Before You Go

Mexico, ancient land of discovery

Mexico can be a curious place for some international visitors. Its geography, history, traditions, European influences, and Amerindian heritage can leave some visitors wondering how a nation so complex can exist just across a line in the sand stretching some 2,000 miles south of the US border.
Mexico has thirty-two states, each one unique in setting and personality. It is a place where stereotypic depictions from American media and 21st-century challenges paint Mexico as a land of bewildering contrast: rich and poor, bone-dry desert and verdant lushness, “third world” and uber-modern, turmoil and traditions.

Mexico is an ancient land where humans have been building one of the world’s most complex cultures for over 30 centuries. A casual beach vacation to one of Mexico’s many “fly and flop” resorts can obscure and homogenize Mexico’s human cultural complexities. Tesoros Experiences is here to broaden your Mexico travel horizons, highlighting urban centers, traditional villages, historic sites, natural spaces, cuisine, crafts, and highly personalized service.

Across a dozen States in Mexico’s central and southern regions, we reveal Mexico’s ancient roots, Spanish/European legacy, historic luxury accommodations, and modern-era amenities. Our experiences are unique, curated, and designed to leave you enchanted. Whether it is private encounters with Mexico’s leading chefs and artisans or visits to some of Mexico’s over 35 UNESCO World Heritage sites, or quiet time to experience unique natural spaces, your Tesoros Experience will open doors to unrivaled cultural exploration and understanding.

Culture, Art, Nature, Diversity: The Treasures of Mexico

You have crossed paths with us because you want to know what Mexico is really made of. You wonder what our roots are and why we are so connected to mother nature. You are curious about the source of creativity for our artists, poets, musicians, cinematographers or extraordinary cooks. You want to know why it is that family is at the heart of our traditions across a diverse and colorful country that has 31 World Heritage Sites by UNESCO and seven elements of Intangible Heritage, being Mexican Cuisine one of them.

A millenary country, Mexico is an everchanging land shaped by its more than 1,200 museums just behind London and New York City. Mexico is the people you meet and the flavors you discover, one treasure at a time.

Mexican geography, climate, altitude

Mexico is a land of extremes, with a diverse and jumbled geography that encompasses nearly every geological formation in the Western Hemisphere: high mountains, towering volcanoes, and canyons in the center of the country, vast deserts in the north, and dense jungles and rainforests in the south and east. These extremes have made Mexico the country with the second-largest variety of ecosystems in the world. Mexico is also mega-diverse when it comes to flora and fauna — one of only five countries on the planet with this designation.

This North American country covers 758,449 square miles (1,964,375 sq km), making it the 14th largest country in the world. It is roughly one-fourth the size of the continental U.S.

Sixty percent of the country’s landmass is the mesa central or central plateau. This highland area is bordered to the east and west by mountain ranges (Sierra Madre Oriental and Sierra Madre Occidental, respectively), and to the south by a row of towering, widely spaced volcanoes.

Mexico stretches across 17 degrees of latitude and 30 degrees of longitude and shares 1,960 miles (3,155 km) of border with the U.S. to the north. Mexico also shares a border with Guatemala to the south and Belize to the Southeast.

It has 6,800 miles of sandy coastline (11,000 km), and the shore is touched by four major bodies of water:

•     Pacific Ocean
•     Gulf of Mexico
•     Sea of Cortez (also called the Gulf of California)
•     Caribbean Sea

Mexico has a wide variety of climatic conditions due to its size and diverse topography. More than half the country is located south of the Tropic of Cancer. Its terrain is complicated with varying altitudes (nearly half the country is over 5,000-feet [1,524-m] above sea level) and influenced by the adjacent seas and oceans.

The central Mexican Plateau (the region where most Tesoros Experiences take place) experiences dry “spring-like” conditions from November through April. Average daily high temperatures stay in the 70–80-degree range throughout the year. The average low temperature for this region ranges from the mid-40s to mid-50s.

Mexico City, Puebla/Tlaxcala can be chilly in the evening during December-February due to the high elevation (over 7,000 feet). This altitude may require a day or so to acclimate.

Temperatures rise during the late spring, followed by the high plateau’s rainy season (June-October). Rainfall tends to be a late afternoon/evening occurrence, leaving mornings to late afternoons full of sunshine.

In coastal regions, there are two main weather seasons: rainy and dry. A general rule of thumb places the warmer rainy season from June through October, with the more temperate, drier weather occurring from November through May. The coastal lowlands of the Pacific and Caribbean coasts can experience tropical rainstorms and occasional hurricanes from August through October.

Entry and inspection

US and Canadian citizens easily enter Mexico with valid passports. The immigration processing at airports was significantly simplified in 2022. Automated processing terminals are being installed at Mexico’s major points of entry, and the paper “tourist card” has been eliminated. Visitors are granted a 180-day visa upon entry. Mexican customs processing still uses a paper “declaration”, which is generally issued onboard your inbound flight. Baggage inspection is quick and efficient.

Getting around

Mexico has Latin America’s most modern network of globalized infrastructure. As the world’s 10th largest economy and one of America’s leading sources of imports, Mexico’s seaports, airports, intercity highways, bus network and luxury automobile availability are all well-developed and modern. With Tesoros Experiences, you will be transported in modern SUV vehicles with the highest safety and maintenance features. UBER service is reliable and Tesoros Hotels are able to arrange any additional personal transportation needs.

Staying in touch with back home

You’ll find high-speed Wi-Fi connects at all Tesoros lodging establishments and nearly all of our Experiences venues. Your US cell phone plan likely includes free calls from Mexico to the US and Canada (check with your US carrier for details). Popular new sites about Mexico include www.choosingmexico.com  and www.mexiconewsdaily.com

Tipping expectations

Mexico is pretty similar to the rest of North America in terms of tipping and norms. 10% tip for a good service, 15% to 20% for an excellent or outstanding service.

Visitor Safety

Mexico is a nation of some 130 million people. Over forty-million overnight visitors come to Mexico each year. Despite negative news reports, your likelihood of being a victim of a crime as a visitor is extremely remote. Your Tesoros Experience has been curated to ensure the highest levels of personal safety and well-being. As you normally would when traveling overseas, take precautions with your personal belongings and be aware of your surroundings in public places. Tesoros lodging establishments have 24/7 security and surveillance. Your sleeping rooms will include in-room safe storage areas for your valuables. In some cases, the front desk will provide this service.