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Mexico: Cities, Cuisine & Ruins
15 days, Mexico City to Playa del Carmen
Itinerary
Day 1Mexico City
Arrive at any time. Tonight, head out with your fellow travellers! Start the night with a taco crawl, maybe hit up a lucha libre match before ending the night at a local bar.
Arrive at any time. Check into the hotel and enjoy the city. Please try to arrive before 6pm for an important group meeting where you can meet the Chief Experience Officer (CEO) and the other group members.
Your First Night Out Moment: Connect With New Friends
Connect with new friends on your first night out in a new destination. Only available on 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours.
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Day 2Mexico City
Enjoy a free day to discover Mexico City. Explore one of the world's largest metropolitan areas. Opt to visit Frida Kahlo's house, see the iconic architecture of Museo Soumaya, or go on a party boat at the nearby floating gardens of Xochimilco. At night, opt to witness the high-flying practitioners of “lucha libre,” Mexico’s world-famous brand of wrestling.
Free Time
Get out and explore this Mexican metropolis.
Optional Activities - Day 2 HideShow
National Museum of Anthropology
95MXN per personThe National Museum of Anthropology houses the largest collection of Mexican art in the world. It's a must see if you're interested in the past or present-day history of Mexico. On the top of the highlights, see the Sun Stone (also known as the Aztec Calendar) an important piece in Aztec culture and mythology that illustrates the history of the universe. With over 20 exhibit halls, you may not be able to see the whole museum in just one day so grab a map and pick and choose what you're most interested in.
Museum of Frida Kahlo (Casa Azul)
320MXN per personVisit the famed "Blue House" where Frida Kahlo was born, lived and died. Her lifelong home is open to those looking to learn more about or see what life was like for the celebrated artist. The museum consists of ten rooms throughout the home, each filled with original furniture from when she lived there with her husband Diego Rivera, and personal items of Frida's from letters, art materials, original works of art, to handcrafted kitchenwares. Tickets can be limited so we recommend booking in advance online: https://www.museofridakahlo.org.mx/?lang=en
Lucha Libre Match
350-500MXN per personCombatants don colourful masks and catapult themselves towards their opponents off of the ring’s ropes, employing a variety of different moves and holds to pin them to the mat for a three-count. The largely Mexican crowds are usually rowdy, making “lucha libre” an entertaining way to throw yourself head-first into the local culture.
Please be aware that prices for tickets will vary depending on seat location.
Xochimilco Boat Tour
25-50USD per personTake on the famous canals of Xochimilco in a vibrant coloured gondola boat past vendors, mariachi bands and local artisans. Feel the vibes of the music around you as locals shop in the floating markets and hopefully you'll find something to bring back home too.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 3Mexico City
Take a day trip to the famous archaeological site of Teotihuacán to visit the massive pyramids. In the evening, set off in search of the perfect taco with a street food crawl. Indulge in one of Mexico's most iconic delicacies, as you take in the sights of this capital city.
Your Foodie Moment: Taco Street Food Crawl
Is it possible to find the perfect taco? Hit the streets of Mexico City to find out! One of Mexico's most famous (and delicious) dishes is known across the globe – but to find the best you need to go straight to it's origins. Prepare for a feast that you won't soon forget.
Teotihuacán Pyramids Visit
Visit the ruins of Teotihuacán northeast of Mexico City. This ruin site dates back to 100BC and has the impressive Avenue of the Dead, Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon. Bring water, wear a hat and solid walking shoes to learn all about this pre-Columbian Mesoamerican city that at its peak was once the largest city in all of the Americas.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 4Mexico City/Puebla
Travel to the city of Puebla, a colonial-era city that has an incredibly well-preserved centre and today has a thriving art and nightlife scene. After arriving and checking in, go on an orientation walk with the CEO.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Orientation Walk
The route will vary for each tour, allowing our CEOs to share their personal favourites. You can expect to see the zócalo, artisans' market and visit the historic buildings within centre of this World Heritage city.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 5Puebla
Enjoy a free day in Puebla. Opt to take a walking tour of Puebla's historical centre and marvel at the traditional architecture, or visit the Amparo Museum which holds a vast collection of art from different periods in Mexican history. While you're off exploring and hunger strikes, try some street food and opt for the chalupas (small corn tortillas garnished with shredded pork, red and green chili sauce and diced onions). Or just take part in a foodie tour today and munch away!
Free Time
Enjoy a full free day to discover all that Puebla has to offer.
Optional Activities - Day 5 HideShow
Puebla Food Tour
Dive into Puebla's foodie paradise on this walking tour. Your local cuisine loving guides will take you around La Acocota, the oldest market in the city, to enjoy the tastes of at least six local foods. Puebla is known for Mexican staples such as tacos and the city itself actually invented "tacos árabes". Tacos árabes are sure to make your mouth water with the star being its spit-roasted pork. Continue through the market feasting on fried masa (corn), and learning about what ingredients go into typical Mexican dishes. End the tour with pan dulce, delicious Mexican pastries, and try some tasty artisan candies made by the nuns of Puebla.
Please note that prices for this tour will vary depending on which restaurants you choose.
Mole-Making Demonstration
1200MXN per personLearn to make the traditional and timeless sauce of mole, made with an assortment of chilis, chocolate and spices. Sample your mouth-watering creation when you're done and sit down for an included dinner with the group.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 6Puebla/Oaxaca
Wave goodbye to Puebla from the bus window and travel to colonial Oaxaca. Upon arrival, head out for an orientation walk to the main square and nearby markets for your first taste of Oaxaca's vibrant culture.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Orientation Walk
All walks will be slightly different, allowing your CEO to show off their favourite spots. You can expect to see the Santo Domingo Cultural Centre, walk through the zocalo and the famous 20th of November market. Opt to sample some delicious Oaxacan foods along the way such as mole, tlayudas or chapulines.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 7Oaxaca
Set off for a day trip to the stunning Hierve el Agua petrified waterfall, then stop for a mezcal tasting on the way back to Oaxaca.
Hierve el Agua Petrified Waterfall Visit
Travel to Hierve del Agua. This stunning natural formation consists of a series of mineral pools near the edge of a cliff. Over thousands of years, the heavily calcified water has flowed over the cliff, leaving mineral deposits as it does. The result is known as a "petrified waterfall" – nearly white rock formations that resembles a cascading fall. Enjoy time to explore the area and go for a swim in one of the mineral pools.
Your Foodie Moment: Mezcal Tasting
The Valley of Oaxaca is renowned as the birthplace of mezcal. Not to be confused with tequila, this distilled liquor is made in small batches from a variety of species of agave (spiky green plants that look like the tops of pineapples). Stop en route back to Oaxaca for a tasting – options range from white unaged mezcal (often sold with an agave larva inside), along with “reposado” and “añejo” (aged) batches. Grab a slice of orange that's coated in salt and mixed with chili and ground worms. Now, it’s time to sip and enjoy.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 8Oaxaca
Opt to travel to nearby artisan communities, take a mole cooking class, or check out the Zapotec ruins of Monte Albán.
Your Discover Moment
There's plenty to see and do in Oaxaca, and we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like visiting the ruins of Monte Albán, the valley of Mitla ruins, and a petrified waterfall. Your CEO has more ideas if you need them. Just ask!
Optional Activities - Day 8 HideShow
Monte Albán Tour
950MXN per personThe Zapotec site of Monte Albán dates back to 500 BC and features platforms, pyramids, plazas, and a ball court sitting on a leveled mountaintop some 10km (5 mi) from Oaxaca. Enjoy the 360-degree views, see Olmec carvings, and be sure to visit the museum to see artifacts and stele excavated in the early 20th century.
Valley of Mitla Ruins Visit
950MXN per personThe UNESCO World Heritage site of Mitla is 38km (24 mi) from Oaxaca. Its name derives from the Nahuatl language, meaning “Place of the Dead”. Occupied from 900 BC by the Zapotecs and then the Mixtecs, the ruin features five groups of structures on either side of the Mitla River. Look for ancient cut-stone mosaics and intricate stone carvings throughout.
The region is also famous for its hand-dyed, foot-loomed woven rugs.
Mole Cooking Class
1200MXN per personTake a cooking class and learn that there's more to mole than meets the eye (and mouth). In fact, in Oaxaca, there are at least seven different versions of this popular made-in-Mexico sauce cooked with ground chili, chocolate, and sesame seeds. Black, red, yellow, green – the list is endless. Take a guided trip to the local market and let your senses get lost in the spices, colours, and smells. Following your cooking class, sample your tasty creation.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 9Oaxaca/Mérida
Hop on a flight to Mérida. This beautiful city is the capital of the Yucatan, and is our jumping off point to exploring the region.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 10Mérida
Set off into the countryside and visit a cenote (limestone sinkhole unique to the Yucatán to escape the heat with an underground swim. Enjoy an afternoon of freetime to explore more of Mérida. Opt to travel to the Mayan ruins of Uxmal for their nighttime sound and light show.
Mérida is a fascinating and beautiful city and easy to explore on foot. Mérida is also the gateway to the Mayan ruins of the Puuc Route, the most famous of which is Uxmal, which rivals Chichén Itzá in its scale and extent of excavation.
Cenote Visit
Swim in crystal-blue mineral underground swimming holes that are formed as sinkholes when porous limestone bedrock collapses. Come prepared with your swimsuit so you can dive in and enjoy. The clarity of the water and depth of cenotes makes swimming a unique experience.
Free Time
Get out and explore this city and region.
Optional Activities - Day 10 HideShow
Anthropology Museum Visit
55MXN per personInstalled on two floors of a refurbished mansion, this museum is considered to be one of the most important collections of Pre-Columbian Mayan culture in the Yucatán Peninsula. Learn everything there is to know about Mayan society, from war to writing, art to architecture, calendars, customs and offerings to the dead.
Uxmal Light and Sound Show
525MXN per personMeals included:
BreakfastDay 11Mérida/Río Lagartos
After a free morning in Merida, travel to the small seaside town of Rio Lagartos. The area is home to thousands of flamingos in April. Venture to nearby Las Coloradas, which has picture-perfect bright pink and coral hues during the afternoon sun. Seeing is believeing here!
Free Time
Enjoy free time to explore the city.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Las Coloradas Visit
Visit the Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve and stop by Las Coloradas – a bright pink lake hidden within the reserve. Stop for a photo op by the lake, and prepare to be awed by the colours!
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 12Río Lagartos/Tulum
Continue to the seaside town of Tulum, and visit the dramatic Mayan ruins of Tulum – situated on the edge of a cliff next to the crashing sea.
With it's breathtaking coastline, white sand beaches, and Mayan ruins, Tulum is guaranteed to impress! In the afternoon, visit the Tulum ruins and take in the picturesque tropical backdrop while exploring the site.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Tulum Ruins Visit
The Maya built the ancient seaport of Tulúm in the late 13th century. Located some 130 km (80 mi) south of Cancun, this picturesque site features a number of limestone structures protected on three sides by a 7m (23 ft) thick wall. Visit “El Castillo” (the castle), overlooking the Caribbean coast, and the Temple of Frescoes, then head down to the beach. Dive into the warm aquamarine waters and imagine spotting ancient vessels laden with turquoise and jade.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 13Tulum
Enjoy a free day in Tulum. Opt to visit a nearby cenote to swim, take a day trip to see the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza or Coba, go scuba diving/snorkelling, or chill out on the beach. Cap off the day with a Big Night Out.
Free Time
Discover more Mayan ruins, or hit the beach – the choice is yours!
Your Big Night Out Moment:
Whether it’s a pub crawl, drink specials or a party on the beach, celebrate late into the night with your new best friends.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 14Tulum/Playa del Carmen
Travel to Playa del Carmen. Enjoy dinner at a G Adventures-supported community restaurant with a youth-focused art program.
Our final stop is Playa del Carmen, located on the beach just a 45-minute drive south of Cancún. The town is your last chance to enjoy some nightlife, buy last-minute souvenirs and relax and swim in the Caribbean Sea. There is also snorkelling and diving available, and long stretches of sandy beaches which are perfect for walking and relaxing after a hectic day.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Your G for Good Moment: El Hongo Mexican Community Restaurant & Youth Art Program
El Hongo (which means 'The Mushroom') is a volunteer-run restaurant started as a means to create income to support a youth art program in the 'real' Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Across the highway from the commercial beach strip is where most locals live – cross onto the unpaved roads and enjoy a delicious home-style meal at the restaurant, while learning more about this much-needed program for the community.
Optional Activities - Day 14 HideShow
Tequila Tasting
850-1100MXN per personMexico is the birthplace of tequila, and there is nowhere better to learn about the iconic drink. Join a certified sommelier to learn about the history of tequila and the production process, before the main highlight – a tasting session. Sip, don't shoot!
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 15Playa del Carmen
Depart at any time.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.