This journey takes us from Central Mexico to the famous Riviera Maya or vice versa.
First, we will admire the colonial and ancient cultural mix represented in the cities of Mexico and Oaxaca. Plus, we will show you a fantastic selection of archaeological and natural highlights around. Then, you will hike around remote sierras and submerge into the Zapotec culture. After visiting the “mezcal” factories, our next stop will take us to learn about the mangrove ecosystem and enjoy the beaches on the Pacific Coast.
Entering Chiapas State, we will explore gigantic canyons, Mayan villages and the bohemian town of San Cristóbal. Next, we will enter the Lacandon Jungle to find turquoise waterfalls, ancient murals and the Palenque National Park.
The last section of our trail adventures into the amazing Yucatan Peninsula. Calakmul is a “lost ancient kingdom hidden in the deep jungle“. Besides, Bacalar Lagoon offers striking clear waters with up to 7 different colours. Chichen Itzá is the most representative Mayan site, surrounded by the best cenotes to enjoy. And, finally, Tulum ruins and its beautiful Caribbean beach is the perfect destination to finish our tour.
In short, this is an adventure to experience the best folklore, beautiful ancient sites and impressive nature. Join us and explore the wonders of the most interesting areas of Mexico!
Nature Wonders
Ancient Archeology
Indigenous Cultures and Community Projects
Colonial Heritage
Gastronomy Experiences
Check detailed itinerary
10% as camping (cook group meals)
(but most of the activities are included)
(compulsory)
or upgrades
(due to hygienic reasons)
Important Departure Info
Vibrant and multifaceted, Mexico City keeps secrets that have shaped the nation between its streets. Today we have a meeting to explain everything about our next adventure. After that, we go out for our first group dinner. Get ready to explore downtown and taste your first local delicacies!
Today we visit Coyoacán. This colonial neighbourhood in the south of Mexico City is home to Frida Khalo’s house, now the Museo Casa Azul. After visiting the museum, we will have lunch at a typical market. Then, we will explore the ancient channels of Xochimilco and enjoy a “Trajinera Boat ride”.
Please be flexible today with traffic, it can take a long time to make short distances… we may use local transport instead of our van if we see that will take less time to move around the city.
Today we have a full driving day to Oaxaca. This is one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico; Its majestic churches and refined plazas have earned a Unesco World Heritage badge. Here, you can witness colourful buildings and taste mezcal in the cantinas. This town bubbles up in street art, bohemian bars and been-around-forever street markets. During the afternoon, we will make an optional introductory walk and taste some of the best street food!
Today we visit the Zapotec Site of Monte Albán. This UNESCO World Heritage is breathtakingly laid out atop a hill with stunning views. It was inhabited as early as 500 BC and over 1500 years by the Olmec, Zapotec, and Mixtec civilizations. The site has terraces, dams, canals, artificial mounds, a ball court, and pyramid structures.
We will prepare some sandwiches in advance for when you finish the visit. Finally, we will enjoy a free afternoon back in Oaxaca. We recommend a visit San Francisco Ex Convent Museum.
Today we drive to the Community of Cuajimoloyas in the Sierra Norte. From there, we will enjoy a beautiful morning hike to the Community of Llano Grande, where we stay in an eco-tourist centre. We will have the afternoon to relax and learn from a Mazatec cook how to prepare some local gastronomy.
Sierra Norte de Oaxaca has one of the best-preserved biospheres in Mexico and several interesting towns and villages. Its population is remarkably diverse and includes Zapotecs, Mixes, Chinantecs, Tlaxcaltecs and Nahuas. The remote villages known as Pueblos Mancomunados gather into a unique eco-tourism project. Together, they offer great escapes and an up-close communion with Zapotec life. Here, we will hike through beautiful sierras. The landscapes, with canyons, caves, waterfalls and panoramic lookouts, are spectacular.
Early in the morning, there will be an optional walk to the mountaintop for the beautiful sunrise views of the Sierra Norte. Then, we will visit the astonishing Hierve el Agua Springs. Here, you’ll be able to refresh at the infinity natural pools and hike around the place to observe this wonder from the sierras.
Continuing our adventure, we will do a tour around Gracias a Dios Mezcal Factory before arriving in the magic village of Mitla. What a great day!
Today we head to the mangrove of La Ventanilla, a remote spot on Oaxaca’s Pacific coast. La Ventanilla Cooperative’s purpose is to preserve the biodiversity of the mangrove. Besides, they take care of protected areas for turtles, alligators and deer. This area boasts sandy beaches and crashing turquoise waves. Let’s enjoy some free time for sunset at the beach!
This morning we will enjoy a boat tour through the mangrove. Then, we will learn about the preservation projects for alligators and deer.
Additionally, we will spend the afternoon at the nearby village of Mazunte. Here, we will visit the National Mexican Turtle Centre. After the visit, we can relax on the idyllic coast and hike to spot the sunset at Punta Cometa. Don’t forget to bring some beers for our sunset dinner picnic!
Today we have a full driving day arriving in Chiapa de Corzo, a very nice colonial village and the starting point for the Sumidero Canyon Tour.
Today we take a shared boat to visit the Sumidero Canyon, one of the Top 10 Mexico’s Natural Wonders! The walls are over 1,000 feet high and several endangered species make their home in the area.
After lunch, we will drive to the town of San Cristóbal de las Casas. Arriving around 3 pm, we will go for a walk to show you the best of this amazing town. Then, you have free noon to relax. San Cristóbal is a place where ancient customs coexist with a bohemian atmosphere. This colonial city offers eleven beautiful neighbourhoods with cobbled streets and bustling markets.
Today we have a short drive to San Juan Chamula. This Tzotzil village’s main attraction is the local church, where shamans mix both ancestral and Spanish traditions. After that, we will explore a closeby village named Zinacantán. In collaboration with Natik NGO, we will visit their community project and have a traditional lunch. Finally, we will drive back to San Cristóbal de las Casas and visit the Mayan Medicine Museum.
In the afternoon, we will have time to relax before going out for dinner. If you like going out, don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy San Cristóbal’s nightlife!
Today we head south entering the Lacandon Jungle area of Chiapas. Our first night stop will be at the incredible Las Nubes Waterfalls. Located in the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve. It is a paradisiacal place, ideal to be in contact with nature and enjoy the pleasant atmosphere.
Continuing our adventure through the Lacandon Jungle, our next stop will be at Lacanjá. In this area, the local Lacandon Communities run different touristic projects. This afternoon we will visit the Bonampak Site. Archaeologists believe that it has the finest examples of classic Mayan frescoes. These murals introduced an understanding of the Maya culture unseen in other sites.
On our second day at Lacanjá-Bonampak, you can choose between hiking or rafting during the morning. After lunch, we drive to Palenque town to do some shopping. Then, we enter Palenque National Park, very close to Palenque Archeological Site. Arriving at our campsite, the afternoon is free to relax at the pool!
On our second day at Palenque, we will have a guided visit to the Archeological Site. Palenque may be Mexico’s most impressive archaeological wonder deep into the jungle. Palenque ruins date from ca. 226 BC to ca. AD 799. The site contains some of the finest Mayan architecture, sculpture and bas-relief carvings. The surroundings teem with exotic wildlife, including panthers, parrots and howler monkeys. The best way to explore this jungle is to hike back from the ruins to our campsite after the visit.
Today we drive to Conhuas. This tiny community serves as the starting point for the Calakmul excursion. On our way, we will do a lunch stop at Miguel Colorado’s cenote. The open cenotes are part of a system of underground rivers around the Yucatan Peninsula. Once revered by the ancient Mayans, they are now magnets for explorers.
Today we drive 60 Km through the deep jungle to Calakmul Archeological Site. Here, we will enjoy a guided tour and hike through the jungle in search of wildlife. Calakmul was one of the largest and most powerful ancient cities uncovered in the Maya lands. Its great pyramid is one of the tallest of the Maya pyramids. Visiting the remains is a genuine off-the-beaten-path experience. This wonder is part of one of the largest reserves in Mexico, counting many species of flora and fauna.
Today we drive to Bacalar Lagoon, fed by underground cenotes. This stunning lagoon offers an ideal space for swimming and sailing. The lengthy, narrow lake forms no less than seven different shades of blue. First, we will stop for lunch and enjoy tubing at a kind of “soft” rapids between two lagoons. Then, we will arrive in Bacalar Town and take a sailing sunset tour around the lagoon. Please note the lagoon may lack that blue colour, especially from July to December.
This morning we visit a Mayan Community. Locals will show us some of their traditions and delight us with a traditional lunch. Then, we head to the Chichen Itzá Site, arriving in the early afternoon. We will usually have enough time to visit the Ik-il cenote, in front of our hotel.
Finally, we’ll meet again in the evening, walk to the Chichen Itzá Site, and enjoy a magical light show! Please note in case the show isn’t available we will refund you the entry.
This morning we explore the world-famous Chichen Itza Site. We will enter the site as soon as it’s open. This UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the most iconic attractions out of all the Mayan ruins. One of the largest cities of ancient times, it has a rich variety of architectural styles. Throughout the site, the Kukulcan Pyramid, one of the world’s seven wonders, stands out.
At midday, we will drive to the amazing Samulá Cenote, with its ray of natural light in the middle of the pool. In our opinion, this is the best cenote in all of the Yucatan Peninsula. Finally, we will drive to Tulum town, arriving in time for dinner. The downtown area of Tulum will give you many choices of restaurants and bars. You will notice a more relaxed atmosphere in Tulum downtown than in the hotel area.
Today is a free day to enjoy Tulum Archeological Site and Tulum beach. Tulum Archeological Site is on 12-meter (39 ft) tall cliffs on the Caribbean Sea. It was one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Maya. It managed to survive about 70 years after the Spanish began occupying Mexico.
After the visit, is free time for you to have lunch and relax at the beach. Some good activities are available at the beach, such as snorkelling.
Note that the beach may suffer a sargasso algae invasion. This is due to oversized tourism. There is more probability from April to June, but it is unpredictable. If that is the case, we can visit any of the nearby cenotes.
Today is the end day for passengers finishing their trip. Please note there is no accommodation included on the trip tonight. We want to thank you for joining us on this incredible adventure… WE WAIT FOR YOU BACK, HAPPY TRAILS!
Border information
If leaving by plane, you will exit Mexico from Cancun International Airport (CUN). A transfer to the airport is easy to organize through the hotel. It may cost around 60 USD and take 1.5 h depending on the traffic.
* Please note that any overland trip requires flexibility. Due to unpredictable factors, we may need to change the itinerary.
* Driving hours are approximate and do not include activities, lunch or border stops.
