We will explore the historical centre of Merida, built more than 450 years ago on the site of T’ho, an ancient Mayan city. We will visit the magnificent Cathedral of San Ildefonso, built with the stones of ancient Maya temples. Construction of this cathedral began in 1561, and it is therefore the oldest one in Latin America. Inside we can find murals depicting the meeting between Francisco d...
We will drive to the quaint fishing village of Celestun, located 90km west of Merida. The Celestun Biosphere Reserve is home to 587 plant species, 42 of which are endemic. The fauna found in the reserve include 304 bird species, including the Mexican pink flamingo, least tern, jabiru, king vulture and greater white-fronted goose. There are also 75 mammal and 64 reptile species. We will take a boa...
We will visit the archaeological site of Uxmal, a World Heritage Site, located 80km south of Merida. Its architecture is characterised by low horizontal palaces set around courtyards, decorated with a profusion of symbolic motifs and sculptures depicting the long-nosed rain god Chaac. We will explore the magnificent buildings, including the House of the Magician – which dominates the site, t...
Oaxaca, a World Heritage Site, was once the centre of the Mixtec and Zapotec civilizations. After the Spanish conquered Oaxaca in 1533, the city quickly took on a Spanish flavour, with ornate buildings and charming plazas. Despite its colonial heritage, the city remains Indian at heart, due to the presence of a large indigenous population. We will walk through the streets of the colonial city cen...
We will visit Monte Alban, a World Heritage Site is spectacularly situated on a mountain 400 metres above the Oaxaca Valley, a few kilometres west of Oaxaca. Monte Alban is the greatest of the Zapotec cities, and it came to dominate the cultural, religious, and economic life of the region. It is also a triumph of engineering; the mountain top was leveled to allow for the creation of the ceremonial...
Oaxacan cuisine is famous for its refinement and complexity, and we will learn how to prepare it; the teacher is a local woman who learned cooking from her mother and her grandmother before her. We will take you to the local market where we will taste and buy the ingredients: different fruits, vegetables and traditional herbs that are used in the preparation of the regional dishes of Oaxaca. A li...
In the morning start the excursion at the magnificent mud-brick burial platform of Huaca Rajada, where the world famous Tomb of the Lord of Sipan was discovered. Admire fabulous gold artifacts, precious stones and the ancient Moche civilization’s history. Then, continue to Túcume, an imposing 26 pyramids site of the Lambayeque culture. Afterwards, visit the brand new Tumbas Reales ...
Base yourself at the extraordinary Luna Salada, a hotel made entirely of salt with a priveleged location of the edge of the Salar de Uynui. Day 1 - Arrival to the airport in Uyuni, the closest town to the stunning Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat on Earth. Located on the Bolivian Andean Altiplano with 12,000 km2; the Bolivian Andes offers out of this world scenery The sound of silence makes t...
Today visit the local villages that surround Antigua to learn about local culture and history. Start by driving up to the mountain town of Santa Maria, where many women still wear the traditional Mayan dress. Visiting the towns of San Pedro and Ciudad Vieja, admire colonial sights and see local village life before reaching the town of San Antonio. Here, stop at a women's textile cooperative an...
This walking tour explores Antigua's cultural, architectural, and social history with a behind-the-scenes look at some of Antigua's ornately decorated churches, Spanish colonial-era ruins, and the tomb of the first Guatemalan saint. Entrance fees for the Cathedral of San Jose, the San Francisco El Grande and La Merced churches are included; however, with just a word to the guide, this fle...
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