Vistas Veracruz Ecotours : The Gardens of Coatepec, Mexico.
Garden Tour 1 : October 11 - October 19, 2008
Garden Tour 2 : January 24 - February 1, 2009

Tour cost: $1350 per person (double occupancy). Group limited to 14 persons.

Dr. Debbie Mounts, owner of Vistas Veracruz and El Retoño Ecolodge, will be your general host for this tour. Debbie has lived in Mexico for 15 years. She is bi-lingual, bi-cultural and has had first hand experiences with the country and its welcoming people.

Day 1 - Saturday
Most travelers fly into Veracruz where you will be met by a bus which will transport you to El Retoño in Coatepec for your first night.

Day 2 - Sunday (BD) We begin this day with a walking tour of Coatepec showing you the best restaurants to have lunch and dinner or a great cup of java. Other interesting and historical places in the city will be visited. Lunch is on your own.

Day 3 Monday (BL)
After our hearty Mexican breakfast we will head to the Jardin Botanico Clavijero (Clavijero Botanical Garden) located on the old highway to Coatepec, south of the city of Jalapa. This 20-acre garden has more than 6,000 examples of 700 regional plant species. In addition, research and wildlife conservation programs are carried out here.
We will return to Coatepec to enjoy a leisurely lunch.

Day 4 Tuesday (BL)
Our adventure today takes us to the quaint town of Xico where we will walk to its famous waterfalls, Casada de Texolo. The area is surrounded by trailing flowers, coffee plantations, orchid gardens and dense vegetation. Lunch will be in Xico where the specialty is dark mole. Your siesta can be used to rest, read or have a scheduled massage at El Retoño. After your rest we will take a tour through churches and cemeteries in Coatepec. You will want to find a restaurant on your own for a great dinner.

Day 5 Wednesday (BL) After a leisurely breakfast we will go into Coatepec to spend the morning with Raquel Torres, a well known food anthropologist, restaurateur, and chef. Chef Torres is also the author of several cookbooks. Lunch, which we will have helped her prepare, will be eaten in her charming, traditional Mexican home. Time after lunch at El Retoño for siesta and relaxation will prepare us to visit lovely, gracious private Mexico homes. Dinner is on your own.

Day 6 Thursday (BL)
Today is a real treat to be able to visit two authentic haciendas with wonderful histories. One of which is El Lencero, ex-hacienda of Santa Ana, the Mexican general who was President of Mexico several times. The home is now a fine museum filled with period pieces and the grounds surrounding several lakes are carefully tended and filled with flowers and shade trees. This evening will be free time with dinner on your own.

Day 7 Friday (BD)
Today we will spend the day in Jalapa. The gem of Jalapa is its Anthropology Museum which we will tour. It houses a treasure trove of artifacts from three pre-Hispanic cultures of Veracruz: Huasteca, Totonac and Olmec. You will see the magnificent huge stone heads carved by the Olmecs, cremation urns in the shape of bats and monkeys, lovely Totonac murals, and whimsical ceramic toys. The museum itself is an architectural beauty. Lunch (on your own) will be eaten in Jalapa central, followed by exploration of the downtown area. After a siesta break, dinner will be at El Retoño.

Day 8 Saturday (BL)
Today we head out on via bus to a nearby location of ancient ruins where we will spend most of the day exploring these incredible remains. Dinner is on your own after which we will head back to El Retoño and prepare for the morning’s early departure to Veracruz airport.

Day 9 (B)
Airport transportation to Veracruz for flight home.

Tour Includes: Room (double occupancy), meals as noted, ground transportation for tours, tour guides (English spoken), activities as described, transportation to and from Veracruz airport, one night lodging in Veracruz and lodging at El Retoño Ecolodge in Coatepec.

Not included: Airfare into Veracruz, trip insurance, tips, and meals other than those listed, optional activities. We can consult with you regarding air travel.

B=Breakfast
L=Lunch
D=Dinner

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A deposit of US$500 is required and should be submitted after making this application. We accept payment by PayPal or by check payable to Glee Palmer-Davis, and mailed to Glee Palmer-Davis, 37444 Buck Rd NE, Hansville, WA 98340, USA.