October 5 – Flights to Mexico City

Plan for your flight to arrive in the afternoon or evening of October 5.

Our flights take us to Mexico City, one of the largest cities in the world with a total population of more than 26 million in the valley. Upon arrival we will transfer to our hotel. (No meals included)

October 6 – Mexico City

This morning we will attend church with local members.  We will then visit the LDS Temple and Visitor’s Center of Mexico City.  In the afternoon we will visit the beautiful National Museum of Anthropology, one of the most spectacular museums of its kind in the world. Touring the museum will provide us with an excellent overview of our tour as we are exposed to many beautiful exhibits ranging from ancient pottery to gold and jade jewelry.  Lunch will be provided while at the museum. (Breakfast, Lunch)

October 7 – Mexico City

Today we will visit the ancient ruins of Teotihuacan. Occupied from about 200 BC to AD 900, Teotihuacan was one of the largest populated cities in the world during its peak. The inspiring pyramids of the Sun and Moon attract millions of visitors to this most popular archaeological zone in Mexico. This may have been the great city built by King Jacob of the Gadianton Robbers (See 3 Nephi 7). We will return to Mexico City in the afternoon. (Breakfast, Lunch)

October 8 – Puebla

After checking out of our hotel, we will visit the Shrine of Guadalupe where we will learn about the origin of the Catholic Church in Mexico. We will then continue our travel to the city of Cholula, which is home to the largest-based pyramid in the world.  It dates to the pre-Classic era (500 BC). It was destroyed at the time of Christ and has been built over several times. A Catholic church sits peacefully on top of the pyramid today. We will spend the night in Puebla. (Breakfast, Dinner)

October 9 – Oaxaca

Today we head into the rugged mountains of Oaxaca. The Oaxaca valley has archaeological evidence that dates to the Jaredite time period and as a result is considered by some to be the ancient area of the Jaredite lands called Moron. Some LDS scholars believe that the Jaredites landed on the Pacific side and moved inland and that a branch of their society settled in the Oaxaca (pronounced Wa-Ha-Ca) area. Three kingships later they moved to the Gulf Coast area. Olmec settlements (which some scholars correlate with the Jaredites) began to show up along the Gulf Coast between 2000 and 1500 BC. As we arrive in the colonial city of Oaxaca, we will visit the site of San Jose Mogote dating to 2600 BC. (Breakfast, Dinner)

October 10 – Oaxaca

Today we will visit the Zapotec ruins of Mitla, a post-Book of Mormon site, but one that may have some fascinating history associated with it. Although built about AD 700, it shows outstanding accomplishment in the workings of cement and intricate design. A visit to a local artisan shop and the world-famous Tule Tree, believed to be one of the oldest trees on earth, will conclude our day.  (Breakfast, Lunch)

October 11 – Oaxaca

This morning we will climb by bus to the top of the mountain where the ancient Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban are located. Here we will summarize the three civilizations identified in the Book of Mormon: the Jaredites, Mulekites and Nephites. It was at Monte Alban where evidence of a written language was first discovered in Mesoamerica. The site dates from 500 BC to AD 700 and may have been controlled by the Nephites beginning during the reign of King Mosiah at about 100 BC.  In the afternoon, we will visit the black pottery shop and learn about how this beautiful pottery is created. A visit to the Santo Domingo Church and Museum will complete our visit to the city which was home to Benito Juarez, a contemporary of Joseph Smith, and Mexico’s only pure native President. (Breakfast, Lunch)

October 12 – Veracruz

We depart Oaxaca and travel to the beautiful Gulf coast city of Veracruz.  As we arrive, we will have the opportunity to see the LDS temple here and spend the night in our beach hotel. (Breakfast, Dinner)

October 13 – Catemaco

Today is a highlight of the tour. After attending Church, we will check out of our hotel and travel through the area proposed as  the waters of Ripliancum (Ether 15:8), a place that has the same meaning in the Aztec (Nahuatl) language, “exceeding large waters.” We will then visit the hill that some LDS scholars propose as the location of the hill Ramah/Cumorah mentioned in the Book of Mormon (Mormon 6:2,6; Ether 15:11).  We will drive into the lakeside town of Catemaco for the evening. (Breakfast, Dinner)

October 14 – Villahermosa

Today we bus along Mexico’s “golden lane” passing by both the proposed “place where the sea divides the land” (Gulf of Mexico), and the “narrow neck of land” (the Isthmus of Tehuantepec). (See Ether 10:20.) As we leave beautiful Lake Catemaco, we will pass by a candidate for the hill Shim (Cintepec) where Mormon obtained the records for his history (See Mormon 1:3, 17). A visit to the site of La Venta, a place referred to by some LDS scholars as the city of “Lib”, will continue our study of the magnificent Olmec culture.  (Breakfast, Dinner)

October 15 – Palenque

We start our day with a visit to the Villahermosa LDS Temple followed by the outdoor La Venta Museum, a place that houses large, engraved stone monuments dating to the Jaredite time period.  We will then bus on to the beautiful Chiapas mountains which are located in an area proposed as the “land among many waters” described in Mosiah 8:8. Although only four percent of the population of the country of Mexico live in the State of Chiapas, over 40% of the wild animals live in the Tehuantepec, Chiapas and Lacondone mountains. This is reminiscent of the statement in Ether wherein it states that the “land southward was preserved for a wilderness to get game” (Ether 10:21). We will visit the majestic Classic period Maya ruins of Palenque. We will analyze the panel of glyphs at the Temple of the Cross where we see the glyph that has been translated to mean and it came to pass. Dinner will be provided at the hotel.  (Breakfast, Dinner)

October 16 – Kohunlich

Today we make our way through the area proposed as the land among many waters.  We will pass by the Usumacinta River.  We will visit the ancient, fortified city of Becan, which may have  similarities to those constructed by Captain Moroni in the East Wilderness of the Book of Mormon, which constructions have been labeled by a leading archaeologist as “the brainchild of some local innovator.”  Tonight, we will stay at the beautiful jungle resort of the Explorean at Kohunlich, a favorite of everyone.  (Breakfast, Dinner)

October 17 – Chetumal

Wake up to nature at its best in this peaceful jungle setting. The misty dew on the grass, the sounds of the birds in the trees and the serenity of the eco-resort setting makes this a day to remember. This morning we will visit the archaeological zone of Dzibanche, a fertile region that suggests the city Bountiful, the location where the Savior visited the Nephites.  Dzibanche, meaning “writing on wood,” owes its name to the fact that Temple number VI had a fairly large lintel made from quebracho wood that bears eight glyphs dated to AD 618.  Dzibanche was a major site in the Maya area in the Classic Period (AD 300-900). Afterwards we will go to the archaeological site of Kohunlich, which is best known for its Temple of the Masks, an Early Classic pyramid whose central stairway is flanked by large stucco masks. The temple was built around AD 500. The giant masks represent the Sun God “Kinich Ahau”. The city rose to prominence in the Early Classic when there were important ties to the cultures of northern Belize.  We travel to Chetumal for the night.  (Breakfast, Dinner)

October 18– Playa del Carmen

This morning we will travel from Chetumal north along the coast of the Riviera Maya to the archaeological site of Tulum. The ruins are situated on 39-feet-tall cliffs along the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula on the beautiful turquoise colored Caribbean Sea. Tulum was the last great city constructed and inhabited by the Mayan people between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries. It was a site of worship to the Great Descending God whose image adorns the temples within the site. Tulum was also of great importance for sea trade, most specifically for the trading of obsidian. Tribes from all over Mexico and other Central American countrieswould travel to this Caribbean port for commerce.  (Breakfast, Dinner)

October 19 – Arrive with amazing memories!

Plan for your flight to leave Cancun in the morning of October 19.

We transfer to the airport where we will check in for our flights home. Our journey to the Book of Mormon lands has come to an end, but we will take with us memories that will last a lifetime. (No meals included)

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