The Award-Winning Tour Specialist
Our Grand Impressions of Mexico tour will see you exploring the most iconic sites, delving into deep-rooted culture and dining on delicious cuisine.
On select October departures, enjoy Mexico City’s most spectacular celebration of the season - the Day of the Dead Parade, a moving pageant of life and death.
Journey into Sumidero Canyon, where sheer limestone walls soar over 1,000 metres above the Grijalva River. Watch for basking crocodiles, spider monkeys, and the mossdraped "Christmas Tree" waterfall.
Visit Chichén Itzá, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and Mexico’s most celebrated Mayan archaeological site. Marvel at the iconic Temple of Kukulcán, and wander among ancient ball courts, temples, and sacred cenotes.
Discover Riviera Maya's legendary limestone sinkholes - Cenote Azul, all before swimming in mirror-still turquoise pools framed by lianas and cooled by natural springs.
Embark on an epic exploration of Mexico, encountering its ancient civilisations, indigenous communities, magnificent colonial-era architecture and rich art scene along the way. All fuelled by incredible Mexican cuisine, your adventure will be full of authentic experiences across a range of spectacular landscapes.
Fly to Mexico City, Mexico's vibrant capital. On arrival at Benito Juárez International Airport you will be warmly greeted by your National Escort and transferred to your hotel.
Begin at Zócalo, the city’s vast main square. Visit the soaring Metropolitan Cathedral, National Palace and the Templo Mayor Museum to learn about ‘Tenochtitlan’. Later, in the leafy suburb of Coyoacán, enjoy the wonderful Frida Kahlo Museum at Casa Azul.
Spend the morning exploring the UNESCO-listed archaeological site of Teotihuacan before visiting a family cooperative to learn about the ancient uses of obsidian, maguey fibre and pulque. Return to the capital to admire the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Travel northwest to San Miguel de Allende. Enjoy a relaxed orientation walk through the UNESCO-listed city centre, admiring pink spires, charming cobbled streets and leafy courtyards as you learn about the city’s history.
Enter the airy studio of local artist Guadalupe Trejo and family to discover the art of papier-mâché crafting. You’ll be guided through the process of creating your own traditional alebrije, catrina, winged heart, nicho, or mask as Guadalupe shares the legends and symbolism behind each piece. After a lunch of regional specialities, the afternoon is free to explore or relax before dinner at one of San Miguel’s rooftop bistros.
Pass into the hills of Sierra de Guanajuato to reach another UNESCO-listed city, Guanajuato. Made rich by the silver and gold deposits in the area, prepare to be impressed by magnificent architecture and brightly coloured houses crammed onto the slopes of a narrow ravine. Embark on a walking tour of its opulent centre. Then, at twilight, gather at the steps of Templo San Diego for a private ‘callejoneada’, parading the old streets with costumed musicians and storytellers.
Travel west to Guadalajara, Mexico's second-largest city. Take an afternoon walk through the vibrant plazas of its historic centre. As dusk falls, enjoy a festive evening with live mariachi and a lively dance show.
Travel into the blue-agave lowlands to the town of Tequila. Naturally, your explorations begin with a visit to a tequila distillery where you'll learn all about the production process, from roasting the piñas to the resting cellars. In the private tasting room, you’ll be guided through the flavours by an expert maestro tequilero. Then, stroll the town’s cobbled streets to find the perfect spot for a local lunch.
Hop on a flight to Oaxaca, a city that is home to rich indigenous culture, beautiful architecture and a vibrant arts scene. Upon arrival, enjoy an orientation walk along Alcalá Street to see the sights.
This morning, explore the major archaeological site of Monte Alban, the capital of the pre-Columbian Zapotec civilisation. This afternoon, explore Oaxaca's cultural heart, tasting local delicacies and admiring architecture as you go.
Discover the flavours of Oaxaca with a visit to a local neighbourhood market, where you’ll meet producers and select fresh, seasonal ingredients before joining a hands-on cooking class. Learn to prepare traditional Oaxacan dishes from scratch before sitting down to enjoy the meal you’ve created together. Later, enjoy some free time to explore the city before rounding off your final evening with an authentic Mexican dinner at a local taquería.
Travel into the Sierra Norte Mountains, arriving in the Zapotec village of Benito Juárez. Visit a family at their farmstead for insight into their rural way of life, before continuing to Tehuantepec, close to Salina Cruz on the Pacific Coast.
Spend the morning on a boat heading deep into the Sumidero Canyon National Park, spotting spider monkeys and basking crocodiles as you cruise between sheer limestone walls. Continue to San Cristobal de las Casas.
Discover the rich Maya heritage of Chiapas with visits to the Tzotzil Maya communities of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantán. Experience their unique blend of pre-Hispanic and Catholic traditions and visit a family weaving workshop before enjoying a special, immersive lunch at a locally owned restaurant, where a traditional Pox welcome toast and multi-course feast showcase the authentic flavours and culinary heritage of Chiapas. Later, explore San Cristóbal de las Casas at leisure before an included dinner featuring more regional favourites.
Embark on a guided walking tour of the city, exploring narrow lanes little changed since the 16th century. Visits include the golden-yellow cathedral, the Arco del Carmen and the pastel-hued houses of the pine covered San Cristobalito hill. This afternoon is free to explore as you wish before regrouping for dinner at a traditional restaurant.
Descend from the cool heights of the mountains to the lowlands of northern Chiapas. Stop in Villahermosa for lunch and a visit to Museo La Venta, an open-air archaeological park featuring monumental sculptures from the ancient Olmec civilisation. Continue to Palenque town, arriving early evening.
Rise early to enter the forested Palenque National Park. Led by a specialist guide, and with a soundtrack provided by howler monkeys, embark on an adventure through these spectacular Mayan ruins of a city that flourished between 600 and 900 AD. Spend the afternoon splashing around in the Roberto Barrios waterfalls.
Leave the emerald canopy of the rainforest behind, cross the savannah of Tabasco to reach the Gulf coast and Campeche. A UNESCO-listed harbour city, San Francisco de Campeche boasts pastel-coloured mansions, coral-stone ramparts and plentiful tales of merchants and pirate raids – discover more as you explore the storied streets.
Start the day with a guided walk of Campeche’s perfectly preserved walled city. Leave the Caribbean coast and travel to another UNESCO-listed site, the magical Mayan ruins of Uxmal. Learn all about the astronomy and acoustics of the Pyramid of the Magician and admire the Nunnery Quadrangle and Governor’s Palace. Continue to Mérida.
Visit lively markets filled with local flavours and colourful crafts, then wander through the historic heart of the city, strolling along elegant avenues of 19th-century mansions before enjoying a delicious traditional lunch.
This morning is dedicated to Mexico’s most iconic archaeological site Chichén Itzá, with a guided tour of its wonders. Continue to a Maya village where you'll be welcomed into the home of a local family for a traditional lunch and stories of local life. On your way to Playa del Carmen, make a stop at Valladolid - a vibrant colonial city.
This morning, you will visit Cenote Azul - a popular open-air freshwater cenote, famous to Playa del Carmen. Here, you can relax in the sun or swim in the turquoise waters. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure before this evening's farewell dinner.
Transfer to Cancun airport for your flight to the UK, arriving home the following day.
Our tours feature hand-picked properties selected for their comfort, modern amenities and convenient location for sightseeing. We occasionally include a stay in a guesthouse or lodge where we feel the character of the property will enhance your tour, or to allow access to a more unique and memorable location. Here is a taster of the type of hotels you will be staying in on your tour.
While all our tours feature carefully selected hotels, our Upgraded Departures provide an extra level of comfort with deluxe range accommodation. Stay in relaxed 5-star city hotels, unique properties, and overnight cruises, each chosen to deliver an elevated experience. Below are examples of the upgraded accommodation you can expect on this itinerary.
Places Visited: Ireland - Mexico City (3N) - San Miguel (2N) - Guanajuato (1N) - Guadalajara (2N) - Oaxaca (3N) - Tehuantepec (1N) - San Cristobal (3N) - Palenque (2N) - Campeche (1N) - Merida (2N) - Playa del Carmen (2N) - Cancun - Ireland
All of our tour departures include international flights and taxes in the price. If your tour departs in less than 30 days, please call our travel experts to book. Read our Price Match Promise
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Dedicated Solo departures are available on selected dates for this tour.
These solos-only departures feature smaller group sizes of up to 18, along with free airport lounge access.
There are no dedicated Solo departures for this year. You can enjoy any of our tours with no Single Supplement on our Happy to Share option or explore the solo departures in other years.
The same great Wendy Wu tour - just with an extra level of comfort. Enjoy relaxed 5-star city hotels, unique properties, and overnight cruises, each selected to deliver an elevated experience. See Upgraded Tour Hotels above for more details.
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