Mexico Itineraries

The following itineraries span the entire length of this incredibly diverse country, from the deserts and jaw-dropping canyons of the north to the grand colonial cities of the centre and the Mayan ruins, beaches and jungles of the south. Given the vast distances involved, you may not be able to cover everything, but even picking a few highlights will give you a deeper insight into Mexico’s natural and historic wonders. If you're considering taking trip to Mexico, check out our tailor-made trips service for help with the planning and booking from a local expert.

Recommended Mexico itineraries

If you are planning your travel to Mexico yourself, use these itineraries created by our travel writers as a starting point for inspiration.

See our itineraries below, or get inspired by duration: 7-days - 10 days - 14 days - 3 weeks

Mexico Itinerary 1 - The Heart of Mexico - 11 days

This amazing 11-day tour will lead you to the heart of Mexico, as you visit Mexico City for a brilliant cooking class, Merida to see the Mayan ruins and plenty more unbelievable places and experiences.

1. Mexico City

Meet your private transfer driver at the airport then head to your accommodation. Spend the rest of the day relaxing or exploring.

2. Mexico City

Enjoy a walking tour of the city centre, taking in the Art Palace, Diego Rivera’s murals at the National Palace, and more.

3. Mexico City

Experience a superb private gastronomic tour and cooking class.

4. Puebla City and Cholula

Head to historic Puebla City to explore the 16th-century cathedral and streets. Visit Cholula, characterised by its several catholic temples built over pre-Colombian monuments, including an enormous pyramid with pre-Hispanic murals.

5. Oaxaca

Have a tour of Puebla City, a great World Heritage Site surrounded by the mountains of the Sierra del Sur. Enjoy the rest of the day at your own pace.

6. Oaxaca

Go on a wonderful excursion to Monte Alban.

7. Oaxaca

Take a trip to see the amazing petrified falls at Hierve el Agua and see one of the biggest trees in the world. Then visit Mitla, the second most important ceremonial centre.

8. Merida

Catch a flight to Merida and spend the rest of the day exploring at your leisure.

9. Merida

Have a guided tour of Merida and see the 16th-century cathedral and the Government Palace.

10. Merida

A local guide will take you on a tour to the archaeological sites at Uxmal and Kabah, home to the spectacular buildings like the Pyramid of the Magician, the Governor's Palace, the Palace of Chaac masks and the Arch of Kabah.

11. Merida

Be picked up from your accommodation and driven to Chichen Itza on the Mayan Riviera. Then head to the Caribbean to enjoy a night at the beach before your return flight home.

With our tailor-made trips service, you can experience this Heart of Mexico tour. Or take some inspiration from the itinerary and use our service to have a local expert create you a personalised version.

Mexico Itinerary 2 - Classic Mexico - 3 weeks

This three-week tour focuses on the southern and central parts of the country, traditionally the most popular targets for independent travellers.

1. Mexico City

Soak up the museums, murals and markets of the nation’s crazy, high-octane capital, leaving a couple of days for Cholula and Teotihuacán.

2. Oaxaca

Head to Mexico’s most enticing state, its capital the best place to sample mole, mescal and indigenous crafts.

3. Zapotec and Mixtec heartland

After the obligatory visit to Monte Albán, spend two to three days exploring the indigenous markets and lesser-known ruins around Oaxaca.

4. San Cristóbal de las Casas

Heading east into Chiapas this colonial city is worth at least two days, plus a day or two to take in the remarkable Maya villages nearby.

5. Palenque

Heading north these are some of the grandest, jungle-smothered Maya ruins in the country, all easily accessible.

6. Yaxchilan and Bonampak

From Palenque, you can strike out into the Lacandón Maya heartland and these more isolated, romantic ruins.

7. Cozumel

Hit the Caribbean coast for the spectacular diving from this offshore island.

8. Playa del Carmen and Tulum

Back on the Yucatán mainland enjoy the balmy beaches and nightlife of the Riviera Maya.

9. Chichén Itzá and cenotes

End your trip by soaking up Mexico’s most magical Maya ruins followed by a dip in the cooling waters of a giant sinkhole.

With our tailor-made trips service, you can experience this amazing Classic Mexico tour. Or take some inspiration from the itinerary and use our service to have a local expert create you an adapted version.

Mexico Itinerary 3 - The Great Outdoors - 2-3 weeks

Mexico is home to exceptionally varied landscapes and ecosystems, but you can get a decent taster in two to three weeks. This tour starts at the US border and works south.

1. Whale watching in Baja

Witness the annual grey whale migration from the central Baja towns of Guerrero Negro and San Ignacio.

2. Cave paintings

Arrange guides in San Ignacio or Mulegé to visit the enigmatic Prehistoric cave art of the Sierra de San Francisco.

3. Bahía Concepción

South of Mulegé lie the finest beaches in Baja, perfect for kayaking or just lounging on the sands.

4. Isla Espíritu Santo

Take a day-trip from La Paz to see sea lions, dolphins, manta rays and whale sharks frolicking.

5. Copper Canyon Railway

Take the ferry from La Paz to Los Mochis and the terminus for this thrilling train ride into the mountains.

6. Hiking in the Sierra Tarahumara

Jump off the Copper Canyon railway to explore remote trails, ruins and Rarámuri settlements.

7. Costalegre

Continue south along the Pacific to the wildest, least developed stretch of Mexican coast.

8. Climbing volcanoes

Head inland to conquer the majestic peak of the Nevado de Colima, or bypass Mexico City to check out volcanic activity at Popocatépetl.

9. Rafting at Jalcomulco

End up on Mexico’s Gulf coast near Xalapa for whitewater rafting, kayaking, climbing and canyoning.

With our tailor-made trips service, you can experience The Great Outdoors tour. Or take some inspiration from the itinerary and use our service to have a local expert create you a personalised version.

Mexico Itinerary 4 - Ruta de la Plata - 2 weeks

Spanish Mexico was fuelled by silver, leaving a rich architectural and cultural legacy in the heart of the country. Take at least two weeks to travel this route between Mexico City and Monterrey.

1. Taxco

Start by loading up on jewellery at Mexico’s silver capital, just south of Mexico City, a confection of cobbled alleys and colonial, whitewashed homes.

2. Real del Monte, Hidalgo

Head north of Mexico City to this charming mountain retreat, an old mining town with a curious Cornish connection.

3. Guanajuato

Continue into the Bajío to enjoy the cafés, bars, restored mining shafts and creepy nineteenth-century mummies of this grand colonial silver town.

4. San Miguel Allende

Take the short bus ride to the most beautifully preserved and cosmopolitan town in the Bajío, crammed with art galleries and craft stalls.

5. Pozos

This crumbling mining community is a less developed, more romantic version of San Miguel, home to vast, abandoned mine workings.

6. San Luis Potosí

Dynamic, booming city with elegant Baroque buildings and museums dedicated to sculptor Federico Silva.

7. Zacatecas

The capital of the northern Bajío is rich in silver history, with the restored El Edén mine, silversmith school and spectacular art collections.

8. Real de Catorce

End with an extended stay among the colonial hotels, ruined mines and haunting desert scenery of this semi-ghost-town, halfway to Monterrey.

With our tailor-made trips service, you can experience the Ruta de la Plata tour. Or take some inspiration from the itinerary and use our service to have a local expert create you a personalised version.