Mexico Differently — Self-Launched: Mexico City to the Riviera Maya
12 days · Mexico
Wingbuddy charges £2,489
No-markup version: ~£1,235 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Wingbuddy's 12-day "Mexico Differently" group tour, running from Mexico City through Puebla, Oaxaca, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Palenque, Campeche, Mérida and Chichén Itzá to the Riviera Maya. Instead of a coach and a tour leader you'll use Mexico's excellent and cheap long-distance buses (ADO, OCC, ADO GL), collectivos and shared shuttles, stay in hostels and family-run guesthouses, and book archaeological guides on the spot or via GetYourGuide only where they add real value (Teotihuacán, Chichén Itzá, Sumidero Canyon). The route hits the same Maya and colonial highlights — Teotihuacán, Monte Albán, Sumidero, Agua Azul, Palenque, Uxmal, Chichén Itzá and a cenote — at roughly a third of the tour price. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Mexico City — Centro Histórico orientation
Mexico City
Fly into Mexico City (MEX) and take the Metro (Line 5 from the airport, ~£0.35) or an authorised airport taxi (~£12–15) to a hostel in Centro Histórico or Roma/Condesa. Spend the afternoon walking the Zócalo, the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Palacio Nacional exterior, then eat tacos al pastor at a busy local stand (~£5). Pick up a Metro card and buy your Teotihuacán bus ticket for tomorrow if you want an early start.
🚌Airport Metro Line 5 or authorised taxi to Centro Histórico
🛏Hostel dorm in Centro Histórico or Roma (~£12–16/night)
- →Zócalo and Centro Histórico walk
- →Metropolitan Cathedral
- →Palacio Nacional exterior
Teotihuacán pyramids + Templo Mayor
Mexico City / Teotihuacán
Catch an early bus to Teotihuacán from Terminal del Norte (Autobuses Teotihuacanos, ~£3 each way, 1hr). Climb the Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon, walk the Avenue of the Dead and the Citadel — arrive at opening (8am) to beat the crowds and the heat. Optional GetYourGuide guided entry (~£30–40) if you want the mythology explained. Back in the city, visit the Templo Mayor ruins and museum beside the Cathedral (~£4). Alternatively do a combined GetYourGuide day tour (~£45) that covers city highlights plus Teotihuacán.
🚌Metro to Terminal del Norte + Autobuses Teotihuacanos return (~£6)
🛏Same hostel as Day 1
- →Teotihuacán archaeological site
- →Pyramid of the Sun
- →Pyramid of the Moon
- →Templo Mayor ruins and museum
Mexico City → Puebla → Oaxaca
Puebla / Oaxaca
Take an early ADO bus from Mexico City's TAPO terminal to Puebla (~£9, 2hrs), drop bags at the bus station lockers and walk the UNESCO historic centre: the Zócalo, the rosary chapel inside the Church of Santo Domingo (free, one of Mexico's most ornate interiors) and the talavera-tiled Casa del Deán. Lunch on mole poblano (~£6). In the afternoon take an ADO bus Puebla → Oaxaca (~£15, 4.5hrs) and check into a guesthouse near the Zócalo.
🚌ADO bus Mexico City (TAPO) → Puebla ~£9; ADO bus Puebla → Oaxaca ~£15
🛏Guesthouse/hostel near Oaxaca Zócalo (~£14–18/night)
- →Puebla historic centre
- →Church of Santo Domingo and Chapel of the Rosary
- →Mole poblano lunch
Monte Albán + Oaxaca city
Oaxaca
Take a shared collectivo from Hotel Rivera del Ángel to Monte Albán at 8am (~£4 return, 25 mins) — go before the tour buses. Wander the ball court, observatory and the tombs of the necropolis; site entry ~£4. Return to town for a self-guided wander of the Zócalo, Santo Domingo church and the Santa Catalina de Siena friary, then graze the Benito Juárez market for tlayudas and mezcal (~£8). Evening: free music and dancing on the Zócalo.
🚌Shared collectivo to Monte Albán (~£4 return); walking in town
🛏Same Oaxaca guesthouse
- →Monte Albán archaeological site and tombs
- →Oaxaca Zócalo and Santo Domingo church
- →Benito Juárez market food crawl
- →Mezcal tasting in a local palenque/tasting room (~£8)
Oaxaca → Tuxtla Gutiérrez via Tehuantepec
Oaxaca / Tuxtla Gutiérrez
Long travel day: take an early ADO/GL bus Oaxaca → Tuxtla Gutiérrez (~£28–32, 9–10hrs with stops, or a night bus to save a hotel night). Break the journey in Tehuantepec for lunch and to see the Matías Romero/Santiago Matatán area and the Isthmus culture if you're on a daytime service. In the evening, do a small mezcal workshop and tasting at a local palenque in Chiapa de Corzo or Tuxtla (~£10–12) — self-bookable direct or via GetYourGuide.
🚌ADO GL bus Oaxaca → Tuxtla Gutiérrez ~£30
🛏Hostel/budget hotel in Tuxtla Gutiérrez (~£15–18/night)
- →Tehuantepec lunch stop
- →Mezcal workshop and tasting (~£11)
Sumidero Canyon → San Cristóbal de las Casas
Sumidero Canyon / San Cristóbal de las Casas
Morning shared boat trip through Sumidero Canyon from Chiapa de Corzo (~£20 including colectivo transfers, 2hrs on the water) — sheer 1,000m cliffs, crocodiles and spider monkeys. Book direct at the Chiapa de Corzo embarcadero or via GetYourGuide. Lunch in Chiapa de Corzo (~£6), then a colectivo or ADO bus to San Cristóbal de las Casas (~£6, 1.5hrs). Settle into a highland guesthouse and acclimatise to the 2,200m altitude with a slow evening on the pedestrianised Real de Guadalupe.
🚌Colectivo Tuxtla → Chiapa de Corzo ~£1; colectivo/ADO Chiapa de Corzo → San Cristóbal ~£6
🛏Guesthouse in San Cristóbal de las Casas (~£14–18/night)
- →Sumidero Canyon boat trip
- →Chiapa de Corzo square and Santo Domingo church
San Cristóbal + Chamula & Zinacantán communities
San Cristóbal de las Casas
Morning at the local market and the Baroque Santo Domingo church and its handicraft arcade, then take a shared colectivo or a guided half-day trip to the highland communities of San Juan Chamula (the candle-lit syncretic church) and Zinacantán (~£15–20 via GetYourGuide or book direct with a licensed Tsotsil guide; respect the no-photo rules inside the church). Try pox (Maya sugarcane spirit) at a family palenque (~£4) and a tortilla-making session with a local family (~£6). Evening: café culture and a warming caldo tilapac in town.
🚌Colectivo San Cristóbal → Chamula ~£1 each way; Zinacantán shared taxi ~£2
🛏Same San Cristóbal guesthouse
- →San Juan Chamula community and church
- →Zinacantán community
- →Tortilla-making lesson (~£6)
- →Pox tasting (~£4)
- →Santo Domingo church and local market
San Cristóbal → Agua Azul → Palenque
Agua Azul / Palenque
Take a shared tourist shuttle or ADO bus San Cristóbal → Palenque (~£12–15, 5–6hrs) with a 2-hour stop at the Agua Azul waterfalls (entry ~£4) — turquoise cascades and swimming. Shuttles run from the main street agencies and can be arranged the day before; ask to be dropped at Agua Azul and rejoin the same van. Arrive Palenque town (not the ruins) by evening and check into a jungle-edge cabaña or hostel.
🚌Shared shuttle San Cristóbal → Agua Azul → Palenque ~£14
🛏Cabana/hostel near Palenque ruins or town (~£13–17/night)
- →Agua Azul waterfalls and swim (~£4 entry)
Palenque ruins → Campeche
Palenque / Campeche
Be at the Palenque ruins gate for 8am opening (~£3.50 entry; it's steamier and busier later). Climb the Templo de las Inscripciones terraces viewpoint, explore the Palace and the Temple of the Cross group, and listen for howler monkeys. Optional local licensed guide at the gate ~£15–20 shared. Mid-afternoon colectivo back to town, then an ADO bus Palenque → Campeche (~£15, 4.5hrs). Evening walk on the walled city's malecón and colonial streets.
🚌Colectivo to ruins ~£1.60; ADO bus Palenque → Campeche ~£15
🛏Hostel/budget hotel in Campeche historic centre (~£15–18/night)
- →Palenque archaeological site
- →Templo de las Inscripciones
- →Palace and Temple of the Cross
Campeche → Uxmal → Mérida
Uxmal / Mérida
Early ADO bus Campeche → Uxmal junction (~£7, 2hrs), then a colectivo or taxi to the ruins (~£2). Uxmal is quieter than Chichén Itzá: walk the Fortuneteller's Pyramid, the Governor's Palace, the Quadrangle of the Nuns and the ball court (entry ~£4.50). Continue by colectivo/ADO to Mérida (~£6, 1.5hrs). Late afternoon self-guided city walk: Mérida's Zócalo, Cathedral, Government's Palace murals, Municipal Palace and Francisco Montejo's House, then marquesitas and a cantina dinner.
🚌ADO Campeche → Uxmal ~£7; colectivo Uxmal → Mérida ~£6
🛏Hostel/hotel in Mérida Centro (~£15–20/night)
- →Uxmal archaeological site
- →Fortuneteller's Pyramid and Governor's Palace
- →Quadrangle of the Nuns
- →Mérida Zócalo, Cathedral and Government's Palace
Chichén Itzá + cenote Saamal → Riviera Maya
Chichén Itzá / Riviera Maya
Take an early ADO bus Mérida → Chichén Itzá (~£9, 1.5hrs) to arrive at 8am opening (~£26 entry — the priciest ticket in Mexico, pay by card at the gate). Do a shared licensed guide (~£20) for the Kukulcán Temple, ball game, Observatory, Warrior's Temple and Sacred Cenote, then take a colectivo/taxi to Cenote Saamal near Valladolid for a swim (~£4). From Valladolid take an ADO bus to Playa del Carmen/Tulum (~£10–12, 2.5hrs) and check into a beach-town hostel.
🚌ADO Mérida → Chichén Itzá ~£9; colectivo/taxi to cenote ~£4; ADO Valladolid → Playa del Carmen ~£11
🛏Hostel in Playa del Carmen or Tulum (~£16–22/night)
- →Chichén Itzá with shared guide
- →Kukulcán Temple, Observatory and ball court
- →Sacred Cenote
- →Cenote Saamal swim
Riviera Maya — cenotes, beach and departure
Riviera Maya
Free day to choose your own ending: swim in a Tulum-area cenote (~£5), snorkel at Akumal with sea turtles using a local guide (~£20), or just lie on the sand at Playa del Carmen. If flying home, take the ADO bus to Cancún airport (~£4, 1.5hrs) or to Tulum's new airport; if staying on, extend in a beach hostel. Budget any final-transit and last-night costs yourself.
🚌ADO bus Playa del Carmen → Cancún airport ~£4, or local colectivos ~£1–2
🛏Own arrangement / last night in Playa del Carmen hostel (~£18)
- →Cenote swimming (~£5)
- →Turtle snorkelling at Akumal (~£20)
- →Beach time on the Riviera Maya
Self-launched vs. Wingbuddy
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Wingbuddy | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,235 | £2,489 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,254 per person (50%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Wingbuddy-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,235
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 Differently — Self-Launched: Mexico City to the Riviera Maya cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,235 per person for 12 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 Wingbuddy?+
Yes — Wingbuddy charges around £2,489 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,235 — a saving of roughly £1,254 (50%) per person.
How long is the Mexico trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 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, adventure, hiking 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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