- Travel on the First Class "El Chepe" train through the Copper Canyon
- Join the locals for a fiesta on the "Tequila Express"
- Explore some of Mexico's finest colonial cities

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 Cortes. Heading north, we pause at the remarkably well-preserved colonial centre of Queretaro, 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.

Itinerary:

Day 1 Join the tour in Mexico City. Days 2/3 Pyramids We have two full days in Mexico City, visiting the remarkable Anthropology Museum and the outlying Teotihuacan and Tenochtitlan pyramids. Days 4/6 Colonial Cities We continue our journey via the architectural gems of Queretaro and Guanajuato. Days 7/8 Tequila Express Boarding the train, we head into the Tequila-agave fields where we'll take a private tour of one of the Tequila estates and join the locals for a fiesta. The following day there's time to recover before we fly to Chihuahua. Days 9/11 Copper Canyon Railway We climb aboard the first class "El Chepe" train that will carry us for the next 3 days through the breathtaking scenery of the Sierra Madre Mountains. At night we stay in hotels near villages that give us chance to get a flavour of local life in the canyon. Day 12 El Fuerte Our journey ends at El Fuerte, and after exploring this charming town, we fly back to Mexico City this evening. Day 13 Tour ends in Mexico City.

Accommodation: 12nts comfortable hotels; 12 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 dinners included.
Transport: Train/Bus. We travel in Standard Class (the only class) on the Tequila Express and First Class on "El Chepe", the Copper Canyon Train. On "El Chepe" a bar and restaurant is available.
Comment: Suitable for people of all abilities, all walks are optional.
Group: Approx. 14 to 18.
Staff: Explore Tour Leader and driver(s).
Trip Reference: RMX2010