Highlights of Mexico

Arrive in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico and truly the heart and soul of the country. With so much rich history to discover, the city is filled with historic buildings, landmarks and the largest number of museums in the world.

Due to the number of evening flights into the international airport, your Leader plans to do the welcome meeting on the morning of day two, and will leave a message in reception with details on timings and everything else that you'll need for the day. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to arrive into Mexico City at any time. If you would like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Mexico City International Airport (MEX) which is approximately a 30 minute drive from the hotel.

If your flight arrives earlier in the day, perhaps you might choose to have a stroll around Alameda Central, Mexico City's oldest municipal park, or visit the Templo Mayor Museum, which is known for its exhibits relating to the Aztec civilization. Stay: Hotel Casa Blanca (Comfortable)

On our first day in Mexico City we will drive out to the mysterious pyramids of Teotihuacan. Although abandoned thirteen centuries ago, they are still an unbelievable sight. Once the largest city in the Americas with perhaps 100,000 inhabitants, its influence continued through Middle America, and Maya craftsmen borrowed its decorative motifs and building designs. Centuries later the Aztecs revered Teotihuacan as 'the Place of the Gods'. Returning to the downtown area, we have time for a city tour of the huge Zocalo; the main square that has been a cornerstone in public gatherings since the ancient times. The National Palace is located on the east side of the square - the President lives here as his permanent residence, so we'll take a look at it from the outside, along with the grand metropolitan cathedral. Many of these key sights were build on top of Tenochtitlan, the old Aztec capital. Stay: Hotel Casa Blanca (Comfortable) (B)

This morning we fly to Tuxtla airport, in the state of Chiapas, and set off for the spectacular Sumidero Canyon, a unique rift 41km long and up to 1000m deep, cut by the Rio Grijalva. This is the spot where, allegedly, in the 16th century, some 1000 Chiapa peoples committed suicide rather than submit to Spanish rule. We take a trip on a speed boat to fully appreciate the towering gorge, before driving approximately two hours up a scenic mountain road to San Cristobal de las Casas, the small colonial and indigenous town located high in the tree-lined Chiapas range. At 2210m above sea level, it can get quite cold at night! Stay: Hotel Arrecife (Comfortable) (B)

There is a unique atmosphere to the small colonial town of San Cristobal, high in the scenic Chiapas range. The indigenous groups from the surrounding hills fill the town and marketplace with their colourful dress including the distinctive Tzotzil community who still retain much of their Mayan customs and language. We will be visiting San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan, indigenous villages close to San Cristobal that practice an interesting blend of Catholicism and traditional Maya beliefs. This area is noted for the bright textiles and weavings in bold designs, and when we return to San Cristobal we'll have the afternoon free - you may like to bargain for some colourful souvenirs here. Stay: Hotel Arrecife (Comfortable) (B)

Leaving the highlands, we have a long driving day ahead of us, approximately 8 hours plus stops. The road is slow and winding, but there are scenic views as we descend to the jungles of Palenque. We'll be driving via the town of Villahermosa, where we stop for lunch. We'll also take a stop at the waterfalls of Agua Blanca, which tumble over a series of limestone hills, before continuing on to our hotel. Stay: Hotel Maya Tulipanes (Comfortable) (B)

One of the highlights of our trip is today's guided visit to the famous jungle ruins of Palenque, a fascinating and important Maya site. Once the choking forest was cleared, the ruins revealed the tomb of the high priest Pakal, his body adorned with a marvellous jade death mask - one of the most prized relics of the Maya culture, discovered only in 1952. The entire site, shrouded by the steamy rainforest, has an aura of deep mystery.

After our visit we continue with an approximately 350km drive (around 5 hours) to the stunningly well-preserved colonial city of Campeche. In the early evening we'll take a stroll out to explore on foot. This UNESCO Heritage city was constantly sieged by pirates and is thus the only walled city in Mexico It is almost so well maintained that it feels like a storybook town, and we will get an impression of the walled ramparts, narrow cobblestoned roads, boulevard and pastel coloured buildings on arrival. Stay: Hotel Mision Campeche (Comfortable) (B)

To those in the know, Uxmal is one of the Yucatan's most underrated ancient cities. Encircled by hills, Uxmal is expansive in its design with majestic palaces and pyramids, and long geometrical friezes that rank among the most splendid examples of ancient American Art. The incredible Pyramid of the Magician and the beautiful Governor's Palace are two of the finest examples of Mayan art found in Meso America. Later in the day we drive to Merida, famed for its beautiful Spanish-Moorish style architecture, where we have time to wander along the narrow streets watching the horse-drawn carriages rattle past. Stay: Hotel Nacional Mérida (Premium) (B)

This morning we visit the ruins of Chichen Itza. Founded in AD432, re-founded in 987 and conquered by the Toltecs in the 10th century, the culture of the Maya and the Toltec gradually fused. The pyramids, palaces, temples and ballcourt (where death was the penalty for defeat) are adorned with astonishing sculptures. Under the pressure of the civil war, the great monuments deteriorated and the Maya civilisation collapsed, but undeniably Chichen Itza remains one of the most outstanding sites in the Americas, and its main pyramid was denoted as the Seventh New Wonder of the World in 2007.

We'll have a lengthy visit here, before setting off to Playa del Carmen for our final hotel. Time permitting, we'll stop for a swim in one of the many superb cenotes in the Yucatan - a cenote is an underground pool naturally formed in limestone, were used by the ancient Maya as a source of water. We'll arrive into Playa in the evening. Stay: Maria Bonita (Comfortable) (B)

The trip ends in the morning at our hotel in Playa del Carmen

There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Playa del Carmen at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like an airport transfer today, you need to depart from Cancun Airport (CUN), which is approximately a 60 minutes' drive from the hotel. (B)