Hello,
I am currently planing a trip to mexico. It is my first Solo Travel and I only speak a little spanish. My Planes route is:
– mexico city and maybe summit pico de orizaba
– oaxaca with a cooking class and mezcal tour and maybe go down to the pacific
– Chiapas with Palenque
– Then I want to go to Guatemala Antigua to summit Acatenago
– Lake Atitlan
– Then Flores and maybe stop at semuc champey
– From there I want to go to bacalar and do a round trip in Yucatan and Then fly home
How long will this take, How much time do you recommend for each stop. And is all this doable with buses. I have heard you Need to go over belize to get back to mexico, is that True? Does this make Sense in june to August? And do you maybe have hostle or Guide recommendations.
Thank you, Jonas
Comments
>- mexico city
You could spend weeks in CDMX. Stay for at least a week. If you enjoy art then I recommend the Soumaya Museum. You can’t miss a morning strolling through the Museum of Anthropology. You can cross the street and go to Chapultepec all the way up to the castle. The Guadalupe Cathedral was interesting (both old and new) and you can see it on your way back from Teotihuacán if you take the bus. The historic center is wonderful and you’ll find amazing food literally everywhere.
>- Chiapas with Palenque
The ruins are awesome and they still allow you to climb some of the structures. I would also book a full day tour to Yaxchilán and Bonampak. The latter has murals which are so unique and so worth it. Just know that the people who control that area are real pushy about guides.
>- Then I want to go to Guatemala Antigua to summit Acatenago
Spend at least a week here. Antigua is so pretty! You can do a short hike on Pacaya as a bit of a practice run. Acatenago isn’t a long hike but the altitude is rough. Pack very light and take your time. I hardly slept and didn’t summit Acatenago because I wanted to watch as many eruptions as I could but that was just a personal preference.
If you want to see empty and beautiful ruins then hire a transfer to Mixco Viejo. No one seems to go there but it was so worth it. A few days walking around Antigua are also great. There are lots of nice cafes and rooftop restaurants. You can watch Fuego erupt from afar. Go to the Starbucks for the decor and to the McDonald’s for the view. There are also several farms around where you can have lunch.
>- Lake Atitlan
Be careful with hikes from town to town. It wasn’t safe when I went a year ago. Taking the boats was the fastest and safest option. I love San Juan but it’s become so crowded and touristy. Nice views from the lookout spot though after a short but steep hike. But you’ll get lovely views from various towns. A few days are enough here and you really need to ask around if you want to hike some of the volcanoes. Not all are safe but there are people who have done it without issues.
>- Then Flores
Stay for a night inside Tikal and do a sunrise tour. There are other ruins around this area so the amount of time here depends on how much you want to see. You can take a shuttle to Belize. You can spend a few days on the beach or see more Mayan ruins or go immediately to Mexico. I think pretty much everyone goes to Caye Caulker and it’s definitely more enjoyable than the capital city.
>From there I want to go to bacalar and do a round trip in Yucatan
There’s so much to see in this entire area. I love the ruins so that’s the bulk of my experience there. I would recommend Calakmul. You’ll have to spend the night in Xpujil and hire a drive to take you there. I can give you the # for the guy who took me. It’s a very impressive site with enormous pyramids that you can still hike. I went before the Mayan train was completed so idk if it’s suddenly more popular but I encountered maybe 15 people in 3 hours. It was incredible to be above the tree canopy and to have the area all to myself at times.
You can take a bus to Campeche which has a nice historic area right on the coast and then on to Merida which I think is the absolute best. Merida is beautiful and has amazing food. You can also take a bus to other ruins or visit beaches or smaller towns nearby.
>Does this make Sense in june to August?
Just be ready for rain. Could be totally random. Might go days without rain. I was mostly fine going in May and June to this area. Palenque will have 100% humidity. That’s not a joke or an exaggeration.
Take comfy drifit clothes and the strongest bug repellent you can find. Calakmul is worth it but mosquitoes in Campeche state are unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Lots of sunscreen. I prefer good, comfy hiking boots for ruins and outdoor activities but it’s not necessary. I always like to have a large Ziploc bag for my camera in case I’m trapped in sudden rain.
Take the basic precautions you take anywhere else. I’ve traveled solo as a woman through this area various times and been fine. You’re going to love it. It’s gorgeous, the food is delicious and the history is fascinating.
The whole itinerary sounds good, but climbing the Pico de Orizaba stuck out to me. Do you have a lot of mountain climbing experience? The peak is at over 5600 meters. It’s not known as a particularly hard mountain to summit, but you do need to be decently experienced.
You need to be a little more specific about what you mean by round trip around yucatan, You mean the touristic bubble or the actual Yucatan Peninsula?
For two months seems doable, just consider the travel distance and time.
> mexico city and maybe summit pico de orizaba
That’s a 350km trip, about 5 hours, since it’s a busy road.
>pico de orizaba – oaxaca
From the actual pico de Orizaba to Oaxaca de Juarez it’s about 400KM
>go down to the pacific – Chiapas with Palenque
Oaxaca de Juarez (again taking the state capital as reference, it could be more) to Palenque, Chiapas it’s about 800KM
>Then I want to go to Guatemala Antigua to summit Acatenago –
Another 600km, cross-country lines, so bring your passport.
>From there I want to go to bacalar and do a round trip in Yucatan
Add 800km, Google Maps says 15hr drive.
Traveling by bus is doable and safe enough. It’s not as romantic as it seems, imho. You will definitely will see some sights.
that’s 1.5- 2months of travelling planes will be as cheap in many cases check Volaris and viva aerobus instead of 20 hour bus rides