Mexican Contrasts
Duration
12 Days
Physical rate
Moderate
Start city
Mexico City, Mexico DF
Available
April 2025 / March 2026
Cities to visit: Mexico City, Mexico DF; Querétaro; Tula; Puebla; Oaxaca, Oaxaca; San Pablo Villa De Mitla, Oaxaca; Tuxtla, Chiapas; ; Chiapa De Corzo, Chiapas; Zinacantan; San Juan De Chamula; San Cristobal De Las Casas
Detailed day by day description
Introduction
Dear Traveler: thank you for choosing us to perform this Tour! We hope you enjoy your trip.
Here we give you a guidance on their tour with the information that we believe may be of your interest. The information is indicative, may exist variations on designated hours.
TRANSFER from the airport, if you have it included or purchasing. Our transfer will be waiting for you with a poster on behalf of Europamundo or its name to the output of the custom (after collecting your luggage)..
Remember to inform us by phone if you lost your connection flight or expected delay of their arrival, in your VOUCHER figure the phone of the transfer.
IMPORTANT: If you had additional nights upon arrival the hotel will have your reservation, but his travel guide normally will not be until the night before the start of the tour.
Day
Welcome to Mexico! Upon arrival, we’ll provide a transfer to the hotel, after which you will have free time. Our guide will contact you late in the afternoon.
IMPORTANT: If you requested additional nights, your room will be ready upon arrival at the hotel, but your trip guide will only contact you when the included activities begin. Until then, you’ll have free time to enjoy at your leisure.
Note: The schedules provided in this itinerary are indicative. The guide may adjust them as needed to enhance the trip experience.
IMPORTANT: If you requested additional nights, your room will be ready upon arrival at the hotel, but your trip guide will only contact you when the included activities begin. Until then, you’ll have free time to enjoy at your leisure.
Note: The schedules provided in this itinerary are indicative. The guide may adjust them as needed to enhance the trip experience.
Today, we’ll explore Mexico City and the remarkable site of Teotihuacan, 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 an included transfer to the bus station for the journey to Querétaro, located 200 km from Mexico City. Upon arrival at the station, you’ll be transferred to the hotel.
Querétaro 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 18th-century aqueduct, lush gardens, and bustling markets.
Querétaro 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 18th-century aqueduct, lush gardens, and bustling markets.
Today, we’ll visit the Pueblo Mágico of San Sebastián de Bernal, a charming town known for its tranquil atmosphere at the base of the world’s third-largest monolith. Here, you’ll find skilled textile artisans. We’ll also explore Tequisquiapan, famous for its mineral water spas and colonial-style 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 high-altitude winemaking, accompanied by a tasting of regional wines.
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 high-altitude winemaking, accompanied by a tasting of regional wines.
We’ll enjoy a free morning in Querétaro 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 seventeenth-century 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 Querétaro.
We’ll depart for Tula, the ancient capital of the Toltecs. Admission to its archaeological site is included. The Atlantean figures, imposing four-meter-tall warrior statues, are the site’s main attraction. You’ll also see pyramids, palaces, and carved columns, showcasing the sophistication of this pre-Hispanic 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.
Total distance: 340 km
08.00 hrs.- We travel to the state of Oaxaca, through mountainous regions with pleasant landscapes. 13.00hrs.- OAXACA. Arrival. We go up to the site of MONTE ALBAN , which is set deep in a 400-metre mountain above the Valley of Oaxaca – entry tickets and visit are included . This is the most magnificent of the Zapotec cities. Return to Oaxaca and visit included to this UNESCO World Heritage City of Aztec origin with its impressive monumental heritage.
In the evening we recommend a stroll through the historic centre of Oaxaca, an extremely beautiful colonial city which is full of life and music.
08.00 hrs.- We travel to the state of Oaxaca, through mountainous regions with pleasant landscapes. 13.00hrs.- OAXACA. Arrival. We go up to the site of MONTE ALBAN , which is set deep in a 400-metre mountain above the Valley of Oaxaca – entry tickets and visit are included . This is the most magnificent of the Zapotec cities. Return to Oaxaca and visit included to this UNESCO World Heritage City of Aztec origin with its impressive monumental heritage.
In the evening we recommend a stroll through the historic centre of Oaxaca, an extremely beautiful colonial city which is full of life and music.
Total Distance: 505 km Countryside: Mountains. Small towns en route.
Note: A new fast toll road is being built between Oaxaca and the Isthmus. Inauguration is expected throughout 2018. Travel time, when open, will be reduced by approxibately one and a half hours compared to that indicated in this itinerary.
07.30 hrs.- Oaxaca- Departure.
09.30 hrs.- SAN PABLO VILLA DE MITLA. Arrival. We stop at a this magical town. We allow time for a walk together to the Church of San Pablo dating back to the Sixteenth Century and through its beautiful rustic streets.
10.15 hrs.- San Pablo. Departure. We continue our route in the sierras of Oaxaca towards the Isthmus. Lunch is included en route.
20.30 hrs.- At the end of the afternoon, we arrive in TUXTLA GUTIERREZ, the capital of the state of Chiapas.
Note: A new fast toll road is being built between Oaxaca and the Isthmus. Inauguration is expected throughout 2018. Travel time, when open, will be reduced by approxibately one and a half hours compared to that indicated in this itinerary.
07.30 hrs.- Oaxaca- Departure.
09.30 hrs.- SAN PABLO VILLA DE MITLA. Arrival. We stop at a this magical town. We allow time for a walk together to the Church of San Pablo dating back to the Sixteenth Century and through its beautiful rustic streets.
10.15 hrs.- San Pablo. Departure. We continue our route in the sierras of Oaxaca towards the Isthmus. Lunch is included en route.
20.30 hrs.- At the end of the afternoon, we arrive in TUXTLA GUTIERREZ, the capital of the state of Chiapas.
Total Distance: 100 km
Landscapes: spectacular
Notes: We recommend you to take appropriate waterproof clothing for the speedboat ride.- The visit of the towns of Zinacantán and San Juan can take place on Wednesday or Thursday morning (according to opening times of the church of San Juan).
08.30 hrs.- Tuxtla - Departure.
09.00 hrs. - We will explore the SUMDERO CANYON. Travelling by boat, we will travel for more than 1 hrs up this impressive canyon which is almost 1 km deep and 14 km long.
10.45 hrs.- Sumidero Canyon.- Departure.
11.00 hrs.- Next, we will walk through CHIAPA DEL CORZO , a white traditional and cultural colonial site. Time for a stroll and a coffee.
11.45 hrs.- Chiapa del Corzo. Departure. We enter into the center of the Mexican Mayan culture. We discover 2 beautiful villages inhabited by the Tzotzil Indians.
12.45 hrs.- In ZINACANTAN we can admire the dresses worn by the women and also their small loom workshop-shops.
13.45 hrs.- Zicacantan.- Departure.
14.15 hrs.- SAN JUAN CHAMULA we will be surprised by their church that mixes Christianity with pre-Columbian traditions. Time for lunch.
15.45 hrs.- San Juan Chamula.- Departure.
16.15 hrs. - We continue to SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS . Free afternoon in this beautiful colonial city founded in 1528.
Landscapes: spectacular
Notes: We recommend you to take appropriate waterproof clothing for the speedboat ride.- The visit of the towns of Zinacantán and San Juan can take place on Wednesday or Thursday morning (according to opening times of the church of San Juan).
08.30 hrs.- Tuxtla - Departure.
09.00 hrs. - We will explore the SUMDERO CANYON. Travelling by boat, we will travel for more than 1 hrs up this impressive canyon which is almost 1 km deep and 14 km long.
10.45 hrs.- Sumidero Canyon.- Departure.
11.00 hrs.- Next, we will walk through CHIAPA DEL CORZO , a white traditional and cultural colonial site. Time for a stroll and a coffee.
11.45 hrs.- Chiapa del Corzo. Departure. We enter into the center of the Mexican Mayan culture. We discover 2 beautiful villages inhabited by the Tzotzil Indians.
12.45 hrs.- In ZINACANTAN we can admire the dresses worn by the women and also their small loom workshop-shops.
13.45 hrs.- Zicacantan.- Departure.
14.15 hrs.- SAN JUAN CHAMULA we will be surprised by their church that mixes Christianity with pre-Columbian traditions. Time for lunch.
15.45 hrs.- San Juan Chamula.- Departure.
16.15 hrs. - We continue to SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS . Free afternoon in this beautiful colonial city founded in 1528.
Today, we’ll embark on an 8-hour excursion with a local tour operator. From San Cristóbal 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 Cristóbal de las Casas where you’ll have free time.
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 Cristóbal de las Casas where you’ll have free time.
Today, we’ll include a 5-hour 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 Tsotsil-Tseltal 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 (bone-setter), 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.
Afterward, we’ll visit the Museum of Maya Medicine, dedicated to sharing and preserving Tsotsil-Tseltal 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 (bone-setter), 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.
From
USD 1,567.00