Mexico Real Food Adventure

Intrepid Travel · 8 days
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
Mexico Real Food Adventure
8 Days
From AUD $2492 Was AUD $3115
Trip Type
Small Group
Activity Level
Light

Rating


(20 reviews)

Mexico Real Food Adventure

Mexico Real Food Adventure

Intrepid Travel · 8 days
Duration

8 days

Tour Type

Small Group

Accommodations

Moderate

Physical Rating

Light

Guide Language

English

Experience Overview

Get an authentic taste of Mexico on a journey through some of the country’s most famous culinary regions. Meander through Oaxaca’s aromatic markets with a local chef, take to the streets of Puebla to sample some the city’s local specialties and tuck into tacos in Mexico City.

Highlights

  • Kick off your adventure with a taco crawl in Mexico City – your chance to try the authentic version of one of the most popular dishes in the world.
  • Get hands-on with a market visit and cooking class with a local chef in Oaxaca and learn about a signature Mexican drink at a mezcal tasting session.
  • Visit the community of San Pedro Tlahuac, where Nahuatl descendants preserve traditions from pre-Columbian times, including chinampa farming, fiestas and ceremonies from ancient days.
  • 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.
  • Get to the source of some of the nation's most iconic foods, including churros, barbacoa, tamales, tortillas, elotes and mole.

Trip Details

Duration

8 days

Transportation

Boat,Taxi,Private van,Public Bus,Metro

Tour Type

Small Group

Guide Language

English

Starts

Mexico City, Mexico

Finishes

Oaxaca , Mexico

Accommodations

Moderate

Travel Style

Physical Rating

Light

Itinerary

1
Day 1: Mexico City
Bienvenidos! Welcome to Mexico City. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight, where you'll meet your leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive early, maybe go and see the Templo Mayor (a 13th-century Aztec temple) or the baroque Catedral Metropolitana de Mexico. If you’re a fan of art, you could go to the Frida Kahlo Museum or check out the Palacio Nacional, which houses murals by Diego Rivera. After the meeting, head out for a taco crawl around town so you can sample different versions of Mexico’s most popular global dish. Maybe accompany your tacos with a refreshing local beer or horchata (a milky cinnamon rice drink).

Included Activities:

  • Mezcal Sip - Mexico City
  • Mexico City - Taco Crawl

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
2
Day 2: Mexico City
With your leader, you’ll visit 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 see the enormous Zocalo Square. Along the way, call into Mercado San Juan – the city’s main food market – then roam the surrounding streets and watch local vendors at work. Pull up a chair at one of the best seafood stands in the city for a late lunch. On the way, we will also visit Gastromotiva, an Intrepid Foundation partner who fights hunger and food insecurity across Latin America. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Maybe relax in Chapultepec Park, take in some of the city's notable museums or check out the home of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

Included Activities:

  • Mexico City - Centro Historico food tour and lunch
  • Mexico City - Breakfast at Bakery
  • Mexico City Tour

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
3
Day 3: Puebla
Take a private vehicle to Puebla this morning, stopping in San Pedro Tlahuac along the way, where Nahuatl descendants preserve pre-Columbian traditions. This is one of the last remaining places in Mexico that still has the canals and chinampa farms – man-made agricultural islands – from the times of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. Start your visit in a family kitchen where tortillas are freshly cooked and taken to the local market to sell. Be sure to sample the tortillas before boarding a trajinera (a flat-bottomed boat) for the 30-minute journey to the chinampas. Tour the chinampas with a Nahuatl farmer, who will show you their crops, explain how they make a chinampa and their tips for a successful harvest. Fill a basket with vegetables, which you’ll turn into a salad for lunch. A fresh spread will accompany your salad – tortillas stuffed with pork or vegetables and hibiscus tea. Arrive in Puebla in the afternoon – a city known for its long culinary history – and spend the rest of the day however you like. Perhaps pop down Alley of the Frogs – a colourful street perfect for souvenir shopping.

Included Activities:

  • San Pedro Tlahuac Community Visit Lunch

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
4
Day 4: Puebla
Venture out on a culinary city tour with a stop in a famous local market for lunch. Puebla is renowned for dishes that combine Spanish and pre-hispanic influences, such as chiles en nogada (stuffed chillies covered in creamy walnut sauce - seasonal). 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). Save space for a cinnamon-dusted churro or two! Once you’re full and satisfied, perhaps check out Talavera pottery or chill out in a cantina.

Included Activities:

  • Puebla City - Food Tour & Lunch at Market

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
5
Day 5: Oaxaca
Travel by bus to Oaxaca – a beautiful city nicknamed the ‘land of the seven moles’, hinting at its varieties of the thick sauce. When you arrive, head straight for the bustling Mercado 20 de Noviembre for a late lunch. Among the many great choices, tlayudas (Oaxacan pizza) is a staple you shouldn’t miss. Next, visit Mercado Benito Juarez – a bountiful market taking up a full city block and brimming with produce like mole spices, pastes and towers of Oaxacan cheese. With free time for the remainder of the day, you can continue to roam the markets, people watch in the zocalo or take a gentle stroll around Oaxaca’s streets.

Included Activities:

  • Oaxaca - Mercado Benito Juarez
  • Oaxaca - Mercado 20 de Noviembre
  • Lunch at Oaxaca Market

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
6
Day 6: Oaxaca
Today, visit a market with a local chef and learn about Oaxaca’s cuisine from an expert. Take the ingredients you’ve picked up and, during a special cooking class, learn how to transform them into traditional Oaxacan dishes, which you’ll then enjoy for lunch. And you can take these recipes home as a souvenir – the gift that keeps on giving! After, explore Oaxaca’s artsy neighbourhood, Jalatlaco, with your leader. Bright murals and coffee shops adorn its streets so sit down with a hot cup of caffeine from a cafe that’s been open for 140 years and take in your colourful surroundings.

Included Activities:

  • Barrio Jalatlaco Oaxaca orientation walk with coffee
  • Oaxaca Cooking class with lunch

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
7
Day 7: Oaxaca
Today, you'll 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. At lunchtime, explore the abundant Mercado Tlacolula, renowned for its barbacoa and the ideal choice to refuel until dinner. On the way back to Oaxaca, stop at a mezcaleria (mezcal distillery). Although this drink 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! 

Included Activities:

  • Mitla Ruins Visit
  • Oaxaca - Mezcaleria visit
  • Lunch at Tlacolula Market
  • Mitla Arqueological Site - Arqueological Local Guide

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
8
Day 8: Oaxaca
Your adventure ends after breakfast. Additional accommodation can be pre-booked if you wish to spend more time exploring Mexico. Just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
Exclusions
  • Flights to and from origin and destinations
  • Airport transfers (arrival and departure)
  • Anything else not explicitly listed in tour inclusions
  • Recommended gratuities/tipping
  • Optional activities/tours
  • Personal expenses
  • Travel insurance
  • Visas, meals and beverages not stated in the list of inclusions.
Important Information
Meals

When meals are not included, your tour leader (where available) will be happy to help with restaurant recommendations, bookings, and directions. Please let us know if you have any dietary needs or preferences. We willdo our best to accommodate these, though we cannot guarantee that every request can be met.

Luggage

You are responsible for your personal belongings throughout the tour. You will need to carry your own bags between the vehicle and your hotel room. Drivers will assist with loading and unloading luggage from the vehicle.

Mobility

Travellers requiring wheelchair access should contact our sales and service team, who can make enquiries on your behalf.

Fitness Level

This tour requires an Average level of fitness. Activities are paced gently and include leisure time. You may be expected to join guided walks of up to one hour, navigate short stairways and mild inclines, and manage your own luggage. You should also be able to board and exit all transport without assistance.

Travellers are expected to be self-sufficient and capable of handling all aspects of their journey. Please discuss your circumstances and support needs with your booking agent to confirm this trip is suitable.

If you are unsure, we recommend consulting your doctor before booking or travelling. (Note: I assume each tour has a different description depending on level of fitness required).

Sightseeing

If a planned site visit is unavailable due to changes in operating hours or holiday closures, the itinerary may be altered, or a comparable activity will be substituted where possible and subject to availability.

Visas

Visa conditions can change. Once you receive your travel documents, check with the relevant embassy, consulate, or immigration office of your destination for the latest information.

  • It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct and valid travel documents and to comply with all entry requirements.
  • Non-Australian citizens must also confirm visa and identification requirements with the appropriate consulate or visa agency.
  • Certain occupations (for example, journalists, government officials, or those working in charities) may face additional restrictions when applying for visas, which could affect the type of application required.
Departure Dates & Surcharges: See checkout for live dates and availability.

From
AUD $3115

AUD $2,492
(Tour only)
Offer ends 18 Sep, 2025 Per Person Twin Share
20% Off

Duration: 8 days

Trip Type: Small Group

Activity Level: Light

Get an authentic taste of Mexico on a journey through some of the country’s most famous culinary regions. Meander through Oaxaca’s aromatic markets with a local chef, take to the streets of Puebla to sample some the city’s local specialties and tuck into tacos in Mexico City.

Price based on per person in Double Room for departure 04 Oct 2025

Customer Reviews

Overall Rating
Excellent
4.5
Guide
Excellent
4.5
Itinerary
Excellent
4.5
Accommodations
Excellent
4.5
Transportation
Excellent
4.5
Tour Operator
Excellent
4.5
Food
Excellent
4.5
4.5
Amy
Traveled, October 2023

10/23/2023

This food trip delivered on all levels! The local markets that we visited and the cooking classes we attended were first class and a fantastic way to fully immerse ourselves in the local food culture! Would highly recommend if you are a foodie with a passion for learning about the history of Mexico!

4.5
Bobbie
Traveled, October 2023

10/21/2023

The Mexico Food Adventure is an excellent trip for those who want to dive deeply into traditional Mexican foods/cooking. It is an active tour with lots of walking, often at high elevation. You explore markets, sample foods, and participate in cooking classes. If you're lucky enough to have Ana Hernandez as your guide, you will have a trip not only filled with food, but also Mexican architecture, history, and geology and you will come away with a deeper appreciation of this complex and fascinating country.

Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company, dedicated to providing sustainable, experience-rich travel opportunities. They’ve been the leader in ethical, small-group travel since 1989 - taking people around the world for more than 30 years. They’re the world’s largest travel B Corporation - dedicated to being the best travel company for the world. In 2002, they established The Intrepid Foundation so their travellers could make a lasting impact on the communities they had visited. Although Intrepid Travel absorbs all administrative costs of The Intrepid Foundation, they are separate legal entities, allowing The Intrepid Foundation to grow independently. Intrepid Travel is made up of a collection of tour operator brands and 28 destination management companies all united by one vision: To change the way we all see the world.

In Business Since 1989