Food Tour Mexico: Hot Springs, Pulque and Local Gastonomy (3 Days)

Day 1: Mexico City - Tula - Ixmiquilpan - Grutas de Tolantongo

Bienvenidos a la Ciudad de Mexico – the largest city in Latin America where ancient and modern coexist in harmony. Arrive at any time before meeting your group and Tour Leader at 9 am. Following a short welcome meeting, go to taste and see the production of pulque in a local family ranch in Hidalgo. Then, go to discover the ruins of Tula – a former Toltec capital and the most important city in the region after the fall of Teotihuacan. After a tour of the archeological zone, we will continue with a walking tour and a market food experience in Tula.

Afterward, we will go to Ixmiquilpan – a city on the Tula River in the east-central part of the state. There, we will visit the unique 16th-century Augustine convent, the museum of local Hñähñu people, and finally, try some of the best local specialties.

Finally, in the early evening, we will arrive at our final destination – Grutas de Tolantongo, one of the most impressive natural wonders of Mexico with awesome views, waterfalls and thermal waters. After check-in and some rest, opt to join your group and Tour Leader to bath in a local thermal river and then have a dinner in one of the local restaurants.

• Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-own hotel in Grutas de Tolantongo
• Activities:
  • walking tours in Tula and Ixmiquilpan;
  • guided visits to Zona Arqueológica de Tula (Tula); Museo de la Cultura Hñahñú (Ixmiquilpan);
  • entrance to Grutas de Tolantongo;
  • market food experiences in Tula and Ixmiquilpan, pulque tour and tasting near Tula.

Day 2: Grutas de Tolantongo - Metztitlán - Huasca de Ocampo - Mineral del Monte

In the morning, after breakfast, continue exploring Grutas de Tolantongo visiting its most famous sights – El Tunel and La Cueva. Afterward, take a picture mountainous road to reach the Convent of the Santos Reyes in Metztitlán. This little town, located in the middle of a Biosphere Reserve is the state’s hidden gem.

After an optional lunch and orientation walk of the town, continue to Huasca de Ocampo – one of 3 “Magical Towns” in the state. Situated in the heart of UNESCO’s Comarca Minera Geopark, it is famous for its imposing basaltic prisms and mining haciendas, some of which we are gonna visit.

Following a walking tour of the center of Huasca de Ocampo, we will continue to our final destination – “Magical Town” Mineral del Monte. In the evening, after check-in and some rest, join your group and Leader for a walk in the historic center of the town. Thereafter, opt for an optional dinner and get-together in one of the local restaurants.

• Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-own hotel/B&B in Mineral del Monte
• Meals: breakfast
• Activities:
  • walking tours in Metztitlán, Huasca de Ocampo, and Mineral del Monte;
  • guided visits to Hacienda Santa María Regla (Huasca de Ocampo) and Basaltic Prisms of Santa María Regla (Huasca de Ocampo).

Day 3: Mineral del Monte - Pachuca - Hacienda San Antonio Tochatlaco - Father Tembleque Aqueduct - Mexico City

First, have a breakfast food experience in the municipal market followed by a visit to a local museum of pastes. There, you will not only learn about the origin of this dish (it came there with Cornish miners by the way) but will also cook one yourself. Afterward, continue our Food Tour Mexico exploring the state’s capital Pachuca with a photo stop at impressive Cristo Rey’s viewpoint on our way.

Once in Pachuca, we will climb its symbol – Monumental clock – and have a complete gastronomic tour of the historic center visiting its 3 main markets and trying the most typical dishes in each of them. Thereafter, we will go to see the former grandeur of Mexico’s pulque industry in Hacienda San Antonio Tochatlaco, followed by a visit to UNESCO-listed Father Tembleque Aqueduct. Finally, we will see the production process in one of the most famous artisanal breweries in the state in Tizayuca. After beer tasting and optional dinner, we will go to Mexico City, arriving there around 8 pm. End of the tour.

• Activities:
  • walking tour in Pachuca;
  • guided visits to Museo del Paste (Mineral del Monte), Monumental Clock (Pachuca), Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque, Hacienda San Antonio Tochatlaco;
  • market food experiences in Mineral del Monte and Pachuca, artisanal beer tour and tasting in Tizayuca.