FAQ

*Note that because of the limited nature of our special event trips, the cancellation policy is different than for our regular trips. Inquire directly.

Since there are up-front costs involved in organizing the trips such as paying hotels, transportation and other vendors, we can only give you a refund (for the security deposit we have on hold) if you cancel 120 days in advance of the trip. The security deposit ($500) is non-refundable after that period. First payment (50% of total, considering the deposit) should be made 120 days prior to travel. This amount is non-refundable unless Mexican Culinary Traditions is able to fill the space. The remaining and final payment of 50% must be paid in full 60 days prior to travel. This amount is non-refundable.

This policy is the only way we can maintain the small group size and upscale level of service we provide. If you’re worried about your plans or circumstances changing, we STRONGLY recommend you get trip insurance as soon as you put your deposit down. Trip cancellation insurance as well as medical and evacuation coverage is highly recommended for everyone.

In the highly unusual event that Mexican Culinary Traditions must cancel a tour, all fees and payments will be immediately returned and this refund will be the limit of our liability. If a trip needs to be rescheduled or postponed due to safety or other reasons beyond our control (COVID-19 being a good example), we will reschedule making every effort to accommodate the trip to dates that suit everyone. Participant expenses incurred in preparation of trip such as purchased airline tickets are not the responsibility of Mexican Culinary Traditions. If your travel plans (such as airfare) change due to weather, delays, or any similar circumstances, we are not responsible for the cost of such changes.

*Note that because of the limited nature of our special event trips, the cancellation policy is different than for our regular trips. Inquire directly.

Here at Mexican Culinary Traditions we are making every effort so our guests can book a trip with us without any extra stress during these trying and uncertain times.

If you paid a deposit on a trip, you will be able to get a refund if you cancel 120 days in advance of travel. Moreover, you won't have to make any further payments apart from the deposit until that 120 day mark, allowing guests more time to make sure they are able to travel. In the event that we must cancel the trip on our end for Covid-19 concerns or any other reason, you will get a total refund. If the trip is postponed, but not cancelled, we will make everything in our power to make a new date work for all involved. If you cannot make the new date proposed, you can use your deposit or payment towards any other available date for your destination or a different destination (paying the difference in prices) for a different time.

Even with all these options, we still highly recommend and urge everyone to get travel insurance. Many companies are now including Covid-19 as part of their insurance policies.

Children 12 or over are welcome on our trips. However, it is important for parents to be aware of several things. Because all of our trips are culinary, many of the things we will be eating may seem very unusual to children and the menus are usually fixed, so they should be adventurous eaters, though we will try to accommodate any dietary restrictions whenever possible. There are no children discounts, price is the same for everyone. The itinerary will not be changed and most mornings we start early (at around 8:00 a.m.) and finish late after dinner (at around 10:00 p.m.). Lastly, there are activities involving alcohol, like a mezcal or wine tasting.

We will do our best to accommodate any type of dietary restriction and we will guide you in ordering things that you can safely eat. However, as a group, we will be trying different local things and sometimes it is simply impossible to avoid certain ingredients. Please do let us know in advance of any restrictions or concerns and we will make sure to accommodate your restrictions and preferences.

We only pick places that we trust and know to be safe and clean, but nevertheless anyone can get sick, especially when one’s body is not accustomed to a new environment or different bacteria. If there is anything you should avoid, like tap water or blocks of ice, we will tell you. Our word of advice is to take 1 Tbsp of Pepto Bismol each morning, as it will protect your stomach preemptively, allowing you to eat worry-free.

Oaxaca, Mexico City, Mérida and the areas of Michoacán we'll be visiting are extremely safe with very low crime rates. Like any place in the world, it is all about knowing where to go and what to avoid. That’s what we are here for. We suggest keeping a low profile (i.e. avoiding flashy jewelry, being discreet when getting money from your wallet in the street, not carrying too much cash, keeping your passport and important documents in the hotel’s safe deposit, not walking alone in dark and lonely areas, etc.) And always remember, we are here to help and guide you, your safety is our biggest priority.

If you would like to book for one of our tours, please get in touch with us and we will send you a reservation form to be filled-out and returned to us along with a security deposit ($500 per person). This can be paid with a check or through Venmo. With this, your spot will be secured. The deposit is refundable if cancellation is made 90 days in advance of trip and also in the event that the tour is cancelled on our end.

Our tour dates vary year to year, though we try to release our departure dates at least 9 months ahead of time to allow for planning. We base our dates on your requests and what we believe to be good times for travel at our various destinations. We also prefer avoiding crowds, as prices increase and we think places are better experienced when things are calm and less crowded. In the past, we have planned or carried out our tours in January, March, April, August, September, October, and December. If there are any specific dates that would work for you, please get in touch and we will keep them in mind for future planning.

Our itinerary is full of what we believe to be the best food in each of our destinations. Some spots may be street stands, market stands, private homes of cooks, and some upscale restaurants, but we choose each place based on what we consider to be the most representative and delicious food, regardless of the environment and/or price of the establishment.

While our private tours can be customized according to your likes and wishes, our signature tours focus on food but also include something for everyone: sightseeing/visiting landmarks (archeological sites, cathedrals, etc.), exploring local arts and crafts, dabbling in local spirits like Mezcal or Pulque, and yes, there is an emphasis on food and learning about local culinary traditions.

Our four current destinations are far from being beach towns. Casual attire is okay for our daily activities (jeans, shorts, t-shirts, polos), but we recommend avoiding overly provocative clothing and beachwear. We will be doing plenty of walking, so we suggest you wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Avoid wearing flip-flops or high heels. We will be having dinner at some upscale restaurants, so pack some nicer clothes for that. It doesn’t have to be very formal, but business casual should be okay.

The weather will vary depending on the time of year and destination, but Oaxaca, Mexico City and Michoacán are generally warm during the day, with cooler mornings and evenings. Mérida is very hot except in the winter, which is when we'll be carrying out our tours there.

The current exchange rate dollar to pesos is around 17.50 pesos per dollar, so you will get a lot of pesos for your dollars.

Mexico has wonderful arts and crafts and these should be pretty cheap if you consider the amount of labor involved in making them. Some often take days, weeks, or months to make, so we ask that you please consider that before haggling. The people of Oaxaca and many other areas of Mexico are economically needy and often are already selling their items for a lower value. If you believe a price is too high you can always ask for our guidance, we only want you to get the best for your money.

Be mindful about what you bring back. Some of the arts and crafts are fragile, like pottery, but they often offer to pack them safely for you and ship them. As for food items, NO fresh foods and/or seeds are allowed back, and definitely no pork. You can bring chocolate, dried chiles, spices, mole pastes, vanilla, and anything else that has been dried. The amount of alcohol allowed back depends on where you live. Same situation applies when entering Mexico: don’t bring fresh foods with you.

For Mexico City, there are direct flights from mostly everywhere. For our other three destinations, Oaxaca, Mérida, and Morelia, you can find direct flights from cities like Dallas or Houston. There are also plenty of connecting flights from Mexico City to Oaxaca, Mérida and Morelia and these are very short flights. We arrange for airport-hotel pick-up and drop-off, so you don’t have to worry about anything once you land at your destination.

All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and the ingredients needed for the cooking day), accommodation at five-star boutique hotels for the duration of the trip, all ground transportation, including airport pick-up and drop-off, cooking session with James Beard Award winning chef Iliana de la Vega, admission to all proposed activities and museums, mezcal or wine class and tasting. It does NOT include alcoholic beverages (apart from those described in the itinerary), airfare or transportation to and from the destination, or travel insurance (highly recommended).

Since we want to make sure you don’t only taste the food, but also have an actual understanding of the ingredients and what it is like to cook with them, our cooking session will be an opportunity for you experience interesting ingredients and learn ways to incorporate them into your own cooking guided by James Beard Award winning chef Iliana de la Vega. We are less interested in giving you a cooking class with a zillion ingredients you will not find back at home than providing you with insider tips to use the ingredients you can find intuitively and with the right techniques.

The electricity and plugs are the same in Mexico as in the United States, so just bring whatever you normally use at home. There’s no need for adapters.

Please send us your questions and we will get back to you shortly with answers.