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  4. Mexico Real Food Adventure

Experience Mexico’s distinctive cuisine while travelling through Oaxaca, Puebla, Huatulco and Mexico City.

Get an authentic taste of Mexico on this journey through some of the country’s most famous culinary regions. Meander through Oaxaca’s aromatic markets; take to the streets of Puebla to sample some the city’s local specialties; indulge in fresh seafood on the beach; and take to the streets of Mexico City on a taco crawl to experience a delightful culinary heritage that goes back thousands of years. If you’re after cultural richness, authentic experiences and flavoursome food that’s tinged with fiesta, then this Real Food Adventure is for you.

Start
Mexico, Mexico
Finish
Huatulco, Mexico
Destination
Mexico
Style
Original
Theme
Food
Code
QVZA
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

  • This trip takes you to the source of some of the nation's most iconic foods, from delicious tacos to spicy mole and beyond

  • In Oaxaca you'll enter the heart of pre-Hispanic cuisine; taste chiles, chocolate, mezcal and the surprisingly delicious chapulines (grasshoppers)

  • It may not be edible, but a Lucha Libre (theatrical 'freestyle wrestling') match in Puebla is an entertaining and memorable cultural experience

  • Take a guided ‘taco crawl’ through Mexico City’s bustling markets

  • A Pacific Ocean boating expedition followed by a coastal cuisine masterclass on one of Mexico's stunning beaches is the perfect way to wrap up your culinary adventure

Is this trip right for you?

  • This trip aims to give you an exciting, diverse and well-rounded experience of a country’s cuisine. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please be aware that in many countries dietary restrictions are not common or well understood. If you have dietary requirements, simply contact your agent at the time of booking for further information on how this may impact on your ability to take part in included activities and meals. Come with an open mind and open mouth, and you won’t be disappointed!

  • You will be covering a fair amount of ground on this trip, so be prepared for some driving. Mexico is a big country. However, there's only one very long bus trip (approximately 9 hours), from Oaxaca to Huatulco.

Map of Mexico Real Food Adventure including Mexico
Eat ALL of the tacos on a Mexican Food Adventure with Intrepid Travel
Street tacos on a Mexican Food Adventure with Intrepid Travel. SO good.
Make your own Guacamole on a Real Food Adventure in Mexico
Mexican food is colourful and delicious and you will get to try lots of it on a Real Food Adventure with Intrepid Travel
Try your hand at traditional Mexican cooking in Ooxaca
The tacos on a Mexican Food Adventure with Intrepid Travel are define
Take a tour of beautiful Ooxaca in Mexico
Street food, Mexico style!
Local chefs cooking up some Mexican delights
The cactus fields in Ooxaca in Mexico

Itinerary
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Bienvenidos! Welcome to Mexico City. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 7 pm where you'll meet your tour leader and travel group. Please check with the hotel reception where and when it will take place. This evening your leader will take you on a 'taco crawl' around town. You'll taste Mexico City’s delicious street-food staple, tacos al pastor, among others. Along the way you'll stop in for a sip of mezcal at one of the many venues that continue to pop up all around Mexico City.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Mexico City - Leader-led Taco Crawl
Meals Included
  • Dinner
Special Information
It can take some time to adjust to the altitude, heat and humidity in Mexico City, and it's normal to experience some lethargy and loss of appetite. Be sure to drink plenty of water and try not to do too much in one day.

Indulge in a sweet morning with a visit to a local Chuerreria making Mexico's signature cinnamon dusted fried dough churros. Then enjoy a visit to a Mexico City institution: a two-storey bakery brimming with cakes, breads and biscuits, followed by a walking tour of Mexico City's Centro Historico. Take in the beautiful Bellas Artes Palace, travel down the Paseo de la Reforma (the city's main thoroughfare) and marvel at the impressive Zocalo (Latin America's largest main square). Along the way you'll visit Mercado San Juan, the city’s main food market, then roam the surrounding streets and watch local vendors at work. If you come across tortillas being freshly pressed, be sure to try them warm with a sprinkle of salt. Pull up a chair at one of the best seafood stands in the city for a late lunch. The rest of your day is free for your own exploration. Perhaps relax in Chapultepec Park or take in some of the city's notable museums, including the renowned Museo Nacional de Antropologia (anthropological museum), which is considered one of the finest in the world. Alternatively, head to the leafy district of Coyoacan – a world away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Mexico City. There you can enjoy the Sunday markets or perhaps check out the home of artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. This evening, you will again be able to explore more of Mexico City’s vibrant dining scene.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Mexico City - Centro Historico food tour and lunch
Optional Activities
  • Mexico City - Bosque de Chapultepec & Natural History Museum - MXN100
  • Mexico City - Coyoacan visit - Free
  • Mexico City - Frida Kahlo Museum (Entrance Fee) - MXN270
  • Mexico City - Diego Rivera Murals in the National Palace (Entrance Fee) - Free
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Catch a local bus to Puebla, Mexico’s culinary capital. The city is renowned for dishes which combine Spanish and pre-hispanic influences, such as chiles en nogada (stuffed chillies covered in creamy walnut sauce). Venture out on a culinary city tour – start with some Pueblan street food before making a beeline for Calle de los Dulces (Sweet Street) to sample tortitas de Santa Clara (shortbread biscuits) and camotes (sweet potato lollies). Check out the much-loved and very colourful Lucha Libre wrestling this evening, a unique combination of sport and theatre!
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Puebla - City food tour
Optional Activities
  • Puebla - Lucha Libre Show (Mondays only) from - MXN205
Meals Included
  • Lunch

This morning you have free time to explore Puebla and perhaps enjoy a few more chalupas, before catching a local bus to Oaxaca (approximately 4-6 hours depending on traffic) - a beautiful colonial city nicknamed the ‘land of the seven moles’. Visit the fabulous Mercado Benito Juarez, a bountiful market taking up a full city block and brimming with produce, mole spices and pastes, and towers of Oaxacan cheese. Maybe try local specialties like chapulines (grasshoppers)!

Chocoholics won’t want to miss a trip down to the shops on Calle Mina for a taste of real Oaxaca chocolate – it’s no wonder it’s seen as the food of the gods! For dinner, you'll have the option to dine at a traditional local restaurant featuring regional specialties.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Partake in a traditional breakfast of chocolate, tamales and pan y yemas. Your afternoon is free to explore Oaxaca’s many other culinary delights. Any carnivores will relish the pasillo de carnes asadas (grilled meats hall) at Mercado 20 de Noviembre, where freshly purchased meat is barbecued right in front of you. Those with a sweet tooth can find several shops on Calle Mina (just south of Mercado 20 de Noviembre) at which to learn about the production of real Oaxacan chocolate – and of course taste this regional specialty. Alternatively you can visit the archaeological site of Monte Alban, an outstanding example of a pre-Columbian ceremonial centre. The terraces, dams, canals, pyramids and artificial mounds of Monte Alban were carved out of the mountain.


Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Monte Alban - Archaeological Site (Entrance Fee) - MXN70
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Today you will venture out of Oaxaca for an insight into regional life. Visit Mercado Tlacolula, one of the oldest markets in Mesoamerica. This is a unique opportunity to witness the ancient Zapotec cultural traditions of dress, cuisine and language, as the community gathers together from neighbouring villages. Perhaps also pay a visit to Teotitlan del Valle to watch traditional Zapotec rug weaving done by local families. Indulge in a meal of Oaxacan barbacoa, then 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. On the way back to Oaxaca, stop into a mezcaleria (mezcal distillery). Although this tequila-like drop 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!
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Oaxaca - Mercado Tlacolula visit with Barbocoa Tasting
  • Oaxaca - Mezcaleria visit
  • Oaxaca - Mitla Ruins (Entrance)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Board a morning bus for the long but scenic drive to Huatulco (appx. 9 hours). We will stop at a local village for lunch along the way. This is your chance to relax and unwind, as this town belongs to one of the most beautiful stretches of beach on Mexico's Pacific coast and we stay minutes away from the water. It's also quieter and less touristy than some of the bigger beachside spots, although these are accessibly by taxi. Pull up a chair at one of the restaurants or perhaps pay a visit to the local food markets. We spend the night in Huatulco (approximately 1 hour).
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Enjoy a cooking class and feast on your creations in a traditional meal celebrating the bounty of the Costa region of Oaxaca. After savouring these traditional coastal dishes, head out on a boating expedition. If you're lucky you might spot turtles, stingrays or even dolphins. The rest of the day is free for you to explore or simply relax by the water. Perhaps make a toast to the end of your adventure with a glass of mezcal by the ocean.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Boating Expedition
  • Huatulco - Cooking Class
Meals Included
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Special Information
In the event that sea conditions are too rough to allow a safe and comfortable boating expedition, this activity will be replaced with an alternative.

Your adventure ends today. There are no activities planned for the final day.
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
Please note that this tour ends in Huatulco. You may wish to plan some additional days here or on the coast in Mazunte to enjoy the beach following your trip. Flights to Mexico City depart regularly from both Huatulco (HUX) and Puerto Escondido (PXM) airports, each approximately an hour drive from the center. For ease of travel and the best rates we strongly suggest booking round trip flights in and out of Mexico City and purchasing your flight from Huatulco or Mazunte to Mexico City in advance.

Meals

5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 3 dinners

Transport

Private vehicle, local bus, Boat, Metro, Taxi

Accommodation

Hotel (8 nights)

Included activities

  • Mexico City - Leader-led Taco Crawl
  • Mexico City - Centro Historico food tour and lunch
  • Puebla - City food tour
  • Oaxaca - Mercado Tlacolula visit with Barbocoa Tasting
  • Oaxaca - Mezcaleria visit
  • Oaxaca - Mitla Ruins (Entrance)
  • Boating Expedition
  • Huatulco - Cooking Class

Dates & availability

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Travel lightly with Intrepid. We’ve offset the main sources of carbon emissions from this trip on your behalf, including transport, accommodation & waste. Read more

Important notes

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT:
A single supplement is available on this trip. Please enquire at time of booking.

ON ENTRY:
Please note on arrival into Mexico Immigration will give you a document with the number of days you are allowed to stay in Mexico. You will need to keep this document safe and show this document to the airline when you leave the country. A possible fee of approximately 500 MXN will be charged to you if you lose this document.

IMPORTANT NOTES:
This tour finishes in Huatulco. You may wish to plan some additional days here or in nearby Mazunte to enjoy the beach following your trip. Flights to Mexico City depart regularly from both Huatulco (HUX) and Puerto Escondido (PXM) airports. For ease of travel and the best rates we strongly suggest booking round trip flights in and out of Mexico City and purchasing your flight from Huatulco or Mazunte to Mexico City in advance.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

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