Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera

G Adventures · 14 days

Use code BONUS10 to get an extra 10% off all tours — for a limited time only. T&Cs apply

Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera
14 Days
From AUD $1911 Was AUD $2249
Trip Type
Small Group
Activity Level
Light

Rating


(20 reviews)

Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera

Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera

G Adventures · 14 days

Use code BONUS10 to get an extra 10% off all tours — for a limited time only. T&Cs apply

Duration

14 days

Tour Type

Small Group

Accommodations

Basic

Physical Rating

Light

Guide Language

English

Experience Overview

This 14-day adventure through the heart of Mexico has so much to love. Kicking off in its buzzing capital and wrapping up on the white sands of the Mayan Riviera, you’ll eat your way through endless tacos and mole, exploring the country’s epic mountains, jungles, and waterfalls too.

Includes

Activities

  • Your G for Good Moment: Alebrijes Artisan Community Workshop, Oaxaca Your First Night Out Moment: Connect With New Friends Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group Your Foodie Moment: Oaxaca Market Visit With CEO, Oaxaca Your Discover Moment: Oaxaca Your Discover Moment: San Cristobal de Las Casas - Free Time, San Cristóbal de Las Casas Your Big Night Out Moment: Tulum
  • Mexico City street food crawl
  • Alebrijes Artisan Community visit
  • Boat trip to Sumidero Canyon
  • Stop at Roberto Barrios Waterfall for a swim
  • Tour the Mayan ruins in Palenque
  • A boat adventure into a gorgeous lagoon in Bacalar
  • Chichen Itzá ruins guided tour
  • Free time in Mexico City, Oaxaca, Palenque, San Cristóbal de las Casas
  • All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Accommodation

  • Simple hotels/hostels (12 nts), overnight bus (1 nt).
  • 1 breakfast

Transport

  • Public bus, private vehicle, overnight bus, walking.

Group Leader

  • CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.

Highlights

  • Hop on a boat tour and cruise through Sumidero Canyon
  • Listen for howler monkeys as you explore the Mayan ruins of Palenque in the jungle
  • Go for a dip in the Lagoon of the Seven Colours at Bacalar
  • Take a guided tour of Chichen Itzá
Viva Mexico: Ancient Ruins & the Mayan Riviera

Trip Details

Duration

14 days

Transportation

Public bus, private vehicle, overnight bus, walking.

Guide Language

English

Starts

Mexico City, Mexico

Finishes

Tulum, Mexico

Accommodations

Basic

Travel Style

18 - 39 Year Olds Only, Budget

Physical Rating

Light

Itinerary

1

Day 1: Mexico City

Arrive at any time.


Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Connect with new friends on your first night out in a new destination. Only available on 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours.Activity - Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.Accommodation - Hotel Benedicta
2

Day 2: Mexico City

Start the adventure off with a CEO-led walking tour through La Condesa and Roma neighborhoods. Stroll past bohemian cafes, bars, and restaurants. Your CEO will grab some street food snacks for the group ranging from street tacos to chilaquiles. Savour whatever you sample as you continue to get to know the area. Finish up the tour near the giant Bosque de Chapultepec. Then, spend the afternoon trying out the optional activities in the area like a visit to the ruins of Teotihuacán.


Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Get the lay of the land during a walking tour of Mexico City with your CEO. Start by visiting the La Condesa and Roma neighborhoods. Wander past the bars, restaurants, and cafes. Sample some street food snacks purchased by your CEO. The tour ends at Bosque de Chapultepec.Free_time - Take advantage of free time to get to know Mexico City on your own. Choose from a variety of optional activities in the area, seek out some great food spots, or search for some unique gifts to bring back to your friends and family.Accommodation - Hotel Benedicta
3

Day 3: Mexico City/Oaxaca

Hit the road and travel south to Oaxaca from Mexico City. Once the group arrives, soak in your first experience of the vibrant culture in Oaxaca. Head out for an orientation walk to the main square and your CEO will accompany the group to the market where you can try a tlayuda, a toasted tortilla with tons of different toppings like refried beans, shredded cabbage, salsa, meat, and cheese. Cap off the day with a visit to a local chocolate-making shop and a free evening to keep the adventure going.


Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.Activity - All walks will be slightly different, allowing your CEO to show off their favourite spots. You can expect to see the Santo Domingo Cultural Centre, walk through the zocalo and the famous 20th of November market. Opt to sample some delicious Oaxacan foods along the way such as mole, tlayudas or chapulines.Activity - Your CEO will accompany the group to the market where you can try a tlayuda, a toasted tortilla with tons of different toppings like refried beans, shredded cabbage, salsa, meat, and cheese before capping off the day with a visit to a local chocolate-making shop.Accommodation - Hostal Don Nino
4

Day 4: Oaxaca



Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - From museums and galleries to markets filled with locally produced arts and crafts, it's impossible to run out of things to do in Oaxaca. Choose to stroll down more of the streets off the main square in search of street art, check out the intricately designed black pottery, hand-woven Zapotec rugs in local shops, and take in panoramic views of the city from Cerro del Fortín.Accommodation - Hostal Don Nino
5

Day 5: Oaxaca/San Cristóbal

The group will have additional free time today in Oaxaca for other optional activities. Afterwards, visit the Alebrijes Artisan Community for your G for Good moment. Meet a local artisan, speak with them, ask any questions the group may have, and learn more about how these handicrafts are made. In the evening board and overnight bus to San Cristobal.


Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - Enjoy more free time in Oaxaca. Taste more delicious food from the markets, book an optional cooking class and learn how to make mole, or shop for keepsakes at the many local stores and craft markets with featuring work by the artists who call Oaxaca home.Transport - Curl up and catch a snooze en route to the next stop.Activity - Alebrijes were created by a Mexican artisan named Pedro Linares who was known for making piñatas and carnival masks. After falling ill and hallucinating crazy figures and creatures inside his mind, the artist decided to bring what he saw to life by creating the small figurines we know as Alebrijes. Often made of a mash-up between animals, these figurines are now made by Oaxacan artisans out of wood and then painted with vibrant pigments and lots of patterns. Learn more about how these figurines integrated themselves into Oaxacan/Mexican folklore and how the craft expanded from originally being made from cardboard to now being carved from Copal wood. Meet a local artisan and speak with them, ask any questions the group may have and to learn more about how the Alebrijes are crafted.Activity - Alebrijes were created by a Mexican artisan named Pedro Linares who was known for making piñatas and carnival masks. After falling ill and hallucinating crazy figures and creatures inside his mind, the artist decided to bring what he saw to life by creating the small figurines we know as Alebrijes. Often made of a mash-up between animals, these figurines are now made by Oaxacan artisans out of wood and then painted with vibrant pigments and lots of patterns. Learn more about how these figurines integrated themselves into Oaxacan/Mexican folklore and how the craft expanded from originally being made from cardboard to now being carved from Copal wood. Meet a local artisan and speak with them, ask any questions the group may have and to learn more about how the Alebrijes are crafted.
6

Day 6: San Cristóbal

Arrive early to Tuxtla Gutierrez, which is a city in southern Mexico and the capital of Chiapas. The group will travel by private bus to Sumidero Canyon for an included boat ride down the river. The trip is a few hours long and will take you through the canyon with some of the walls towering 2,500 feet above you. It's sure to make you feel small. Keep a lookout for the wildlife in the area and try to spot caves as you journey on. Afterwards, continue on to San Cristobal de las Casas where you will stop for the evening.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Drive an hour before boarding a boat for a 2-hr journey through the deep Sumidero Canyon. Keep your eyes peeled for local wildlife, birds, monkeys and maybe even a river crocodile. Marvel at the tall waterfalls, hidden caves, and unusual rock formations along the Grijalva River. After, stop in a village to visit markets and enjoy lunch.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Accommodation - Hotel San Martin
7

Day 7: San Cristóbal

San Cristóbal de Las Casas is located in a high mountain valley at 2110m (6921 ft). Enjoy a free day to experience this city known for its 16th-century architecture. Opt to visit nearby indigenous Mayan villages to see their unique day-to-day, or visit Lagunas de Montebello National Park and the group of beautiful lakes near the Guatemalan border. You have a full day to do as you please and there are plenty of activities to try out.


Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Enjoy a free day to experience this city known for its 16th-century architecture. Opt to visit nearby indigenous Mayan villages to see their unique day-to-day, or visit Lagunas de Montebello National Park and the group of beautiful lakes near the Guatemalan border.Accommodation - Hotel San Martin
8

Day 8: San Cristóbal/Palenque

Get ready for a full day of travel from San Cristóbal de Las Casas to Palenque. Along the way the group will stop to swim in the pristine turquoise waters of Roberto Barrios waterfall. Arrive to Palenque in the evening.


Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Visit the Zapatista community of Roberto Barrios and swim in stunning turquoise cascade waterfalls. Then, join an agroecological experience at the Pej'Pem Center you will support local entrepreneurship and the sustainable transformation of communities in Chiapas.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Accommodation - Hotel Maya Tulipanes
9

Day 9: Palenque

Enjoy a guided tour of the impressive Mayan ruins of Palenque followed by free time for an optional jungle trail hike, or just relax at the hotel keeping an eye out for nearby birds and wildlife.


Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Experience the elegant jungle site of Palenque on a guided tour. See the highlights -- the Temple of the Cross Group, Temple of Inscriptions and the Grand Palace. Howler monkeys sound in the distance as the fog rolls in and out of this mystical site, one of the most important centres for trade and culture during the end of the Classic Maya period.Free_time - Enjoy a free afternoon for an optional jungle hike or otherwise just kick back at the hotel and listen to the sounds of the jungle. Ask your CEO for more recommendations should you need them.Accommodation - Hotel Maya Tulipanes
10

Day 10: Palenque/Bacalar

Spend the day travelling to Bacalar in the eastern part of Mexico from Palenque. Sit back as the scenery changes outside your window and rest up for the next part of the trip.


Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Accommodation - Bacalar Magico Hotel
11

Day 11: Bacalar

Spend a full free day enjoying optional activities in the area, or just relax and keep the good vibes going.


Exclusive inclusions: Free_time - Take advantage of free time for optionals in the area. Explore the San Felipe Bacalar Fort or visit the lagoon again for some kayaking.Accommodation - Bacalar Magico Hotel
12

Day 12: Bacalar/Valladolid

The group is in for a treat this morning with an included boating adventure in the lagoon. In the afternoon it's onward to Valladolid. Travel north and inland from Bacalar to a city on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. Upon arrival your CEO will lead you on an orientation walk of the small Mayan town filled with quaint taverns, vibrant indigenous culture, and loads of street food vendors. Smell the delicious aromas as you walk and sample a few snacks along the way.


Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Head out into the Bacalar lagoon by boat this morning for a fun adventure. Start by visiting the Canal de los Piratas for a swim in the clear waters. Then, visit Cenote Negro, an open-air cenote and also the deepest point in the entire lagoon. From there the boat will stop at Cenote Esmeralda to admire the different shades of blue. Finally stop at Cenote Cocalitos, home to stromatolites, which are living stones that are thought to be the oldest form of life on Earth. Here you’ll enjoy a prepared picnic featuring fresh fruit.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Marvel at Valladolid’s colonial buildings, which includes a 16th-century convent of San Bernardino of Siena, and the San Gervasio Cathedral. Walk through the streets of town smelling the delicious aromas from the street food vendors. Sample some delicious treats and get to know this vibrant Mayan town.Accommodation - Hotel Santa Ana
13

Day 13: Valladolid/Tulum

After a short, but sweet visit in Valladolid the group will travel to the Chichen Itzá ruins for a guided tour. These ruins hold the history, beliefs, and rituals that defined ancient Mayan civilization. See the Pyramid of Kukulcan, the famous Castillo, the cenote, and the Nunnery. Afterwards, travel to Tulum for a free evening. Tulum is filled with trendy beach clubs where you can dance the night away, or stretch out on white sand beaches to admire the colors at sunset.


Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Join up with a local expert and learn about the history of Chichén Itzá and the beliefs and rituals that defined this ancient Mayan civilization. This dramatic site includes a 30m (98 ft) high temple, known as the Pyramid of Kukulcan, famous for its balustrade of 91 stairs up each of the four sides, a ball court with a grandstand, and towering walls. Visit the highlights of the site including the famous Castillo, the ball court, the cenote, and the Nunnery.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Free_time - Take this time to soak in the spectacular coastline of Tulum. Swim in the cobalt waters off of the white sand beaches. Hunt down some delicious street food and have a picnic in the sand. Or if you're still feeling adventurous, head out for some cave and cavern exploring in the nearby cenotes.Activity - Enjoy a night out on the town with your travel friends and truly let your hair down in the fun and lively atmosphere of Tulum.Accommodation - Hotel Casa Colonial
14

Day 14: Tulum

Depart at any time.


Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.
Exclusions
  • Flights to and from origin and destinations
  • Airport transfers (unless otherwise stated)
  • 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 will do 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.

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 $2249

AUD $1,911
(Tour only)
Offer ends 01 Apr, 2026 Per Person Standard
15% Off

Duration: 14 days

Trip Type: Small Group

Activity Level: Light

This 14-day adventure through the heart of Mexico has so much to love. Kicking off in its buzzing capital and wrapping up on the white sands of the Mayan Riviera, you’ll eat your way through endless tacos and mole, exploring the country’s epic mountains, jungles, and waterfalls too.

Price based on per person in Double Room for departure 07 Jun 2026

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
5.0
Mark Jan A.
Traveled, November 2023

12/30/2023

Overall super satisfied, but there is always room for improvement

4.0
William D.
Traveled, November 2023

12/30/2023

I have enjoyed every tour I've taken with G

Tour Operator

G Adventures, founded in 1990 by Bruce Poon Tip, is a global adventure travel company specializing in small-group tours that emphasize authentic, sustainable, and culturally immersive experiences. Originally launched as GAP Adventures (“Great Adventure People”), the company pioneered the concept of community-driven travel by offering affordable trips that connect travelers with local communities while minimizing environmental impact. Today, G Adventures operates in more than 100 countries, offering a wide range of itineraries across themes such as active adventures, wildlife, wellness, family, and National Geographic–partnered tours, while maintaining a strong commitment to responsible tourism and social enterprise through its Planeterra Foundation.

In Business Since 1990