The Many Sides of Mexico: Puerto Vallarta to Oaxaca — Self-Launched Edition
15 days · Mexico
G Adventures charges £1,970
No-markup version: ~£886 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY take on G Adventures' classic Puerto Vallarta → Oaxaca route, minus the group leader and private vehicle. You'll link Pacific beaches, tequila country, the colonial silver cities of the Bajío, Mexico City's museums and pyramids, Puebla, and Oaxaca's food-and-mezcal heartland using Mexico's excellent (and cheap) long-distance buses and a couple of domestic flights or overnight coaches if you prefer to save time. Fifteen days, real hostels and family-run guesthouses, self-booked day tours, and roughly half the price of the packaged version.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta
Fly into Puerto Vallarta (PVR). Take an authorised airport taxi (about 100–150 MXN / £5–7) or the cheap local bus if you're travelling light, and check into a hostel or guesthouse in Zona Romántica or Centro. Spend the late afternoon on Playa de los Muertos, then eat al pastor tacos and a michelada on the malecón. Book your Day 2 activities tonight — GetYourGuide and local operators along the malecón both work.
🚌Airport taxi ~£6
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Zona Romántica (e.g. Casa Kraken, Hostel Vallarta) — £14–22
- →Malecón sunset stroll
- →Taco and street food dinner in Zona Romántica
Beaches, snorkelling or whales in Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta
Full free day. In whale season (roughly December–March) book a half-day humpback whale-watching boat trip directly with a local operator or via GetYourGuide (~£50–65). Off-season, take a panga day trip to Isla Marietas for snorkelling and the Playa Escondida (~£45–60 including park entry), or just do a surf lesson / kayak hire on Las Ánimas beach for ~£15–20. Evening: sunset on the beach and dinner at a fonda in the old town.
🚌Local bus / water taxi ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Zona Romántica — £14–22
- →Whale watching (Dec–Mar) or Isla Marietas snorkel trip
- →Beach day at Las Ánimas or Playa Conchas Chinas
Tequila country en route to Guadalajara
Guadalajara
Take an early first-class bus (ETN or Primera Plus) north to Tequila town — about 5 hours, ~450–600 MXN (~£22–28). DIY a distillery visit: entry and tasting at a mid-size house like La Rojeña (José Cuervo) or better, a smaller artisan distillery, runs ~£15–25, and lunch in a taquería is ~£6. Alternatively, join a Tequila day tour from Guadalajara on a later day and skip the stop now. Continue by bus to Guadalajara (1.5 hrs, ~£6) and check into a hostel near Centro Histórico.
🚌First-class bus PV → Tequila → Guadalajara ~£30
🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse, Guadalajara Centro — £13–20
- →Tequila distillery tour and tasting
- →Tequila town wander
- →Guadalajara Centro evening orientation
Guadalajara and Tlaquepaque
Guadalajara
Morning free to wander the Centro Histórico: Hospicio Cabañas (Orozco murals, ~£5 entry), the cathedral and Mercado San Juan de Dios. Afternoon: take the Tren Ligero or a 60-peso Uber to Tlaquepaque for its artisan streets and galleries, and catch mariachi in the Jardín Hidalgo. A self-booked Guadalajara food tour on GetYourGuide costs ~£35–45; or simply build your own street-food crawl — birria, tortas ahogadas, jericalla for ~£10.
🚌Metro/Light rail + rideshare ~£6
🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse, Guadalajara Centro — £13–20
- →Hospicio Cabañas murals
- →Mercado San Juan de Dios
- →Tlaquepaque artisans & mariachi
- →Self-guided tortas ahogadas crawl
Bus to Guanajuato
Guanajuato
Ride a public bus to Guanajuato (~4–5 hours, ~350–500 MXN / ~£18–24). Check into a hostel on the hillsides above the centro, then explore on foot: the subterranean street tunnels, Jardín de la Unión, Teatro Juárez, and the alleyway of the Callejón del Beso. Do the evening callejoneada (student-led singing walk) with a local student group for ~£5, then eat at a taquería.
🚌Public bus ~£21
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Guanajuato centro — £14–20
- →Public bus Guadalajara → Guanajuato
- →Self-guided historic centre walk
- →Callejoneada evening walk
Mummies, miradors and on to San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende
Free morning: Museo de las Momias (~£6) is grimly fascinating, and the Pipila monument gives the classic city panorama (funicular ~£1). Grab lunch, then take the local bus/Futura to San Miguel de Allende (~1.5–2 hrs, ~£8–12). Arrive, walk the cobbled centro, admire the pink Parroquia, and find dinner — rooftop bars on the Jardín are pricey but a fonda meal is ~£7.
🚌Local bus ~£10
🛏Hostel or casita guesthouse, San Miguel de Allende — £16–24
- →Museo de las Momias
- →Pipila viewpoint
- →San Miguel de Allende orientational walk
San Miguel de Allende architecture day
San Miguel de Allende
Self-guided architectural loop: Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, Templo del Oratorio de San Felipe Neri, Iglesia de San Francisco, and the Bellas Artes art institute. Optional afternoon: a half-day cooking class (~£40–50 via Klook or a local school) or horseback riding outside town (~£30). Free evening — try the mezcalerías off the main square where bars are a third of the tourist-corridor price.
🚌Walking
🛏Hostel or casita guesthouse, San Miguel de Allende — £16–24
- →Church and architecture loop
- →Optional cooking class or horseback ride
Bus into the megalopolis: Mexico City
Mexico City
Take a first-class bus to Mexico City (~4 hrs, ~£22–28) arriving midday. Check into a hostel in Roma Norte, Condesa or Centro. Free afternoon: walk Reforma, browse the Sunday-style markets if it's a weekend, and book a Lucha Libre ticket for Day 9 or 10 (Arena México, ~£18–28 on GetYourGuide or Ticketmaster MX). Evening out — Roma Norte has excellent taquerías and pulquerías.
🚌Bus ~£25 + metro ~£2
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Roma Norte/Centro — £15–24
- →Bus to Mexico City
- →Roma/Condesa wandering
- →Book Lucha Libre tickets
Mexico City museums and markets
Mexico City
Big museum day: Museo Nacional de Antropología (90 MXN entry, ~£4) is world-class and takes at least three hours. Then wander Chapultepec, catch the Zócalo, and time your evening for Lucha Libre at Arena México (tickets 350–500 MXN plus cheap mask souvenirs). Metro is 5 pesos a ride — get a rechargeable card.
🚌Metro ~£2
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Roma Norte/Centro — £15–24
- →National Anthropology Museum
- →Chapultepec Park
- →Zócalo and Templo Mayor exterior
- →Lucha Libre at Arena México
Coyoacán and Frida Kahlo
Mexico City
Morning at the Museo Frida Kahlo (Casa Azul) — book online in advance, ~320 MXN (~£14); pair it with the Museo Anahuacalli or the Leon Trotsky house. Spend the afternoon in Coyoacán's plazas, markets and churro stands. Optional: Xochimilco trajinera boat trip (~£8 per person if you share with a group) or an all-you-can-eat taco tour (~£25). Last night in the capital — treat yourself to a proper sit-down dinner in Condesa.
🚌Metro/Uber ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Roma Norte/Centro — £15–24
- →Museo Frida Kahlo
- →Coyoacán markets
- →Optional Xochimilco boat trip
Teotihuacán pyramids then Puebla
Puebla
Get up early and take the public bus from Terminal Central del Norte to Teotihuacán (~1 hr, ~£5 return). Entry is 90 MXN (~£4); climb the Pyramid of the Sun, walk the Avenue of the Dead. A small-group guided tour via GetYourGuide (~£30–40, often with hotel pickup) is worth it if you want the history — otherwise self-guide with the audio guide. Return to the city, collect your bag, then catch an ADO bus to Puebla (~2 hrs, ~£15–18) and do an evening orientation walk around the Zócalo and its tiled facades.
🚌Bus to Teotihuacán ~£5 + ADO to Puebla ~£17
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Puebla centro — £14–22
- →Teotihuacán pyramids of the Sun and Moon
- →ADO bus to Puebla
- →Puebla Zócalo evening walk
Puebla: Cholula, cemitas and lucha libre
Puebla
Free day exploring. Walk the centro (Biblioteca Palafoxiana, Rosario chapel), browse a ceramics workshop in nearby Uriarte or Santo Domingo's talavera shops, and eat a cemita or mole poblano for lunch. In the afternoon, take a colectivo to Cholula to see the Great Pyramid with the volcano backdrop (~85 MXN entry, 1 hr away). Tonight: Lucha Libre at Arena Puebla (Mondays) if it lines up — tickets from ~£8.
🚌Colectivo to Cholula ~£3
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Puebla centro — £14–22
- →Puebla historic centre
- →Ceramics workshop visit
- →Cholula pyramid
- →Lucha Libre (Monday nights)
Bus to Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Take a scenic ADO bus from Puebla to Oaxaca (~5 hrs, ~£22–28). Check into a hostel in Centro, and make your first stop the Zócalo and Mercado 20 de Noviembre — tlayudas, tasajo and tejate for lunch. Afternoon: visit the Santo Domingo church and the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca, and pop into one of the artisan alebrijes co-ops. Book your Hierve el Agua and Monte Albán tours for the next two days (GetYourGuide, ~£25–35 each with transport).
🚌ADO bus ~£25
🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse, Oaxaca Centro — £13–20
- →ADO bus Puebla → Oaxaca
- →Mercado 20 de Noviembre food stop
- →Santo Domingo and museum
- →Book Hierve el Agua and Monte Albán tours
Mezcal, alebrijes and mole in Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Book a half-day mezcal distillery tour (~£30–40, or DIY by colectivo to Santiago Matatlán for ~£8) and taste small-batch espadín, reposado and añejo. In the afternoon, join a mole cooking class at a local cooking school (~1,200 MXN / ~£55 incl. market visit and lunch) — book direct with the school rather than through an agent. Evening free for mariachi in the Zócalo and a plate of Oaxacan cheese and chapulines.
🚌Colectivo + walking ~£10
🛏Hostel dorm or guesthouse, Oaxaca Centro — £13–20
- →Mezcal distillery tour and tasting
- →Mole cooking class with market visit
- →Alebrijes artisan workshop
Hierve el Agua or Monte Albán, then depart
Oaxaca
Pick your finale: a morning tour to Hierve el Agua petrified waterfalls (~£30–40, arrive by 8am to beat crowds), or Monte Albán's Zapotec ruins (~£20–25 with transport, entry 950 MXN if booked as a tour). Both fit before an afternoon departure. Alternatively, breakfast tamales at the mercado and leave for Oaxaca airport (taxi ~£8) or an overnight first-class bus back toward Mexico City for onward flights.
🚌Airport taxi or departure bus ~£8
🛏Not included (departure day)
- →Hierve el Agua petrified waterfalls
- →Monte Albán ruins
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£886 | £1,970 |
| Duration | 15 days | 15 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,084 per person (55%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£886
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 The Many Sides of Mexico: Puerto Vallarta to Oaxaca — Self-Launched Edition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £886 per person for 15 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 £1,970 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £886 — a saving of roughly £1,084 (55%) per person.
How long is the Mexico trip?+
This itinerary runs 15 days, covering 15 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, 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?
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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