Chapala Lake, Mezcala Island, and Ajijic Private Tour with a Local Expert
Overview
Get away from the hustle and bustle of Guadalajara city and enjoy a unique, cultural, and historical experience in the biggest lake of Mexico.
Travel from Guadalajara to the Chapala Lake area and tour the magical towns of Mezcala, Chapala, and Ajijic hosted by a local expert.
Enjoy a boat ride (included) on the lake on the way to Mezcala Island. The Island was an indigenous ceremonial center in pre-Hispanic times and became a fortress and prison during the War of Independence from 1812 to 1816.
Visit the main attractions in Lake Chapala, its historical sites, colonial buildings, markets, temples, and boardwalks with beautiful views of the lake.
Enjoy lunch facing the lake in the gastronomic area. Try the delicious local cuisine, famous for its seafood, micheladas, tequila cocktails, and steaks.
This Private Chapala Lake Tour is dedicated to nature and heritage lovers, someone looking for an authentic, personalized, immersive experience.
Travel from Guadalajara to the Chapala Lake area and tour the magical towns of Mezcala, Chapala, and Ajijic hosted by a local expert.
Enjoy a boat ride (included) on the lake on the way to Mezcala Island. The Island was an indigenous ceremonial center in pre-Hispanic times and became a fortress and prison during the War of Independence from 1812 to 1816.
Visit the main attractions in Lake Chapala, its historical sites, colonial buildings, markets, temples, and boardwalks with beautiful views of the lake.
Enjoy lunch facing the lake in the gastronomic area. Try the delicious local cuisine, famous for its seafood, micheladas, tequila cocktails, and steaks.
This Private Chapala Lake Tour is dedicated to nature and heritage lovers, someone looking for an authentic, personalized, immersive experience.
Inclusions
- Private transportation
- Bottled water - Purified water
- Soda/Pop - Soda or mineral water
- Boat Ride on Lake Chapala
- Historical tour of Mezcala Island
- Knowledgeable Local Guide
- Hotel Pickup and Dropoff
- Entry/Admission - Lake Chapala
- Entry/Admission - Antigua Estacion De Ferrocarril Chapala
- Entry/Admission - Mezcala Island
- Entry/Admission - Malecon de Chapala
- Entry/Admission - Chapala Handicrafts Market
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Lake Chapala, Chapala Mexico
You will tour and appreciate one day the 3 main magic towns on the shore of Chapala Lake (Mezcala, Chapala & Ajijic). Indigenous origin villages with lots of history, tradition, and gastronomy. It may take several hours depending on the wishes of the traveler
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Mezcala Island, Guadalajara Mexico
Enjoy a boat ride (included) to Mezcala Island in the company of a local expert where you will learn all about the ruins and vestiges of one of the most important military forts during the War of Independence. Formerly it was also a ceremonial center of the Coca indigenous community.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Antigua Estacion De Ferrocarril Chapala, González Gallo 1500, Sin Nombre, 45900 Chapala, Jal., Mexico
Visit the old Chapala Railway station that formerly communicated the region with the city of Mexico and Guadalajara around the 1920s. Today it is a museum dedicated to sharing the history of the region.
*The museum is subject to the availability of local authorities*
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Malecon de Chapala, Lake Chapala Waterfront, Chapala 48300 Mexico
Stroll and appreciate the beautiful Chapala boardwalk as well as its historic center.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Chapala Handicrafts Market, Calle 5 de Mayo, Chapala 45900 Mexico
Right next to the Chapala boardwalk you can find the handicraft market where you will find pre-Hispanic crafts, jewelry, souvenirs as well as drinks and snacks typical of the region.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Parroquia de San Francisco, Priv. Francisco I. Madero 403, Chapala Centro, 45900 Chapala, Jal., Mexico
Visit the parish of Chapala and appreciate its neocolonial architecture.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Ajijic, Ajijic
Stroll the historic center of Ajijic, a magical town on the shore of Lake Chapala.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Centro Cultural de Ajijic, 45920 Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico
In this cultural center of Ajijic you can appreciate murals related to the history of the region as well as art and photography exhibitions, folkloric ballet presentations and theater plays.
*The place is subject to the availability of local authorities*
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Parroquia de San Andres Apostol, Calle Marcos Castellanos 14, Ajijic 45920 Mexico
Visit the Ajijic parish and appreciate its neocolonial architecture.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Malecon de Ajijic, Ajijic Lakefront Del Paseo & Morelos, Ajijic 45920 Mexico
Discover another of the magical towns in the Ribera de Chapala route. Appreciate its beautiful boardwalk and historic center. You will find also great coffee shops, regional crafts, and a craft beer brewery.
Duration: 30 minutes
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Lake Chapala, Chapala Mexico
You will tour and appreciate one day the 3 main magic towns on the shore of Chapala Lake (Mezcala, Chapala & Ajijic). Indigenous origin villages with lots of history, tradition, and gastronomy. It may take several hours depending on the wishes of the traveler
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Mezcala Island, Guadalajara Mexico
Enjoy a boat ride (included) to Mezcala Island in the company of a local expert where you will learn all about the ruins and vestiges of one of the most important military forts during the War of Independence. Formerly it was also a ceremonial center of the Coca indigenous community.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Antigua Estacion De Ferrocarril Chapala, González Gallo 1500, Sin Nombre, 45900 Chapala, Jal., Mexico
Visit the old Chapala Railway station that formerly communicated the region with the city of Mexico and Guadalajara around the 1920s. Today it is a museum dedicated to sharing the history of the region.
*The museum is subject to the availability of local authorities*
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Malecon de Chapala, Lake Chapala Waterfront, Chapala 48300 Mexico
Stroll and appreciate the beautiful Chapala boardwalk as well as its historic center.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Chapala Handicrafts Market, Calle 5 de Mayo, Chapala 45900 Mexico
Right next to the Chapala boardwalk you can find the handicraft market where you will find pre-Hispanic crafts, jewelry, souvenirs as well as drinks and snacks typical of the region.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Parroquia de San Francisco, Priv. Francisco I. Madero 403, Chapala Centro, 45900 Chapala, Jal., Mexico
Visit the parish of Chapala and appreciate its neocolonial architecture.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Ajijic, Ajijic
Stroll the historic center of Ajijic, a magical town on the shore of Lake Chapala.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Centro Cultural de Ajijic, 45920 Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico
In this cultural center of Ajijic you can appreciate murals related to the history of the region as well as art and photography exhibitions, folkloric ballet presentations and theater plays.
*The place is subject to the availability of local authorities*
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Parroquia de San Andres Apostol, Calle Marcos Castellanos 14, Ajijic 45920 Mexico
Visit the Ajijic parish and appreciate its neocolonial architecture.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Malecon de Ajijic, Ajijic Lakefront Del Paseo & Morelos, Ajijic 45920 Mexico
Discover another of the magical towns in the Ribera de Chapala route. Appreciate its beautiful boardwalk and historic center. You will find also great coffee shops, regional crafts, and a craft beer brewery.
Duration: 30 minutes
Additional information
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- We comply with all the requirements established by the local government
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.
Q3053IFmattl
June 2023
Fernando was a wonderful guide and he was very responsive to my questions prior to booking. He is knowledgeable and flexible and adjusted the tour to our interests--as well as providing great suggestions on lunch--he gave us some options and we are glad that we went with his recommendation! We ...
Fernando was a wonderful guide and he was very responsive to my questions prior to booking. He is knowledgeable and flexible and adjusted the tour to our interests--as well as providing great suggestions on lunch--he gave us some options and we are glad that we went with his recommendation! We really enjoyed the boardwalks at Ajijic and Lake Chapala and Mezcala Island was fun as well. Polo was an excellent driver and we enjoyed their company. Very glad that we went with Fernando instead of a bus tour!672giuli
June 2023
We had a fantastic day with our tour guide Fernando. We saw many interesting sites and also had very informative conversations. We learned a great deal about the people of the area, the history and culture. A rewarding excursion- highly recommended!
We had a fantastic day with our tour guide Fernando. We saw many interesting sites and also had very informative conversations. We learned a great deal about the people of the area, the history and culture. A rewarding excursion- highly recommended!Kenji Y
June 2022
Easily one of the best things I’ve done on my trip to Guadalajara. Guillermo and Fernando weren’t just great guides but also great company. I particularly enjoyed seeing and hearing about the history of Mezcala Island, a must see if you are in the area. The trip is truly worth the time and cost a...
Easily one of the best things I’ve done on my trip to Guadalajara. Guillermo and Fernando weren’t just great guides but also great company. I particularly enjoyed seeing and hearing about the history of Mezcala Island, a must see if you are in the area. The trip is truly worth the time and cost as everything is tailored to what you want to do in this area. If you are interested in Mexican history, this tour will definitely give you a new outlook on the rich culture in this region. Thank you again to Guillermo for the safe driving and Fernando for sharing his deep knowledge of Chapala.Elizabeth C
April 2023
Guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and flexible. They made sure everyone was satisfied. We missed a couple sights because we spent a little extra time at other sights so be sure to prioritize.
Guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and flexible. They made sure everyone was satisfied. We missed a couple sights because we spent a little extra time at other sights so be sure to prioritize.P3123AAvanessav
April 2023
This trip was one of the best I have ever done in Mexico. Pick up was prompt at the agreed time and we first set off to Mezcala with Guillermo as our driver and Fernando as our guide. At Mezcala we were met by a local guide called Pedro, a lovely young boy, who took us to and around the island an...
This trip was one of the best I have ever done in Mexico. Pick up was prompt at the agreed time and we first set off to Mezcala with Guillermo as our driver and Fernando as our guide. At Mezcala we were met by a local guide called Pedro, a lovely young boy, who took us to and around the island and helped explain the interesting history of Mezcala Island and its significance to the Independence war. Once back to shore they even opened up the local museum for us as we were interested in learning more about the history of the town. Next we went to lunch at El Carnal which was on the shore of the lake and served the best seafood. Finally we visited both Ajijic and Chapala town and broadwalk where Fernando explained the history of the towns. We came back to Guadalajara after a long but very interesting day. I highly recommend taking this trip when you visit Guadalajara and can’t thank Fernando and Memo enough for the experience.JSpice_C
November 2022
We can't recommend this tour enough! We were able to visit all the sites with ample time to enjoy taking pictures, eat at great restaurants, enjoy the architecture and meet some of the sweetest and most knowledgeable locals ❤. The trip out to the island is one of the most impressive highlights ...
We can't recommend this tour enough! We were able to visit all the sites with ample time to enjoy taking pictures, eat at great restaurants, enjoy the architecture and meet some of the sweetest and most knowledgeable locals ❤. The trip out to the island is one of the most impressive highlights but we were blessed while visiting Ajiji when by sheer luck a folkloric dance troupe was presenting. Although this is not part of the - it was just luck, we loved every minute of it. The guides were absolutely perfect and patient. Definitely one to do!