Mexico City, Puebla & Oaxaca — Self-Launched
9 days · Mexico
G Adventures charges £2,100
No-markup version: ~£795 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on G Adventures' 9-day "Mexico Upgraded" loop: Mexico City's Zócalo, Teotihuacán and a sunrise Xochimilco canal trip, the Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyoacán, colonial Puebla with a Talavera pottery workshop, alebrijes artisans en route, and Oaxaca's markets, Mitla ruins and mezcal country. You'll use cheap, frequent ADO buses instead of a private vehicle and a budget domestic flight for the Oaxaca–Mexico City leg, stay in well-located hostels and guesthouses, and book the same experiences directly or via GetYourGuide. Costs are approximate per person, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Mexico City — settle into Roma or Centro
Mexico City
Land at Benito Juárez (MEX) and take the Metro (Line 5 then transfer, ~25 MXN / £1.10) or an authorised airport taxi (~250 MXN / £11) into the city. Base yourself in Roma Norte or near the Zócalo — both are walkable, safe at night and packed with taquerías. Skip the private arrival transfer and instead pre-load a local SIM/eSIM (Telcel top-up ~£8) and pick up a Tarjeta CDMX transport card. Evening: tacos al pastor at a busy corner stand and an early night to shake off the flight.
🚌Airport Metro or authorised taxi (~£1–11)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse dorm/private in Roma Norte or Centro Histórico (~£18–24/night)
- →Self-guided wander of Roma Norte
- →Tacos al pastor dinner
Zócalo, street food and the Anthropology Museum
Mexico City
Walk the Centro Histórico: the vast Zócalo, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Templo Mayor ruins (85 MXN / £3.70). For the food element, join a small-group street-food walk with GetYourGuide or Eat Mexico (~£35–45, 3–4 hrs) hitting mercado stalls for tlacoyos, quesadillas and pulque — or DIY it at Mercado de San Juan and Mercado de la Merced for under £10. In the afternoon, take the Metro to Chapultepec for the National Museum of Anthropology (210 MXN / £9) — allow 3 hours. Optional evening: Ballet Folklórico at the Palacio de Bellas Artes (~£30–45) or the Diego Rivera murals at the Secretaría de Educación Pública (free).
🚌Metro day (~£2)
🛏Same hostel/guesthouse, Mexico City
- →Zócalo & Templo Mayor (85 MXN)
- →Street-food market walk (self-guided or GetYourGuide ~£40)
- →National Museum of Anthropology (210 MXN)
Teotihuacán pyramids by public bus
Teotihuacán / Mexico City
Do Teotihuacán independently and cheaply: take the Metro to Terminal Autobuses del Norte and catch the direct bus to the ruins (~60 MXN each way, hourly, 1 hr). Entry is 90 MXN (£4). Climb the Pyramid of the Sun and Moon and walk the Avenue of the Dead — a GetYourGuide guided tour (~£25–35 including entry) adds context if you want the storytelling. Return mid-afternoon, then head to Arena México for a Lucha Libre match (350–500 MXN / £15–22, buy at the box office or via Ticketmaster MX) — Tuesday, Friday and Sunday nights are the big ones.
🚌Metro + public bus to Teotihuacán (~£6 return)
🛏Same hostel/guesthouse, Mexico City
- →Teotihuacán ruins (90 MXN entry)
- →Optional guided tour via GetYourGuide (~£30)
- →Lucha Libre at Arena México (350–500 MXN)
Sunrise Xochimilco, Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul, then Puebla
Mexico City to Puebla
Get up early for Xochimilco: the canals open around 7am and you'll have the trajineras largely to yourself for a 1-hour shared boat ride with mariachi (~£8–12 per person if you share a boat; a GetYourGuide sunrise tour with farm breakfast runs ~£45). Follow it with breakfast at a local farm or mercado. Then take an Uber or Metro to Coyoacán for the Museo Frida Kahlo (Casa Azul) — book the timed ticket online in advance at boletosfridakahlo.mx (~250 MXN / £11); slots sell out days ahead. In the late afternoon, take an ADO bus from TAPO terminal to Puebla (~2 hrs, 250–350 MXN / £11–15) and check into a guesthouse in the centro.
🚌Metro/Uber in CDMX + ADO bus to Puebla (~£20 total)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Puebla centro (~£20–28/night)
- →Sunrise Xochimilco boat ride (~£10)
- →Frida Kahlo Museum (250 MXN)
- →Walk of Puebla's zócalo and colonial streets
Talavera pottery workshop and Cholula
Puebla
Book a Talavera pottery workshop directly with a certified taller (studio) in Puebla — Uriarte Talavera offers visits and demonstrations (~150–250 MXN / £7–11; call or email to reserve). Puebla is one of only two places in the world making genuine Talavera. Afternoon options: browse the Mercado El Parián and the candy street Calle de los Dulces, walk the Barrio del Artista, or take a local bus to Cholula (~30 min, 15 MXN) to see the Great Pyramid with the church on top (85 MXN / £4) and the stunning Puebla–Cholula panorama. A short Puebla food tour via GetYourGuide (~£30) covers mole poblano and chiles en nogada if you'd rather be led.
🚌Local bus to Cholula (~£1.50)
🛏Same guesthouse, Puebla
- →Talavera pottery demonstration (~£9)
- →Cholula Great Pyramid (85 MXN)
- →Optional Puebla food tour (~£30)
Alebrijes artisans and on to Oaxaca
Puebla to Oaxaca
Take the morning ADO bus from Puebla's CAPU terminal to Oaxaca (~4.5–5 hrs, ~500–650 MXN / £22–28). En route or after arrival, visit an alebrijes carving family in San Martín Tilcajete or Arrazola (collectivo from Oaxaca ~40 MXN each way, 30 min; small workshop donation/tip ~£5). These are the painted fantastical animals you'll see all over Oaxaca. Check into a hostel or guesthouse near the Zócalo, then join a 2–3 hour Oaxaca market and street-food walk via GetYourGuide or a local outfit like Casa Crespo (~£30–40) finishing with a cooking session in a family kitchen — or simply eat your way through Mercado 20 de Noviembre (tlayudas, tasajo, chapulines) for £8.
🚌ADO bus Puebla–Oaxaca (~£25) + collectivo to artisan village (~£3)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse near the Zócalo, Oaxaca (~£16–22/night)
- →Alebrijes artisan workshop visit (~£5)
- →Oaxaca market & food walk (~£35 or self-guided ~£8)
Mitla ruins and mezcal country
Mitla / Oaxaca
Take a local bus or colectivo from Oaxaca's second-class terminal to Mitla (~1 hr, 40–50 MXN) and explore the geometric greca-patterned ruins (entry ~90 MXN / £4) — quieter and more intricate than Monte Albán. Combine with the nearby Hierve el Agua petrified waterfalls if you hire a shared taxi (colectivo tours ~£10–15 for the day). On the way back, stop at a palenque in Santiago Matatlán for a mezcal tasting (~£5–10, or ~£25 for a small-group mezcal tour via GetYourGuide). Evening back in Oaxaca: mezcalerías around the Zócalo and, if it's late July, the Guelaguetza festivities.
🚌Local bus/colectivo to Mitla and Matatlán (~£6)
🛏Same hostel/guesthouse, Oaxaca
- →Mitla ruins (90 MXN)
- →Mezcal palenque tasting (~£8)
- →Optional Hierve el Agua day trip (~£12)
Monte Albán morning, afternoon flight to Mexico City
Oaxaca to Mexico City
Start early: a shared shuttle bus from the Hotel Rivera del Ángel leaves for Monte Albán regularly (~120–150 MXN return / £5–6, entry 90 MXN / £4). Alternatively a GetYourGuide guided tour is ~£25–30. Wander the hilltop Zapotec city and its ball court, back by early afternoon. Pre-book a VivaAerobus or Aeroméxico flight OAX–MEX (~£40–60 one way, 1 hr 15; baggage limits are strict so pack light) rather than the tour's included flight. Land in Mexico City, take the Metro in, and enjoy a final night of tacos and mezcal in Roma or Condesa.
🚌Shuttle to Monte Albán + domestic flight OAX–MEX + Metro (~£55)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Roma or Centro, Mexico City (~£20–26/night)
- →Monte Albán ruins (90 MXN + shuttle)
- →Final night out in Roma/Condesa
Depart Mexico City
Mexico City
Leisurely breakfast, last-minute souvenir run at the Ciudadela craft market or Mercado de Artesanías La Ciudadela, then Metro or taxi to Benito Juárez airport for your international flight. If you have a late departure, the Diego Rivera-Anahuacalli Museum in Coyoacán or a walk through Chapultepec Park are easy, cheap ways to fill the hours.
🚌Metro or taxi to airport (~£1–11)
🛏—
- →La Ciudadela craft market
- →Optional Diego Rivera-Anahuacalli Museum (45 MXN)
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£795 | £2,100 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,305 per person (62%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£795
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Mexico City, Puebla & Oaxaca — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £795 per person for 9 days in Mexico. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,100 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £795 — a saving of roughly £1,305 (62%) per person.
How long is the Mexico trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Mexico.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, foodie, city-breaks trip through Mexico, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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