• Trek to Cerro del Quemado and partake in the mystical Huichol cleansing ceremony

• Mountain bike or ride in a 1960´s Willy´s 5000 vertical feet down an epic cliff-side trail to the ruins of a remote 19th century hacienda.

• Walk around town with local experts who will enchant you with legends of magic, politics and history.

• Choose to embark on a photographic expedition with our photographic experts, and travel back in time through your camera´s lens.

• Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of San Luis Potosi´s down-town, and enjoy some of the culinary delights which have positioned San Luis Potosi as one of the gastronomic capitals of the world.

Day 1: San Luis Potosi.
Arrival in San Luis, city visit, welcome dinner.

Day 2: Mezcal, Charcas and Tunel de Ogarrio.
Visit a mescal distillery, transfer to Real de Catorce, village stroll and dinner with local historian and cultural expert.

Day 3: Trek / Bike to El Quemado.
Early morning trek to El Quemado mountain top. Huichol cleansing ceremony. Lunch in Real de Catorce and evening free to roam on your own.

Day 4: Estación Catorce.
Trek / Bike / 4x4 ride to Estación Catorce for an adrenaline pumping cliff-side experience down an ancient road which takes you 5000 vertical feet down to the desert of San Luis.

Day 5: Magdalena Bay to La Paz
Transfer back to San Luis Potosi

This trip begins with a rendezvous at the San Luis Potosí airport at 11:30 a.m. on Day 1. San Luis Potosi is only a 2-hour flight from Houston´s IAH (Continental 4653). The flight departs Houston at approximately 9:00 a.m. and arrives at 11:30 a.m. If you cannot make this early connection, you may have to take a red eye or overnight near the Houston airport (we will send you information on Houston hotels in your pre-trip information packet).

Day 1:San Luis Potosi.
Meet at the airport in San Luis, Mexico, at approximately 11:30 a.m. You will be met by your guides. Today we will visit some of the most important sites in the city, such as the “Templo del Carmen” and the Museo Regional Potosino, which will allow us to understand the rich history of the region. San Luis Potosi was one of the most important Spanish capitals in the New Continent, rich in silver production and other minerals. We will spend the night in the incredible colonial hotel Palacio de San Agustin.
L,D… Palacio de San Agustín

Day 2: Mezcal, Charcas and Tunel de Ogarrio
Today we will begin our trip into the central plateau of the State. Our first stop, a 400 hundred year old Carmelite Monk Mezcal destillery which is still in production today. Mezcal is a traditional Mexican drink which is quickly gaining popularity amongst high end foodies worldwide. Here we will explore the ancient rituals involved in genuine Mezcal production and we will understand its intricate historical ties with modern day Mexico. We´ll have a delicious lunch at this historic hacienda, followed by a memorable Mezcal tasting experience! After exciting our senses, we will continue our voyage past the historic town of Matehuala and up the cobble stone road that leads to the Ogarrio Tunnel. 

This one lane, 1.5 mile, artisanal tunnel built in 1902 takes about 20 minutes to get across and is genuinely an experience in time travel. When we emerge on the other side, we will not only have arrived to Real de Catorce, a gorgeous mining town built in 1779, but we will have travelled to another time. It´s steep cobblestone streets, stone and adobe buildings, and baroque cathedral are virtually intact. It is no wonder that this village has been lauded by Hollywood and used as the set for movies such as “The Mexican”. We will have dinner at one of the quaint local restaurants with great food and we will set up our base camp at the beautiful Hotel Meson de la Abundancia.
B,L,D…Meson de la Abundancia

Day 3: Trek to El Quemado
After breakfast, our guides will introduce us to our friendly four legged companions. We will pack the burros with our gear for the day and we will trek out of town and up the Cerro del Quemado (3.5 hour trek). Here we will be greeted by one of the local Huichol shamans, who will introduce us to this ancient culture and explain the magic and historical relevance of this unique site.

After a cleansing ritual, our guides will have lunch prepared in a place with amazing views of the central highlands of the state. After lunch, we will trek back to Real de Catorce. Do not forget your cameras! The evening is free for you to roam around town. Dinner is on your own.
B,L…El Real

Day 4: Gray Whales of Magdalena Bay
After breakfast, our faithful long eared companions will be waiting for us to begin our second long trek of the trip. We will walk out of Real de Catorce and down the steep picturesque ravines to the historic train station of El Catorce (about 5 hours). We will pack lunch and stop to eat at one of the beautiful haciendas we will pass along the way.

Estación Catorce was the main point of entry to Real, as well as the main point of embarkation for the silver that was produced here. We will return to Real de Catorce the way locals do… we will take the “refurbished” 1970´s Willy´s manned by very skilled local drivers and begin the vertical winding ascent back to town.We will have a special “farewell”dinner awaiting us in one of Real´s most special restaurants.
B,L,D…El Real

Day 5: Transfer to San Luis Potosi
This morning we will have a few last minutes to say goodbye to this beautiful town. We strongly recommend visiting the “Parroquia de la Purisima Concepción”, this church is visited by thousands of devoted pilgrims from far away lands… given the legend of the miracles performed here. You will not forget this experience. We must be on the road by 8 am to make our flight though! We will have box lunches with us on the van for breakfast. B,L.