2023 Colorado Academy Mexico Program

Dear Families, Friends, and Travelers – Welcome to the 2023 Colorado Academy Mexico Program!  We have created two webpages dedicated to this once in a lifetime experience so that travelers are as informed as possible throughout the process. The Pre-Enrollment page is meant to share exciting details, highlights, and pertinent info, that participants will want to know before enrolling. Once enrolled, the Post-Enrollment page is intended to prepare travelers for participation on the adventure ahead. Please be sure to review the information thoroughly and get excited for Mexico!!
Travel Dates: March 18, 2023 - March 25, 2023
Group Organizer(s):
WTT Contact:
Program Tuition: $2,874 USD
Deadline(s): Tuition includes the international airfare

Tuition Calculator

There are two options for payment, including an interest-free installment plan.  Follow whichever works best for your family. If we are within 90 days of travel, only the pay in full option is possible.

Program Tuition: $2,874

Pay in Full

$2,874.00

due today

Payment Plan

Pay a $500 deposit at the time of enrollment and establish an interest-free monthly payment plan. If you enroll today, your estimated* monthly payments would be:

$215.82

per month

* This is an approximate price. Your exact total will be confirmed when your enrollment is processed.

All prices in United States Dollars.

Mexico Service Adventure

México’s perfect white sand beaches, rugged canyons, tropical jungles, and arid plains are inhabited by some of the world’s nicest people, all of whom enjoy some of the world’s best food. The same is true for México’s megacities, colonial hamlets, and dusty outposts. Our neighbor to the south truly has it all, yet few visitors experience the real México. Our programs will show travelers the true fabric of México, from small food stalls of México City to pre-Columbian Zapotec ruins, as we travel between México City, Puebla and beyond.

Over the last decade, we’ve developed a relationship with an amazing home for abandoned boys outside the city of Puebla called IPODERAC. Our groups work on service projects by day (when the boys are at school), then work with the boys or “chavos” when they are back on campus. In the evenings, it’s free time to play soccer or any other game and bond with our new friends. Please click this link to see a short (2 mins is the short cut) documentary that was made about IPODERAC.

Service Adventures

Service Adventures

Service Adventures can combine rural homestays, adventure travel, and meaningful service projects which are guided by our community partners. Living in these small communities provides the opportunity to engage the language and culture from a uniquely advantageous position.

Program Highlights


Check out some of the featured experiences of your program!

Hike between communities in the mountains of the Oaxacan Sierra

Take a guided walking tour of Oaxaca's centro historico

Delve into the food, history and culture of Mexico City

Have the adventure of a lifetime with your friends

Practice your Spanish language skills with locals

Immerse yourself in Mexican culture, food, language, art, history, and nature

The Itinerary


We do everything possible to run safe, engaging, and immersive programs for our travelers and given the unpredictable nature of international travel we must remain flexible in our planning. Changes to a schedule are uncommon but, we reserve the right to adjust programming in the best interest of the group. 

DayLocationActivityLodging
March 18USA - Mexico City, MexicoToday we will travel to Mexico City. Upon arrival, we will be transported to our hotel in the historic center of the capital for a delicious first meal followed by an orientation meeting.Hotel Catedral
March 19Mexico CityThis morning we will wander the quaint Coyoacán neighborhood, including a visit to Frida Kahlo's Blue House museum and the chance to sample the famous tostadas inside the Coyoacán market. In the afternoon we head to Parque Chapultepec, an oasis of forest in the middle of the city and once a retreat for Aztec nobility. First, we will visit the Castillo de Chapultepec. Then we head to the superlative Museo de Antropología. Afterwards we will stroll through the leafy, bohemian Condesa neighborhood and then ride the subway back to the hotel after an early dinner to rest up for tomorrow.Hotel Catedral
March 20Mexico CityThis morning we will walk through the Zócalo, Mexico's largest central plaza, before marveling at a collection of Diego Rivera’s famous murals. After lunch, we're off to temples of the Sun and Moon at Teotihuacán where we'll spend the afternoon exploring and learning more about Mexico's amazing history.Hotel Catedral
March 21Mexico City - Oaxaca CityAfter breakfast we will leave the big city for Oaxaca, one of the most culturally rich regions of the country. We'll break up the drive with stops in the quaint town of Cholula for lunch, after which we'll hike to an impressive archeolgical site nearby. We then continue south, arriving to our destination in the late afternoon. We'll settle into our hotel then dip into the centro historico for our first Oaxacan dinner! Casona del Llano
March 22Oaxaca, CuajimoloyasToday we will travel up the Sierra Norte to the Pueblos Mancomunados, a series of traditional indigenous villages. We will settle into our rugged cabins in the village of Cuajimoloyas and begin to learn about this unique setting via a guided nature hike and an incredible zipline experience high above the valley. Our meals will be served in the house of a local family and consist of foods from the region, and at night we will sleep in shared cabins comforted by the warmth of a wood burning stove.Cabins
March 23OaxacaAfter enjoying a final village breakfast, we will return to Oaxaca City and spend the afternoon exploring its safe and beautiful streets in a photographic scavenger hunt. Students will be broken into small groups and set out to photograph certain sites and scenes that require problem solving and Spanish language. In the evening, we will gather for dinner and stroll the various plazas of Oaxaca.Casona del Llano
March 24Oaxaca - Mexico CityThis morning we will enjoy our last bit of time in Oaxaca before returning to the capital, roughly a six-hour trip. Upon arrival we'll settle into our hotel, enjoy a celebratory final dinner and also check out a lucha libre performance! Hotel Catedral
March 25Mexico City - USAToday we'll head to the airport and catch our international flight home, ¡hasta luego!Your own bed, eventually!

Accommodations


In order to provide a safe and memorable experience, we follow strict guidelines when choosing program accommodations. Walking Tree partners with hotels and guest houses which are centrally located, clean and safe.  We vet and inspect the accommodations to ensure they uphold the ethos of our programs, are great values for our travelers and nice places to rest after enriching days of travel.  

Below are the accommodations we anticipate using on your trip, subject to availability. 
Hotel Catedral

Located behind the Metropolitan Cathedral and just a few steps from the archaeological ruins of the Templo Mayor and the National Palace in the Plaza de la Constitution,  Catedral Hotel boasts an excellent location, comfortable and clean rooms, and a friendly staff.

La Casona del Llano

Hotel La Casona del Llano is located in central Oaxaca city. The rooms in the hotel are air conditioned, have cable TV and feature garden views. This hotel also counts with its own restaurant, La Casona’s, which serves characteristic Mexican cuisine from the Oaxaca region, and has a terrace dining area overlooking nearby El Llano Park. Free Wi-Fi keeps guests feeling connected at all times. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender.

Safety and Support


 EASY FUNDRAISING & PAYMENT
EASY FUNDRAISING & PAYMENT
24/7 GLOBAL EMERGENCY LINE
24/7 GLOBAL EMERGENCY LINE
HIGHLY VETTED PARTNERS
HIGHLY VETTED PARTNERS
EXPERT LEADERSHIP
EXPERT LEADERSHIP
PRIVATE GROUP GUARANTEE
PRIVATE GROUP GUARANTEE
COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM SUPPORT
COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM SUPPORT
DEDICATION TO CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
DEDICATION TO CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICING
ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICING

My daughter’s experience in Morocco was extraordinary!! I really enjoyed seeing the pictures and hearing the stories about her adventures, but what brought me the most joy was the relationships she formed with the chaperones from her school and with Stafford and Said (Walking Tree’s Moroccan Country Directors and Program Leaders). She spoke of their characters and spirits which let me know these wonderful people went over and beyond the basics of the program. I am forever grateful for the love and care all four of you gave to her.

Beddar
Parent of Jadah, traveler on Morocco Cultural Journey

Your Adventure Includes

Program Tuition Excludes: Travel insurance, baggage fees, passport/visa fees, laundry, souvenirs, and activities not listed on the itinerary.

Need to Raise Money? We Have You Covered.

Walking Tree Travel is proud to team up with Equal Exchange, a worker-owned cooperative that distributes organic coffee, tea, sugar, bananas, avocados, cocoa, chocolate bars, and more.  There is no limit to the amount you can earn, so the sooner you can start, the better!

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WTT coffee
Resource center

Resource Center

Why should high school students travel abroad? What happens if a participant gets sick? How quickly do we need to enroll? We’re sure you have plenty of questions and we’ve got you covered! Visit our Resource Center to discover the answers to your most pressing questions and contact us anytime with additional questions.

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