11 NIGHTS / 12 DAYS
Day 1: Canada - Mexico City
Flight with a good itinerary.
Arrival at the international airport of Mexico City where you will be greeted by our local representatives. Transfer to your hotel and rest of the day at leisure.
Day 2: Mexico City
Breakfast at the hotel. Today, you will discover the highlights of Mexico City on a full day guided city tour. You will start the visit on the Plaza de la Constitución, also known as Zócalo, surrounded by beautiful baroque buildings, among which is the Cathedral (the country’s largest religious monument built over the great Aztec temple) and the Palacio Nacional, headquarter of the Presidency of Mexico where visitors can admire murals painted by Diego Rivera. One of the main and most recently discovered attractions is the Templo Mayor, the great temple of the Aztec capital.
The tour continues to Teotihuacán, named by the Aztecs as “the place where the Gods are born”. After a lunch close to the archaeological site, you will discover its three most important constructions: the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Citadel; all of them were built around the so called “Calzada de los Muertos” (Road of the Dead). Return to Mexico City for the night. (Breakfast-Lunch)
Day 3: Mexico City - Puebla - Oaxaca
Following breakfast, departure toward the beautiful city of Puebla. Dominated by the imposing silhouettes of the Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanoes, Puebla is both the gastronomic and cultural capital of the country. You will visit this beautiful city steeped in history which has long been called the "City of Angels". You will discover the historic center built in the Baroque style and its irresistible collection of legends and histories, winding streets, fountains, gardens, craft markets and artist alleys. The Church of Santo Domingo and its famous Chapel of the Rosary is the most striking representation of Mexican Baroque art. Continuation to Oaxaca where you will spend the night. (Breakfast)
Day 4: Oaxaca
After breakfast, you will start a full day tour of Oaxaca. In the morning, you will explore the famous archaeological site of Monte Alban, an important ceremonial center located on a wide esplanade overlooking the valley, which reached its peak between the 3rd and 7th centuries AD. Its imposing remains dominate the landscape. You will see the necropolis, whose murals show funeral rites and processions. Then, you will visit a typical Alebrijes workshop (fantastic little wooden animals) where you will be able to create your own little Masterpiece!
In the afternoon, return to Oaxaca, also known as the “Patriots Cradle”, for a guided city tour where you will see the Zócalo with the Santo Domingo Church and the old Santa Catalina de Siena friary, and the local market, one of the most typical in the region. Overnight in Oaxaca. (Breakfast)
Day 5: Oaxaca - Tuxtla Gutiérrez
Breakfast at the hotel and departure to Mitla. This site founded by Zapotec people has been used for centuries by Mixtecan people for pagan religious ceremonies. You will notice the influx of geometric decorations of extreme refinement with abstract drawings. Continuation to Tehuantepec for lunch and arrival in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, capital of the State of Chiapas, in the late afternoon. Overnight in Tuxtla Gutiérrez. (Breakfast-Lunch)
Day 6: Tuxtla Gutiérrez - San Cristobal de las Casas
Following breakfast, transfer to Cahuaré wharf for a boat trip through the breathtaking Sumidero Canyon; the altitude and the beauty of the place will make the experience unforgettable. Lunch at the restaurant before continuing to San Cristóbal de las Casas, located at an altitude of over 2000 meters in the mountains of Chiapas. Afternoon and evening at leisure. (Breakfast-Lunch)
Day 7: San Cristobal de las Casas
In the morning after breakfast, you will visit one of the most typical local markets where hundreds of Indigenous people sell their hand-made products every day. Then you will see the Baroque Santo Domingo Church founded in 1547. Leaving the city to the North, you will first reach the indigenous San Juan Chamula community, where traditional indigenous shamanic religion still practiced to this day gives the place an indescribable atmosphere. Then you will visit the Zinacantan community where, on the other hand, locals are very loyal to the Catholic faith. You will also have the opportunity to learn how to make a delicious Mexican tortilla and you will enjoy a shot of “Pox”, an ancient Mayan elixir! Return to San Cristóbal for the night. (Breakfast)
Day 8: San Cristobal de las Casas - Palenque
After breakfast, departure to Palenque with a stop at the magnificent Agua Azul waterfalls. The trip will last approximately 5 hours on a beautiful mountain road where you will enjoy the change of vegetation which will gradually become denser and more tropical as you descend from 2100 meters to 600 meters in altitude. Check-in at the hotel and free evening. (Breakfast)
Day 9: Palenque - Campeche
In the morning following breakfast, you will visit Palenque archaeological site. The area displays beautiful Mayan work made of stone and stucco; this area is said to be one of Mexico’s most beautiful places due to its ruins enclosed in the Chiapanecan jungle. Its most important temple called Templo de las Inscripciones (Temple of the Inscriptions) is the place where explorers discovered King Pakal’s tomb with his famous jade mask.
Continuation to Campeche with lunch en route. Upon arrival to Campeche, short visit to the ancient town, surrounded by fortifications built to protect the city from pirates. Campeche keeps a colonial mood thanks to its gorgeous colored houses and austere churches. Check-in at the hotel after visiting the city. (Breakfast-Lunch)
Day 10: Campeche - Uxmal - Merida
After breakfast, departure to Merida with the visit of Uxmal archaeological site en route. Uxmal, which means “built in three stages”, is a typical example of the classic and post-classic Mayan period. You will discover important buildings such as the Fortuneteller’s Pyramid, the Governor’s Palace the Quadrangle of the Nuns. Following lunch at a local restaurant, you will continue toward Merida, also known as the “White City”, whose colonial-era residences of French, Italian and Arab influences are witnesses of the past wealth generated by the exploitation of sisal. On this city tour, you will stop at Mérida’s Zócalo to admire some of the city’s main monuments including the Cathedral, the Government’s Palace, the Municipal Palace and Francisco Montejo’s House. Overnight in Merida. (Breakfast-Lunch)
Day 11: Merida - Riviera Maya
Breakfast at the hotel and departure toward Chichén Itzá, the Mayan capital of Yucatán that flourished between the 5th and 10th centuries AD. You will see the impressive buildings of the northern and central archaeological sites, such as the Kukulcán Temple, the Ball Game, the Observatory, the Warrior’s Temple, the Convent of the Nuns and the Sacred Cenote. Lunch at a local restaurant in Chichén Itzá and continuation to Riviera Maya. On the way, you will stop at Cenote Saamal where you will have some free time for a refreshing swim. Check-in at the hotel and rest of the day free to enjoy the beach and the all-inclusive formula. (Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner)
Day 12: Riviera Maya - Canada
After breakfast, transfer from your hotel to the airport in Cancun for your flight home. (Breakfast)
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