Mexico Hidden Route to the Gulf

Mexico Hidden Route to the Gulf

Join our 15-days adventure Road Trip and experience Mexico you never thought about before:

1700 km around 5 states - Mexico City, Estado de Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz;

numerous wonders of nature, mountains, forests, rivers, waterfalls, sea, sand beaches etc.;

great culture (4 "Magic Towns"; 3 colonial-age cities; 8 UNESCO Heritage Sites; culinary discoveries of each state);

big choice of outdoor activities: mountainous river rafting; swimming in the waterfalls; hiking the tallest pyramid in Mesoamerica; staying on the sandy beach; boat trip among the mangroves, crocodiles and birds; visiting a coffee plantation and much more.

Itinerary

Day 1: Mexico City

Stop At: Zocalo, Calle Plaza de La Constitucion S/N Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Mexico City 06000 Mexico
Bienvenidos a la Ciudad de Mexico - the largest city in Latin America where ancient and modern coexist in harmony. The city is a world-class cultural hub that offers a huge variety of museums, galleries, and architectural gems, along with bustling nightlife and diverse gastronomic culture. Arrive on Saturday or some days before and take your time to explore this diverse city before meeting your group and Trip Leader on Saturday evening: welcome meeting, optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group.

Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Mexico City

Activities Included: welcome meeting
Duration: 1 day

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Mexico City.

Day 2: Mexico City

Stop At: Museo Nacional de Antropología, Av. Paseo de la Reforma s/n, Polanco, Bosque de Chapultepec I Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11560 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Join your group for a walking tour around the historic center in the morning (Metropolitan Cathedral, Zocalo, National Palace and Museum of Anthropology), then choose by yourself what to do next in this diverse city - your Trip Leader will be happy to give suggestions. Optional dinner & get-together with the group in the evening.

Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Mexico City

Meals & Drinks Included: breakfast

Activities Included: walking tour in Mexico City, guided visit to the Museum of Anthropology
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Mexico City.

Day 3: Mexico City - Teotihuacan - Tlaxcala

Stop At: Teotihuacan Pyramids, San Juan Teotihuacan 55800 Mexico
After breakfast and check-out from our accommodation, we will go to visit and explore Teotihuacan (UNESCO) - a complex of awesome pyramids, set amid what was once Mesoamerica’s greatest city. Then we will go to Tlaxcala - the capital of Mexico’s smallest state, largely undiscovered by tourists, unhurried and unself-conscious, with a compact colonial downtown defined by grand government buildings, imposing churches and a handsome central plaza. Accommodation, optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in Tlaxcala.

Transportation: private vehicle/mini-coach

Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Tlaxcala

Meals & Drinks Included: breakfast

Activities Included: guided visit to Teotihuacan; walking tour in Tlaxcala
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Centro Historico de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala Mexico
Walking tour, free time, optional dinner & get-together in the evening.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Tlaxcala.

Day 4: Tlaxcala - La Malinche National Park

Stop At: La Malinche National Park, Huamantla Mexico
After breakfast and check-out from our accommodation in Tlaxcala, we will go to nearby La Malinche National Park. With an elevation of 4462 meters, it has the sixth-highest peak in Mexico that is frequently used as a training/acclimatization climb by mountaineers. After check-in at our accommodation in a basecamp, opt to join your Trip Leader for an easy but spectacular 3h hike to the summit or stay in the camp to enjoy other outdoor activities.

Optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in our basecamp in La Malinche National Park.

Transportation: private vehicle/mini-coach

Accommodation: eco-cabins in La Malinche National Park

Meals & Drinks Included: breakfast

Activities Included: La Malinche National Park (entrance & summit hiking)
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Eco-cabin in La Malinche National Park.

Day 5: La Malinche National Park - Cantona Archaeological Zone - Cuetzatlan

Stop At: Cantona Archaeological Ruins, Cantona, Puebla Mexico
After breakfast and check-out from our accommodation, we will go to visit and explore the Cantona Archeologic Zone - a pre-Hispanic city that rivaled Teotihuacan barring the way to trade and thus contributing to its decline. Then we will continue to Cuetzatlan - a unique village situated among the mountains, coffee plantations, and tree-like ferns, surrounded by white buildings and filled with numerous stairs that during the mornings are covered with fog, which makes them look as if they were covered with a thick white carpet. Accommodation, walking tour around the historic center, optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in Cuetzatlan.

Transportation: private vehicle/mini-coach

Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Cuetzatlan

Meals & Drinks Included: breakfast

Activities Included: guided visit to the Cantona Archaeologic Zone; walking tour in Cuetzatlan
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Cuetzalan Mágico, Guerrero 20, Centro, 73560 Cd de Cuetzalan, Pue., Mexico
Accommodation, walking tour around the historic center, optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in Cuetzatlan.
Duration: 5 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Cuetzalan.

Day 6: Cuetzatlan

Stop At: Cuetzalan Mágico, Guerrero 20, Centro, 73560 Cd de Cuetzalan, Pue., Mexico
After a morning visit to nearby waterfalls, opt to explore the town or visit nearby attractions:

Jardin Botanico Xoxoctic. Enjoy the exuberant wildlife and the perpetual mist that blankets countless types of multicolored orchids, arborescent ferns and butterfly gardens.

Caves systems, with Aventura Cave being the most popular and easily accessible. Just 10 minutes drive from the center of the town it is 420 meters long and goes to a maximum depth of 80 meters under the ground.

Optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in Cuetzatlan.

Transportation: private vehicle/mini-coach

Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Cuetzatlan

Meals & Drinks Included: breakfast

Activities Included: visit to the waterfalls in Cuetzatlan
Duration: 1 day

Stop At: Cascada Las Brisas, Río Tecolutla, Puebla, Pue., Mexico
Entrance & free time.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Cuetzalan.

Day 7: Cuetzatlan - Yohualichan Archeological Zone - Tlapacoyan

Stop At: Zona Arqueologica De Yohualichan, Supercarretera Puebla-Xalapa, Cuetzalan del Progreso Mexico
After breakfast and check-out from our accommodation, we will go to visit and explore Yohualichan Archeological Zone. First settled by the Totonacs and later overthrown by the Aztecs, the present indigenous inhabitants of Yohualichan - which means "Casa de la Noche" in Spanish - are Aztec ancestors. After a tour around the pyramids, we will continue to Tlapacoyan - a small town famous for nearby Filobobos Ecological Reserve and archaeological zones. Accommodation, walking tour around the historic center, optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in Tlapayocan.

Transportation: private vehicle/mini-coach

Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Tlapayocan

Meals & Drinks Included: breakfast

Activities Included: guided visit to Yohualichan Archeological Zone; walking tour in Tlapayocan
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Centro, 93650 Tlapacoyan, Ver., Mexico
Accommodation, walking tour around the historic center, optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in Tlapayocan.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Tlapayocan.

Day 8: Tlapayocan - Filobobos Ecological Reserve - Costa Esmeralda

Stop At: Rio Filobobos Veracruz, Calle Sanchez Tagle 973, Veracruz 91720 Mexico
In the morning go for whitewater rafting in Filobobos Ecological Reserve. In the afternoon continue to our accommodation on Costa Esmeralda - one of the most popular parts of the Gulf of Mexico's coastline due to its pristine beaches that are perfect for swimming and diving. Optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in the evening.

Transportation: private vehicle/mini-coach

Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Costa Esmeralda

Meals & Drinks Included: breakfast

Activities Included: whitewater rafting in Filobobos Ecological Reserve
Duration: 6 hours

Stop At: Costa Esmeralda, Carr. Costera del Golfo, Veracruz Mexico
Orientation walk in a coastal village, optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in the evening.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Costa Esmeralda.

Day 9: Costa Esmeralda - Ciénega del Fuerte State Park

Stop At: Costa Esmeralda, Carr. Costera del Golfo, Veracruz Mexico
Relax on the beach before going for a boat tour in Ciénega del Fuerte State Park in the late afternoon. The park has a large expanse of rainforests and offers an opportunity to watch crocodiles and birds in its mangroves. Optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in the evening.

Transportation: private vehicle/mini-coach

Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Costa Esmeralda

Meals & Drinks Included: breakfast

Activities Included: boat tour in Ciénega del Fuerte State Park (crocodiles & birds watching)
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Costa Esmeralda.

Day 10: Costa Esmeralda - Veracruz

Stop At: Malecon, Veracruz 91700 Mexico
In the morning, after breakfast and check-out, go to Veracruz - the oldest port in the country defined by its history, traditions, joyful people and delicious food. Walking tour around the historic center, free time, optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in the evening.

Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Veracruz

Meals & Drinks Included: breakfast

Activities Included: walking tour in Veracruz
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Veracruz.

Day 11: Veracruz

Stop At: Playa Veracruz, Carretera Veracruz, Panama City Panama
Free day - choose whether to explore the city, relax on the beach or visit some of the nearby attractions:

Chachalacas beach with its 550 acres of sand dunes and spectacular views of the ocean is a perfect site to ride 4x4 motorcycles, slide yourself from the sand dunes and feel the adrenaline in throughout your body.

La Antigua - an important spot in the history of Veracruz, as it was the first European village founded in Mexico, in 1519, by the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés.

Cempoala - an archaeological site that was the capital of the Totonac civilization at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards.

Mandinga - a charming fishing village where you can experience an afternoon of traditions, folklore, and gastronomy.

Optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in the evening.

Transportation: private vehicle/mini-coach

Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Veracruz

Meals & Drinks Included: breakfast
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Veracruz.

Day 12: Veracruz - Tlacotalpan - Orizaba

Stop At: Parque Zaragoza, Av. Miguel Z. Chazaro Centro, Tlacotalpan Mexico
In the morning after breakfast and checkout, we will go to Tlacotalpan. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the town is located to the margins of the Papaloapan river or “River of the Butterflies”. After walking tour, boat ride and free time in the town, we will continue to Orizaba. Guarded by the spectacular snowy Pico de Orizaba, this city has created its own personality combining colonial architecture with green and colorful natural landscapes. Accommodation, orientation walk, optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in the evening.

Transportation: private vehicle/mini-coach

Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Orizaba

Meals & Drinks Included: breakfast

Activities Included: orientation walks in Orizaba & Tlacotalpan; boat tour in Tlacotalpan
Duration: 4 hours

Stop At: Palacio Municipal de Orizaba, Colon Poniente #320 Colonia Centro, Orizaba 94300 Mexico
Accommodation, orientation walk, optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in the evening.
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Orizaba.

Day 13: Orizaba

Stop At: Palacio Municipal de Orizaba, Colon Poniente #320 Colonia Centro, Orizaba 94300 Mexico
Free day - choose whether to explore the city and/or visit some of the nearby attractions:

Los 500 Escalones: beat the challenge of walking up the 500 steps and admire the Elephant Waterfall next to the Rio Blanco Canyon from one of its 3 viewpoints.

Cañón de la Carbonera: with a length of 8.5 kilometers and a depth of 200 to 750 meters, the reserve has at least 24 waterfalls, 12 springs, and 4 caverns, the ideal place to visit and practice canyoning, hiking, and rappelling.

Optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in the evening.

Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Orizaba

Meals & Drinks Included: breakfast
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Orizaba.

Day 14: Orizaba - Cholula - Puebla

Stop At: Great Pyramid of Cholula, Av. Morelos esq. 8 Norte, San Pedro Cholula 72760 Mexico
In the morning head to Cholula - the oldest city in America inhabited without interruption since its origins, where you will see The Great Pyramid of Cholula, the world's largest pyramid topped by the Virgen de Los Remedios church. Then we will continue to Puebla, Mexico's fourth largest city with well-conserved colonial architecture chosen by UNESCO as World Heritage Site. Walking tour, optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in the evening.

Transportation: private vehicle/mini-coach

Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Puebla

Meals & Drinks Included: breakfast

Activities Included: walking tours in Cholula & Puebla
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Zocalo, Puebla Mexico
Walking tour, optional dinner & get-together with the rest of the group in the evening.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B/guest house in Puebla.

Day 15: Puebla - Mexico City

Pass By: Zocalo, Calle Plaza de La Constitucion S/N Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Mexico City 06000 Mexico
Breakfast, check-out, and departure to Mexico City. If you decide to extend your vacations, we can always book you extra nights, or even take you on our next adventure.

Transportation: private vehicle/mini-coach

Meals & Drinks Included: breakfast

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.