• Kick off your adventure with a taco dinner in Mexico City, your chance to try the authentic version of one of the world’s favourite foods.
• Get hands on with a market visit and cooking class with a local chef in Oaxaca, and a seafood cooking class in the coastal town of Huatulco.
• Gain insight into the culture and cuisine of the indigenous Zapotec people when you join a Zapotecan family for a traditional lunch in their home.
• Dig into the culture and history of Mexico during a walking tour of Mexico City’s historical centre and a visit to the ancient Mitla ruins.
• This trip takes you to the source of some of the nation's most iconic foods, including churros, barbacoa, tamales, tortillas, elotes and mole.

The cuisine of Mexico includes a lot of meat and seafood. For vegetarians and vegans we recommend reviewing the itinerary and inclusions to ensure that you will be able to fully participate and enjoy this trip. We also have many other trips to Mexico which can accommodate a range of dietary requirements.

Mexico's climate is hot and humid. Wear loose clothing and make sure you stay hydrated, especially while out on walking tours.

You will be covering a fair amount of ground on this trip, so be prepared for some driving. Mexico is a big country. Please read the itinerary carefully for travel time estimates.

Day 1: Mexico City

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Mexico City. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6pm where you'll meet your tour leader and travel group. Please check with the hotel reception where and when it will take place. After your welcome meeting, head out to a local restaurant to sample one of Mexico’s most celebrated dishes – tacos. You may like to accompany your tacos with a refreshing local beer or even horchata, a milky cinnamon rice drink.

Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

• Mexico City - Welcome Dinner

Meals Included: Dinner

Special Information: It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Day 2: Mexico City

Indulge in a sweet morning with a visit to a local chuerreria making Mexico's signature cinnamon dusted churros. Then, enjoy a visit to a Mexico City institution: a two-storey bakery brimming with cakes, breads and biscuits, followed by a walking tour of the Centro Historico. Take in the beautiful Bellas Artes Palace, travel down the Paseo de la Reforma thoroughfare, and marvel at the enormous Zocalo square. Along the way you'll visit Mercado San Juan, the city’s main food market, then roam the surrounding streets and watch local vendors at work. If you come across tortillas being freshly pressed, be sure to try them warm with a sprinkle of salt. Pull up a chair at one of the best seafood stands in the city for a late lunch. The rest of your day is free for your own exploration. Perhaps relax in Chapultepec Park, take in some of the city's notable museums, or check out the home of artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

• Mexico City - Leader-led Historico Centro tour
• Mexico City - Street eats and market tour

Optional Activities

• Mexico City - Bosque de Chapultepec & Natural History Museum - MXN100
• Mexico City - Frida Kahlo Museum (entrance fee) - MXN250
• Mexico City - Diego Rivera Murals in the Mural Museum (Entrance Fee) - Free

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Special Information: If you are interested in visiting the Frida Kahlo Museum, we recommend booking tickets online no later than two weeks prior to your visit.

Day 3: Puebla

Catch a local bus to Puebla, a city known for its long culinary history. Puebla is renowned for dishes which combine Spanish and pre-hispanic influences, such as chiles en nogada (stuffed chillies covered in creamy walnut sauce). Venture out on a culinary city tour – start with some Pueblan street food like tacos Arabes (a style of taco created by Puebla’s Middle Eastern immigrants), or chalupas (fried tortillas with a spicy filling). Then, make a beeline for Calle de los Dulces (Sweet Street) to sample tortitas de Santa Clara (shortbread biscuits) and camotes (sweet potato lollies). This evening you also have the option to check out a much-loved and very colourful lucha libre wrestling match, a unique combination of sport and theatre!

Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

• Puebla - City food tour

Optional Activities

• Puebla - Lucha Libre Show (Mondays only) from - MXN350

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4: Oaxaca

This morning you may like to grab a tamale to take on the bus with you to Oaxaca, a beautiful colonial city nicknamed the ‘land of the seven moles’. The city is famous for the fabulous Mercado Benito Juarez, a bountiful market taking up a full city block and brimming with produce, mole spices and pastes, and towers of Oaxacan cheese. On arrival, you might like to head out and try some local specialties like chapulines (grasshoppers). Dinner this evening will be a plant-based spread at a local restaurant specialising in dishes from the Isthmus region of Oaxaca. Tuck into tasty gorditas, tamales with huitlacoche, vegan tlayuda and seasonal fresh fruit.

Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Special Information: Today’s total travel time is approximately 6 hours.

Day 5: Oaxaca

With a free morning, you may like to visit the archaeological site of Monte Alban, an outstanding example of a pre-Columbian ceremonial centre. The terraces, dams, canals, pyramids and artificial mounds of Monte Alban were carved out of the mountain. For lunch today you’ll be joined by a local chef for a visit to the market, learning about Oaxaca’s produce and cuisine from an expert. You’ll then take the ingredients you’ve picked up at the markets and learn how to transform them into traditional Oaxacan dishes, which you’ll then enjoy for lunch. The afternoon is free for you to explore. Those with a sweet tooth can find several shops on Calle Mina (just south of Mercado 20 de Noviembre) at which to learn about the production of real Oaxacan chocolate – and of course taste this regional specialty. 

Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

• Oaxaca - Cooking class

Optional Activities

• Oaxaca - Monte Alban archaeological site (entrance fee) - MXN90

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6: Oaxaca

Today you will venture out of Oaxaca for an insight into regional life. First, head to the ancient ruins of Mitla. Mitla (the Nahuatl word for 'underworld') is an important Zapotec archaeological site and was the main religious centre for the Zapotec people. After you’ve explored the ruins, pay a visit to Teotitlan del Valle to watch traditional Zapotec rug weaving done by local families. You’ll then join a local Zapotecan family for a traditional homecooked lunch. On the way back to Oaxaca, stop into a mezcaleria (mezcal distillery). Although this tequila-like drop is experiencing a resurgence in popularity all over Mexico, it is largely produced in Oaxaca. It's generally enjoyed straight-up, so it's not for the faint-hearted!

Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

• Oaxaca - Mezcaleria visit
• Oaxaca - Mitla archeological site
• Oaxaca - Zapotecan home-cooked lunch

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7: Huatulco

Board a morning bus for the long but scenic drive to Huatulco, stopping for lunch along the way. This is your chance to relax and unwind, as this town belongs to one of the most beautiful stretches of beach on Mexico's Pacific coast. It's also quieter and less touristy than some of the bigger beachside spots, although these are accessible by taxi. This evening you’ll get a taste of coastal cuisine over a tasty seafood dinner at a local restaurant.

Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Special Information: Today’s total travel time is approximately 9 hours.

Day 8: Huatulco

The day is yours to enjoy the chilled-out atmosphere of Huatulco. You may like to hang out on the beach, swim in the clear blue waters, or grab a glass of mezcal to toast to your adventure. This evening, enjoy a cooking class and feast on your creations in a traditional meal celebrating the bounty of the coastal region of Oaxaca. Your last dinner will certainly be one to remember as you tuck into an abundance of tasty seafood, and pick up some new recipes while you’re at it.

Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

• Huatulco - Cooking class

Meals Included: Dinner

Day 9: Huatulco

Your adventure ends today. There are no activities planned for the final day.

Meals Included: There are no meals included on this day.

Special Information: You may wish to plan some additional days in Huatulco or on the coast in Mazunte to enjoy the beach. Ask us for more information.

Please note: itinerary may be subject to change.

Ask about our Comfort Experience Tours, including our Premium Mexico City to Oaxaca and Premium Mexico and Cuba tours.

What makes a Premium Tour different?

• PREMIUM ACCOMMODATION: Our best accommodation and highest level of service.
• PREMIUM EXPERIENCES: Unusual, exceptional and authentic on-trip experiences.
• PREMIUM KNOWLEDGE: Led by our most experienced and highest rated local leaders.

Subject to availability, Premium Tours can also include:

• Arrival airport transfer
• Tipping for accommodation, activities and transport
• Luggage transfer
• Daily breakfast and signature local meal experiences
• 24/7 on-ground support

Ask us for more information: call 021 4277094, email info@shandontravel.ie, or fill out the enquiry form below.

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information. 

2. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.

Price is per person, based on 2 adults sharing, and includes the following:  

• 9 day Mexico Real Food Adventure tour
• Meals: 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 5 dinners
• Transport: Private vehicle, local bus, Metro, Taxi
• Accommodation: Hotel (8 nights)
• Included activities:
  • Mexico City - Welcome Dinner
  • Tlahuac - Community Visit
  • Puebla - City food tour
  • Mexico City - Leader-led Historico Centro tour
  • Mexico City - Street eats and market tour
  • Puebla - Supermarket stop
  • Oaxaca - Mercado Benito Juarez
  • Oaxaca - Mercado 20 de Noviembre
  • Oaxaca - Cooking class
  • Oaxaca - Mezcaleria visit
  • Oaxaca - Mitla archaeological site
  • Oaxaca - Mercado Tlacolula
  • Huatulco - Cooking class

Please ask us about:

• Flights from Ireland- we'll find the best fares for your chosen departure date and airport
• Travel Insurance
• Get your own room with a single supplement

Subject to availability. Terms & conditions apply. Itinerary may be subject to change.

For more information please call us on 021 427 7094 or 01 696 5135, email info@shandontravel.ie, request a call back using the red button, or submit an enquiry through the form below.