Iconic Mexico
This once in a lifetime 10 day journey focuses on the must see travel experiences in Mexico for the engaged and sophisticated traveler.
Mexico City –– San Miguel de Allende Guanajuato
Yucatan Peninsula
Oaxaca
Journey Mexico Iconic Mexico 2010
Highlights include: Mexico City: • The massive pyramidal temples of Teotihuacán including the temples of the Sun and the
Moon the 3rd and 4th largest (by volume) pyramidal temples in the world • Mexico’s Historic City Center including the Zocalo the world’s 3rd largest central square
(after Moscow’s Red Square and China’s Tiananmen Square) and the pre-‐Columbian remains of the Aztec’’s Templo Mayor (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
• Dinner at El Izote with explanation by Chef (subject to availability) and signed menus by owner and signature Chef Patricia Quintana San Miguel Allende / Guanajuato: • Private galleries and home tour • Callejoneada with singing minstrels • Private visit to renowned artists gallery Gorky Gonzalez’s Gorky Taller (subject to • availability) • 7 Course tasting menu with visit from signature Chef Bricio Domínguez Aguilar (subject to availability)
Oaxaca:
• Privately guided visit to the Zapotec/Mixtec Archeological Site of Monte Alban with expert Iconographer. (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
• World renowned artisan villages of San Bartolo de Coyotepec (Black Pottery), and San Martin Tilcajete (Alebrijes) with lunch with a local (back strap weaving) family in Santo Tomás Jalieza.
• Oaxaca’s Historic City Center including the Santo Domingo Church, Central Square • Private market tour and cooking lesson at Casa Oaxaca with Chef Alejandro Ruiz (subject
to availability)
Yucatan: • Off hours visit to Uxmal Archeological site (subject to permit availability) • Off Hours visit to Chichen Itza Archeological site (Subject to permit availability)
Detailed Itinerary: Day 1: Arrival: Home I Mexico City. You will be welcomed on arrival to Mexico City Airport and privately transferred to your hotel (:45 mins). After time to freshen up you will be treated to an orientation tour of Mexico City’s historic center the first of Mexico’s many UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including a visit to the Aztec’s Templo Mayor with one of the site’s archeologists.
Journey Mexico Iconic Mexico 2010
Executive Edge Travel + Events Tel: +613 9519 7777 | Fax: +613 9519 7700 Email [email protected] | Web www.executiveedge.com.au
the menu by the Chef (subject to availability). Overnight Four Seasons Mexico City Deluxe Room. No Meals Day 2: Mexico City I Teotihuacan I Queretaro I San Miguel Allende. Today begins early as you are privately transferred to Teotihuacan (:45 mins.) for an early morning Balloon ride over archeological site by the same name (weather permitting). Coming back to earth, you will visit the famed archeological site (UNESCO World Heritage Site) including the temple of the Sun and Moon and the Avenue of the Dead. You continue on for a late afternoon lunch in Queretaro at the Casa de la Marquesa followed by a short walking tour of the City’s impressive Historic Center before heading on to your final destination for the night the UNESCO World Heritage City of San Miguel de Allende. Dinner is reserved for you at El Correo. Overnight Casa de Sierra Nevada by Orient Express Deluxe Room. B Day 3: San Miguel de Allende. This morning you will visit La Aurora, a beautiful art and design center housed in a former textile factory from the turn -‐of the century, and home to many of San Miguel’s most important studios, galleries, jewelry and antique boutiques. You then continue on to visit the private collection of Heidi and Bill LeVasseur before lunch in the Historic Center at Las Buganvilias. After lunch explore San Miguel’s historic center on foot including a visit to one of San Miguel’s most impressive private home’s displaying exquisite architecture and gardens. You return to your hotel for an in room massage and time to relax. This evening enjoy cocktails in Casa del Parque before experiencing a true Bajío tradition of a Callejoneada where you will stroll the streets with a cocktail in hand accompanied by singing minstrels. You arrive to Andanza Restaurant where dinner is reserved for you complete with an explanation by Chef. Overnight Casa de Sierra Nevada by Orient�Express Deluxe Room. B
Day 4: San Miguel Allende I Atotonilco I Guanajauto. Today after breakfast you will be treated to a privately guided visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Atotonilco, which many consider one of the most important religious sites in Mexico. In recognition of its delicate and exceptional architecture, The World Monuments Fund recently named this historic and artistically important pilgrimage church to its list of "100 most endangered monuments." You will continue on to the UNESCO World Heritage City of Guanajuato (1:15 hrs.) directly to Taller Gorky (appointment only –– subject to availability) to view his private collection, considered one of Mexico’s best ceramicists and recognized word wide for his restoration of and production of Majolica Pottery. Lunch is included today at Casa Valadez, one of the best restaurants in Guanajuato’s shady central plaza facing the Teatro Juarez. After lunch, you will explore Guanajuato’s Historic City Center on foot and then climb up to the Pipila Monument by Funicular where your guide’s interpretation continues to lend color and contour to this fascinating city and its rich history; from this perspective the City is striking!. Dinner is included tonight at Jardin de los Milagros with a full tasting menu and accompanied by explanation by
the restaurant’s celebrity Signature Chef Bricio Domínguez Aguilar (subject to avaialbiltiy). Overnight Villa Maria Cristina Junior Suite B,D Day 5: Guanajuato I Oaxaca. After a lovely breakfast in the shady courtyard of Villa Maria Cristina, you will visit the Boca Mina de San Ramon (300 steps!) one of the most productive Silver mines in the Americas during the mid´s 16th Century. You will then head to the Bajio Airport (:30 mins.) for your internal commercial flight to Oaxaca via Mexico City. Upon arrival you will be welcomed and privately transferred to the lovely boutique deign hotel Casa Oaxaca, which also happens to host one of Oaxaca’s finest restaurants where your table is reserved this evening. Overnight Casa Oaxaca Standard Room B Day 6: Oaxaca. Optional morning visit to the market for Pan con Chocolate (sweet bread with Mexican Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon) followed by privately guided visit to the Mixtec / Zapotec archeological site of Monte Alban (UNESCO World Heritage Site) with expert iconographer. Return to Oaxaca’s Historic City Center (UNESCO World Heritage Site) to marvel at the ornately decorated Santo Domingo Church before heading to the Zimatlan valley to visit artisans in their home / workshops in San Bartolo de Coyotepec (Black Pottery), San Martin Tilcajete (Alebrijes) with lunch with a local (back strap weaving) family in Santo Tomás Jalieza. Dinner is reserved for you tonight at dinner at la Biznaga. Overnight Casa Oaxaca Standard Room B,L Day 7: Oaxaca I Merida. You will be privately transferred to the Oaxaca Airport (:20 mins.) for your internal flight to Merida. Upon arrival you will head to the historic city center (:25 mins.) for lunch at Los Almendros. Following lunch, check in to your hotel with time for a swim, relax or have a massage in the SPA. Early evening City Tour including: the Paseo de Montejo, the renowned Anthropology Museum where many of the regions finest pre-‐hispanic pieces are housed, and the main Plaza de Armas with special attention to the Palacio de Gobierno and its impressive murals. Your dinner table is reserved at one of Merida’s finest restaurants, Casa de Piedra. Rosas & Xocolate Deluxe Room B Day 8: Uxmal. You will head out early to beat the crowds for a privately guided, off hours visit (subject to permit availability) to the impressive ball courts, roof combs and temples of Uxmal (:45 mins.). Your expert archeological guide (archeologist available at additional cost) will bring the site to life with special attention to the Palace of the Governors (considered by many to be the finest example of classic Mayan Architecture) and the mystical Pyramid of the Magician, which consists of 5 superimposed temples. You leave the site and head to the majestic and imposing Hacienda Temozon for a massage in cool, dark Cenote Spa before lunch at the Hacienda and Check In. Overnight Hacienda Temozon Junior Suite B,L
Day 9: Celestun I Hacienda Teya I Izamal I Hacienda San Jose. You will be picked up and privatel transferred to the important biosphere region of Celestun where you will visit one of the largest semi-‐permanent colonies of Pink Flamingos in the world. These flamingos also have the fame of being the ““pinkest”” flamingos in the world due to the mineral content of the soils and thus shrimp, which are the primary food source for the flamingos! You will navigate the extensive mangrove and wet land estuaries returning to shore and then continuing on for a culinary treat of lunch at Hacienda Teya. After lunch you continue on to Izamal to explore the magical pueblo and what is believed to be a pre-‐Columbian and modern day power center of the Monastery with a visit to the Cultural Center where sustainable development projects have invested in the local communities to preserve their handicrafts traditions; visit the museum with opportunities to buy if interested. You continue on to your jungle bungalows adjacent to the famed archeological site of Chichen Itza with your own exclusive entrance. Spend the night in the tropical gardens enjoying the sounds of the cacophony of birds in the trees. Overnight The Mayaland Lodge at Chichén Itzá Royal Mayan Buganlow B,L Day 10: Chichén Itzá. You will enter the site today before the crowds with a privately guided off hours visit to the hallowed grounds of Chichén Itzá (subject to availability of permits). Entering the site prior to the crowds, you will embark on a private exploration of the impressive archeological site of Chichén Itzá with your expert guide (archeologist available
upon request, subject to availability and subject to additional cost). This site is world renowned for the sophistication of its structures and the high level of astronomical and engineering accomplishments on exhibit as well as the variety of temples, ball courts, and ritual centers. The site comes alive with the expert interpretation of your guide adding color and contour to the sprawling site. You now continue on to the turquoise waters and white sand beaches of the Riviera Maya (3:30 hrs) for the final chapter of your incredible journey. Overnight Maroma Resort Garden View Room B,L Day 11: Departure: Riviera Maya I Home. You will be privately transferred to the Cancun International Airport (1:00 hr.) for your onward flight home. B (If able to extend one day we could put 2 nights in Mexico City to do a more in depth visit to museums and Historic City Center, especially for late arrivals on Day 1. We could also put a 2nd night on the beach?)
PRICING: Two people traveling & twin share accommodation $USD6850* Four people traveling & twin share accommodation $USD5700* *Price per person in USD Price Includes: Wilderness first aid & CPR Certified, bilingual in country Journey Mexico historical / archeology guides throughout; all accommodation throughout; private airport transfers throughout with cool water; all transfers throughout in private vehicle with cool water; all meals as indicated in the detailed itinerary above (B,L,D) with taxes and gratuities for wait staff.
Price Doesn’t Include: International and internal flights; airport taxes; immigration card ($17 U.S.); airport transfers not on the designated arrival/departure days; meals not included on the detailed itinerary (B,L,D); gratuities to trip leader and local guides in Copper Canyon.
ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS Accommodation We have chosen accomodations to best embody the elegant, sophisticated and authentic places you will travel to. Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City (011 52 (55) 5230Ͳ1818 www.fourseasons.com/mexico) A luxurious 8 Story Oasis in the heart of the city, the hotel’s architecture embodies a Colonial Mansion with expansive rooms and suites. Ideally situated on the Paseo de la Reforma, near Chapultepec Park, the National Museum of Anthropology and History and leading business, shopping and residential areas, Four Seasons is a soothing oasis from which to explore one of the world's largest and most dynamic capitals. Casa de Sierra Nevada: (+52 (415) 152�7040 http://www.casadesierranevada.com) Our luxury boutique hotel and cooking school in the heart of historic San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, caters to the most discriminating world traveler, with charming rooms and suites for the ultimate Mexican experience. Our cooking school, Sazon, offers the finest instruction in traditional Mexican cooking. The cool leafy gardens surrounding Casa de Sierra Nevada are just the first signs of welcome. Step inside, through stone arches and traditional wooden doors, to the warm Mexican hospitality that awaits you. Villa Maria Cristina: (+52� (473) 731�2182 http://www.villamariacristina.net/) Fine taste pervades the hotel throughout, with impeccable attention to detail, offering the cozy and stylish atmosphere of an aristocratic home. Its 13 spacious suites with wooden floors and marble bathrooms, are decorated with French furniture and take full advantage of the architectural style, with large windows allowing for natural light, creating an atmosphere of elegant intimacy. The hotel also serves as the ideal location for a special occasion or event, from conferences and meetings to weddings and celebrations. The hotel's spa, with a Roman� style sunken pool, whirlpool, Swiss showers and treatment rooms, is an oasis in which to be pampered just a short walk from your suite. Casa Oaxaca: (+52 (951) 514 41 73 http://www.casaoaxaca.com) Casa Oaxaca, a sprawling, traditional building still alive with stories and secrets, located in the heart of Oaxaca, land of color and song. Its colonial geometry orders the spaces around a patio surrounded by large, ceramic pots from the Oaxacan valley whose vibrant vegetation plays with the corridors’’ chiaroscuro. Seven sanctums in which to dream. Seven chambers of limestone-‐coated walls, profound light, exquisite interior design; each one embellished with contemporary art work. Every room houses an exclusive collection of Oaxaca´s finest handcrafts. Look around…you´ll find contemporary art pieces throughout the corridors. The walls speak through the work of local artists, known for their contribution to contemporary Oaxacan printmaking. Rosas y Xocolate: (+52 (999) 924�2992 http://www.rosasyxocolate.com) Rosas & Xocolate is situated in the very noble and loyal city of Merida with a distinguished history in the Yucatan peninsula. With imposing plans inspired by Parisian design of the 19th century, the Paseo de Montejo was built, an avenue boasting elegant mansions, symbols of grandeur and splendor from an era, reflecting the henequen boom of wealthy landlords and landed gentry in the time of the Green Gold. Right here, from two colonial mansions, two centuries later arises Rosas & Xocolate. A hotel conveying to our guests the pleasures of luxury and romance, an experience residing simultaneously in the past and the present, creating an interesting fusion of times, complemented by style. The interior of the Boutique Hotel conserves the conceptual form and
original architectural design, the ample and naturally lit spaces reflecting opulence to our guests. Sumptuousness in every room and every area, sophisticated equipment of all kinds, outdoor bath-‐tubs, water gardens, suspended staircases, superb gastronomy, cozy Library Tequila Bar, lively atmosphere in the Moon Lounge, a Spa specializing in chocolate treatments, Wellness Center with professional and advanced equipment, Chocolate Boutique for every whim, details and yet more details, textures, colors, balance... the perfect experience. Hacienda Xcanatun: (+52�999) 941�0213 http://www.xcanatun.com) Owners, Jorge Ruz and Cristina Baker, have deep roots in the Yucatan allowing them to provide an unusual level of exclusive access. Born and raised here, Jorge is the son of one of Mexico’s most famous archaeologists, who discovered and excavated King Pacal’s tomb at Palenque. The couple delights in arranging unique experiences for guests. Scattered throughout nine acres of tropical gardens, the hacienda’s regal buildings are surrounded by protective walls recalling its baronial past. All of the 18 air-‐conditioned accommodations have a private patio or balcony and are individually decorated with antiques, hand carved furnishings, original oil paintings and marble floors. Additional facilities include two swimming pools, an intimate spa offering beauty and holistic Maya treatments, plus an award winning gourmet restaurant, considered the best in the area.
Executive Edge Travel + Events Tel: +613 9519 7777 | Fax: +613 9519 7700 Email [email protected] | Web www.executiveedge.com.au
