Climbing Orizaba (5636 m) + travel to Mexico

Participants gather in Mexico City (2240 m). Here, historic buildings and metal-and-glass skyscrapers, unpretentious eateries and elegant restaurants, abandoned alleys and bustling streets coexist harmoniously. Check-in at the hotel late in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

After a long flight, it’s best to get a good night’s sleep and plan a stroll through downtown Mexico City: Zocalo Square, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe. At the end of the day, you can stroll to Plaza Garibaldi, where the mariachi street singers gather.
You can spend part of the day in the colorful town of Pachuca, a suburb of Mexico City. The city is notable for its colorful hillside neighborhoods and enormous murals.
You can also plan a hot air balloon ride to the Teotehuacan pyramids at sunrise today. Overnight at the hotel.

Around midday, we’ll head to La Malinche Volcano. Along the way, stunning views of Popocatepel Volcano open up. We’ll stay in small 4-, 6-, or 9-bed cabins with fireplaces and showers.
We’ll begin acclimatization. The hut is already at an altitude of 3,100 meters. In the evening, we’ll take a walk and rest before tomorrow’s challenge.
Overnight at a guesthouse.

Early rise and breakfast. The ascent to La Malinche Volcano (4,450 m) begins no later than 6:00 AM.
The route begins along a forest path (fir and pine trees). The ascent is steep at up to 40°. Then, along a trail between alpine meadows, and then along a rocky path. The ascent takes approximately 6-7 hours up and 3-4 hours down. From the summit, you can see Volcano Orizaba. Lunch break at the summit.
Descent to the car. Transfer to Puebla. On the way to Puebla, we’ll stop in Cholula. Its main attraction is its enormous pyramid—the largest in Mexico. It was once a temple to the god Quetzalcoatl. In 1666, the Spanish built a Christian temple on top of the Great Pyramid of Cholula, intended to symbolize victory over paganism. Puebla is definitely not a Mexican city, more like the capital of a European state, but it’s not without its own charm. The landscapes around Puebla are simply magnificent. The city itself and its entire historic center are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are no modern high-rises; the architecture is Baroque, creating a cozy atmosphere. Puebla is often called the country’s gastronomic capital.
Overnight at the hotel.
Trekking distance: 8 km, elevation gain: 1,350 m. Driving distance: 120 km.

The first half of the day is spent relaxing and exploring Puebla. We’ll drive to the foot of the next volcano, Iztaccihuatl, at 5,230 m.
Base camp is located at an altitude of almost 4,000 m, and we’ll drive here. Iztaccihuatl is located opposite the famous Popocatépetl volcano, at 5,426 m, which is an active volcano. Why do people come here? It’s located literally across from Iztac.
We’ll set up camp in a tent camp. Dinner and preparations for the climb begin at 1:00 AM.

Departure for the ascent no later than 1:00 AM. The hike to the summit takes 6-7 hours, and the descent up to 5 hours.
During the hike, you’ll see incredible, cosmic views of Mexico’s mountain ranges. You’ll see the plume of smoke, ash, and sulfur regularly erupting from Popocatépetl, and at night, you can see the red glow of the hot lava in the crater.
Return to the base. After a short rest, we’ll return to Puebla for relaxation.

Today we have a late wake-up call and check-out. We pack up, load our gear into the jeeps, and head to the southern base camp of Orizaba Volcano. We’ll stop for lunch in the village of Zoopa at the foot of the mountain, after which we’ll continue to the base camp. Arriving at the base camp takes another two hours by 4×4.
Accommodation in tents. Dinner. We spend the remaining time preparing for the ascent.
We’ll spend the night in a tent camp near the shelter.

Early rise. We’ll be on the mountain no later than 2:00 AM. We’ll catch the sunrise below the summit. We’ll descend to the Piedra Grande refuge, have a short rest, eat, and then continue our descent (by car) to the village of Zoapan. In the evening, we’ll have a gala dinner in honor of our ascent of Orizaba Volcano.
Overnight at a guesthouse.
The ascent to Orizaba is along a snow-ice, firn-covered slope, with a 35-45° gradient in places. The ascent begins at 4,200 meters, where the Piedra Grande refuge is located.
The first part of the route (1.5-2 hours) is along a rocky trail with a steepness of 20-30 degrees. The second (1-2 hours) is along a trail with snow and ice between rocks and cliffs. The third part (approximately 4 hours) is across an open ice field without cracks or other obstacles. In November, there’s usually dense snow, but starting in February, there’s ice.
On average, the ascent takes 8-10 hours. The descent takes 3-4 hours. The ascent is along the northern slope, so the feeling of cold lingers until the very summit.
Distance: 15 km, elevation gain: 1,440 m

If we don’t need it that day, we’ll spend it on an extra day in the Pacific Ocean, where we can go surfing or visit turtle beach.

Oaxaca de Juarez – a gem of colonial cities (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Evening stroll through the historic center of Oaxaca. The state of Oaxaca is the birthplace of mezcal (agave vodka). – On the way to the city, we’ll stop at one of the craft mezcaleries, where mezcal is made according to ancient recipes.
Overnight at the hotel.
Distance 310 km, approximately 5 hours by car. You can plan your flight home from Mexico City on this day.

A visit to the Zapotec capital of Monte Albán (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The Zapotec civilization, masters of cranial trepanation, is another enigmatic people of Mesoamerica, and the Aztecs and Mayans, whose culture was not far behind.
The city itself is imbued with magic and tranquility. Small streets, churches, and colonial architecture evoke a leisurely life, memories, and unexpected encounters.
On the way, we will visit the city of Thule, where the largest tree in the world grows, the trunk of which 40 men could encircle hand in hand. The tree is 1,400 years old!
Drive through the mountains to the ocean in the Salina Cruz area. We will check into the picturesque Punta Conejo resort, practically on the wild Pacific coast.
Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast. Early departure from the hotel. Visit to Sumidero Canyon. This day, we’ll take a beautiful motorboat ride along the full-flowing Grijalva River, home to crocodiles and the cries of spider monkeys heard in the surrounding forests. The cliffs of the canyon gorge rise 1,200 meters into the sky, offering incredible views.
Arrival in the colonial city of San Cristobal de las Casas. 16th-century churches, colonial architecture, indigenous people reluctant to exchange their traditional attire for European clothing, selling simple local souvenirs, the sounds of the marimba, a local xylophone, and cobblestone streets. Check-in at the hotel. Rest.
Overnight at the hotel.
Distance by car: 380 km, 8 hours with a stop at the canyon.

Want to meet the descendants of famous Mayans? Welcome to the town of Zinacantan, home to one of the Mayan peoples, the Tzotzil tribe, who have managed to preserve their traditions, way of life, and language to this day, even continuing to wear the clothing of their distant ancestors.
The Tzotzil have shown a certain flexibility, incorporating Catholic elements into their customs. A visit to the Tzotzil Mayan Temple in San Juan Chamula, where modern Mayans perform unique animal sacrifice rituals… How does this actually happen? We’ll only find out for ourselves! Photography is prohibited in the temple. The Tzotzil believe that with a photo, you can take away a person’s soul…
Visit the picturesque El Chiflon Waterfall. Return to San Cristobal de La Casas. Another night in this picturesque town.
Distance by car: 170 km.

Today we are waiting for a flight to Merida, a city in the South-West of Yucatan. From the airport, by private car, transfer to the Celestun National Biosphere Reserve, which is located on the western coast of the Yucatan Peninsula on the Gulf of Mexico side. This place is known for its diversity of fauna, especially birds, among the most famous is the Yucatan pink flamingo. Here we will take a trip on motor boats along a long sea bay among the mangrove jungle.
Visit to the archaeological site of Chichen Itza (UNESCO World Heritage site) – the most important and most famous Mayan city on the Yucatan Peninsula. Inspection of the ruins.
“Pyramid of Kukulcan” or “El Castillo” is one of the new seven wonders of the world. If you wish, you can stop by the pyramids of Uxmal.

Today we’ll travel to a picturesque town in the northwestern part of the Yucatan Peninsula. En route, we’ll visit the archaeological site of Chichen Itza (UNESCO World Heritage Site) – the most important and famous Mayan city. We’ll explore the ruins.
The Pyramid of Kukulkan, or El Castillo, is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Before visiting the pyramids, we’ll visit one of the most beautiful cenotes – Cenote Ik Kil.
The driving distance is 300 km, approximately 7-8 hours, with stops to explore Chichen Itza and Cenote Ik Kil.

Enjoy the warm ocean. Optional trips include the Tulum pyramids, turtle beach, or reef diving. Overnight at the hotel.

The journey is over. Those who can and want to stay can continue exploring the Yucatan or relax by the ocean. The rest of us fly to Mexico City using domestic flights (departing from Cancun Airport), or we can fly directly home from Cancun.