Day 1. Mexico City arrival (October 28)

At a Glance

*Day is at leisure

*Welcome to Mexico City! Upon arrival to Mexico City International Airport, you will be greeted by our representative and the driver and transferred to your hotel.
Check-in to Mexico City hotel and the rest of the day will be at leisure.

Overnight: Hotel in Mexico city
Meals: None

Day 2. Mexico City Tour (October 29)

At a Glance

*Mexico City full day Private Tour

 
*Experience life in one of the largest Cities in the World. Admire the so called “La Ciudad de los Palacios” (The City of Palaces). Tour the most important sites in Mexico City. Visit the National Palace and get to know the rich Mexican history “described” by the famous painter Diego Rivera on its murals. Then, visit the largest Cathedral of the Americas, the Metropolitan Cathedral and visit the “Templo Mayor” archaeological site in the Heart of the City. Tour the famous “floating gardens” in Xochimilco. Experience a “trajinera” local boat ride, and admire the colorful side of Mexico
Transfer back to the hotel
 

Overnight: Hotel in Mexico City
Meals: Continental breakfast in hotel in Mexico City
   Traditional lunch in a local restaurant in Xochimilco (drinks not included)

Day 3. Basilica de Guadalupe, Teotihuacan
   & Capilla del Rosario (Puebla) tour

(October 30)

*Today, after breakfast, hotel check out and meet your local tour guide in the main entrance of your hotel to start with a journey full of History and traditions. First, we will tour the beautiful Basilica of our Lady of Guadalupe (Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe) a Roman Catholic Church, National shrine of Mexico. The shrine was built near the Hill of Tepeyac where Our Lady of Guadalupe is believed to have appeared to San Juan Diego.
Then, we will visit the Ancient Mesoamerican City of Teotihuacan. This Archaeological site is world wide known for its amazing Sun and Moon Pyramids and the Avenue of the Death. We will see small portion of its Murals that have been exceptionally well preserved.
We will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant with its typical Mexican food (drinks not included).
Our journey will continue with transfer to Puebla. At arrival, we will visit the unique and extremely beautiful Rosary Chapel “Capilla del Rosario”; known as “La Casa de Oro” “The Golden House”, because of its interior walls covered with gold. Our experienced tour guide will share with us the incredible story of its construction; this Chapel is consider the best example of the Baroque in the New Spain (Mexico); we will see why !
Finally, transfer, drop off and check in to your hotel in the beautiful City of Puebla

Overnight: Hotel in Puebla City
Meals: Continental breakfast in the hotel in Mexico City
   Lunch in Teotihuacan local restaurant (drinks not included)

Day 4. Puebla City & Cholula tour
   Transfer to Oaxaca (October 31)

*Puebla is famous for being scene of a number of battles, the most notable, the battle of Puebla or “Batalla de 5 de Mayo”.
We will see why UNESCO put Puebla on its World heritage list. We will tour around the historic downtown and visit the Zocalo (main square), see the major landmarks among others, the Puebla Cathedral (short visit); we will visit as well the City Hall and the “Biblioteca Palafoxiana” (Palafoxiana Library), nowadays museum, which was founded in 1646. It was the first public library in Mexico; sometimes consider the first in the Americas. We will hear incredible stories and real facts from some of the books kept here.
We will enjoy a delicious traditional lunch including typical food and taste the famous “mole poblano”, Mexican dish prepared with numerous kind of Mexican chili and chocolate among others (drinks not included).
Because of the Day of the Dead festivities, you will have the opportunity to admire the “amate paper”, traditional colorful handmade work and get to know the traditional “cempazuchil flower” used in the “Altars” offers in different points of Puebla.
Our trip will continue to Cholula, where the Great Pyramid of Cholula with the Nuestra Señora de los Remedios church on top is located. This basement is four times the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza and is the largest pyramid base in the Americas. Here, we will tour the beautiful little town of Cholula, and admire Puebla City “from above” with the views this place has to offer. If we are lucky, take a great picture of the Popocatepelt, active volcano with its fumaroles.

We will proceed with a 4 hours road trip to the beautiful Colonial City of Oaxaca, located in the state of the same name.

Overnight: Hotel in Oaxaca City
Meals: Continental breakfast in hotel in Puebla
   Traditional lunch (drinks not included)

Day 5. Monte Alban & Arrazola village
Xoxotlan old cemetery evening visit (November 01)

At a Glance

*Monte Alban & Oaxaca, Xoxocotlan (pronounced "ho-ho") old cemetery visit for the Day of the Dead celebrations

*Our journey will start after breakfast in Monte Alban, one of the most important and famous pre-Columbian archaeological sites in Mexico. The site is believed to be more than three thousand years old and has been inhabited by various Mexican cultures such as the Olmec, the Zapotec and the Mixteca. Discover the various features of the complex including the main square, the ballgame court, the palace, the observatory and the Plaza of the Dancers, among others. Then, our journey will continue to the indigenous village of Arrazola, famous for its wood carving handicrafts known as "Alebrijes“. This small town is where the history of “Alebrijes”, now, traditional Mexican handicraft and souvenir started. The art is handed down thru generation to generation. These artist do not use a pattern, or photos, or mold to work from to complete this art! You will be amazed at the attention to detail and colors that are used; and of course, you can buy your souvenirs practicing your negotiation skills. A place that is worthy to visit!

At 6 p.m. we will go to Xoxocotlán to be part of a great experience with the beginning of the celebration of the Day of the Dead at a local cemetery.

Overnight: Hotel in Oaxaca City
Meals: Breakfast in hotel in Oaxaca
Traditional lunch (drinks not included)

Day 6. Oaxaca Day of Dead Festivities & City tour (November 02)

At a Glance

*Oaxaca Day of Dead festivities and City tour including Altar contests and Giant Sand Tapestry in Oaxaca's Palacio de Gobierno (Museo del Palacio)

*Today, our tour guide will lead us to explore Oaxaca City Center. We will see why this beautiful peaceful Spanish Colonial town is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. Because of the Day of the Dead, we will visit the Altar and Giant Sand Tapestry set up in Oaxaca's Palacio de Gobierno (Museo del Palacio); here, there is also usually a contest for the best Altar - with altars set up around the main floor of the building. Among others, we will visit some other places in Oaxaca Center where more Day of the Dead Altars, sand tapestries and other decorations will be displayed like in the Escuela de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts School), across from La Soledad church; the Casa de la Cultura, as well as Alcala Street (the pedestrian walkway) and the Zocalo. We will learn about the history of the City, its architecture, and local customs during our tour. We will have the opportunity to see the Festivities Parade as well as experience the many options of traditional food vendors offer everywhere you go
This will be a different and unique experience to remember for life!

Overnight: Oaxaca
Meals: Breakfast in the hotel in Oaxaca
Please, note lunch is not included; it will be in a random place during the tour to experience the many options local vendors offer this day everywhere you go

Day 7. Oaxaca Valley tour. Mitla, Teotitlan del Valle & El Tule (Nov. 3)

At a Glance

*Oaxaca Valley tour

*Admire the natural and cultural beauty of the Oaxaca Valley. Our journey will start visiting Mitla, consider the second most important archaeological site in the State of Oaxaca, and it is the most important of the Zapotec culture. Admire the intricate fretwork and mosaic designs at the well-preserved archaeological site. We will visit and watch one of the most important weaving workshop in Teotitlan del Valle, where during their presentation, we will get to know the complete process of their “art”; Here, we will enjoy a traditional lunch 100% homemade specially for us; the main dish will be “mole con pollo” (chicken with mole); the “mole” will be prepared by members of the family beginning several days before our arrival with the antique process the Zapotec ancestors used to prepare it by mixing many different kind of chili and chocolate as well. We will try the traditional “tamales” and “quezadillas” besides including “mezcal” tasting, traditional liquor produced in the area. On our way back to Oaxaca, we will visit “El Tule” (the tree of Tule) located in the church grounds in the town center of Santa Maria del Tule, approximately 9 km east of the city of Oaxaca. it is a Montezuma cypress or ahuehuete (meaning "old man of the water" in Nahuatl). This tree is famous for its circumference of 42 m and it is occasionally nicknamed the "tree of life" from the images of animals that are visible in the tree's trunk including jaguars and elephants.

Meals: Breakfast in hotel in Oaxaca
   Traditional home made lunch including mescal tasting