Mexico Highlights: Self-Launched Cancun to Mexico City Route
17 days · Mexico
Bamba Travel charges £1,125
No-markup version: ~£1,120 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of Bamba Travel's 17-day "Mexico Highlights" travel pass: Cancun and Chichen Itza, Playa del Carmen, Tulum's adventure parks and cenotes, Merida's Yucatan cenote country, Palenque with Agua Azul and Misol-Ha, San Cristobal de las Casas, the Pacific beaches of Mazunte and Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca (Hierve el Agua, mezcal, Teotitlan), and Mexico City with Teotihuacan. All long-distance legs use ADO/OCC first-class buses (or VivaAerobus where it's cheaper), activities are booked direct or via GetYourGuide/Klook, and you pick your own hostels and guesthouses. Costs are realistic backpacker estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Cancun & Chichen Itza day trip
Cancun
Land at Cancun airport and take the ADO bus or colectivo into the Hotel Zone/downtown (£2-4). Drop bags at a downtown hostel, then join a Chichen Itza day tour booked on GetYourGuide or Klook (£35-45 incl. entry, guide and cenote stop) — the public ADO bus to Chichen (£12 each way) plus a £30 on-site entry ticket works out similar without the guide. Evening: street tacos and a swim at Playa Delfines.
🚌ADO airport bus £2-4; day-tour minibus or ADO bus to Chichen Itza included in activity cost
🛏Downtown Cancun hostel dorm, £14-18
- →Chichen Itza with licensed guide (GetYourGuide/Klook)
- →Swim stop at cenote
- →Playa Delfines at sunset
Cancun to Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen
ADO bus down the coast to Playa del Carmen (1h15, £4-5). Check into a hostel a few blocks off 5th Avenue to save money, then walk Quinta Avenida, hit the free public beach at Playa Mamitas end, and sort your Tulum transport for tomorrow. Cheap eats: tacos al pastor at a local taqueria (£3-4).
🚌ADO bus Cancun–Playa del Carmen £4-5
🛏Hostel dorm near 5th Ave, £13-17
- →Quinta Avenida stroll
- →Playa del Carmen beach
- →Cozumel ferry (optional, ~£16 return) if you want snorkelling
Playa del Carmen free day
Playa del Carmen
Optional: colectivo to the cenotes along Highway 307 (£6-8 round trip) — Cenote Azul and Jardin del Eden are cheap and swimmable; or ferry to Cozumel for snorkelling from shore. Otherwise beach day, sunset at the pier, and a cooking-class or mezcal bar evening. Book your Tulum colectivo and Playa hostel transfer tonight.
🚌Colectivo to cenotes £3-4 each way; local taxis £2-3
🛏Hostel dorm near 5th Ave, £13-17
- →Cenote Azul / Jardin del Eden (entry £4-6)
- →Cozumel ferry + snorkel rental (optional, £25)
- →Beach & sunset pier
Playa del Carmen to Tulum
Tulum
Colectivo or ADO bus south to Tulum (1h, £3-4). Check into a hostel in Tulum Pueblo (cheaper than the beach strip), rent a bicycle (£6/day) and ride to the Tulum ruins (£6 entry) for late-afternoon light. Swim at Playa Paraiso, then eat at a pueblo taqueria. Pre-book tomorrow's adventure-park combo online.
🚌Colectivo Playa–Tulum £3-4; bike rental £6
🛏Tulum Pueblo hostel dorm, £14-18
- →Tulum ruins (entry ~£6)
- →Playa Paraiso
- →Bike ride along the beach road
Tulum jungle adventure day: zipline, ATV, cenote
Tulum
Book a combo jungle park independently via GetYourGuide/Klook (£55-70) — covers ziplines over the canopy, rappelling, hanging bridges, ATV trek on 4x4s, cenote swim with water zipline, and lunch. Pickup from Tulum pueblo is usually included; if not, a shared taxi is £6-10. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, closed shoes and a dry bag.
🚌Shared transfer to park included or £6-10
🛏Tulum Pueblo hostel dorm, £14-18
- →Zipline canopy circuit
- →Rappelling & hanging bridges
- →ATV jungle trek
- →Cenote swim + water zipline
- →Lunch at adventure base
Tulum to Merida
Merida
Long bus day: ADO Tulum–Merida via Valladolid/Cancun takes 5-6h (£22-28). Book the early bus, arrive for late afternoon, and check into a hostel near Plaza Grande. Evening: free Sunday-ish plaza life, marquesitas from a street cart (£2), and a cheap Yucatecan dinner — sopa de lima and poc-chuc (£6-8).
🚌ADO first-class bus Tulum–Merida £22-28
🛏Merida hostel dorm near centro, £11-15
- →Plaza Grande & Paseo de Montejo walk
- →Yucatecan food
- →Marquesitas street snack
Merida cenote & hacienda circuit
Merida
Take a colectivo/tour to the cenote belt south of Merida — book a small-group cenote and hacienda day via GetYourGuide (£30-40) or DIY with colectivos to Cuzama (£2-3 each leg) plus cenote entry (£3-5 each). Swim in cavern cenotes with sapphire water and open-air emerald cenotes, visit an old henequen hacienda, and hear Mayan stories from local guides. Back in Merida for a folkloric dance at Plaza Grande (free).
🚌Colectivo or shared tour minibus £5-10
🛏Merida hostel dorm near centro, £11-15
- →Cavern cenote swim
- →Open-air cenote swim & snorkel
- →Hacienda tour
- →Mayan culture storytelling
- →Free evening folkloric dance
Merida to Palenque
Palenque
ADO bus Merida–Palenque (7-8h, £24-30) — or break it with a night in Campeche if you prefer. Arrive at Palenque town (El Panchan jungle cabanas area is cheaper than the village). Book the Palenque ruins + Agua Azul + Misol-Ha combo tour for tomorrow (£30-40), and have an early night — jungle starts are early.
🚌ADO bus Merida–Palenque £24-30
🛏Palenque town/El Panchan guesthouse, £10-14
- →Travel day
- →Book ruins/waterfall combo tour
Palenque ruins, Misol-Ha & Agua Azul
San Cristobal de las Casas
Early start on a shared minibus tour covering Palenque ruins with a guide (£30-40 incl. entry), swimming at Misol-Ha's waterfall cave, and Agua Azul's turquoise river pools. Then continue by shared transfer or OCC bus onward to San Cristobal de las Casas (£14-18). Mountain roads, so bring motion-sickness tablets and layers — San Cristobal sits at 2,200m and is cold at night.
🚌Shared minibus tour transport + onward transfer/bus to San Cristobal £14-18
🛏San Cristobal hostel dorm (wood stove!), £10-14
- →Palenque ruins guided visit
- →Agua Azul river pools swim
- →Misol-Ha waterfall & cave
San Cristobal de las Casas & Chiapas food experience
San Cristobal de las Casas
Morning walk through the cobbled centro, Santo Domingo craft market and the Guadalupe church stairs. Book a Chiapas cooking/foodie experience independently (£20-28) — posh (tsotsil maize drink) tasting, traditional soup, a pork/chicken/veg dish with regional seasoning, and a fair-trade handicraft stop. Afternoon: free Sumidero Canyon viewpoint bus or a £15 boat trip. Cheap and cosy: café de olla for £1.50.
🚌Walking; local colectivo £1-2
🛏San Cristobal hostel dorm, £10-14
- →Chiapas foodie/cooking experience
- →Santo Domingo craft market
- →Guadalupe church viewpoint
- →Sumidero Canyon viewpoint (optional £10-15)
San Cristobal to Mazunte (via Pochutla)
Mazunte
Big travel day: overnight or daytime bus San Cristobal–Pochutla (£25-32, 9-11h with a change in Tuxtla or Juchitan). From Pochutla take a shared taxi/colectivo to Mazunte (£2). Collapse into a beach guesthouse, eat cheap fish tacos, and watch the sunset from Punta Cometa — it's the best free show on the Oaxaca coast.
🚌OCC/ADO bus San Cristobal–Pochutla £25-32; shared taxi Pochutla–Mazunte £2
🛏Mazunte beach guesthouse/hostel, £10-15
- →Punta Cometa sunset
- →Mazunte beach
- →Fish tacos dinner
Mazunte to Puerto Escondido
Puerto Escondido
Morning swim and coffee in Mazunte, then colectivo to Puerto Escondido (1-1.5h, £3-4). Stay in Zicatela for surf vibes or the Centro/Adoquin for cheaper beds. Book tomorrow's surf lesson direct with a beach school (£18-25 for 2h with bilingual instructors). Sunset at Playa Zicatela watching the Mexican Pipeline.
🚌Colectivo Mazunte–Puerto Escondido £3-4; local taxis £2-3
🛏Puerto Escondido hostel dorm, £11-16
- →Mazunte beach morning
- →Zicatela Beach
- →Surf school booking
- →Mexican Pipeline sunset
Surf lesson in Puerto Escondido
Puerto Escondido
Two-hour surf lesson booked directly with a Zicatela school (£18-25, board and rash vest included); schools pick the beach by your level — Playa Carrizalillo for beginners, Zicatela for intermediates. Afternoon: laguna de Manialtepec bioluminescence tour (£18-22, best around new moon) or a free afternoon at Carrizalillo with a hammock and a £2 beer.
🚌Walking/local taxi £2-3
🛏Puerto Escondido hostel dorm, £11-16
- →2-hour surf lesson with bilingual instructor
- →Playa Carrizalillo
- →Bioluminescent lagoon tour (optional £18-22)
Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Morning bus to Oaxaca — ADO/OCC take 7-8h (£22-28), or VivaAerobus PXM–OAX flights sometimes cost £35-45 and save a day. Check into a hostel near the Zocalo, then wander the Centro Historico and the pedestrian street Macedonio Alcala. Eat tlayudas and memelas from market stalls for £4-6.
🚌OCC bus Puerto Escondido–Oaxaca £22-28 (or flight £35-45)
🛏Oaxaca hostel dorm near Zocalo, £13-17
- →Centro Historico walk
- →Zocalo people-watching
- →Tlayuda dinner
Hierve el Agua, mezcal & Teotitlan del Valle
Oaxaca
Book a small-group day tour independently (£25-35 via GetYourGuide/Klook or direct with a local agency) covering Hierve el Agua's petrified waterfalls and natural pools, a mezcal palenque with tasting, and the Zapotec weaving town of Teotitlan del Valle where rug-makers demo natural-dye weaving. Cheaper DIY: colectivo to Mitla then shared pickup to Hierve el Agua (£8-10 total) plus £4 entry.
🚌Tour minibus or colectivo network £8-10
🛏Oaxaca hostel dorm near Zocalo, £13-17
- →Hierve el Agua petrified waterfalls & pools
- →Mezcal palenque tour & tasting
- →Teotitlan del Valle weaving demo
Oaxaca to Mexico City
Mexico City
ADO/OCC bus Oaxaca–Mexico City is 6-7h (£25-32) on a comfortable first-class coach, or take a VivaAerobus flight (£30-45) if time is tight. Arrive, take the Metro from the bus terminal (£0.35), and stay in Roma Norte or Centro. Evening: street elote, then a rooftop beer overlooking the Zocalo. Book tomorrow's Teotihuacan tour tonight.
🚌ADO/OCC bus £25-32 or domestic flight £30-45; Metro £0.35
🛏Roma Norte/Centro hostel dorm, £14-19
- →Metro ride
- →Roma Norte wander
- →Zocalo at night
Teotihuacan & farewell to Mexico City
Mexico City
Morning Teotihuacan tour booked via GetYourGuide/Klook (£20-30 incl. transport and guide, entry £4-5) — climb the Pyramid of the Sun, walk the Avenue of the Dead, see the murals, and stop at an obsidian workshop with a cactus liqueur and tequila/mezcal/pulque tasting. DIY option: Metro to Autobuses del Norte and a £3 bus to the site. Afternoon back in the city: Diego Rivera murals at the Palacio Nacional (free) and a last-market meal.
🚌Tour minibus or Metro + public bus £3-6
🛏Departure day / optional extra city night £14-19
- →Teotihuacan pyramids guided visit
- →Obsidian workshop & spirit tasting
- →Palacio Nacional murals (free)
Self-launched vs. Bamba Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Bamba Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,120 | £1,125 |
| Duration | 17 days | 17 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £5 per person (0%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Bamba Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,120
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 Highlights: Self-Launched Cancun to Mexico City Route cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,120 per person for 17 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 Bamba Travel?+
Yes — Bamba Travel charges around £1,125 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,120 — a saving of roughly £5 (0%) per person.
How long is the Mexico trip?+
This itinerary runs 17 days, covering 17 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 adventure, culture, backpacker 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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