05 Dec 2026
Twin share
£5,869pp
Escorted tour
Luxury Mexico in Depth: Mexico City to Tulum – 15 Days
Mexico City, Puebla, Oaxaca and the Yucatán in characterful hotels, with a small group of up to 12.
15 days
From £5,869
Tour overview
This 15-day small-group journey explores the two great regions of Mexico, the colonial highlands around Oaxaca and the Maya world of the Yucatán, staying in characterful, upmarket hotels. Groups have up to 12 travellers aged 15 and over, with knowledgeable local leaders. You stay fourteen nights, including a historic 1890s building in Mexico City, a feature stay in Puebla, a 19th-century mansion in Oaxaca and a feature stay at the Hotel Casa Lucía in Mérida. Thirteen breakfasts, six lunches and six dinners are included, from welcome dinners to home-hosted meals and curated farewell dinners in Oaxaca and Tulum, plus an arrival transfer.
In Mexico City your leader shows you the capital's cosmopolitan neighbourhoods and historic heart. On the way to Puebla you explore the extraordinary ruins of Teotihuacán, and from Puebla you visit Cholula, with its great pyramid crowned by a church. Oaxaca, a colourful city famous for its cuisine and crafts, is your base for three nights, with a tour of the region including the Mitla ruins and a free day to explore its markets and mezcal bars.
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A transfer takes you to Playa del Carmen on the Caribbean coast. Next day you visit the secluded Laguna Chabela and the colonial town of Valladolid, then explore Chichén Itzá, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, before three nights in Mérida, the elegant capital of the Yucatán. A walking tour of downtown is followed by an exclusive experience at the Ría Celestún Biosphere Reserve, home to flocks of pink flamingos.
On the way to Tulum you lunch in the village of Cobá and visit the Muyil reserve, then explore the clifftop ruins of Tulum above the turquoise Caribbean, before a farewell dinner.
The physical rating is low. This trip suits travellers who want to see Mexico in comfort and depth, with memorable hotels, food and local encounters. Home-hosted meals and exclusive experiences bring you close to local life throughout. Mexico's food is a highlight in itself, from street tacos and tamales to regional moles, and the country's warm hospitality makes it easy to feel at home. The dry season, from November to April, is the most comfortable time to travel.
Trip highlights
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Teotihuacán and Puebla (Day 3)
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Cholula's great pyramid (Day 4)
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Three nights in Oaxaca with Mitla (Days 5–7)
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Chichén Itzá (Day 10)
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Flamingos at Ría Celestún (Day 12)
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The clifftop ruins of Tulum (Day 14)
Your route
15 stops from Mexico City to Tulum
- Mexico City Days 1–2
- Teotihuacán Day 3
- Puebla Days 3–4
- Cholula Day 4
- Oaxaca Days 5–7
- Mitla Day 6
- Monte Albán Day 7
- Cancún Day 8
- Playa del Carmen Day 8
- Valladolid Day 9
- Merida Days 10–12
- Ría Celestún Day 12
- Coba Day 13
- Muyil Day 13
- Tulum Days 13–15
Why choose this tour
Mexico's highlands and the Yucatán in one trip, in characterful hotels. Home-hosted meals and exclusive local experiences.
Best suited to
- Couples looking for a comfortable small-group trip
- Food lovers
- History and archaeology lovers
- Travellers wanting Mexico beyond the beaches
Day-by-day itinerary
15 days from Mexico City, Mexico to Tulum, Mexico
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Day 1 · Mexico City Arrive in Mexico City
An airport transfer and welcome dinner.
- Hotel
- Hotel Zócalo Central or similar
- Meals
- Dinner
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Day 2 · Mexico City Mexico City
A tour of the capital with your leader.
- Hotel
- Hotel Zócalo Central or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 3 · Teotihuacán, Puebla Teotihuacán to Puebla
Explore Teotihuacán, then Puebla.
- Hotel
- Hotel Casareyna, feature stay, or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 4 · Cholula, Puebla Cholula
An orientation walk in Cholula.
- Hotel
- Hotel Casareyna, feature stay, or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 5 · Oaxaca To Oaxaca
Travel to colourful Oaxaca.
- Hotel
- Hotel Casa de Sierra Azul or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 6 · Mitla Oaxaca region
Tour the region and the Mitla ruins.
- Hotel
- Hotel Casa de Sierra Azul or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 7 · Oaxaca Free day in Oaxaca
Explore at leisure, with a farewell dinner.
- Hotel
- Hotel Casa de Sierra Azul or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 8 · Playa del Carmen Playa del Carmen
Transfer to the coast and a welcome dinner.
- Hotel
- Fiesta Inn Playa del Carmen or similar
- Meals
- Dinner
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Day 9 · Laguna Chabela, Valladolid Valladolid
Visit Laguna Chabela and Valladolid.
- Hotel
- Hotel El Mesón del Marqués or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 10 · Chichén Itzá, Mérida Chichén Itzá to Mérida
Explore Chichén Itzá, then Mérida.
- Hotel
- Hotel Casa Lucía, feature stay, or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 11 · Mérida Mérida
A walking tour of downtown Mérida.
- Hotel
- Hotel Casa Lucía, feature stay, or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 12 · Ría Celestún Ría Celestún
See the flamingos of the biosphere reserve.
- Hotel
- Hotel Casa Lucía, feature stay, or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 13 · Cobá, Muyil, Tulum Cobá to Tulum
Lunch in Cobá and visit Muyil.
- Hotel
- Motto Hotel Tulum or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 14 · Tulum ruins Tulum
Explore the ruins and a farewell dinner.
- Hotel
- Motto Hotel Tulum or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 15 · Tulum Trip ends in Tulum
The trip ends after breakfast.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you stay
- Mexico City (2 nights) Hotel Zócalo Central or similar
- Puebla (2 nights) Hotel Casareyna, feature stay, or similar
- Oaxaca (3 nights) Hotel Casa de Sierra Azul or similar
- Playa del Carmen (1 night) Fiesta Inn Playa del Carmen or similar
- Valladolid (1 night) Hotel El Mesón del Marqués or similar
- Mérida (3 nights) Hotel Casa Lucía, feature stay, or similar
- Tulum (2 nights) Motto Hotel Tulum or similar
Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.
What's included
Included
- Accommodation 14 nights in characterful hotels
- Meals 13 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 6 dinners
- Transport between stops and an arrival transfer
- Mexico City tour and Teotihuacán
- Cholula, Mitla and the Oaxaca region
- Laguna Chabela, Valladolid and Chichén Itzá
- Ría Celestún, Cobá, Muyil and Tulum
- Local leaders throughout
Not included
- Flights to Mexico City and from Cancún
- Meals not included 1 breakfast, 7 lunches and 8 dinners
- Tips, travel insurance and personal spending
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You want a budget trip — this is an upmarket tour
- You want a beach holiday — this is a touring trip
- You want to visit Chiapas — this route skips the south
- You want flights included — they are not
Good to know
Meals by day
Breakfast: Days 2–7 and 9–15 · Lunch: Days 4–6, 9–10 and 13 · Dinner: Days 1, 3, 7–8, 11 and 14
FCDO advice
UK FCDO travel advice for Mexico
In pictures
Departures & prices
From £5,869 per person, twin share, tour only. 2 upcoming departures.
12 Dec 2026
Twin share
£6,254pp
Frequently asked questions
How do I book this tour?
Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.
What financial protection do I get?
Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.
What are the feature stays?
A characterful hotel in Puebla and the Hotel Casa Lucía, a historic mansion in Mérida.
Is an airport transfer included?
Yes, on arrival in Mexico City.
How do we travel from Oaxaca to the Yucatán?
By an unescorted transfer to Playa del Carmen, where you meet your Yucatán leader.
Do I need a visa?
UK visitors do not need a visa for Mexico for a holiday stay.
When can I see flamingos?
Ría Celestún has flamingos year-round, with the largest numbers in winter and spring.
How many people travel together?
Up to 12 travellers aged 15 and over.
Can you tailor the trip?
Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.
What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.
ATOL protected
100% financially protected in a Trust bank account
PTS 6035
4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option
Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.
If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.
Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary