Yucatán of the endless rainforest, distant Mayan legends, cobblestone and conquest. And at its heart is the dynamic colonial city of Mérida. Join us for an unrivaled five-night exploration of culture and cuisine, with guides like renegade farmers, Mayan grain-keepers, and taco savants.
Poet, Gourmand, Yucatán Whisperer to the Stars Gonzalo Gil Lavedra
Overview
Yucatán The Brave
Yucatán of the endless rainforest, distant Mayan legends, cobblestone and conquest. And at its heart is the dynamic colonial city of Mérida. Join us for an unrivaled five-night exploration of culture and cuisine, with guides like renegade farmers, Mayan grain-keepers, and taco savants.
The ingredients of this journey go beyond cochinita pibil, deeper than the inky depths of a recado negro. It is about the people, not only the creative and hospitable Yucatecos, but also the dreamers and visionaries from other parts of the world who call the region home.
Breakfast mission to eat lavishly with the queen of Yucatán tacos, Doña Lupita
Historical walk through the center of the colonial city to understand a bit about how time and culture have influenced the cuisine of this place, with chef Abril Batún of Luciérnagas y Cosmonautas
Lunch at the Luciérnagas y Cosmonautas, Abril Batún and Natalia Sánchez’s creative Yucateca restaurant in central Mérida
Open bar or siesta, your choice
Dinner in the Yucatán countryside, immersed in the complex and fascinating history of the henequen hacienda epoch, with a private dinner at Tekik de Regil
Catered morning at a private cenote, one of those stunning Yucatán watering holes that is a window into the geologic and anthropocentric history of the peninsula
Big last-night private dinner cooked by chef Alex Mendez and friends using products from Mestiza de Indias
Day
6
K’a’ ak’ate (that’s goodbye in Mayan)
October 27 · Wednesday
One last, languorous breakfast at Casa Lecanda
Private transfer to Mérida Airport
Adios, hasta la proxima, no lloren mis buenos
What’s Included
All breakfasts, lunches, dinners except when itinerary explicitly says “Independent Meals”
Expertise and services of our experienced trip leaders: at least one guide and one host per trip
Snacks and beverages between meals
Additional guides and experts from the region
Transfers to and from the airport or wherever you are on the day the trip starts and ends
Daily Roads & Kingdoms gifts related to the themes, activities and narratives of each trip
All gratuities for accommodations, meals, guiding or transport
What’s Not Included
International airfare to and from the journey (note: some trips begin and end at different airports)
Personal bar tabs (when not with the group)
Personal laundry or spa services
Personal travel insurance
Meet Our Hosts
Local Guide
Gonzalo Gil Lavedra
Poet, Gourmand, Yucatán Whisperer to the Stars
We first met Gonzalo Gil Lavedra in the smoky courtyard behind a family’s butcher shop in the meat-obsessed pueblo of Temozón, Yucatán. Referred to us by Noma chef René Redzepi, Gonzalo had sweet-talked the family into taking us all behind the scenes of some of the best smoked meat in Mexico. His unassuming charm and curiosity have taken him far and wide on this earth, but Yucatán holds a special place in his travels. He has shown some of the world’s great chefs around the peninsula, and now he has teamed up with Roads & Kingdoms to provide an unforgettable glimpse of the culinary life of this remarkable region.
Where You’ll Stay
Casa Lecanda
Mérida Noble House
A small luxury boutique hotel in the historic center of Mérida, Casa Lecanda is set within an old patrician residence. Most of the original carpentry, clay floors, and finishes have been meticulously restored, as have traditional patios connected by gardens. A palm-ringed fountain and authentic Meridana hammocks offer refuge from the tropical heat, while stone, and marble arches blend with the tropical vegetation and white waters of the pool.
Casona Los Cedros
Espita Oasis
Casona Los Cedros is everything we love about Espita, a small town with a big aura. Laura Lecué and Alan Montfort are among the creatives from around the world who were drawn to the place. Laura, who studied and worked in architecture in Paris before moving with Alan to Mexico, re-envisioned this old colonial residence with brand-new rooms, surrounded by flowering plants and succulents, centering on an infinity pool and cocktail-perfect veranda.
R&K continues to knock it out of the park by providing amazing access and experiences.
Mike R.
CDMX Under the Volcano 2026
The activities organized are radically different than the usual tourist attractions and would most likely be missed by even the most savvy travelers.
Arturo M.
Oaxaca Reborn 2024
The connections R&K has in the community made this trip feel like a once-in-a-lifetime experience that could not be replicated by any other company.
We open on the coast, where young fishermen are also architects and Japanese chefs serve omakase in the jungle. Then we travel inland to the ancient valleys where Ana Paulina Garcia—baker, fermenter, culinary connector—has built a world entirely her own. From the Pacific waves to the mezcal fields, this is Oaxaca at its most surprising, most delicious, and most alive.
Only five days and nights to tackle one of the world’s richest and wildest culinary cities? No problem. Here’s the plan: start strong, end hard, rely on our smartest and most well-connected friends in the city to show us how to cook and eat and drink well, Chilango-style. And we’ll be spending deep moments at the remarkable Hacienda San Andrés for a full traditional lamb barbacoa and deep dive into the rich rural and culinary heritage that surrounds CDMX.
