Mexico City to Oaxaca Coast: Culture, Biodiversity, and Art of Mexico

Your transportation will welcome you to take you to your hotel in the historical centre. Check-in at the hotel and free evening to rest.

• Transportation: Transfer from airport to hotel in historical centre.

• Activities: none today.

• Accommodation: Zocalo Central hotel or similar in Mexico City.

After breakfast, your guide will pick you up to take you to the majestic archaeological site of Teotihuacan, the so-called City of the Gods, where the remains of one of the most important civilizations in Mesoamerica are preserved. You will be able to marvel at the imposing buildings of the Teotihuacan palaces and the pyramidal bases where the sun and fertility were worshipped. You will also see the spectacular Temple of Quetzalpapalotl, the Avenue of the Dead and all the buildings surrounding them.

Back to your hotel to rest.

• Transportation: Private transportation for the tour.

• Activities: Teotihuacan and Basilica de Guadalupe tour.

• Accommodation: Zocalo Central hotel or similar in Mexico City

Transfer to the bus station at 6:30am approximately, to take your 7.30am bus (ADO GL) to Tehuacan (approx. 4 hours’ journey), in the state of Puebla (México ́s public transportation is high quality and very safe). Tehuacan is at the heart of the biosphere reserve and has an incredible variety of cactus that you will enjoy along the way. Your local host will wait for you at the bus station in Tehuacan to take you to Zapotitlán Salinas (30 min’s away) to enjoy the magnificent landscapes of this area.

First, you will discover pre-Hispanic salt flats. The technique for extracting salt has hardly changed in the last 500 years. Afterwards, you will visit a half buried chapel, albeit vandalized. A mystical place that preserves paintings of sacred art from the 18th century. Very interesting! The children will enjoy the drawings on the walls. Time to eat in town (not included) located a few minutes away and then visit the wonderful botanical garden. The tour includes an interpretive trail where you will be able to appreciate the cacti close up in their natural environment, ascending the slope of a hill to get to see a wonderful landscape. The garden has 53 species of cacti, some of them endemic and in danger of extinction. When finished, you will go to your cabin in San Juan Raya (about 1 hour away) to rest. And at night... the cherry on the cake: a wonderful walk under the stars.

• Transportation: Private transfer to bus station in Mexico City, public bus to Tehuacan, private transfer to mentioned areas.

• Activities: visit to Pre-hispanic salt flats, bonatic garden and walk under the stars.

• Accommodation: ecocabins in San Juan Raya.

Early in the morning, your host will pick you up to take you to a great trek in San Juan Raya reserve. San Juan Raya is recognized worldwide due to the great diversity and abundance of fossils that it has, which were studied by a team of geologists and palaeontologists in the 20th century. In 2006, traces of herbivorous dinosaurs were found and traces of 35 meters of footprints were discovered. During this tour, you will also see the layers of earth of the Mesozoic age with innumerable fossils, since the place was under the sea. You will feel you are going back time!! After this, you will visit the museum, where invertebrate marine fossils are exhibited. Free time for lunch (not included) and transfer to Tehuacán, to take a bus to the city of Oaxaca (3.5 hours approx.).

• Transportation: transport to the museum/area for the start of the trek. Transfer to Tehuacán, bus to Oaxaca and transfer from bus station to hotel.

• Activities: Dinosaur tour, museum entry fee.

• Accommodation: Small charming hotel in Oaxaca. Las Mariposas or similar.

After breakfast, your host will pick you up to take you to walking tour through the colorful streets of the old Antequera, visiting the former convent of Saint Domingo de Guzmán, headquarters of the museum of cultures and also the site that protects the treasure of tomb 7 of Monte Albán. Next, you will visit the temple of Saint Domingo, with an impressive baroque decoration, the Alcalá Street, the cathedral and the Constitution Square, its beautiful markets full of colours, aromas and flavours. Return to the hotel to rest and free afternoon to explore on your own and try some of the delicious restaurants available in the city.

• Transportation: none today.

• Activities: walking city tour.

• Accommodation: Small charming hotel in Oaxaca. Las Mariposas or similar.

You will be picked up at your hotel for today’s great tour, where you will join a group of people. It will start with the visit of the ancient Tule Tree, an approximately two thousand years old enormous taxodiaceae. Then you will continue at Hierve el Agua, an imposing petrified waterfall located in the mountain range with the option to bathe in its mineral rich waters, having as your background the arid landscape of this mountainous area. This is an ideal place for families. You will spend some time here to really enjoy it! After this, you will conclude your day with a visit to a workshop of weavers of wool rugs at Teotitlán del Valle. They will show you the traditional confection of these garments and the techniques of dyeing the wool with natural dyes. Back to your hotel in Oaxaca.

• Transportation: transportation included in your tour today.

• Activities: Visit to Hierve el Agua, Tule and Teotitlan del Valle group tour.

• Accommodation: Small charming hotel in Oaxaca. Las Mariposas or similar.

Today you will join a group to have a cooking class with a regional chef to make the delicious black mole, followed by a visit to Monte Albán. Your morning will start in the market, to buy the ingredients for your cooking class. You will learn how to make the most famous mole in Mexico and then enjoy a delicious meal! Then, you will make a visit in the afternoon to the first Mesoamerican urban centre: Monte Albán.

You will visit the spectacular archaeological site on top of a hill at the centre of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, birthplace of the Zapotec civilization. Walking through La Gran Plaza, you will be able to see la “Galeria de los Danzantes” (Gallery of the Dancers), the Building J and some Ball Game. Once you finish your visit in this fascinating place, back to your hotel and evening off to rest.

• Transportation: transportation included in your tour today.

• Activities: Cooking class and excursion to Monte Albán.

• Accommodation: Small charming hotel in Oaxaca. Las Mariposas or similar

Early in the morning, your transportation will take you to Oaxaca’s beautiful seaside. You will be driven to Mazunte (6.5 hours approx).

Check into your hotel and rest for the day.

• Transportation: private transportation to Mazunte.

• Activities: none today.

• Accommodation: Posada Arigalan or similar in Mazunte.

Days off in this Oaxacan paradise, famous for being a very important turtle nesting spot and its beauty and amazing sunsets. During these days, apart from Mazunte, you can explore the towns around Mazunte, such as San Agustinillo and Zipolite (5 and 15 minutes by car, respectively), or even Puerto Escondido (both at 1h 15 minutes approx. from Mazunte). During these days you won’t have private transportation, but there is public transport in the area.

Recommended activities / not included: In Puerto Escondido you can visit the Manialtepec bioluminescent lagoon, or do a bird watching tour, among others. From Huatulco, we recommend you do a boat tour to see the Bays of Huatulco, a tour to visit waterfalls and coffee plantations or another one of villages and traditions. Please ask for a quotation for any of these tours.

• Transportation: none included.

• Activities: none for these days.

• Recommended activities / not included: In Puerto Escondido you can visit the Manialtepec bioluminescent lagoon, or do a bird watching tour, among others. From Huatulco, we recommend you do a boat tour to see the Bays of Huatulco, a tour to visit waterfalls and coffee plantations or another one of villages and traditions. Please ask for a quotation for any of these tours.

• Accommodation: Posada Arigalan or similar in Mazunte.

Transfer to Huatulco airport (1 hour) to take your flight to Mexico City (1h 20min). From there, you will take your flight back home or to your next destination!

Included:

• Accommodation in mentioned hotels.

• All breakfasts (except for day 1) and any included meals mentioned as (B = Breakfast / L = Lunch / D = Dinner)

• Local guides where specified.

• Tours, activities included as indicated.

• Specified transfers.

• Public buses for some routes.

• Domestic flight from Huatulco to Mexico City.

• Taxes.

Not included:

• International flights.

• Travel insurance.

• Fees or commissions charged by your bank or platform of your choice for making the payment.

• Transport indicated as not included.

• Food and beverages not specified (most lunches and dinners).

• Personal expenses.

• Tips.