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Villahermosa
- All Day: Arrivals to Villahermosa
- Evening: Relax at hotel
- Overnight in Villahermosa
JAN 10-18, 2026
Expedition Through the Olmec Heartland
An itinerary designed by Dr. Ed Barnhart
This 9-day tour will start in Villahermosa, Tabasco.
Its path will lead through the Olmec Heartland and all its major ruins. Museums, both tiny and grand, will be visited to see the artifact collections that arent featured in books. The route was specifically chosen to allow its participants to see all seventeen of the famous Olmec colossal heads.
LA VENTA, SAN LORENZO, TRES ZAPOTES, CHOLULA, CHALCATZINGO, AND ALL THE MAJOR OLMEC MUSEUM COLLECTIONS
Itinerary
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Day 1: Villahermosa - Saturday, Jan 10
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Day 2: La Venta Park - Sunday, Jan 11
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La Venta Park
- 7-8am: Breakfast at hotel
- 9-12pm: Exploring La Venta Park
- 12-2pm: Lunch break at hotel
- 2-4pm: Tour of the CICOM Olmec collection
- 6-7pm: Lecture: Olmec 101 Overview
- Overnight in Villahermosa
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Day 3: La Venta - Monday, Jan 12
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La Venta
- 7-9am: Breakfast and check out
- 9-10am: Transport to La Venta
- 10-12pm: Exploring La Venta ruins
- 12-1pm: Lunch break
- 1-3pm: Transport to Coatzacoalcos
- 5-6pm: Lecture: The Olmec Enigma
- Overnight in Coatzacoalcos
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Day 4: San Lorenzo - Tuesday, Jan 13
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San Lorenzo
- 7-9am: Breakfast and check out
- 9-12pm: Transport to and "tour" of San Lorenzo
- 12-4pm: Transport into the Tuxtlas, lunch on the road
- Evening: Free time in San Andres Tuxtla
- Overnight in San Andres Tuxtla
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Day 5: Tres Zapotes - Wednesday, Jan 14
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Tres Zapotes
- 7-9am: Breakfast and checkout
- 9-10am: Transport to and exploring Santiago Tuxtla Museum
- 10-12pm: Transport to and tour of Tres Zapotes Museum
- 12-5pm: Transport to Xalapa, Lunch on the road
- Evening: Free time
- Overnight in Xalapa
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Day 6: Xalapa Museum - Thursday, Jan 15
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Xalapa Museum
- 7-9am: Breakfast and check out
- 9-12pm: Xalapa Museum Olmec collection
- 12-1pm: Lunch break in Xalapa
- 1-4pm: Transport to Cholula
- Evening: Free time in Cholula
- Overnight in Cholula
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Day 7: Cholula and Chalcatzingo - Friday, Jan 16
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Chalcatzingo
- 7-9am: Breakfast and check out
- 9-11pm: The Great Pyramid of Cholula
- 11-12pm: Lunch break in Cholula
- 12-3pm: Transport to and exploring Chalcatzingo
- 3-5pm: Transport into Mexico City
- Overnight in Mexico City
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Day 8: National Anthropology Museum - Saturday, Jan 17
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National Anthropology Museum
- 7-9am: Breakfast at hotel
- 9-12pm: National Anthropology Museum
- 12-1pm: Lunch break in the museum
- 1-3pm: Free time at the museum
- 6-7pm: Final gathering on hotel rooftop
- Overnight in Mexico City
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Day 9: Departure - Sunday, Jan 18
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Departure
- Morning: Breakfast and airport taxis
- End of Tour
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Lodging (these hotels or similar)
Villahermosa
Hotel Cencali Fiesta
Americana
A classic Villahermosa hotel in the center of the city. AC, restaurant, pool, telephone, cable TV and wifi.
Coatzacoalcos
Hotel Terranova
South of town along the Coatzacoalcos River. AC, restaurant, pool, telephone, cable TV and wifi.
San Andres Tuxtla
Hotel Piedras Altas
Located very close to Plaza AC, restaurant, telephone, cable TV and wifi.
Xalapa
Hotel Gamma Fiesta Americana
Three blocks from Xalapa Archaeology Museum. AC, restaurant, pool, telephone, cable TV and wifi.
Cholula
Hotel Casa Calli
Located on the city's zocalo, surrounded in restuarants and shops. AC, restaurant, telephone, cable TV and wifi.
Mexico City
Hotel Majestic
Located in the Zocalo and one of the city's most established hotels. AC, roof-top restaurant, telephone, cable TV and wifi.
Price Includes
All lodging, private ground transportation, breakfasts, archaeologist guide, local
guides, evening lectures, all entry fees, bottles of cold purified water in the bus
Price Does Not Include
Airfare to/from Mexico City and one way flight to Villahermosa, taxi to the hotel from/to the airports, lunches, dinners, gratuities (maids, drivers, guides, etc..), travel insurance
MEC strongly recommends travel insurance. If you don't have a trusted company, InsureMyTrip allows you to compare compare policies from many different companies and make your best choice.
This 9-day tour will start in Villahermosa, Tabasco. The route was specifically
chosen to allow its participants to see all seventeen of the famous Olmec colossal heads.
LA VENTA, SAN LORENZO, TRES ZAPOTES, CHOLULA, CHALCATZINGO, AND MAJOR
OLMEC MUSEUM COLLECTIONS
LA VENTA, SAN LORENZO, TRES ZAPOTES, CHOLULA, CHALCATZINGO, AND MAJOR OLMEC MUSEUM COLLECTIONS
- $500 deposit due upon registration
- 50% balance due 90 days before the trip
- Final balance due 30 days before
- 80% refunds up to one month before the trip
- No refunds after 14 days until the trip