Mexico: Heart of the Valley to the Soul of the South Tour with Sam & Shauna
Heart of the Valley to the Soul of the South Tour with Sam & Shauna
Step into the beating heart of Mexico on a journey that blends ancient civilisations, world-class street food, open-fire traditions, and deeply rooted cultural rituals.
From the electric energy of Mexico City to the colonial charm of Puebla and the soulful valleys of Oaxaca, this is not just a tour—it’s a full sensory immersion. Expect Michelin-recognised tacos, hands-on cooking with local chefs, mezcal straight from the source, and ancestral ceremonies that connect you to the land.
This is Mexico, experienced properly with the incredible Sam & Shauna.
Travel With Sam & Shauna
We are excited to confirm that this tour will be hosted and led by the incredible Sam & Shauna, so book quickly to avoid missing out on the opportunity to travel with a UK BBQ Legend!
Tour Highlights
- Michelin-starred tacos & tequila night tour in Mexico City
- Take part in a mezcal distillation experience in Oaxaca
- Discover Puebla’s legendary mole and street food scene
- Barbecue breakfast at Las Barbacoas de México
- Explore the Zócalo, Anthropology Museum & Chapultepec Castle
- Traditional Mexican lunch at Xochimilc
Itinerary
Day 1 – 2nd November, 2026: UK to Mexico City
- BBQ Travel Club Group Flight & Transfer Details*:
- Depart: LHR – London Heathrow at 12:45
- Arrive: MEX – Mexico City at 18:45
- Airline: British Airways
- Flight Number: BA0243
- MEX to Hotel Transfer included with group flight
- Arrive into Mexico City and settle into your hotel before heading out to explore its vibrant streets, cafés, and galleries at your own pace. Meet up with your tour hosts Sam and Shauna, who will welcome you on tour.
Overnight: Hotel MX más roma CDMX – B&B
Day 2 – 3rd November, 2026: Stone Empires & The Michelin Taco Theater
Dive into Mexico’s layered history with visits to the Zócalo, Metropolitan Cathedral, Anthropology Museum, and Chapultepec Castle.
In the evening, experience the city’s legendary taco scene—complete with priority access to a Michelin-recognised stand and a guided mezcal tasting.
Inclusions: Full-time guide & private driver; Entry to Cathedral, National Palace, Museum, and Castle; Tacos & Mezcal Tour (4 taquerías, Michelin-starred priority access, 2 mezcal tastings, 1 cocktail).
Overnight: Hotel MX más roma CDMX – B&B
Day 3 – 4th November, 2026: Cobalt Blue Walls & Ancient Fireo
The morning belongs to the Casa Azul, the cobalt-blue home where Frida Kahlo’s ghost still seems to linger among her paints and gardens. Afterward, your guide will lead you through the cobblestone charm of Coyoacán, a village trapped inside a megacity.
As the afternoon turns golden, you head south to the ancient canals of Xochimilco. You’ll board a trajinera, a brightly decorated boat, to drift through the “floating gardens.” This is a spiritual journey: you will participate in a Cacao Ceremony to open the heart and a Temazcal (ancestral sweat lodge) representing the womb of the earth. You’ll emerge cleansed and grounded, sharing local food on the water as the sun sets over the volcanic horizon.
Inclusions: Full-time guide & private driver; Entry to Frida Kahlo Museum; Xochimilco Experience (Trajinera, Temazcal, Cacao Ceremony, and traditional meal).
Overnight: Hotel MX más roma – B&B
Day 4 – 5th November, 2026The Baroque Grandeur & Hidden Cantinas of Puebla
Leaving the capital, your driver takes you toward Puebla, a UNESCO World Heritage city framed by the smoking Popocatépetl volcano. Puebla is a city of “angels” and intricate Talavera tiles.
On arrival, you’ll set out on a guided Cantinas Walking Tour. You’ll step into the city’s most historic social hubs, La Terminal, La Ópera, and the legendary La Pasita. Here, you’ll soak in the local atmosphere as your guide shares tales of the poets, politicians, and locals who have frequented these “time-capsule” bars for over a century.
Inclusions: Private transfer to Puebla; Full-time guide & driver; Cantinas Walking Tour.
Overnight:Gamma Puebla Señorial Centro – B&B
Day 5 – 6th November, 2026: The Flavors of Puebla
Today you’ll immerse yourself in the culinary soul of Puebla, a UNESCO World Heritage city. You’ll walk the colonial streets to visit a traditional mole mill and the famous “Sweets Street,” discovering the authentic ingredients that define Mexican gastronomy.
Starting at 10:00 AM, this 4.5-hour journey is a true sensory experience. Be sure to arrive with a light appetite, as we will taste an array of local delicacies, from Cemitas and Tacos Árabes to Pipián and the legendary Mole Poblano. Along the way, your guide will share traditional recipes
and gift you a small souvenir recipe book to take home. The afternoon is yours to wander Puebla’s artisanal shops, famous for the blue-and-white Talavera ceramics that decorate the
city’s historic facades.
Inclusions: Full-time guide & driver; Puebla food tour.
Overnight: Gamma Puebla Señorial Centro – B&B
Day 6 – 7th November, 2026: Mountain Passes & The Chef’s Kitchen
- After breakfast, your private van snakes through the mountains toward Oaxaca, the cultural heart of Mexico. Arriving midday, you’ll meet your guide in the Zócalo for an orientation walk through the UNESCO-listed center, passing the stunning gold-leaf interior of Templo de Santo Domingo.
- The day culminates in a hands-on cooking and cocktail workshop led by a renowned Oaxacan chef at a social-enterprise kitchen. You’ll use ingredients sourced directly from the morning market to prepare regional classics, followed by a mezcal-based cocktail session. You’ll share the dinner you created, celebrating the artisanal spirit that defines this city.
Inclusions: Private transfer to Oaxaca; Full-time guide & driver; Cooking workshop &
Mezcal cocktail session (Dinner Included).
Overnight:Hotel Parador del Dominico – B&B
Day 7 – 8th November, 2026: Agave, Moles, and Ancestral Limpias
- Today is a journey into the soul of the Oaxacan valley, meeting the inspiring women who keep Zapotec traditions alive. You’ll visit a family mezcal palenque, where women guides lead you through the slow, smoky process of agave distillation. You will participate in a traditional Limpia ceremony, an ancestral energy cleansing, to refresh your spirit.
- After a relaxed lunch of generational moles, each bite a complex story of spice and history, you’ll visit a pulque farm. Here, you’ll taste agua miel straight from the heart of the maguey plant, learning how this pre-Hispanic “nectar” has sustained communities for centuries
Inclusions: Full-time guide, all transportation during the activity, Mezcal palenque visit;
Limpia ceremony; Pulque farm visit; Traditional Family Lunch.
Overnight: Hotel Parador del Dominico – B&B
Day 8 – 9th November, 2026: The Soul of Oaxaca
- Your journey begins with an authentic immersion into one of Oaxaca’s most storied markets, world-renowned for its iconic lamb barbacoa. In this vibrant, bustling atmosphere, you will discover the true soul of Oaxacan street food through a dish prepared using ancestral techniques passed down through generations.
- You’ll savour the results of a patient, slow-cooking process that transforms the meat into a masterpiece of intense flavour and tender texture. Served alongside a steaming bowl of rich consomé, warm handmade tortillas, and artisanal salsas, this meal is more than just breakfast; it is a living connection to the region’s history. This experience is designed for the traveller seeking a genuine culinary immersion, surrounding you with the sights, sounds, and flavors that define the Oaxacan way of life.
Inclusions: Full-time English-speaking guide, Barbacoa market tour
Overnight: Hotel Parador del Dominico – B&B
Day 9 – 10th November, 2026: A Mexican Culinary Morning
- You will start the day with a Mexican Culinary Experience, hosted by a local chef alongside Sam & Shauna. You can expect local knowledge and techniques, tied together with the faces we all know and love.
- Following the cooking class, the remainder of the day is for you to set the rhythm. Oaxaca is a city that rewards the curious wanderer. Your guide are at your disposal: perhaps you want to visit the mountaintop ruins of Monte Albán, explore the artisan rug-weaving village of Teotitlán del Valle, or simply spend a slow afternoon
in a rooftop café overlooking the valley
Overnight: Hotel Parador del Dominico – B&B
Day 10 – 11th November: Say farewell to your tour
- A final Oaxacan breakfast with the group to celebrate the end of your tour.
- BBQ Travel Club Group Flight & Transfer Details*:
- Hotel to OAX Airport group transfer
- Depart: OAX – Oaxaca Airport at 13:52
- Arrive: LHR – London Heathrow at 12:15 (next day arrival)
- Note: Indirect flight via Fort Worth
- Airline: American Airlines / British Airways
- Flight Number: AA2187 / BA0192
*Items only included in the flight-inclusive package
Please note that items marked with * are not included in the base price.
Included / Excluded
- *Return International Flights
- *Airport Transfers
- 3 Nights at Hotel MX más roma (Mexico City)
*Items only included in the flight-inclusive tour – To be added at checkout
- Items of a personal nature
- Visas, passports and any fees required with entry into the country
- Any meals and activities not stated under inclusions or in the itinerary
- Transport not stated in the itinerary
Prices
- Flight & Transfer Inclusive Package - £4,927
- Single Supplement - £795
- Land Only Package - £3,587
- Flight and land package prices are per person and based on two people sharing twin/double rooms throughout
- Flight inclusive package prices are subject to availability at the time of booking.
Discover Mexico
Mexico City
Few cities in the world hit the senses quite like Mexico City. Built on the ruins of the ancient Aztec capital, this sprawling metropolis is a collision of old and new—where grand colonial architecture, vibrant street life, and cutting-edge food culture exist side by side.
This is the beating heart of Mexican cuisine. From humble street-side taquerías serving world-famous tacos to refined dining experiences pushing global boundaries, every corner tells a story through flavour. Beyond the food, you’ll uncover a city rich in history, art, and culture—home to iconic landmarks, world-class museums, and neighbourhoods like Roma Norte and Coyoacán that pulse with creativity.
Mexico City doesn’t ease you in—it pulls you straight into the action. And that’s exactly why it’s unforgettable.
Puebla
Set against a backdrop of towering volcanoes, Puebla is a city where tradition runs deep and every street feels like a step back in time. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Puebla is defined by its beautifully preserved colonial architecture, intricate Talavera tiles, and a slower, more refined pace of life.
But this city’s true soul lies in its food. Puebla is widely regarded as one of the culinary capitals of Mexico—the birthplace of iconic dishes like mole poblano, where complex layers of flavour have been perfected over generations. Wander its markets, sweet shops, and local kitchens, and you’ll discover a region proud of its heritage and passionate about preserving it.
Puebla offers a different side of Mexico—more intimate, more traditional, and deeply rooted in its cultural identity.
Oaxaca
If Mexico has a soul, you’ll find it in Oaxaca. Nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains, this is a region where ancient traditions are not preserved for show—they’re lived every day.
Oaxaca is the spiritual and culinary heart of the country. It’s where mezcal is still made using centuries-old methods, where markets overflow with colour and flavour, and where recipes are passed down through generations without ever being written down. This is the land of moles—rich, complex, and deeply symbolic—and of open-fire cooking that connects people to the earth.
Beyond the food, Oaxaca is alive with culture. From artisan villages crafting intricate alebrijes to Zapotec communities keeping traditions alive, every experience here feels authentic, raw, and deeply human.
This isn’t just a destination—it’s a connection to something much deeper.
Hotel MX más roma CDMX
Mexico is full of hidden gems, and at Hoteles MX, we are your gateway to discovering them. More than just a hotel, our spaces are designed to connect you with the local vibe—whether you are in a bustling city, on a relaxing beach, or in a magical town. Enjoy an authentic, comfortable stay and explore the real Mexico seamlessly.
MX más roma is located in the Roma neighbourhood, known as one of Mexico City’s most cultural and hipster areas, which will connect you to some of the city’s best spots.
For any traveler looking to make their stay unforgettable, we offer Single rooms, ideal for business trips; Double rooms, perfect for couples; and our Suite rooms with two connecting rooms, accommodating up to 4 people, designed for you and your family to have a comfortable and pleasant stay.
At MX más Roma, each room is designed to provide you with maximum comfort and functionality. Enjoy high-speed Wi-Fi access, ensuring you’re always connected, whether for work or sharing your experiences.
Gamma Puebla Señorial Centro
Deep in the Waterberg – one of only two UNESCO-declared savannah biospheres in Africa – Letamo Lodge is your base for Big Five game drives, open-air dining and the kind of nights that remind you why you travel.
The lodge serves boma dinners around the fire under the stars, which sits perfectly alongside our own fire-led experiences. Two daily game drives are included, and after a morning tracking lion and elephant across 11,000 hectares of untamed bushveld, there’s a spa, a gym, two bars and a padel court to see out the afternoon.
Stargazing sessions led by dedicated “star rangers” round off the evenings – though we suspect the boma fire and cold drinks will do most of the work.
The lodge blends mid-century modern design with bold African patterns and artefacts, creating a setting that feels both stylish and rooted in the bush.
Parador Del Dominico
The Hotel Parador del Dominico, located in the City of Oaxaca, offers accommodation with a restaurant in a cozy and quiet environment.
This charming 3-star hotel features a beautiful garden and comfortable rooms equipped with air conditioning and private bathrooms for your utmost comfort. The soundproofed rooms offer free Wi-Fi and room service, as well as a flat-screen TV with cable channels.
It has a lovely courtyard where you can enjoy free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, and some rooms even have their own private patio or terrace for relaxing outdoors. You’ll also find a delicious breakfast served at “El Pipe” and can make use of the shared terrace or patio for some quiet time.
The reception staff is available 24 hours a day to assist you in English and Spanish with anything you need. The hotel’s convenient location offers easy access to attractions such as Monte Albán (6 km away), the Santo Domingo Temple (400 m away), and the majestic Oaxaca Cathedral (700 m away).
With Oaxaca International Airport located just 7 km away, Hotel Parador del Dominico is always ready to make your stay an unforgettable experience. Trust us to provide you with the best service and attention during your visit to Oaxaca!
Why book with us?
ATOL Protection
All flight inclusive bookings are covered by our ATOL Licence 12652.
Protected Trust Services
All bookings are financially protected by our PTS Membership 6184.
Your Endless Travel
All tours and packages are powered by Your Endless Travel, who provide over 40 years of experience of delivering incredible experiences.
FAQs
What is Solo Traveller Sharing Twin Room?
This package is designed for those looking to join the tour, and are happy to share a room with another travelling member of the group to offset the single supplement. We will only offer same sex sharing rooms, and do our best to match with similar ages. We will introduce you to the fellow traveller before the tour. If we are unable to match you with a fellow sharer, you will be subject to the single supplement.
What is included in the tour package?
Our tour packages typically include accommodation, transportation, select meals, and all scheduled activities and events as outlined in the itinerary. Some tours will also include flights; specific inclusions may vary by tour, so please refer to the detailed itinerary for more information.
How do I book a tour?
To book a tour, complete the booking form available on our website or call us on 01432 678 175 to process with a human being (lines open Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00). You can pay via our secure platform if you complete the form online. If you book over the phone, a secure payment link will be sent to you to make payment. Most tours require a 20% deposit to confirm your place, with the final balance due 12 weeks prior to departure.
What is the cancellation policy?
All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable, with final balances due 12 weeks before departure. Cancellations within 12 weeks of departure have a sliding scale of commitment. Please review our full terms and conditions on our website for detailed information on cancellation fees and deadlines.
Are there any age restrictions for the tours?
Yes, due to some activities taking place in licenced premises, we restrict the minimum age to the country’s legal drinking age, e.g., 18 in the UK / 21 in the USA. This ensures that all participants can fully enjoy the activities and experiences planned. Please check the specific tour details for any additional age-related guidelines. Note we can tailor-make any tour for individuals or families that may be underage, so please contact the team if this is of interest.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes, we highly recommend that all participants purchase travel insurance to cover any unforeseen circumstances, such as trip cancellations, medical emergencies, or lost luggage. Travel insurance is not included in the tour package and should be arranged independently. We recommend taking this out from when you book the tour, as it will usually cover any pre-departure issues. Also, ensure you have the right level of cover for the country you are travelling to.
Do you offer accessible places for those with additional needs?
As standard, we do not contract accessible accommodation or transport. However, we do our utmost to cater to everyone, aiming to connect the world through open-fire cooking and travel. If you are interested in booking a tour and have any additional needs, please call us on 01432 678175 (lines open Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00), and we will do our best to accommodate you.
Are your tours and packages financially protected?
All tours and packages are financially protected by ATOL 12652 and PTS 6184. The BBQ Travel Club is powered by Your Endless Travel, which means that these licences and trust accounts protect all package inclusions.