11-Day Sober Mexico Tour: Yucatán & Palenque

Highlights

• 11 days on Mexico's electric Tren Maya through 5 cities and 3 states, ending in the jungles of Palenque
• Turquoise Agua Azul waterfalls and jungle ruins of Palenque, our favorite site in all of Mexico
• Five colonial and jungle cities: Valladolid, Chichén Itzá, Mérida, Campeche, and Palenque

The alcohol-free positioning

This tour is fully alcohol- and substance-free for the entire 11 days — every guest agrees to travel without alcohol or recreational substances, whether or not they identify as sober in daily life. There's no formal recovery programming; the tour is built for cultural and adventure travel, not treatment, but the shared alcohol-free agreement means no pressure and no one drinking around you at meals or in the evenings. We believe all of us are recovering from something. Instead of cantina nights, you get cenote swims, jungle waterfalls, ancient ruins, colonial city walks, and real connection with a small group of intentional, like-minded travelers covering five cities across three states.

A typical day

1. Morning

   Breakfast on your own, then a train ride to the next stop or a guided activity like cenote cycling near Valladolid — the group moves together on Tren Maya between cities.

2. Midday

   Guided exploration of the day's main site with a local guide — Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, Edzná, or Palenque — followed by lunch on your own (three group lunches are included over the trip).

3. Afternoon

   Free time to explore — a colonial city walking tour, the Campeche botanical gardens or trolley tour, a jungle waterfall swim near Palenque, or just relaxing at your hotel or Airbnb.

4. Evening

   Dinner on your own from the group's restaurant recommendations. Optional Spanish crash course one evening, then time to enjoy each city's plazas and nightlife together as a group.

Is this trip right for you?

Travelers with 11 days to spare who want the full Yucatán-to-Chiapas experience: ancient ruins, colonial cities, cenotes, and jungle waterfalls, without alcohol in the picture. This is our deeper, extended tour — a great fit if the 6-day version feels too short. Solo travelers are common, and moderate fitness is needed for walking, biking, and light hiking across five cities.

Support & Environment

Accommodation

Boutique Hotel

10 nights across five stops — Valladolid, near Chichén Itzá, Mérida, Campeche, and Palenque — in quality hotels or Airbnbs chosen for comfort and location. Every stay is a little different. Solo travelers can share a room with a same-gender roommate or book a private room; couples get a private room with a queen or king bed. Private ensuite bathrooms aren't guaranteed at every property — living in community is part of the experience.

What’s Included

Not Included

Yoga classes are not included (we recommend trying a Spanish-language class in Mérida or Valladolid). Also not included: personal spending, souvenirs, extra meals beyond the three included, and optional add-ons like the stingless bee tour or massages.

Refund Policy

About the Host

We're Carrie Hoffman and Zach Minnich, the husband-and-wife team behind Bigger Life Adventures. We started this in 2018 out of a shared love for world travel, yoga, real food, and time outside, and a belief that adventure and sobriety aren't a tradeoff. Every retreat we run is plant-based, alcohol-free, and rooted in trauma-informed yoga, whether we're leading a hike through the cloud forest in Monteverde or a beach camp on Catalina Island. We try to tread lightly on the places we visit, and we treat yoga as more than a workout. You don't need a label to join us. Just a desire for something real.

Frequently asked questions