MEX-ECO TOURS

Zacatecas & Real de Catorce

Updated for our 2025 – 2026 season, Mex-ECO Tours brings you this wonderful adventure through part of Mexico’s historic Silver Route (Camino Real de Tierra Adentro), including the UNESCO World Heritage Site that is the City of Zacatecas, and the Magic Town of Real de Catorce!

Our expert guide will lead you through the beautiful city of Zacatecas, known not only for its rich silver mines and beautifully preserved colonial architecture, but also for the important role it played in Mexico’s revolution. Enjoy a cable car ride to appreciate the spectacular views from el Cerro de la Bufa, explore the city’s historic centre, and visit one of Mexico’s oldest museums in the Magic Town of Guadalupe. 

The next part of our tour takes you to the unique ghost town of Real de Catorce, which sits on a mountain plateau at almost 2,800 meters above sea level, Mexico’s highest Magic Town! Only accessible via a dark tunnel through the mountainside, this mystical place was once a bustling silver mining town, and is now home to less than 1,000 residents. Real de Catorce is considered a sacred place for the Huichol culture, who have long taken pilgrimages here in search of the peyote plant, an important part of their shamic rituals.

Optional extras in Real de Catorce include a Willys Jeep Tour to Estación Catorce and a horse ride to the Ghost town above the tunnel, both highly recommended!

PRICING

DATES

DETAILS:

DIFFICULTY LEVEL:

Difficult* – this tour does not have difficult hikes, but please note that Zacatecas is at al altitude of 2,440 meters above sea level, and Real de Catorce is at 2,728 meters, so if you suffer from altitude sickness please take this into account. Real de Catorce is also made up of rough cobbled streets with steep inclinces to get to some areas. The Willy’s Jeep tour involves riding in old jeeps along a steep edged dirt road and may be uncomfortable for those who don’t like heights – although it is included in the price of the tour, it is optional. The horse ride is up (then back down) a steep cobbled road.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Sun screen, hat, long sleeves/jacket and pants for evenings, comfortable walking shoes.

CLIMATE:

 Warm during day time, cold in evenings, particularly in Real de Catorce.

*Please note that each of our tours is tailored to the needs of the over 50s and our difficulty levels are simply comparative to our other tours. If you are in doubt as to whether or not this tour is suitable for you, please contact us for more information.