1 day. Dec. 30.
Arrival in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico.
Vacation at the hotel. Familiarity. A stroll through evening Mexico City. Overnight in a 4* hotel in Mexico City.
Day 2. Dec. 31.
Mexico City sightseeing tour. The ancient Mayan city of Teotihuacan. Creating and activating an intention for the New Year 2023 in the City of the Gods at the Pyramid of the Sun. New Year’s Eve celebration at a restaurant.
In Mexico City, we’ll see:
– The city’s main avenue, Paseo De Reforma, with a huge number of monuments and historical monuments;
– the central square of the Zocalo and the ruins of the main temple of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan;
– Latin America’s largest church, the Catedral Metropolitana, which took about 250 years to build;
– National Palace with frescoes by the famous Mexican artist Diego Rivera.
Then we will go to the mysterious City of the Gods – Teotihuacan, the history of the prosperity and decline of which to this day remains a mystery, as well as the disappearance of this once great civilization. We will walk along the Road of the Dead, where grand processions once moved, climb the majestic pyramids of the Moon and the Sun. These are very powerful energetic places, so we will sit in silence, meditate, to feel from the silence what is really important for each of us, what we want to fill our lives with.
In the evening we will go to a restaurant and celebrate the New Year with national Mexican dances and cuisine. Mexico has very open friendly people who love to celebrate and know how to party to the fullest – with song and dance. So this time, everybody’s dancing!
Overnight in a 4* hotel in Mexico City.
Day 3. Jan. 1.
National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City – “city of angels” Puebla, mountains and volcanoes.
In the morning after a late breakfast, we will visit the National Museum of Anthropology, which has a unique collection of pre-Columbian artifacts found throughout Mexico. We will see the original Mayan Calendar, treasures from the burial site of King Pacal, statues of the Gods… Further along the route we will see the places from which these items were brought.
After lunch we will move into the mountains to the “city of angels” – Puebla. The location of this city is incredibly beautiful – it is surrounded by four volcanoes, one of which is active. The city is made in the Mexican Baroque style and has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1987. Puebla has preserved a huge number of old buildings, historical monuments and about 100 churches in its central part alone. The facades of the buildings are decorated with ceramic tiles of talavera, which is a kind of business card of the city. We will learn about traditional pottery painting, walk through the artists’ district with galleries, workshops and art schools, and visit folk art markets with pottery, glass and clay products. Puebla is not in vain called the gastronomic capital of Mexico, here we will be able to taste the famous chocolate mole sauce and Mexican sweets.
Overnight in a 4* hotel in Puebla.
Day 4. Jan. 2.
Puebla to Oaxaca.
We will continue our journey towards the capital of one of the most Indian states of Mexico, the city of Oaxaca, surprising with its variety of colors and mix of cultures. We will admire the old colonial buildings, numerous squares and galleries, see the main cathedral and the church of Santo Domingo, visit the central city market and taste the main Indian delicacy – fried grasshoppers soaked in chili, garlic or lemon juice.
Overnight in a 4* hotel in Oaxaca.
Day 5. Jan. 3.
The center of the ancient Zapotec civilization of Monte Alban. An ancient Thule tree that is 2,000 years old! The frozen mountain waterfalls and mineral water pools of Hierve El Agua.
A few kilometers from the center of Oaxaca city are the ruins of the center of the Zapotec civilization – the city of Monte Alban. That’s where we’re going today. We will climb to the top of the hill, about two thousand meters above sea level, and walk through one of the most important cities of Mesoamerica. The ceremonial center of this city is a monumental complex with palaces, terraces and multi-level squares connected by numerous stone staircases. Remains of pyramids, temples, a ball field, an ancient observatory, many burials and tombs have been discovered here, with many ancient artifacts and gold jewelry.
We continue our journey through the state of Oaxaca, and today we will have the unique opportunity to see one of the oldest trees on earth – the Tule tree – over 2000 years old! Here we’re going to do a grounding meditation.
Today there will be an opportunity to visit a home factory for the production of mescal, a drink as popular in Mexico as tequila, made from a special variety of agave.
We will then head towards another Mexican natural wonder of frozen waterfalls and mineral water pools, Hierve El Agua. We will see and bathe in natural pools of emerald water located in the mountains on the bluffs. It’s a cosmic experience of a lifetime! By evening we will be staying at a hotel in the city of Tehuantepec.
Overnight in a 3-4* hotel in Tehuantepec.
Day 6. Jan. 4.
Canyon de Sumidero – bird’s eye view and boat ride through the canyon. The town of San Cristobal De Las Casas.
Today we will visit one of the most beautiful canyons in the world, the Canyon de Sumidero, which is part of a national park located on the Grijalba River and marvels with its many animal populations and diverse ecosystems. The length of the canyon is 32 km and the height of its walls in the highest part is about 1 km. By boat we will take a stunning journey through the canyon along amazing natural formations, caves and waterfalls and observe the wildlife, monkeys and various bird species that inhabit it.
We will then arrive in San Cristobal De Las Casas, one of Mexico’s most Amerindian cities, famous for both its marvelous baroque colonial architecture and the cultural events held here. It’s a place where European culture coexists peacefully with Native American culture. It is a city of narrow streets soaked with the smell of coffee, old Spanish houses and small squares. A place where they dance marimba in the main square and play jazz in the neighborhood bar. The city, where the famous revolutionary Zapatista movement developed in the 90s, still attracts a large number of European hippies and supporters of alternative lifestyles.
Overnight in a 4* hotel in San Cristobal.
Day 7. Jan. 5.
Today is a day of mysticism and shamanism. San Juan De Chamula and Zinacanan communities.
In the early morning, we will travel back in time and visit authentic Mayan Tzotsil Indian communities hidden in the Chiapas Mountains. The locals, not all of whom speak Spanish, wear traditional national costumes and perform rituals that are mysterious to us.
San Juan De Chamula is one of the largest communities in the highlands of Chiapas, known for the church of San Juan Bautista and the pagan ceremonies held there involving the consumption of coca cola, the alcoholic drink poche, and the sacrifice of poultry. Zinakanan is a neighboring community famous for its colorful hand embroidery.
We may be lucky enough to meet and spend an unforgettable time with a local shaman.
Overnight in a 4* hotel in San Cristobal.
Day 8. Jan. 6.
San Cristobal is an ancient city of the Mayan culture of Palenque.
Transfer to one of the most picturesque ancient cities – the mysterious and enigmatic Palenque, which has fascinated many researchers of Mayan culture. It is located in the center of the rainforest, surrounded by lush vegetation, at the foot of the Chiapas Mountains. The architecture of this city is unique, not like other cities of Mayan culture. We will see the greatest monuments of ancient art – stone portraits of the rulers of the city , temples of the Sun, the Cross and the Deciduous Cross. Wander through the nooks and crannies of the once huge palace, learn the chronicle of the dynasty of its rulers, and the mystery of the famous Temple of Inscriptions. Here in 1955, Mexican archaeologist Alberto Lutz Luillier made the most ambitious discovery during the study of Maya culture – he discovered the tomb of the city’s ruler, Pacal the Great.
Accommodation in a 4* hotel.
Day 9. Jan. 7.
The “mystical” Mayan city of Yaxchilan, lost deep in the jungle.
Today we will leave the beaten tourist paths and travel to the ruins of Yaxchilan, a mysterious ancient city of the Classic Maya period, lost deep in the jungle with rare animals, tropical birds and howler monkeys living there. Narrow paths will lead us to palaces and temples hidden under huge trees with intertwining roots and giant vines. Yaxchilan – called the most “mystical” Mayan city. You can only get here by water, by boat along the wide Usumacinta River, which is the border between Guatemala and Mexico.
Accommodation in a 4* hotel.
Day 10. Jan. 8. Palenque to Campeche.
This morning we will walk around Palenque and move on towards the Yucatan Peninsula and arrive in the city of Campeche, the capital of the state of the same name. Campeche is a fortress city located on the Gulf Coast and was once the most important trading center. Due to its strategic coastal position, the city was often attacked by pirates, which forced the locals to erect a fortress wall with 8 bastions in 1786. Only a small part of the wall has survived to this day, and the historical center of the city located inside it has been protected by UNESCO since 2002. Here you can feel the leisurely rhythm of a small Mexican town, stroll through the narrow streets of the old center, along the long and wide waterfront, ride along the Gulf of Mexico, past small fishing villages.
Overnight in a 4* hotel in Campeche.
Day 11. Jan. 9.
Campeche – Ushmal – Karst Lake (Cenote) – Playa del Carmen (Cancun)*.
Today we will visit a grandiose monument of Mayan architecture – the city of Ushmal, rightfully called one of the most beautiful and elegant Mayan cities. We will learn: the secrets of the amazing, not similar to others, ellipse-shaped Pyramid of the Wizard, with five temples located inside it; examine bas-reliefs of a large complex, built clearly on the sides of the world, called by archaeologists the Temple of Nuns; see the city from the top of the Governor’s Palace, built on a set of artificial platforms.
We will end the day with a swim in one of the karst lakes, natural wonders on the Yucatan Peninsula. Cenotes – special karst formations – lakes, wells and entire cave complexes with underground rivers – were sacred to the indigenous people and were an entrance to another world, the world of spirits and deities living deep underground. After refreshing ourselves in the crystal clear water, we will move on to our vacation destination in Cancun or the Riviera Maya.
*Overnight at a hotel in Cancun or Playa del Carmen. Hotel is not included in the price, you can choose your own hotel.
Days 12-14 (optional).
A vacation at sea. You can organize a temazcal Indian bath with a shaman (optional).
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