Curated experiences
Mexico
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Oct 14 - Oct 28, 2025
The trip was a fantastic experience. KimKim and Hugo designed the perfect schedule based on my interests and time frame. Luz communicated with me every day without fail, sometimes several times in a day, to make sure that all was going smoothly. My guides in Mexico City - Pablo Yuchi, Allison (and driver Luis) - were phenomenal. They were knowledgeable, patient, friendly and kind; they obviously enjoyed showing off their city. Guadalajara was incredible as well. The main guide there, for almost the entire week, was Daniel Lara. I would give him 6 stars on a scale of 5 if I could. He shared his wealth of information, his stories, and his good humor throughout the week. I can’t praise him highly enough for his patience and kindness, even when dealing with the Guadalajara traffic. The Among Charros experience was also stellar, an interesting and unexpected introduction to the national sport of Mexico! Both hotels were comfortable and conveniently located.
Hotel Reviews
Casa Decu is a boutique hotel located in the lovely Condesa neighborhood of Mexico City. My room was clean, comfortable and well maintained. The staff were friendly and helpful. The continental breakfast was great. Cooked options were also available, but I didn’t order those. Coffee, tea and water are available 24/7.
Convenient location in the historic center of Guadalajara. Beautifully decorated in Spanish Colonial style. The staff members were helpful and friendly, especially the breakfast servers - they all managed to smile while efficiently doing their work!
Activity Reviews
The library is an architectural marvel, and a quiet haven within the bustling city.
This was one of the activities I specifically requested, and I was enthralled to visit this iconic site.
First of all, the transportation in the VW beetle was so much fun - I had not ridden in a convertible in many years! It was very special to have a tour of the lovely UNAM campus, given by a former student. Not only did she convey a lot of invaluable information about the various murals, but she was also able to talk about the campus life of UNAM students. In addition to the main campus, we also visited the sculpture garden, with an optional side trip to the nearby museum of contemporary art. All in all, an incredible day!
Again, I was fortunate to have Pablo as my guide for this experience. He is highly knowledgeable, patient and kind, the perfect person to deal with the unbelievable Mexico City traffic! We first stopped in Cuernavaca for a visit to the cathedral, where the significance of the various components of the site was explained. Then on to Taxco. I was excited to visit that charming city, which I had heard about and had seen on travel videos. We visited the Zocalo, and strolled around the city. I fulfilled my goal of finding a gift in silver for my husband. Pablo was very patient with my shopping!
This experience was not exactly as I imagined it, but was a lot of fun. Somehow I thought that I would be watching a charreria performance, but the visit was actually more interactive. I learned how to “rope” a calf (wooden), how to brush a horse, and I also learned a tremendous amount of background about the sport and those who perform it. There was also a tequila tasting, and a lovely serenade of Mexican music! Then at the end, there was actually a bonus performance of charrería. It was a truly unique and wonderful experience.
We visited the historic center of Guadalajara, including the Expiatorio, the Zócalo, and the Hospicio Cabañas. The tour included both walking and also driving through some neighborhoods which were outside of the central area. It was an excellent introduction to Guadalajara. At the end we visited a local market where they were selling items for Día de Los Muertos, including components for home altars and decorations. It was very interesting to see, and fascinating to see people getting ready for the celebrations.
A great day exploring this historic and charming area of the city! It was fun to stroll through the streets, stopping at art galleries and appreciating the Día de Los Muertos decorations. Also, we went to a store where they produce local candies, sweets and drinks; we learned about the process of making the treats, and were able to sample them all. Additionally, there was another included experience in which I was able to paint my own Día de Muertos skull.
Visiting Lake Chápala and these 2 communities on the shores of the lake made for an enjoyable and illuminating day. The 2 communities were different, with Ajijic demonstrating a more expat influence, and Lake Chápala showcasing its locality as a weekend/vacation retreat. The huge lake was lovely, and the morning climate was perfect. There was ample time to buy souvenirs and ice cream. We saw a performance of the voladores, and Daniel provided the background for this pre-Hispanic ritual.
This was a long day, but did not lack for interest, adventure and diverting activities. We started off at the Guachimontones archeological zone to view the “round pyramids” and the site as a whole. There is a new and excellent visitors’ center which prepares you for viewing the site itself, with murals, exhibits and a film (choice of language). We were fortunate to be there on a day in which there was a performance of pre-Hispanic dance and ritual. The site itself is easily accessible with a slight uphill walk, and the views are spectacular. I also learned about the importance of obsidian to early people, and saw examples of beautiful pieces made from this substance, along with artifacts discovered at the site. We tasted agua miel, and then drove on to a tequila distillery to learn about the making of this beverage, driving through extensive fields of blue agave. Of course tequila tasting was included. Last stop of the day was the town of Tequila itself where, not surprisingly, everyone seemed to be in a good mood!
