be the Rancho Nuevo Ecotourism Park, home to a cave stretching 10. 2 kilometers in length and reaching depths of up to 550 meters. An illuminated pathway extends 750 meters into the cave, allowing us to admire the fascinating shapes formed by stalactites and stalagmites over time. This geological marvel is nestled in a conifer forest, where you can also enjoy horseback riding, camping, hiking, and spelunking activities. We’ll return to SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS where you’ll have free time.

Today, we’ll include a 5hour excursion with a local tour operator to MOXVIQUIL, a true example of a learning community for sustainibility. This expansive area, lush with vegetation, offers a range of activities such as native birdwatching, observing pollinators and insects, exploring the beautiful orchid garden, and taking part in the signature interpretive hiking trail, a unique experience that connects visitors directly with nature. Afterward, we’ll visit the Museum of Maya Medicine, dedicated to sharing and preserving TsotsilTseltal healing practices in CHIAPAS. The museum features a variety of settings that showcase traditional medical practices, as well as the methods and therapeutic resources used by community healers, including the Jilol (pulse reader), Koponej witz (mountain prayer specialist), Tzakbak (bonesetter), Jvetome (midwife), and Acvomol (herbalist). We’ll then return to our hotel, with the rest of the afternoon free for you to enjoy at your leisure.

According to your flight schedule, we’ll include a transfer to Tuxtla Gutiérrez airport, where you may take the most convenient flight (not included) to Mexico City airport (or another destination), marking the end of your journey.