Railway tours in Mexico
| country: | Mexico |
| departures: | 2009: 20 Dec 2010: 7 Feb, 4 Apr, 1 Aug, 17 Oct, 14 Nov, 19 Dec 2011: 6 Feb, 10 Apr |
| price: | From £2781 - £3092 (13 days) including flights from the UK. From £2107 - £2223 excluding flights. Single supplement £460 |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
An inspiring tour that combines the highlights of colonial Mexico with train journeys aboard the 'Tequila Express' and 'El Chepe'. The former gives us a real taste of modern Mexico and the later is one of the world's foremost scenic rail trips. Suitable for people of all abilities, all walks are optional.
Colonial Mexico:
Our first days are spent in Mexico City, a place that has been at the centre of life for several mighty empires, from Teotihuacan to the Aztecs and then the Spanish under Cortés. Heading north, we pause at the remarkably well-preserved colonial centre of Querétaro, whose splendid historical buildings are hidden by the modern city that has built up around it. Continuing to Guanajuato we arrive at a city nestled into the hills where the narrow streets and profusion of colonial architecture give the town an intimate atmosphere.
Tequila Express:
At Guadalajara, we have time to wander the through cobbled plazas that are largely unchanged since colonial times before boarding the Tequila Express that will carry us into the Tequila-agave fields. The train ride is aimed at local tourists and most of our fellow passengers will be Mexican. Soaking up the festival atmosphere, we'll join them eating, dancing and drinking the zingy spirit for which the region is so famous.
Copper Canyon:
From Chihuahua we board 'El Chepe', the First Class train service that will carry us for the next 3 days through the breathtaking scenery of the Sierra Madre Mountains. A remarkable feat of engineering, the Copper Canyon Railway winds it way across 37 bridges and through 86 tunnels, presenting us with jaw-dropping views. One of the highlights of our journey will be the overnight stops at the villages of Posada Barrancas and Cerocahui, that give us a taste of local life before we arrive at our final destination of El Fuerte.
Baja California Extension:
If you have more time, we highly recommend taking an extra few days to discover the turquoise seas, wildlife and sandy beaches of the Baja Peninsula. From our comfortable base near La Paz we go whale watching in season (late Dec - mid Mar) and out of season we take a boat to Magdalena Island searching for bottlenose dolphins.
Colonial Mexico:
Our first days are spent in Mexico City, a place that has been at the centre of life for several mighty empires, from Teotihuacan to the Aztecs and then the Spanish under Cortés. Heading north, we pause at the remarkably well-preserved colonial centre of Querétaro, whose splendid historical buildings are hidden by the modern city that has built up around it. Continuing to Guanajuato we arrive at a city nestled into the hills where the narrow streets and profusion of colonial architecture give the town an intimate atmosphere.
Tequila Express:
At Guadalajara, we have time to wander the through cobbled plazas that are largely unchanged since colonial times before boarding the Tequila Express that will carry us into the Tequila-agave fields. The train ride is aimed at local tourists and most of our fellow passengers will be Mexican. Soaking up the festival atmosphere, we'll join them eating, dancing and drinking the zingy spirit for which the region is so famous.
Copper Canyon:
From Chihuahua we board 'El Chepe', the First Class train service that will carry us for the next 3 days through the breathtaking scenery of the Sierra Madre Mountains. A remarkable feat of engineering, the Copper Canyon Railway winds it way across 37 bridges and through 86 tunnels, presenting us with jaw-dropping views. One of the highlights of our journey will be the overnight stops at the villages of Posada Barrancas and Cerocahui, that give us a taste of local life before we arrive at our final destination of El Fuerte.
Baja California Extension:
If you have more time, we highly recommend taking an extra few days to discover the turquoise seas, wildlife and sandy beaches of the Baja Peninsula. From our comfortable base near La Paz we go whale watching in season (late Dec - mid Mar) and out of season we take a boat to Magdalena Island searching for bottlenose dolphins.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly London/Mexico City. |
| Day 2: | In Mexico City; visit Teotihuacan & Tenochtitlan Pyramids. |
| Day 3: | Visit Anthropology Museum; drive Queretaro. |
| Day 4: | Tour of Queretaro; drive to Guanajuato. |
| Day 5: | Visit Guanajuato; drive Guadalajara; city tour. |
| Day 6: | In Guadalajara; Tequila Express train. |
| Day 7: | Free in Guadalajara; fly Chihuahua. |
| Day 8: | Board 'El Chepe' to Creel & Posada Barrancas. |
| Day 9: | Train to Cerocahui; drive Mirador de Cerro Gallegos. |
| Day 10: | Train to El Fuerte. |
| Day 11: | AM In El Fuerte. PM Fly Mexico City. |
| Day 12: | Fly London. |
| Day 13: | Arrive London. |
small group cultural tours
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as experiencing new cultures.how this holiday makes a difference
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Community:
By opting to travel on public trains we are reducing the reliance on privately chartered transport within our tour. Just by travelling by train we get a much more personal view of Mexico and have the opportunity to chat to local people so do try to learn a few words of Spanish! We also hope to give you as many opportunities as possible to meet and mingle with local people in the towns, villages and markets we visit and your tour leader will be instrumental in bridging any cultural divides so the experience is positive for both sides. Ensuring that local people benefit from tourism is core to our philosophy. We use local guides at many points to generate employment, use locally owned boats, transport and hotels and try to spread our custom to a variety of local restaurants. There are a wealth of local cantinas and we always recommend people to support small local businesses. It’s not just good for the local communities; we believe you get a better experience as a result. Environment: We aim to minimise our impact on the environment through our tour operation. We and our suppliers work to the strict environmental guidelines laid out in our Responsible Tourism policy, governing how we deal with waste and operate walks to minimise our impacts. All leaders are trained in responsible tourism matters too and take the lead in this key area. As well as the above, we support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |