Trip itinerary:

Sat: Arrival in Mexico City
Sun: Mexico City – Teotihuacan – Tula – Tolantongo hot springs
Mon: Tolantongo – José María ranch – Querétaro
Tue: Querétaro – Peña de Bernal – San Miguel
Wed: San Miguel – Guanajuato
Thu: Guanajuato
Fri: Guanajuato – Tequila
Sat: Tequila – Guadalajara airport – flight to La Paz. Start of the yachting program
Sun: La Paz – Espíritu Santo – La Partida
Mon: La Partida – Los Islotes – San Evaristo
Tue: San Evaristo – San José
Wed: San José – San Francisco
Thu: San Francisco – La Partida
Fri: La Partida – Balandra – La Paz
Sat: End of the yacht program. Flight La Paz – Mexico City, departure home or continuation of the trip around Mexico (optional)

Day 1.

Arrival at Mexico City international airport. Transfer to the hotel. Dinner. For those who still have energy left – a walk around the New Year’s capital. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2.

An early departure from Mexico City to the archaeological complex of Teotihuacan, where we will see the Citadel, the Palaces, the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the “Avenue of the Dead,” and, of course, the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon.

Lunch at La Gruta, a restaurant serving traditional Mexican cuisine. More than 100 years old, the restaurant is set inside a cave – so guests can enjoy not only refined food (the menu includes caterpillar snacks, ant-egg caviar, and other “delicacies”) but also a striking interior (more familiar dishes for our eyes and stomachs are available too, so don’t worry, no one will go hungry).

Today we will also try to fit in a visit to another notable archaeological site near the capital. The Tula archaeological site is where the remains of the once-mighty Toltec state have survived, with majestic Atlantean warrior statues crowning the top of the Pyramid of the Morning Star.

We will end our first day in Mexico in an atmosphere of total relaxation at Grutas de Tolantongo. This is a complex of thermal pools fed by natural hot springs – a sort of natural jacuzzi.

We stay overnight right here, at the hotel within the complex.

Day 3.

In the morning we’ll continue enjoying relaxing spa treatments and walking through the fairy-tale-like surroundings.

Sometime around lunchtime we’ll head to the city of Querétaro, the capital of the state of the same name, which was once the capital of all of Mexico.

On the way we’ll stop for a tour and tasting at a real ranch that specializes in raising sheep and making sheep’s milk cheese.

Querétaro is an exceptionally colorful Mexican city, whose entire historic center has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our guides, who have lived in Mexico for a long time and are completely in love with this amazing country, will gladly tell you about its history and show you the most notable sights during a walking tour of the city.

Overnight at a traditional hacienda – a 16th-17th century colonial estate converted into a modern, comfortable hotel.

Day 4.

An early departure for San Sebastián Bernal. This small town – a “pueblo mágico” – is known above all for the Peña de Bernal monolith, which rises nearby to a height of 2,510 m above sea level. It is the third-tallest monolith in the world after the Rock of Gibraltar and Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro. Everyone willing can climb Peña de Bernal (except for the last 45 meters, which require climbing gear) and enjoy stunning views from above.

After the hike up the mountain, lunch awaits us in San Sebastián Bernal along with a tasting at a local sparkling wine winery.

Before sunset we need to reach the city of San Miguel de Allende, known throughout Mexico and beyond not only for its refined colonial architecture, vibrant cultural life, and pleasant climate, but also for its many terraces offering incredible sunset views. So it’s for this very spectacle that we’ll hurry to arrive in this wonderful city while it’s still light.

Day 5.

In the first half of the day, a walking tour of San Miguel, during which we’ll visit the city’s central square, Jardín, numerous temples and churches, stop by the botanical garden and the Ignacio Ramírez Cultural Center, and also see “the other face of Mexico” at the Mask Museum.

Lunch at a local restaurant with an obligatory terrace, after which we set off for Guanajuato.

“The Silver City,” “Mexico’s most beautiful city,” “the city of vertical photos” – the capital of the state of Guanajuato is called all of these. And we’ll be able to confirm just how true all these names are this very evening, during the Callejoneada Tradicional – a costumed tour through the city streets, put on by local residents for anyone who wants to join.

Overnight at a hotel in the city center.

Day 6.

We have no long drives planned for today, so we wake up later, have a leisurely late breakfast, and take an unhurried walk through the streets of Guanajuato. After that, a short excursion to the outskirts to see the silver mines that the city owes its prosperity to.

Guanajuato is also known as a center of fine dining. And we’ll definitely check just how well-deserved that reputation is at one of the city’s restaurants. Our guides promise a real feast of gastronomic sensations.

In the afternoon – free time, when you’ll have the chance to visit museums (including the Mummy Museum and the Don Quixote Iconographic Museum), drop by the Juárez Theatre – one of Mexico’s most beautiful theaters – or simply stroll the narrow streets of the city center, descend into the maze of underground tunnels that run beneath the whole city, or climb up to a viewpoint on one of the hillsides for a wonderful panorama.

Overnight at a hotel in Guanajuato.

Day 7.

Today we leave hospitable Guanajuato and set off to meet Tequila. Tequila is not just a popular drink but also a town in the state of Jalisco, known for its agave plantations and tequila distilleries. So along the way we’ll stop to photograph these endless agave fields.

After that we’ll head to a tour (with tasting) at the La Rojeña distillery of the world-famous Jose Cuervo brand.

In the evening we’ll continue getting acquainted with the best examples of the local agave-processing industry, this time at the bars and restaurants of the town of Tequila itself.

Overnight at a hotel in Tequila.

Day 8.

End of the land portion of the trip. Transfer to Guadalajara airport. Flight to La Paz.

This is where the second (yachting) part of our journey begins. Upon landing at La Paz airport, we’ll rent cars and drive to the town of Todos Santos to see the OCEAN. We’ll stay right there, at one of the seaside restaurants, for lunch with a taste of the ocean breeze.

We’ll have coffee at an equally lovely place – the Hotel California, which gained worldwide fame thanks to the Eagles’ song (although the band members themselves dispute this a bit, but… the place really is lovely, and the coffee is good too).

On the way to the marina we’ll make a couple more stops. First – a photo session in a genuine cactus forest, then – a supermarket in La Paz, to stock up on all the supplies needed for the coming week.

After boarding the yacht, you can stay on board to rest or go for a walk through the streets of La Paz.

Day 9.

First thing in the morning – the captain’s briefing, after which we cast off and head out to sea. This first passage is short, two to three hours, so everyone can adjust to the yacht. The first stop is planned at one of the bays of Espíritu Santo Island.

This island has several bays, and each one has a sandy beach at its far end, flanked by rocky cliffs. Right beneath these cliffs you can see bright green corals, dozens of fish species, and even “underwater birds” – mobula rays. These manta relatives “fly” here in whole schools, and it’s an incredibly beautiful sight.

For the night we’ll move to a more sheltered bay on the neighboring island of La Partida.

Day 10.

Today we’re going to visit the lions. Real, sea lions, that is 🙂 Half an hour’s sail and we’re at their home, Los Islotes Island. We’ll hear the lions from afar by their… barking! Even though they’re lions, they bark like dogs. By the way, do you know how they differ from sea otters or seals? You’ll find out! What makes this place special is that the animals are already used to being visited by many divers and snorkelers, so they’re not afraid of people and let you get close. They’re generally very sociable and playful, but it’s still best not to try feeding them.

After lunch we have a planned 4-hour passage to the fishing village of San Evaristo. By then we’ll have left the protected zone, so it’ll be possible to get the fishing rods out and try our luck. The Sea of Cortez is rich in fish, so hopefully we’ll get lucky too, and arrive to meet the local fishermen with our own catch in hand. If not, you’ll still be able to buy fresh fish there or visit a restaurant where local cooks will prepare it using an authentic Mexican recipe.

Day 11.

We’ve already been at sea for two days, so now is just the right time to go ashore and stretch our legs a bit. We’ll do a short trek up a nearby hill into a cactus forest, to enjoy the sea panorama from above. Besides, where else will you see so many cacti 10-20 meters tall?

And after the walk – we head to San José Island. Most of the islands in the Gulf of California are rocky cliffs. But San José is something else entirely. Right past the beach in the bay there’s a huge inlet with green shores and mangrove thickets, home to many white herons. You can explore the inlet by dinghy, SUP board, or kayak. SUPs or kayaks – at the crew’s choice – can be reserved in advance through the charter company.

The bay where we’ll stop for the night is known for its clear water and great snorkeling spots. We’ll have dinner on board, watching the blazing ball of the sun touch the edge of the sea on the horizon.

Day 12.

A short passage to the neighboring island – San Francisco. This island is considered one of the most beautiful in the region. We’ll anchor in a huge horseshoe-shaped bay with a long sandy beach.

The island is worth exploring not just from the water – it’s worth climbing the hill on the southern side of the bay to take in the majestic panorama. The unusual feel is heightened by giant cacti and plenty of local lizards. You can imagine yourself on another planet and have a little “picnic on the roadside.”

Day 13.

Today we return to Partida and Espíritu Santo islands. This will be the second and final long passage, during which we’ll once again test our luck with fishing.

Approaching the islands, we’ll choose a bay we haven’t visited yet. For example – Ensenada Grande on Partida Island. The second half of the day is for snorkeling, in search of mantas and whale sharks.

By the way, this is the best season to meet these spotted beauties. Whale sharks are true giants, 16-20 meters long, but completely non-aggressive and harmless to people, since they feed on plankton. When we swim with them, don’t be alarmed if you see scars on their faces – sharks sometimes steal plankton that’s caught in fishing nets at night, which damages the nets, and the fishermen retaliate by hitting them on the mouth with their oars.

Day 14.

We keep the last day of the trip calm and relaxed. We’ll take one more leisurely sail through the bays of Espíritu Santo and head (about an hour) to Balandra Bay, to Balandra Beach. This is a very famous spot thanks to its white sand and shallow waters – the color of the water in this bay is truly fairy-tale-like. We’ll have a real “Bounty ad” style photo session here, so bring bright, colorful swimsuits, sarongs, and hats – you’ll need them here!

In the evening we return to our home marina.

Day 15.

We need to leave the catamaran by 10 a.m.

Time to head back, but we still have one more stop ahead – Mexico City! We need to put a bright finishing touch on our adventures, so why not do it in the country’s capital? 🙂

*The program may be subject to change due to weather conditions, decisions by local authorities, and other unfavorable circumstances.