Journeys: Discover Mexico

Arrive at any time, your arrival transfer is included. Enjoy an introduction to Mexican cuisine from a chef, and a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

TRANSPORT: You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.

ACTIVITY: The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. Check for the meeting time on the welcome note at the hotel. After introductions, your CEO will review the details of your tour. Please note that normal check-in times apply at our start hotels, but you can usually store your luggage for the day if you arrive early.

ACTIVITY: Sit down and enjoy a demonstration from a talented chef, who will teach you how a few typical regional dishes are prepared while offering further details about Mexican cuisine. The demonstration will be an hour and a half and the experience concludes with a group dinner featuring the plates you learned about from the chef.

Rise early for a sunrise tour of Mexico City's Xochimilco, a system of canals built by the ancient Aztecs. Navigate through colourful floating gardens on a brightly painted, flat-bottomed punt-a-boat coasting through the morning air. The waters are home to the critically endangered axolotl, a rather unusual amphibian native to Mexico with deep roots into Aztec mythology. At first glance it’s a race run by the local communities to save a quirky salamander, but experts in an article featured on National Geographic’s website feel it’s really about habitat restoration. After navigating the waters, the group will stop at a local farm for a traditional breakfast. Later, return to the city and join the CEO for an orientation walk of the historical center around the iconic main plaza (zócalo), before taking the rest of the day to explore on your own. Opt to visit one of the city's stellar museums, such as the National Museum of Anthropology or the Palace of Fine Arts; or tour the murals of Diego Rivera, the renowned Mexican painter who spearheaded the Latin American fresco movement in the early half of the 20th century.

ACTIVITY: Wake before the sun to take on the famous canals of Xochimilco in a vibrant coloured gondola boat past vendors, and local artisans. Watch locals shop in the floating markets and hopefully you'll find something to bring back home too. Visit a local farm and enjoy a traditional breakfast while learning about the region and its people.

ACTIVITY: Get the lay of the land during a walking tour of Mexico City with your CEO, and visit the historic centre (known as the zócalo) of the city.

FREE TIME: AFTERNOON Take advantage of free time to get out and explore this amazing city and its surroundings. Opt to tour one of museums in the area.

Head to Teotihuacán for a guided tour of this ancient city and UNESCO World Heritage site. Little is known regarding when Teotihuacán, the "city of the gods," was constructed or by whom, but by the fifth century A.D. it had grown to become one of the most important cities in Central America. Explore these impressive pre-Aztec ruins and learn about the site's iconic temples, the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. Enjoy a delicious lunch near the site before returning to Mexico City in the late afternoon.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

ACTIVITY: Visit the ruins of Teotihuacán (meaning ‘the place where gods were born’), northeast of Mexico City. This ruin site dates back to 100AD and has the impressive Avenue of the Dead, Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon. Excavations are still underway at these ruins in the present day. These structures are so massive that the inside of the Pyramid of the Sun for example – has never been entirely explored. Bring water, wear a hat and solid walking shoes, and climb the pyramids to learn all about this pre-Columbian Mesoamerican city. Don't forget to stop by the museum too!

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Head to the vibrant Coyoacán district, home to the Frida Kahlo Museum. Tour the Casa Azul or “blue house,” where the famed Mexican artist was born and spent her final years. National Geographic’s book “In Praise of Difficult Women” by Karen Karbo offers inspiring, in-depth profiles of women around the world who, like Frida Kahlo, pushed against the boundaries built by societal norms. After your visit, travel to Puebla and take a guided walk of the stunning city, backed by a soaring volcano, and renowned for its Spanish colonial architecture and culinary traditions. Mole poblano is said to have originated here! Enjoy a free afternoon to continue exploring.

ACTIVITY: Visit 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.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

ACTIVITY: Puebla is known for many things, such as pottery, colonial architecture and great food. Let your CEO guide you on a short walk through the city to point out the essentials like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs.

FREE TIME: AFTERNOON There's something for everyone in Puebla. Spend some time in the city's central square, the Zócalo to see the beautiful Puebla Cathedral or search for some beautiful Mexican souvenirs to bring home.

Enjoy a Talavera pottery demonstration with a local artist and learn about the historical and cultural significance of this Mexican ceramic tradition, brought to the New World by the Spanish in the 16th century. The rest of the day is yours to explore: choose to visit one of Puebla’s colourful markets; or discover the Great Pyramid of Cholula, the largest pyramid in the world.

FREE TIME: HALF DAY There's something for everyone in Puebla. Spend some time at the Cholula Ruins, head out on a stroll around the city's central square, or search for some beautiful Mexican souvenirs to bring home. You have half the day at your leisure, discover the city as you wish.

ACTIVITY: Spend time with a local artist to discover the historical and cultural significance of Talavera pottery dating back to the 16th century. Witness the process from clay to creation, learning about its uses from tableware to tiles and hearing about the purpose behind the colours chosen. Watch close to a hundred artisans working as they go through each stage of production. End the tour with a visit to a small museum of contemporary ceramic art.

Depart for Oaxaca, an eclectic Mexican city where indigenous culture holds strong. Take an orientation walk with the CEO on arrival, visiting some of the iconic places in the city like the Santo Domingo cathedral, the main plaza (Zócalo) and the bustling local market. Settle into the hotel and set off on a free evening to choose from one of the many incredible restaurants in town.

The Oaxaca area is well known for its many artisans who make everything from pottery, to elaborate weavings, and mezcal (tequila's cousin). Its also known for its culinary delights and you'll have many opportunities to taste an array of Oaxacan cuisine.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

ACTIVITY: Go on a CEO led walk through the colonial city of Oaxaca. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs.

Set off in the morning for a guided visit of the nearby UNESCO archaeological site of Monte Albán, one of Mesoamerica's most ancient cities. Founded around 500 B.C., Monte Alban was a Zapotec metropolis of pyramids, terraces and canals overlooking the city of Oaxaca and once served as the region's capital until eventually being abandoned and re-occupied into the 14th century. Enjoy a delicious typical lunch at a local restaurant, complete with a demonstration and tastings of mezcal, a unique local beverage made from the agave plant. After, continue to an artisan community to learn about Alebrijes, fantastical folk figurines carved from copal wood and then brightly painted. Enjoy a free evening in Oaxaca to relax or head out for a night on the town.

ACTIVITY: The 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.

ACTIVITY: 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). Sample different types, including white un-aged 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.

ACTIVITY: Alebrijes were created by a Mexican artisan named Pedro Linares who was known for making piñatas and carnival masks. After falling ill and hallucinating crazy figures and creatures inside his mind, the artist decided to bring what he saw to life by creating the small figurines we know as Alebrijes. Often made of a mash-up between animals, these figurines are now made by Oaxacan artisans out of wood and then painted with vibrant pigments and lots of patterns. Learn more about how these figurines integrated themselves into Oaxacan/Mexican folklore and how the craft expanded from originally being made from cardboard to now being carved from Copal wood. Meet a local artisan and speak with them, ask any questions the group may have and to learn more about how the Alebrijes are crafted.

FREE TIME: EVENING Choose to put your feet up after a long day or to head out and explore the nightlife.

Take advantage of a full free day to explore Oaxaca and its surroundings. Take an optional excursion to the petrified waterfall of Hierve el Agua, visit more ruins at Mitla, or simply wander the cobblestone streets of the city to discover its plazas, colourful architecture, and quaint cafes. This evening, the group will experience the culinary delights of Oaxaca with a local host. The culinary richness of Oaxaca has been featured on an episode of National Geographic’s “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted”, in which Ramsay explores the history and traditions of this Mexican city while learning how to make mole and tortillas from talented locals. During your experience the group will learn how to flip your own tortillas at a tortilla-making workshop. Continue to a local family's kitchen to taste an array of delicious Oaxacan dishes and chat with your hosts about traditional cooking methods and food culture.

FREE TIME: FULL DAY Spend a full free day in Oaxaca! Choose between optionals in the area like a day trip to Hierve el Agua or Mitla Ruins.

ACTIVITY: Expertly shown in an episode of National Geographic’s, “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted”, the delicious, local cuisine of Oaxaca is finally getting the spotlight it deserves. In a city often described as Mexico’s food capital, some of the best foodie experiences are still found on the streets in the form of antojitos, and intriguing stories from long-time residents of the city. Explore the culinary delights of Oaxaca with this exclusive foodie experience. With our local host attend a tortilla-making workshop. Then visit the home of a local family and taste an array of local cuisine, learn traditional cooking methods, and discuss the food culture in Oaxaca.

Depart at any time.