How much time should I plan for a round trip to Mexico?
It is almost impossible to travel the whole of Mexico. The country is almost six times the size of Germany. If you only have 2 or 3 weeks, we recommend traveling a small part of Mexico.
The Yucatán Peninsula is the best place to spend 2 weeks, as you will find many of Mexico’s most famous sights there. We have written a separate article for a 2-week round trip through the Yucatán.
If you want to see more of Mexico, take at least 3 weeks. Otherwise you’ll be on the bus too much. The distances are simply too long.
Our suggested route for a 3-week round trip to Mexico
You can do a wonderful individual round trip through Mexico in 3 weeks. We recommend that you explore the south of the country on your first vacation in Mexico. This is safer and more developed in terms of tourism than the north of Mexico.
- Day 1-3: Mexico City
- Day 4-5: Puebla
- Day 6-8: Oaxaca
- Day 9-11: San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Day 12: Palenque
- Day 13: Campeche
- Day 14-15: Mérida
- Day 16: Chichén Itzá & Valladolid
- Day 17: Cenotes
- Day 18-21: Beach vacation in Tulum, Playa del Carmen or Cancún
Map of our 3-week route
To give you a better overview of our route, we have marked the stops on our round trip on a map.
You can also download the map and view it offline.
Download map of our Mexico round trip as PDF
How do you get around on your Mexico round trip?
We recommend traveling through Mexico by bus for the most part. The bus network in the south of Mexico is well developed.
Note: We do not recommend taking a rental car. The distances are sometimes very long and long night drives in the car are dangerous in some areas.
The bus provider ADO operates all routes on our round trip. You can check the times and book tickets in advance on the ADO website.
The ADO bus terminals are usually close to the city center, but a little outside. The best way to get from the terminal to your accommodation is by Uber or cab.
In small towns you can sometimes even walk (but only do this during the day!). Check Google Maps beforehand to see how far away your hotel is from the terminal.
Day 1-3: Mexico City
Day 1: Arrival and center of Mexico City
You will probably be pretty exhausted on your arrival day. It’s best to book an Uber from the airport or take a cab to your accommodation.
You shouldn’t plan a big program for this day. Instead, spend an afternoon exploring the center of Mexico City at your leisure.
The Centro Histórico is home to highlights such as the cathedral, El Palacio de Bellas Artes, the Templo Mayor and the Torre Latinoamericana.
To our article with all the highlights & tips in Mexico City
Day 2: Pyramids of Teotihuacán
On the second day, you will go on an excursion to the famous pyramids of Teotihuacán. We recommend booking a guided tour for this. You will also visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Tlatelolco.
To the day trip to the Teotihuacán pyramids
Day 3: Xochimilco & Museo de Antropología
On day 3, you will take a boat tour on the floating gardens in Xochimilco in the morning. Afterwards, you still have time to go to the Museo de Antropología and then go for a spin in the neighboring Chapuletc Park.
To the boat tour in Xochimilco
Where to stay in Mexico City?
Two safe and central districts to stay in are Roma and Condesa. We recommend these much more than the Centro Histórico, which is not the safest district at night.
Our hotel tip: Casa Comtesse
Day: 4-5: Puebla
Day 4: Drive to Puebla and Cholula
On the fourth day, you take the bus to Puebla in the morning. There are connections almost every hour and the journey only takes around two hours. Once you arrive in Puebla, take a cab or Uber to your accommodation.
In the afternoon, you have plenty of time to drive to Cholula and see the largest pyramid in the world and the beautiful church at the top of the picture.
Day 5: Sightseeing in Puebla and drive to Oaxaca
The next morning you explore the center of Puebla. It’s not big and a few hours are easily enough. You can discover all the sights on foot. Must-sees are the cathedral and the Palafoxiana library.
In the early afternoon, you will then travel back to the ADO terminal – it’s off to Oaxaca. The bus ride takes around 5 hours.
To our article with highlights in Puebla, excursions & tips
Where to stay in Puebla?
The best place to stay is in the center of Puebla. You have a large selection of hotels there and it’s safe.
Our hotel tip: Hotel 5 de Mayo
Day 6-8: Oaxaca
Day 6: Sights in the center of Oaxaca
On day 6, you get a good night’s sleep and treat yourself to a delicious breakfast. Then explore the colorful center with the top sights in Oaxaca.
To our article with highlights, food and excursions in Oaxaca
Day 7: Excursion to Mitla and Hierve el Agua
For this day, it’s best to book a guided day tour to Hierve el Agua. These are petrified waterfalls with natural pools that make for a really cool photo opportunity. On the excursion, you will also visit the tree of Tulea
carpet workshop and the archaeological site ofMitla.
Guided day tour to Hierve el Agua
Alternatively, you can also travel there on your own. We explain how to do this in a separate article.
To our article with all the tips for Hierve el Agua
Day 8: Monte Albán and Jalatlaco
The next morning, you will travel to the archaeological site of Monte Albán – the former capital of the Zapotecs. You can travel there on your own by cab or bus or book a tour.
To the guided tour to Monte Albán
In the afternoon, you don’t have much more to do. For example, you can stroll through the beautiful Jalatlaco district.
Where to stay in Oaxaca?
We definitely recommend staying in the center of Oaxaca. It’s safe and you can reach all the highlights on foot.
Our hotel tip: NaNa Vida Hotel Oaxaca
Night bus from Oaxaca to San Cristóbal
In the evening, you take the first and only night bus on our 3-week tour of Mexico.
The journey to San Cristóbal takes around 11 hours and you can take a standard overnight bus (comfortable enough to sleep on) or ADO Glamour (even more comfortable).
We personally have only had good experiences with night buses in Mexico. Please note, however, that there are certain risks involved, such as tired bus drivers or robberies. In our opinion, however, night buses are still a good option and, in this case, the only one.
Note: There are no domestic flights from Oaxaca to San Cristóbal, so you have no alternative. If you don’t want to take the night bus, it’s best to book a flight to Cancún and then take our 2-week round trip to Yucatán.
Day 9-11: San Cristóbal de las Casas
Day 9: Sightseeing San Cristóbal
You arrive at the bus terminal in San Cristóbal early in the morning. You first drive to your accommodation and unload your luggage there. It’s best to use the day for relaxed sightseeing in San Cristóbal. The town center is small and the sights are close together.
To our article with sights in San Cristóbal and tips for excursions
Day 10: Sumidero Canyon
On day 12, another day trip is on the agenda. It’s off to Sumidero Canyon. The easiest way is to book a guided tour to the Cañón del Sumidero. On the excursion, you will drive to viewpoints along the canyon and take a boat tour through it. You may even see crocodiles.
To the guided tour to the Cañón del Sumidero
Day 11: Excursion to Chamula
Chamula is an indigenous village with very unusual customs. It is simply super interesting. Make sure you take a guide who can explain the culture to you in more detail.
On the half-day tours to Chamula, you will also visit the indigenous village of Zinacantán. Both places are very close to San Cristóbal.
To the half-day tour to Chamula
Where to stay in San Cristóbal?
Accommodation in San Cristóbal is generally very cheap. Make sure you stay in the center, as you have the largest selection of hotels there.
Our hotel tip: Hotel Casa de Gandhi
Day 12: Palenque
For day 12, you book a guided tour from San Cristóbal to the ancient Mayan city of Palenque. You set off very early in the morning (around 5 a.m.) and take all your things with you.
On the outward journey, you will pass the popular Agua Azul waterfalls. Once you arrive in Palenque, you will take a guided tour of the ruins of Palenque.
Instead of taking the tour back to San Cristóbal in the afternoon, you stay in Palenque and spend the night there.
To the guided tour to Palenque incl. Agua Azul waterfalls
Our hotel tip for Palenque
The best place to stay is near the bus terminal. As Palenque is very small, the distances are short anyway.
Our hotel tip: Hotel Chablis Palenque
Day 13: Campeche
On day 13, you take a bus from Palenque to Campeche as early as possible. The journey takes around 6 hours.
Check into your hotel in Campeche and then follow your nose through the colorful alleyways of the city to the main square with the cathedral. At sunset, it’s worth taking a walk along the promenade.
The next morning (day 14) you should definitely have breakfast at the Chocol’Ha chocolate café.
Where to stay in Campeche?
As you will only be in Campeche for a short time, it is best to stay as close to the center as possible to avoid long distances.
Our hotel tip: Hotel Casa Piedad
Day 14-15: Mérida
Day 14: Sightseeing in Mérida
It takes about 2.5 hours to get to Mérida from Campeche. If you get there in the early afternoon, you still have enough time to stroll through the city center. You can see the highlights of Mérida in half a day.
To all our tips and sights in Mérida
Day 15: Excursion into the surrounding area
There are many great excursion destinations around Mérida. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to see them all, so it’s best to choose the one that interests you the most.
For example, you can visit the yellow city of Izamal or the Mayan ruins of Uxmal – one of our insider tips for Mayan ruins in Mexico. The Ría Celestún bioreserve is also an option.
guided tour to the Mayan ruins of Uxmal
To the guided tour to the Riá Celestún bioreserve
To the private tour to Izamal
Where to stay in Mérida?
There are many great hotels in Mérida. Like almost everywhere in Mexico, you can stay in the city center.
Our hotel tip: Kuka y Naranjo
Day 16: Chichén Itzá and Valladolid
The morning: Chichén Itzá
On day 16, we head to the world-famous Mayan site of Chichén Itzá. It is one of the absolute top sights in Mexico and is part of every round trip.
You take an ADO bus to Chichén Itzá early in the morning. The Mayan ruins open at 8 a.m. and this is the busiest time of day. You can store your luggage at the entrance.
To visit the ancient Mayan city, take a guide so that you can better understand the Mayan buildings and culture. You can buy your ticket for Chichén Itzá on site, which is cheaper than online.
Book a guide for Chichén Itzá (without entrance fee)
To our article with all tips for Chichén Itzá
The afternoon: Valladolid
You can easily spend a few hours in Chichén Itzá. Around midday, you take an ADO bus to Valladolid. After just under an hour, you are already there and check into your hotel.
You will then have plenty of time to see Valladolid at your leisure.
Also read our article on Valladolid
Where to stay in Valladolid?
Valladolid is small. The closer you stay to the main square, the better, as the ADO terminal is also very close by.
Our hotel tip: Casa Tia Micha
Day 17: Cenotes
You will find many beautiful cenotes around Valladolid. These are karst caves that are filled with water.
It’s best to hire a bike in Valladolid in the morning and ride to a few cenotes in the area. The city is super bike-friendly and many cenotes are only a few kilometers from the city center.
Our tips are the Cenote Xkeken and the Cenote Oxman.
In the afternoon, take the bus to the Riviera Maya. From then on, a beach vacation and relaxation are on the agenda.
To our article with tips for cenotes in Mexico & Valladolid
Day 18-21: Beach vacation in the Caribbean
At the end of your Mexico round trip, you deserve a few days of relaxing beach vacation. The Riviera Maya is perfect for this.
Popular vacation spots are Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancún. An insider tip from us is Akumal. We have written lots of hotel articles for the Riviera Maya – you can find our tips for beautiful accommodation on the beach there.
- Tulum hotel tips
- Tulum Boutique Hotels
- Playa del Carmen hotel tips
- Playa del Carmen Boutique Hotels
- Cancún hotel tips
- Cancún Boutique Hotels
- Cancún luxury hotels
Incidentally, we would opt for Tulum or Akumal. If you don’t want to lie lazily on the beach every day, there are also beautiful sights such as the Mayan ruins in Tulum or the Sian Ka’an bioreserve.
Day 21: Departure day
You can get to the airport in Cancún from anywhere on the Riviera Maya. There are ADO buses or you can book a transfer or cab.
FAQ about a round trip through Mexico
Finally, a few important tips for a round trip through Mexico.
#1 What costs should you expect for a round trip to Mexico?
For our 3-week round trip described above, it is best to calculate with around 120 euros per day. This can be more or less depending on how expensive you stay and how much you allow yourself on your vacation.
If you want to do our 3-week round trip as cheaply as possible, plan with a daily budget of 50 euros. To get by with this, it’s best to stay in hostels. You’ll only pay around 10 euros per night. Instead of booking guided tours, go to the highlights on your own.
#2 Is a round trip through Mexico dangerous?
We personally felt very safe in Mexico. However, Mexico is not Germany and you have to adapt your behavior to the country.
Mexico is most dangerous at night. That’s why you should take a cab in the dark – especially if you have all your things with you – and not walk around. That’s why we would avoid traveling at night as much as possible. However, we ourselves felt very safe on the ADO night buses.
#3 When is the best time to travel to Mexico?
The dry season from November to April is best. However, we will give you more detailed tips on the best time to travel to Mexico in another article.
That was our 3-week round trip in Mexico
How did you like our itinerary for a round trip to Mexico? Do you have any questions? Feel free to write them in the comments.