Mexico Tours in Fall

The trip was as described in the brochure and was an excellent introduction to the food of Mexico and some of the archaeological sites. The guide Yves was extremely knowledgeable and a great story teller. His local knowledge was invaluable in spotting opportunities as they arose, and also in solving any difficulties. We were a group of 15 with a driver and a guide and were originally put in an 18 seater minibus. As some of the driving days were many hours long, we requested a larger and more comfortable bus and this was arranged. As some of the trips turned out to be even longer than planned, due to roadworks and unavoidable detours, this was an essential upgrade. One of the hotels, rated as premium, had, unbeknownst to either Explore or the local tour operator, had moved us to a much more basic accommodation. It was disappointing but Explore dealt with it in a very timely manner by refunding the cost of the two nights. Mistakes do happen but dealing with them is the mark of a good company. The group was mixed with some couples and some singles. I travelled on my own but there was always company for meals if I wanted it.

Luis Flores is a tremendous guide with lots of knowledge and great historical context but also a very pleasant character and cheerful personality. He took us to some wonderful local restaurants, and organised excellent optional activities. We loved the wide range of activities in the itinerary... Spectacular ruins but also cenotes, boat trips, church visits etc. The highlight was definitely the visit to the cemetery for Dia Des Muertos in Oaxaca. We have already recommended this trip to many friends and will continue to do so! Well done and thank you for adding these memories to our life.

An excellent opportunity to explore many of the archeological sites in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize under the guidance of our extremely knowledgeable and charismatic tour guide Ana. This is a ‘full on’ tour, with some very long drives, but well worth it. There is a fair amount of walking, as well as climbing at many of the sites, and a good level of fitness is needed, particularly in view of the hot, sunny and humid days that we experienced on many days. We booked our trip to coincide with ‘Day of the dead’ celebrations in Oaxaca, which was an amazing experience. Accommodation generally poor, and not to Explore’s normal standards. All in all, a great 3 week trip.

We thoroughly enjoyed this trip but we were SO glad that we chose to go at this time of year so that we could see the Day of The Dead celebrations! I cannot imagine having missed out on this most significant part of our trip. We dressed up and had our faces painted so that we could join in to the maximum. Everyone was jovial and kind hearted and good spirited. The visit to the cemetary to see the relatives celebrating was a highlight and certainly sheds a new light on death. Apart from this, the trip involved seeing many of the Mayan ruins through Mexico, Guatemala and Belize, all so different and each offering its own special attraction. The wildlife we saw around these ruins and along the river cruise was certainly unexpected and a real bonus. Take binnoculars!! Luis, our guide, was very knowledgeable and passionate about his country and the history, cultures and traditions and we felt we learned a lot about each of the three countries involved. There was a lot of travelling involved and most long days were interspersed with stopping off at sites to visit, but there were a couple of days when it seemed as if we were just going from A to B. Take lots of good books!! We were only a group of eight, so were able to spread out on the minibusses but space was tight for leg room in the Mexican minibus and it would have been a very uncomfortable ride if we had had to sit more closely together. The drivers were all very safe. The hotels were mainly good, standard accommodation, clean and comfortable and some exceeded our expectations, especially the one in Guatemala. However, one was below standard and this was the one in Palenque, The Hotel Villas Kin- Ha. The rooms were dirty and tired and the food wasn't great. It was also a way from the centre of town making it difficult to eat elsewhere. There did seem to be better rooms on offer, but we were given the older ones at the back of the hotel. We didn't do the extension and were sorry not to see Chichen Itza but we felt that many of the other Mayan Ruins we did see had lots to offer and were less crowded and more remote. Alll in all, a great holiday!

The tour guide - english side -Mr. ADAN MORA ROUSSEL - was very professional, knowledgeable, and helpful throughout the journey. The same for Ms. ANA from the spanish side

Honestly one of the best trips I’ve ever been on! Our host Eve was amazing — super friendly, so organised, and just had the best energy. She made everyone feel so comfortable and kept the vibes high the whole time. We also had Alejandro as a trainee tour guide who was so passionate and knowledgeable. The itinerary was packed with awesome activities that definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone (in a good way!). And the group I did it with was incredible — such a fun bunch of people, and I’ve actually made some new friends from it! Would 100% recommend this tour to anyone thinking about it