Pre-hispanic Xochimilco, Local Food Included And Ajolotario.

We had an awesome time in Xochimilco! It was the highlight of our trip. Joss was an awesome guide and very knowledgeable about the history and culture of the area! Because of this trip we were able to do many things we wouldn’t have been able to find ourselves, like a less-crowded trajinera dock, lunch with locally grown food on a chinampa, and the axolotl sanctuary! Highly recommend to anyone who wants to learn about Xochimilco and the history of the area!

We had such a memorable experience on this Xochimilco tour and would highly recommend it. It was perfect for our family of four—our 16-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter both loved it. The entire day felt unique and immersive, from the peaceful boat ride through the eco-protected canals to the incredible home-cooked meal. A standout for our kids was the axolotl sanctuary—they were completely fascinated and it ended up being the highlight of the experience for them. Joss, our guide, was wonderful—so knowledgeable, warm, and engaging throughout the tour. Everything felt thoughtful and well-paced, and we truly felt like we got an authentic glimpse into the area. Carlos our driver was wonderful, too. Such a special experience and one we’ll definitely remember!

Fantastic tour in Xochimilco, which includes taking a boat ride on a quiet eco-protected canal, a delicious home-cooked meal, and a visit to an axolotl sanctuary. Joss, our guide, was knowledgeable and kind. Highly recommend!

Joss was awesome! She shared so much information about the history of Xochimilco and many other different parts of Mexican history. She was kind, open to questions we asked, and geared her tour to interests and curiosities we shared about. The stops included: 1. An easy pick up at our choice of address within Mexico City 2. the center of Xochimilco and the church 2. A preserved, historic site in Xochimilco 3. A tour through the canals of of the floating gardens of Xochimilco- this included a stop at a local restaurant where we enjoyed a traditional Mexicsn meal AND a stop at a local place doing axolotl conservation and work 4. A drop off back in Mexico City The stops were a lot of fun and we learned a lot from all of the locals we spoke with. I highly recommend checking this out if you want a laid back, informative (and delicious!) experience getting to know Xochimilco!

Herons, flowers, canals and an abundance of delicious lunch fare made for a welcome break from the noise and bustle of Mexico City. We wanted to learn about the history and geography of this peaceful region within an easy drive from the city center; the warm and personable Carolina did not disappoint. She delivered an experience we couldn’t have discovered on our own or on a party boat.

We had a wonderful time with Carolina; she was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and accomodating. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to learn about the history, ecology and communities in this area. We would hoghly recommend this tour for people who are interested in a quiet, relaxing and beautiful experience.

Our tour guide was excellent - friendly, accommodating, and knowledgeable - and the area that we visited was fascinating and very worthwhile. A completely different aspect of Mexico City, and difficult to believe it is within the city limits, but it is.

We had a great comfortable and relaxing visit to the canals and got to eat great local food and see a cathedral as well as live axolotls! Carolina was an excellent host, detailing what and why about what we saw. The natural beauty and quiet on the canals was just wonderful. We will do this again.

We had a wonderful time on this trip. Our guide, Caro (Carolina) was great. Very friendly, her English was really good & she showed us many interesting things in Xochimilco. The food at the chinampa was excellent & everyone from the driver to the boatman to the axlotl expert were so welcoming & kind! Highly recommend this tour.

Great tour! We learned a lot and our guide did a great job of communicating clearly. So often on group tours it’s difficult to hear the guide, but not on this one. It did get a little long at the end and we could have done without the recommendations part, but really no complaints—this is a great introduction to the history of Mexico City.

Incredible! This was the best tour ever! Our driver Carlos went above and beyond to help us out. Our tour guides Joss and Caroline were so kind and so knowledgeable about all the culture, science, and history of Xochimilco. All the places we stopped were beautiful and we learned so much! The lunch by Sylvia was absolutely delicious and it was so fun eating on the chinampas with the locals! The driver of our trajinera, Ernesto, helped us see the chinampas up close and knew the names of all the birds and flowers. We loved stopping at the axolotl sanctuary! Karin was so passionate about protecting these beautiful and fascinating creatures. We couldn’t have asked for a better day! Thank you so much Joss and Caroline! We highly recommend this tour!

If you are looking for an off the beaten path and less touristy tour- this tour is for you. We went out with Joss and Carlos and saw the canals and surrounding areas. We had an excellent lunch and learned a lot about the region. Highly recommend!!

If you want a small group, relaxed tour experience, this is highly recommended. Joss was a great guide. We learned a lot about the history and overall context of Xochimilco. Boating on the canals was very peaceful. Lunch was delicious. Seeing the axolotls was a nice bonus. Overall it was a lovely day.

What an extraordinary experience! Kiss and Israel were amazing and we really felt like we were with friends. Sylvia’s canal-side meal was a farm to table buffet! We went away with such an appreciation for the history and culture of Mexico City. ❤️

Great private tour. They made requested stops. Canal ride is the feature of the trip. Bring a bottle of wine. Restaurant is so good. So much food.

We very much enjoyed this relaxing ecotour with Joss, skipping the loud crowds of the typical Xochimilco experience in order to experience the natural beauty and history of life on the canals. We saw petroglyphs in their original location and ate delicious food at a waterside restaurant. The kids loved the hands on informative axolotl museum. Joss created a unique and beautiful experience for our family of 9 & 14 year olds and 3 adults. Very highly recommended!!

We had a great relaxing day in Xochimilco with Jocelyn as our guide! Highlights for us - seeing a sliver of Xochilmico town center vs the outskirts of town going to Cuahilama, bonus pit stop at a local sweets shop, quietly gliding along the canals (getting a faint sense of what it might be like living/working there), and getting to interact with the axolotls (was tickled by the little bit of Xolotl lore learned!) & seeing lots of other creatures. I personally appreciated seeing the stones of Cuahilama after having visited Teotihuacan & Museo de Anthropologia - imagining how much of the standalone stones may've been found (& wonder about the effects of acid rain on these stone carvings that remain exposed to the elements & w/o cycles of being built on top of every 52 years). Some misc tips: * Setup WhatsApp for day-before/of communications (::glances at the 8 messaging apps on phone::) * Don't need to worry about drive-by vendors/mariachi players (as implied with other party-based tours/areas) but still consider bringing some smaller bills for tipping at lunch/etc (transport/food/etc are paid for but were reminded/prompted for tips) and for if any bonus purchases desired * Be ready for a big lunch! The lunch was great with a lot of dishes, if you appreciate homestyle cooking as we did :D

We loved learning about the history of Xochimilco and the chinampas, and gliding in a trajinera in a quieter part of the Xochimilco waterways. The idea of this tour is to give you a sense of what Xochimilco, and CDMX generally, was like when there were five large lakes in the basin. This is not the 'unlimited tequila and tacos' experience that many are looking for. Friends have told me that is a lot of fun, but this is a different experience by design. Jocelyn is a very knowledgeable and charming guide, and the lunch on the chinampa was quite good. Because this is a private tour, it couldn't be easier or more relaxing. Highly recommend.

This was such a wonderful experience as we were interested in the history, archeological and ecological aspects of the xochimilco area and not the party scene. Elizabeth our tour guide was excellent, they went at our pace - we had a very good authentic local lunch - Carlos our driver was great. All in all a very nice day in Xochimilco.

We had an absolute blast on this private tour! Joss was an incredible tour guide and struck a perfect balance between giving us great historical information about the sites we visited and allowing space for us to ask questions and just enjoy the scenery. Part of the reason we chose this tour was because we wanted to see Xochimilco but we were not interested in a loud, crowded, party boat environment. This trip is PERFECT for a calm, quiet, relaxing, and educational experience. It was exactly what we wanted and we loved every minute. Some specific highlights: - The restaurant we ate at while we were out on the chinampas was absolutely delicious and everyone was so friendly. This was some of the best food we’ve had in our time in Mexico! - Going to the axolotl sanctuary exceeded our expectations. Not only did we learn a lot about these incredible creatures, but we got to hold them and feed them AND we met some iguanas and snakes (which we also had the opportunity to hold). Since this was a private tour, they were able to pick us up from our location (but check with them first) and the door to door experience was ideal. Make sure you remember to bring cash for tips for your tour guide, driver, folks at the restaurant, and the trajinera drivers because everyone deserves it! Also bring some for the local candy shops and be sure to try the different candied fruits (figs were our favorite). 100% recommend, tell all your friends ❤️

Wonderful experience exploring xochimilco. Food was delicious. Felt like we truly stepped back in time! Nallely was amazing! Great guide with lots of interesting information. Great family experience!!!!

What a great tour! Joss, our guide, was knowledgeable and kind. Our driver and the entire team were very accommodating to our needs, and we had an incredible time. The food was unbelievably good—such an authentic experience! We learned so much about axolotls and experienced this place from an ecological perspective. Gracias!

It was amazing. Getting to see the Axolotls and the Xochimilco. Definitely worth it for anyone interested in nature, land use or Axolotls

Very interesting tour of some unexpected, out of the way historical sites in and around Xochimilco. We found it to be fun and educational.

We really enjoyed the tour. We visited Xochimilco town, prehispanic ruins and the Xochimilco channels. We had a delicious lunch at the chinampas at a very nice family run place were we had several Mexican traditional plates such as sopa azteca, pork with pipian, black beans, tortillas, rice, minced pork with green sauce, nopales, chiles, and agua fresca. Great tasting menu! Afterwards we went to an ajolotario that was incredible, Jesus has snakes, insects, lizards and axolotls! Great tour.

We really enjoyed the tour. We visited Xochimilco town, prehispanic ruins and the Xochimilco channels. We had a delicious lunch at the chinampas at a very nice family run place were we had several Mexican traditional plates such as sopa azteca, pork with pipian, black beans, tortillas, rice, minced pork with green sauce, nopales, chiles, and agua fresca. Great tasting menu! Afterwards we went to an ajolotario that was incredible, Jesus has snakes, insects, lizards and axolotls! Great tour.

What a lovely day! Carlos did a great job navigating Mexico City traffic. Joss clearly loves her country and is adept at sharing its hidden treasures. This tour takes you off the beaten path to experience traditional markets and lesser known points of interest. It’s capped off with a meandering boat ride that allows you to see a completely different side of Mexico City and enjoy an amazing authentic meal! And if you’re lucky an iguana will crawl up and sit on your head!

We had an amazing time! Joss was a fantastic tour guide. We felt like this was a great way to see another side of Mexico City. The lunch was also a special highlight and the restaurant went out of the way to accommodate our dietary needs.

Our Pre-hispanic Eco tour to Xochimilco was one of our favorite days during our trip to CDMX. Joss was a great guide who shared her knowledge in a friendly and fun way. We found San Bernadino Cathedral really interesting. We also loved seeing the petroglyphs on the hillside. The boat ride in the quiet side of the canals was peaceful and beautiful. We loved seeing this remaining part of the historic lake and the lives of the people who continue to live and farm there. We had a wonderful home cooked lunch on the chiampas, and we saw lots of birds. Visiting the axolotl sanctuary was fascinating.

We really enjoyed our tour to Xocomilco. Our guide was very pleasant and engaged. She showed us (2 adults, 2 teens) some fascinating sights, including petroglyphs. Three of us did end up getting sick the next day, unfortunately, and the most likely culprit was our lunch on a floating island next to a poinsettia farm. Be cautious about the sanitary conditions there. We loved seeing the axolotls. Gracias!

My children and I really enjoyed our time with Joss. She shared her expertise in the region. The tour had lots of different stops so there was something for everyone - even at a local dulcería if you wanted. Lunch was a feast! The highlight for all were the snakes, salamanders and AXOLTL!!!! Marvelous.

Joss was so knowledgeable and told us so much about the history - and some recommendations for the rest of our trip! The vans and boat were comfortable and the meal was incredible. Highly recommend for a peaceful and interesting day.

This was a beautiful day for us, relaxing and very interesting. The tour combines an unusual visit to an archaeological site with carvings, then a boat ride on the canals with a stop for the most delicious home made lunch and the chance to see (and touch) a boa constrictor (named Frida of course) tarantulas and the axolotls that are being studied because they can regenerate lost limbs. Jos our guide was lovely and very knowledgeable.

We had a great day on this tour. We wanted to see Xochimilco, but the normal tours seem like too much of a party for our kids (9 and 7). Joss was very knowledgeable and tried to make the tour fun for our kids. It was a very nice mix of history, sights, great food, boat ride and animals.

We had a lovely trip with Jocelyn. She was very knowledgeable about the history of area and it was great to see another side of the city. The canals were peaceful and it was great to see the chinampas up close. Lunch at the restaurant was delicious and my favorite part was the axolotl program. Keep in mind this isn’t a display aquarium, rather a working conservation and reintroduction effort, but it was very informative and fun to learn about. The glyphs were very cool, but uneven stone stairs to them, so keep that in mind if you have mobility issues. Also be sure to bring cash for tipping the boat drivers, donating to the axolotl sanctuary, and of course the guide. A terrific day and would do again!

Since this was a private tour Jocelyn was very accommodating on time, pickup, dropoff, and the stops on the tour. The boat ride down the canals was not to be beat and if you want to get a tiny flavor of the old city I highly recommend.

Joss was an amazing guide, knowledgable and fun to be with. She took us to the less touristy places which is what we wanted to see how the locals live. We learned about Xochimilco’s history as we walked through it. We climbed up ancient ruins and witnessed a Mayan ceremony celebrating the new year in progress. The lunch was simple and nice. The grand finale was a visit to an ajolotario and we learnt about what is being done to preserve this rare species. It was overall an amazing day with Joss. I highly recommend it and especially her as a guide. Her English is good.

We got what we had hoped for and more—2 or 3 extra experiences that enriched our tour. On time, smooth driver and our tour guide very attentive. Delicious lunch. A relaxing, educational day.

The whole trip was super nutty. We loved seeing the Jacks and learning about them. We had the pleasure of meeting kitten Richard and dog Chocolate, who were super friendly. We learned a lot from the history of Xochimilco and the community there. ¡10/10! We recommend this tour for anyone.

We loved our tour to Xochimilco with Ophelia. It was super punctual and flexible in our hotel pickup, friendly and enjoyable during traffic. Her vast experience in history and archaeology made her ideal for educating us on information about the city, history, geography and Mexican society. He took us to some magical places in Xochimilco, where he taught us about the beliefs of the natives of the area, and their multiple evolutions throughout history. He also showed us the cathedral of Xochimilco, where we could see the impact of the Spanish arrival in the area, and how cultures came together during the conquest. Then we went to the canals in a private box for us, where we had a pleasant walk until stopping delicious lunch. We were served more food than it would be to consume, and we are very grateful for the attention. Then we continue our journey through canals to get to know the Ajolotes. We were educated about its legendary history, its unique qualities, and its conservation project. We loved the experience, and the only thing we would change would be to bring more tip cash.

Excellent experience in Xochimilco. The Guide took us through the canals in a box, showing us the natural beauty of the place and sharing fascinating information about the history and culture of the area. The emphasis on environmental conservation and care was inspiring. The visit to the ajolotario was a special extra. We highly recommend this unique and educational experience. 5 stars

It is very interesting to know the archaeological zone, not many know that it exists. The trajinera trip relaxes you, it is very calm, and the host is excellent. The food is delicious, the entire tour is a different experience, much better than I expected

Excellent tour. Great capacity of the guide to resolve doubts that are extra to the general information provided.

The historic center of Xochimilco is a beauty with a lot of history. The trajinera ride was excellent. This protected area of Xochimilco is very quiet and very beautiful. It is full of flora and fauna. What makes the tour special is the historian and guide Joselyn with her knowledge of the area and her wisdom. This tour is highly recommended for the whole family. The cherry on the cake was the visit to the Axolotario and seeing the famous Axolotles up close.

The guide does an excellent job, it is very enjoyable to listen to her, you can see that she knows a lot about history and how to teach it to people