Xochimilco Day Trip: Know a Farmland Food and Hop on a Trajinera (Private / 8h)

Overview

Join our private tour to visit a self-sustaining chinampa and learn about Mexican gastronomy while paddling a boat and admiring a beautiful lacustrine landscape in Xochimilco.

Highlights

• Get amazed by a beautiful natural landscape and its silent atmosphere in the middle of a lake.
• Visit a traditional chinampa to learn about its heritage which dates back to the Aztec times.
• Learn the basics about Mexican gastronomy and its social aspects in the local culture.
• Pick up fresh ingredients from the chinampa and prepare your own lunch in a traditional Mexican way, for instance, quesadillas, salsa, or tacos!
• Paddle your own kayak and discover the UNESCO-listed canals of Xochimilco, protected since 1987.
• Visit the famous Mexican salamander axolotl in an aquarium and discover why it is important for the locals. 

Itinerary

In the morning, meet your guide at your accommodation and then head to Xochimilco, one of the most wonderful natural areas in Mexico City.

Once there, enjoy a boat ride and get amazed by the beauty of the Xochimilco canals and their lovely hidden quietness. On the way, see the hundred-year-old chinampas, rectangular artificial fields built for agricultural purposes during the Aztec period, at least nine centuries ago. They are considered UNESCO World Heritage since 1987 due to their historical relevance and outstanding uniqueness. For years, they have been very important among the locals to grow diverse vegetables such as lettuce, broccoli, spinach, chard, and radish, among others; and flowers: geranium, petunia, cempasuchil, and poinsettia, etc.

Then, get in touch with a local community of vegetable producers who will explain to you its daily life in a chinampa, as well as the benefits and sustainability of this ancient agricultural technique. Also, pick up some fresh products to prepare your own lunch while listening to their recommendation. Finally, cook them in a traditional style and get some insights into Mexican cuisine and its diversity from your hosts.

Moreover, have fun paddling on a boatlike-kayak along the picturesque canals surrounded by “floating gardens” on the way. Also, look at the fauna that lives in the area by visiting an aquarium to see the axolotl, an endangered salamander formerly from Xochimilco that is important to its ecosystem.

After a day full of discoveries, return to our vehicle and relax on the way back to your accommodation.

Why Join Us

• You will spend the time of the tour purely on its activities and sightseeing: no visits to souvenir shops and restaurants (unless you ask).
• An ideal choice for small groups: the price of the tour is fixed and varies just slightly depending on the size of the group.
• We are flexible: we can adjust the program and route to your interests while the duration of the tour can be always extended for an extra fee.

Logistics

DEPARTURE LOCATION AND TIME

The default departure time for this tour is 8 am but we can also adjust it per your request. Our guide will meet/pick you up at the requested time and might need to contact you by phone. Therefore, please kindly provide a valid phone number during your booking.

Complimentary pick-up/drop-off is included: please indicate the exact time & location for your pick-up during your booking (e.g. in the "Special Requirements" field). That is to say, we can pick you up from those parts of Mexico City: Polanco, Condesa, Roma, Centro Historico. Other more remote locations might involve an extra fee.

TOUR DURATION AND CUSTOMIZATION

The standard duration of the tour counts from the moment of a meetup till the end of the tour. On the other hand, the tour is customizable which means we can adjust the time you spend at each destination. For example, if you want to visit an extra location (attraction/restaurant/market, etc.), you can do it on a complimentary basis if this visit (1) fits the default duration of the tour and  (2) doesn't involve a major change of the route.

WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU

Comfortable clothes and shoes; hat/cap, sunglasses and sunscreen; good mood and curiosity.

Notes

• The type of vehicle depends on the size of your group and may include car, 7-seater, minivan.
• This is a private tour: only your group will participate.
• Travelers should have a basic physical fitness condition.