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16-day roundtrip Versatile Mexico

Itinerary Travel price Request a travel proposal More inspiration

16 days – from €5,960 per person

monarch butterfly – nature – Frida Kahlo – agave landscape

  • Meet the vibrant colours of Frida Kahlo in Mexico City
  • Witness the annual migration of the monarch butterfly in the biosphere reserve
  • Learn about the agave landscape in the town of Tequila
  • Round off your trip in comfort on the coast at Sayulita

Itinerary

Day 1: Amsterdam – Mexico City

Your unique trip of central Mexico begins today. You’ll depart from Amsterdam on an international flight to Mexico City. Upon arrival, you’ll be met by one of our local staff and taken to your accommodation. You’ll be staying at the Hotel Galería Plaza Reforma, situated in the Juárez district, just a half-hour’s walk from Chapultepec Urban Park. This stunning park is the largest urban park in Latin America. Among other attractions, the park is home to the Museo Nacional de Antropología. The museum is housed in a stunning modern building, which traces the anthropological history of Mexico right from its very beginnings. Definitely worth a visit.
Accommodation: Hotel Galería Plaza Reforma | bed and breakfast

Day 2: Mexico City

Today you will be collected from your hotel and taken to the unique neighbourhood of Coyoacán. This beautiful neighbourhood is dotted with colourful buildings, constructed in the typical Spanish style. No fewer than 64 of these buildings have been added to the INAH list of listed buildings, due to their historical value. At lunchtime, you’ll be taken to the Mercado Coyoacán, the local market. All the scents, colours and flavours will greet you; it is an authentic Mexican market and a wonderful place to enjoy lunch. Afterwards, you will visit Frida Kahlo’s famous house, where you can admire a number of her original paintings and works of art. If time permits, you can also visit the Dolores Olmedo Museum. Housed in a 16th-century building, this museum holds an extensive collection of works by Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, complemented by hundreds of pre-Hispanic sculptures. Your guide will then take you to Mexico City’s central square, the Zócalo. From here, the trip continues to the Metropolitan Cathedral – the largest cathedral in North and South America – before proceeding to the ruins of the Templo Mayor. Before the arrival of the Spanish, this was the largest and most important temple of the Aztecs, standing no less than 60 metres tall. Afterwards, you will be taken back to your hotel.
Overnight stay: Hotel Galería Plaza Reforma | bed and breakfast

Day 3: Mexico City

This morning, accompanied by a private guide, you will visit the Aztec city of Teotihuacán, one of the most famous archaeological sites! It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1987. Together with your private guide, you’ll explore the archaeological site and learn about the rituals, culture and way of life of the Aztecs who once settled here. The rest of the afternoon is yours to spend as you wish. For lunch in Mexico City, head to the rooftop terrace of the Downtown Hotel, where you can look out over the central square; naturally, we’ll arrange the best table for you.
Overnight stay: Hotel Galería Plaza Reforma | bed and breakfast

Day 4: Mexico City – Zitácuaro

After breakfast, you will be collected from your hotel and travel with your guide to the rugged and lush interior, the wintering grounds of the brilliantly coloured Monarch butterfly (approx. 160 km | 2.5-hour drive). Every year from November to March, between 60 and 100 million Monarch butterflies arrive here, following an eight-month journey spanning four generations from Canada! Upon arrival in Zitácuaro, you will visit the first reserve. The reserve you visit on this day may vary depending on the concentration of butterflies on the day itself – and is therefore subject to change. We will assess on the spot which location is best to visit. You’ll walk up a steep path through a pine forest teeming with monarch butterflies. As you continue, you’ll notice the forest becoming denser, and eventually you’ll see millions of butterflies. These butterflies have travelled a long way to get here. The sun provides a pleasant warmth and illuminates the butterflies’ wings, creating a beautiful scene of light and colour. Your expert guide can tell you all about these remarkable insects. Around midday, you’ll stop for a picnic. During lunch, the guide will explain more about the remarkable phenomenon of this butterfly migration, including the ecological threats they face. After lunch, you’ll have a little more time to explore the area further. At the end of the afternoon, you’ll be taken back to your hotel.
Overnight stay: Hotel Rancho San Cayetano | bed and breakfast

Day 5 Zitácuaro

After breakfast, you’ll drive to the El Rosaria reserve. The reserve you visit on this day may vary depending on the concentration of butterflies on the day itself and is therefore subject to change. A decision will be made on the spot as to which location is best to visit. In the silence of the forest, you can hear the fluttering wings of these very delicate creatures. You will also be served a picnic lunch today. After lunch, depending on the weather conditions, you will have some time to explore the area further before being taken back to your hotel.
Overnight stay: Hotel Rancho San Cayetano | bed and breakfast

Day 6: Zitácuaro – Morelia

After breakfast, you will be taken to Morelia (approx. 150 km | 3-hour drive). The hotel where you will be staying is situated right on Morelia’s main square, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. This beautiful, small-scale boutique hotel is housed in a 17th-century building. The rooms feature a blend of modern design and classic elements and are fully equipped with all modern conveniences. When night falls and the stars are out, the roof terrace and the restaurant’s small balconies are perhaps the most romantic spots in the city. From there, you can look out over the beautifully lit square and the old town centre.
Accommodation: Boutique Hotel Casa Grande | bed and breakfast

Day 7 Morelia

After breakfast, your guide will show you round the city. Morelia is a large city situated in a beautiful, green, fertile valley at an altitude of around 2,000 metres. The city is the capital of the state of Michoacán and boasts a very attractive colonial centre. What makes the central square, ‘Plaza de Armas’, so special is that the cathedral is situated right in the middle of the square. In other colonial towns, churches and other prominent buildings are generally situated around the central square.
Accommodation: Boutique Hotel Casa Grande | bed and breakfast

Day 8: Morelia – Guadalajara

Today you’ll travel on to your next destination: Guadalajara. After a journey of around 3.5 hours, you’ll arrive in the capital of the state of Jalisco. This is Mexico’s second-oldest colonial city, also known as the ‘Pearl of the West’. It is also famous for the mariachi song ‘Guadalajara’, an ode to the city where the song’s writer grew up. You’ll be staying at Casa Habita, located in the trendy Lafayette district. This modern hotel features contemporary design, a vintage-style restaurant, views of the city from your room, and, at the weekend, you can enjoy live music on the rooftop.
Accommodation: Hotel Casa Habita | bed and breakfast

 

Day 9: Guadalajara

After breakfast, your trip of Guadalajara city centre begins. Your guide will collect you from your hotel and take you to the Plaza de Armas, where they will tell you all about the history of this impressive city. You’ll visit the Government Palace, the cathedral, the Defollado Theatre, the Rotonda de los Jaliscienses Ilustres and the murals by José Clemente Orozco. At the end of the city trip, you’ll be taken back to your hotel.
Overnight stay: Hotel Casa Habita | bed and breakfast

Day 10: Guadalajara

A visit to a tequila distillery is certainly an unmissable experience. On this day, your guide will take you on a journey through the history of tequila. A good tequila is made from 100% pure blue agave plants. There are various types of tequila. For example, ‘Blanco’ – which means ‘white’ in Spanish – is tequila in its purest form. Today, you’ll learn more about the different types of tequila and the fermentation and distillation process of blue agave. And of course, there’ll be a tequila tasting too!
Accommodation: Hotel Casa Habita | bed and breakfast

Day 11: Guadalajara – Sayulita

After breakfast, you’ll continue your journey north of Puerto Vallarta (approx. 300 km | 4.5-hour drive). Here you’ll stay in a beautiful spot on the Nayarit coastline called Sayulita. Sayulita is one of the Pueblos Mágicos. This is due to its preservation of traditional Mexican culture and the charm of a small town, evident in its narrow streets and sandy alleys. The bay itself is surrounded by densely forested hills and is ideal for surfing. This makes it a true paradise.
Accommodation: Amor Boutique Hotel | bed and breakfast

Days 12 to 14: Sayulita

Some free days are planned at this lovely spot. Now is the time to forget the daily grind. No to-do lists here – just enjoy the surroundings, the climate and the hotel’s facilities. A wonderful place to completely unwind.
Accommodation: Amor Boutique Hotel | bed and breakfast

Day 15: Sayulita – Puerto Vallarta – Mexico City – Amsterdam

Your unique trip of Central Mexico has sadly come to an end. After breakfast, you will be picked up and taken to Puerto Vallarta Airport (approx. 40 km | 1-hour drive). Here, you will board your domestic flight to Mexico City. Once you arrive there, you will transfer to your intercontinental flight to Amsterdam, where you will arrive the following day.

Day 16: Amsterdam

You will arrive in Amsterdam today.

"We offset all travel through the Black Jaguar Foundation's reforestation project "

Travel price

From € 5,960 per person

  • Based on 2 people travelling together
  • Subject to the time of booking, availability of local flights, availability of accommodation and the travel period

Included:

  • domestic flight, economy class (23 kg hold luggage)
  • 14 nights’ accommodation, meals as stated
  • all transfers and excursions as listed
  • local taxes, where applicable
  • entrance fees, where applicable
  • Public levy Calamity Fund travel; €2.50 per booking
  • SGR contribution of €5 per person per booking
  • 24/7 our backup; locally and in the Netherlands
  • comprehensive travel pack with small gift

Not included:

  • International flights, we will book them for you if required
  • Early check-in/late check-out, based on availability sometimes given by hotel. If you want to make sure you have this, please enquire with us about the extra cost.
  • travel and cancellation insurance

Request a travel proposal

Would you like to go on this trip too? We can, of course, organise the above trip for you, but we’d also be happy to put together a programme based on your wishes and ideas. Please feel free to get in touch. Call us on +31 73 610 62 04, send an email to info@sapapanatravel.nl or request a bespoke quote below. We’d be delighted to help.

 

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