New Year’s celebration on Mexico’s volcanoes
Mexico's highest mountain, Orizaba, awaits!
GROUP PLACES FULL!
During this trip we will climb the summits of three tall volcanoes in Mexico. The tallest and most famous is of course Pico de Orizaba (5636 m) - the highest mountain in Mexico and the third highest mountain in North America. In addition, we will climb two more peaks in advance during acclimatization - the fifth highest mountain in Mexico Sierra Negra (4580 m) and the sixth highest La Malinche (4461 m).
The mountains are quite high, but there is no need to do any difficult climbing, rather, climbing them is more of a hind leg job. If you are a little familiar with cats and a pickaxe, then even the highest peak in Mexico should be within your reach. We will teach and guide you if necessary! There is a lot of emphasis on proper acclimatization - before the main mountain we will repeatedly spend the night at an altitude of 3000 and 4000 m, which significantly increases the chances of reaching the summit. During the acclimatization, we will also go over all the basics of mountain hiking, so this trip is also suitable for beginner mountaineering enthusiasts who have not been to high mountains before.
And we don't just have a serious mountaineering trip! All three mountains are close to each other, within a few hours' drive. So both before and after the mountains, and also between the mountains, we will come to civilization and visit local attractions. There is also room for several UNESCO World Heritage Site a worthy destination - resting among the mountains, we spend the whole day in the old town of Puebla, surrounded by colonial churches and cathedrals and houses with painted ceramic tiles; at the beginning of the trip, we visit the two thousand year old Teotihuacan pyramids, both from the air and on the ground, by hot air balloon; at the end of the trip, we spend relaxing in the thermal pools of Tolantongo Natural Park and looking over the world's third largest monolith in the village of Bernal.
Last but not least: In December, the average daytime temperature in the Mexico City area is 20-25 degrees Celsius, there is very little rain, and there is at least 8 hours of sunshine a day. Well, not bad, right?!
What mountains are these that we are climbing?
Most of the mountains in Mexico are actually volcanoes, but fortunately most of them are already extinct. Three volcanoes are higher than 5000 meters and we will climb the highest of them. In addition, there are a whole bunch of lower volcanoes scattered throughout Mexico. The trio of volcanoes on our trip are located relatively close to Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, so we can cover the distances between them with reasonably short car rides.
The menu includes mountains like these:
🌋 La Malinche (4461 m) - this is a nice hiking mountain. We start early in the morning at an altitude of 3000 m, getting out of bed at the campsite "properly" and climbing up for a few hours through a nice pine forest. From there, a bit of land along the slope of stones and grass and at the very end a rocky summit pyramid. Accessible to everyone.
🌋 Sierra Negra (4580 m) - this is also more of a hiking mountain, but on the other hand, there are already magnificent views of the main goal of our trip, the snowy Pico de Orizaba, which is almost within reach. At the top of Sierra Negra are some of the world's first astronomical facilities: the Cherenkov Observatory and the world's largest single-aperture telescope in its frequency range. Therefore, visiting the mountain is limited and we do not encounter large crowds there.
🌋 Pico de Orizaba (5636 m) - technically a rather easy mountain, so suitable for novice mountaineers. At the beginning, a technically easy climb through a rock labyrinth. Above the snow line (which is at an altitude of 5000 m), you have to climb over the glacier using crampons, a pickaxe and a rope, the final pyramid is a bit steeper, you have to zig-zag, it can be icy here and there. The summit day is a long hike and can be physically difficult, so a reasonably normal athletic form is unfortunately not necessary.
🚩 Trip highlights: 🚩
🏃♀️ Sunrise on the Orizaba slope on the icy Jamapa glacier at an altitude of 5000 m
🏃♀️ Hot air balloon flight over the pyramids of Teotihuacan
🤸♀️ Delicious corn drink Corona and cactus drink Mezcal
🏃♂️ Cacti, pyramids, cathedrals and tacos
Overview - short & sweet
Objective: climb Mount Orizaba (5636 m)
Dates: 23.12.2025-04.01.2026
Activity: mountain climbing
Accommodation type: tent, hotels and mountain huts
Adventure guides: Marko Aasa, assistant guide Kerttu Olvet
Technical difficulty level: 2/5 (cats-pickaxe-ropes, but easy climbing on the glacier)
Physical difficulty: 3/5 (moderate effort, but long peak day)
Group size: min 8, max 10
Early bird (until 13.04.2025) — €2680
Late Registration (from 14.04.2025) — €2980
Please note: For community members discount of -5% applies (2546 € / 2831 €)
👉 SEE EQUIPMENT LIST HERE 👈
Travel cost
Price includes
Travel arrangements and on-site management
Two with Orizaba experience Elamus+ mountain guide
Local transportation in Mexico, including all rides from Mexico City to the foothills and attractions and back
Cultural and entertainment program, including hot air balloon flight, entrance fees to the Teotihuacan pyramids, national parks and thermal pools, monolith climbing permit.
All overnight stays throughout the trip (both in the mountains and in the city)
Breakfast, lunch and dinner in the mountains
Special climbing equipment for the group (ropes, ice augers, carabiners, and other glacier equipment)
Group pharmacy (i.e. altitude sickness medications)
Stylish Elamus+ sports shirt
Elamus+ mountain trip preparation package:
Winter mountaineering training day
Summer trial hike/training
Price does not include
Flight tickets Tallinn-Mexico City-Tallinn (~1000 €)
Insurance (travel insurance and mandatory sports insurance suitable for mountain hiking)
Personal hiking and climbing equipment (sleeping bag, crampons, pickaxe, climbing harness, helmet, carabiners) — these can also be rented if necessary Elamus Pluss
Meals outside the mountains
Unscheduled excursions, transportation, etc. (or if you want to do something extra)
Registration for the trip
Before registering, please read travel conditionsTo secure your place on the trip, you must pay an advance payment (400 €) within 3 working days of receiving the confirmation and invoice by e-mail; if there are less than 30 days left until the trip, the total cost (100%) must be paid. Read more: frequently asked questions ja package tour information sheet.
Schedule and activities
DAY 1: MEXICO CITY WAITS FOR US
We wake up early at home, around 4 in the morning. If we didn't have time to pack our things the night before, then even earlier - long-term mountaineering aviation practice has shown that sleeping on the last night is not worth considering. Waking up is followed by an airport and a plane, and then another airport and a new plane. First to Frankfurt or Helsinki, and then on to the American continent. Incidentally, the Atlantic Ocean is much wider than it looks on the globe, so flying across it would require a serious 12-hour workday. Since the sun moves with us, we will still arrive in Mexico the same evening.
Overnight stay at the hotel.
DAY 2: Hot air balloon ride over the pyramids
40 km from Mexico City lies the ancient and archaeologically valuable sacred Indian city of Teotihuacan, with its magnificent pyramids and temples, which is also on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The pyramids there were built nearly 2000 years ago and at one time it was one of the largest ancient cities in all of America. In fact, the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan is the third largest pyramid in the world. That's where we head early in the morning. But not in the usual way. kondimootoril, but instead flying from the air - in a hot air balloon over the pyramids! After that, there is time to explore the area independently on the ground. In the evening, we will also take a closer look at Mexican food, drink, traffic, shopping, cafe, beer and urban culture.
Overnight stay at the hotel.
DAY 3: LET'S START EXPLORING THE MOUNTAINS
When we wake up in the morning, we pack ourselves into our cars and head towards the mountains. On the way, we pass through a beautiful colonial city called Tlaxcala, where we take a short city tour and drive to the campsite at the bottom of our first mountain, La Malinche. We spend the next two nights there - we sleep under a roof, beds, blankets and pillows are all provided, we cook our own food. It seems easy, but working at an altitude of 3000 meters is not quite the same as walking the streets of Kadriorg in Tallinn on a Saturday evening.
Overnight stay in a hut (3000 m).
DAY 4: FIRST PEAK - LA MALINCHE
We wake up early, at 6. When we open our eyes, we don't want to get up. First, a light breakfast - we fry an egg and make ham and cheese sandwiches. This is followed by a peaceful, pleasant hike in the pine forest, with a bit of rock, grass and rubble slopes above. But if the dogs can do it, then why can't we? We reach an altitude of 4461 m - that's where La Malinche peak is located. We take some pictures for Instagram and go down to a familiar campsite. There we have a nice dinner and Corona (0.33) and then go to bed quickly.
The length of the hiking day is approximately 6 hours up, 3 hours down.
Overnight stay in a hut (3000 m).
DAY 5: REST IN THE OLD TOWN OF PUEBLA
We pack our things at the Malinche campsite and head down. A beautiful place for a day of rest - the old town of Puebla is not on the UNESCO World Heritage List for nothing, along with the old town of Tallinn, by the way. A nice colonial old town with art and craft markets, churches and cathedrals, shopping streets and eateries, and a chill atmosphere. We don't have to climb anywhere, we don't have to exert ourselves physically, but we rest for our main goal - the next mountains are already waiting for us in the Orizaba National Park.
Overnight stay at the hotel, option for a spa.
DAY 6: Sierra Negra Base Camp
Now we will take a drive to the foot of Mexico's highest mountain - Orizaba and the neighboring Sierra Negra share their mountain range. Already on the way, the mountain views begin to give some hints about the challenges ahead. The last major settlement before the mountains is the small town of Tlachichuca, and about ten kilometers further on there is a smaller village, Zoapan. Here we have lunch, pack the tents we rented there into the car, drive up with the cars and set up our base camp. The evening hot tea, fruit and sandwiches in the already significantly cooler air are well-earned and bring a good night's sleep.
Overnight stay in a tent (4000 m).
DAY 7: THE SUMMIT OF SIERRA NEGRA AND MOVING TOWARDS ORIZABA
In the morning we start the climb to Sierra Negra (4580 m), the ascent meters will be up to 600. We enjoy the views of Orizaba, which is part of the same mountain range, where we will also head in the following days. But this time from the other side of the mountain. By lunchtime we will get back to the cars, return to the village of Zoapan, where we will have lunch, pack ourselves into 4x4 jeeps, and spend the last hour or two along the bumpy, sandy and rocky mountain road to reach the Piedra Grande mountain camp on the slopes of Orizaba. There we will also be greeted by a local dinner.
The length of the hiking day is approximately 7 hours up, 3 hours down.
Overnight stay in a tent (4260 m).
DAY 8: let's acclimatize and rest
We spend the day with a light walk at the foot of Orizaba, but mainly resting and acclimatizing at the same time. As is the case in Latin American countries, a siesta is also part of the official agenda. This is followed by a simple dinner and taking pictures of the sunset, then a quick sleep in the tents to be in shape for the night summit climb.
The length of the hiking day is 3-4 hours.
Overnight stay in a tent (4260 m).
DAY 9: climb to the top of Orizaba
We wake up at 1 am (some of us haven't even fallen asleep yet), spend about an hour loading up on calories and packing up, and then we start climbing the mountain. At first, there are rocks and cliffs, then we find a way through a stone labyrinth to the glacier. There we attach ropes to ourselves (because the climb gets steeper and there are some glacier cracks at the top) and the climb begins on a long and seemingly endless ice and snow slope. We reach the peak (5636 m) before noon, then a light rest under the summit ridge, and then several more hours of trudging back down. Familiar jeeps are waiting for us at the Piedra Grande hut, taking us back down to the village of Zoapan for a warm shower, a soft bed, and the long-awaited dinner. New Year's Eve celebrations are held in a small Mexican village.
The length of the hiking day is approximately 8-9 hours up, 4 hours down.
Overnight stay in a hostel.
DAY 10: BEGINNING OF THE CULTURAL PROGRAM
A slow post-peak awakening and breakfast, and a leisurely drive north to the city of Pachuca de Soto. This is the center of the Mexican state of Hidalgo, which is located in a small valley surrounded by hills and, in our opinion, mountains. If you wish, we can spend the day in nature, but there is also the opportunity to get acquainted with the history of Mexico's most important gold and silver mining city. Similar to some large cities in South America (such as La Paz), here we will also find several blocks of neon-colored houses on the side of the hill on the outskirts of the city and, for the joy of sports enthusiasts, a life-size football-shaped exhibition center, which is unique in the world. However, the city's strangest attraction is considered to be the duck-themed amusement park (Inflalandia Quack Explanada). Recovery after the mountains is in full swing.
Overnight stay at the hotel.
DAY 11: bathing in thermal pools
After breakfast, we drive two hours to the Grutas Tolantongo Natural Park, where we can enjoy natural thermal pools, caves and tunnels, hike up and down, and for the more adventurous, test our gliding skills on a four-section zipline (total length 1890 m). At the end of a hard day's work, we head near the village of Bernal to visit the world's third largest monolith (433 m) in the morning.
Overnight stay at the hotel.
DAY 12: MONOLITH AND DRIVE BACK TO THE CAPITAL
Moving around after breakfast is always useful, so we head for the boulder that stands out from the main square in Bernal. It is possible to hike 2/3 of the way up, occasionally using via ferrata elements in the form of iron ladders and ropes, but safely and without requiring additional equipment. You are not allowed to actually reach the top, but despite this, the observation deck offers a wonderful view of the village and the surrounding nature. At noon, we start our return journey to the capital, Mexico City. There will be some sights and shopping stops along the way. Last goodbyes to Mexico and last visits to souvenir shops. Of course, we will also celebrate reaching the top!
Overnight stay at the hotel.
DAY 13: TIME TO FLY
If you haven't had enough culture yet, then we'll plan to visit Mexico City's magnificent Anthropology Museum in the morning - it's the number 1 attraction in the Mexican capital on the well-known travel website TripAdvisor. Mexico City is one of the world's elite cities in terms of museum concentration, with at least 150 museums, so everyone will find something for themselves. Then we'll wander the streets, markets and shops for a while and then we'll pack our things to get to the airport for the evening flight back.
We will spend this and the next day again in the extremely comfortable seats of airplanes, where flight attendants serve hot and cold drinks and switching from one movie to another is almost automatic, and in the homely, cozy atmosphere of airports.
We arrive in Tallinn late in the evening. It will probably rain, the Christmas tree on the Town Hall Square is still decorated, and New Year's songs are playing on the radio.
NB! There may be minor changes to the schedule and planned activities - for example, due to weather and conditions or passenger requests.
Mexican specialties
Official data:
130 million inhabitants and an area of 1,9 million km2
currency Mexican peso (MXN or $), 1 EUR = 21,7 MXN
Spanish is spoken primarily, with dozens (69) local languages also spoken
Mexico City (capital) time is 8 hours behind Estonian time (the country crosses 4 time zones)
Mexico is located in the southern part of North America and is one of three countries on the entire continent. Geographically and climatically, the country is very diverse. The northern part and central Mexico are largely mountainous - the Rocky Mountains (North American Cordillera) run through it and the Mexican Plateau is located there. The highest peak is over 5600 meters and the snow line begins at 5000 meters. The eastern part of the country is lower along the coast (Yucatan Peninsula).
Due to the size of the country, it has several climate zones and one of the highest biodiversity in the world. The climate is predominantly subtropical and tropical, and there are essentially two seasons - a dry period lasting from November to April, and a rainy period from May to October. Our winter months are the best for mountain climbing, because then the weather is clear and dry, and temperatures in the capital at an altitude of 2240 m range from 20-27 °C.
Mexico, especially around the capital, is generally safe, but tourists are advised to avoid traveling to about half of the states. We follow this advice as well. In addition, there are frequent demonstrations in the capital, in which foreigners are prohibited from participating.
It is recommended that travelers to Mexico be vaccinated against hepatitis A and B, and typhoid fever is also prevalent in the country.
Fun facts:
Chocolate comes from Mexico.
Mexico is home to the world's largest pyramid (Cholula), which is also on our travel itinerary.
Mexico City was built on an ancient lake bed, which is why the city is sinking about 12 cm per year.
The meteorite that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago landed in what is now Mexico, on the Yucatan Peninsula.
Mexico is the world's largest consumer of Coca-Cola per capita: 163 liters per year.
Mexican cuisine has been officially declared a world cultural heritage.
Mexico is home to the world's smallest volcano: Cuexcomate (13 m).
Travel documents and footnotes
The participant is responsible for the validity and condition of their travel documents. For this trip you will need:
pass (visa not required for Mexico);
sports insurance suitable for mountain hikingA suitable sports insurance policy must be carried and is a prerequisite for participating in the mountain hike;
travel insurance (including travel disruption, baggage, medical assistance);
Read more also Elamus Pluss OÜ travel conditions.
Don't worry, let's do it!
Is this mountain hike within my reach?
Mexico's highest peak, Orizaba (5636 m), is technically a rather easy mountain to climb and is also suitable for novice climbers. Previous climbing experience on a 4000+ m mountain and the ability to use crampons, a pickaxe and a rope are useful. We will review the necessary skills before and during the trip.
But I don't have any hiking gear, who can afford to buy it?!
You'll still have to spend a little, but not much. For Orizaba, you'll need regular hiking clothes, warmer winter clothes, and simpler mountaineering equipment. Climbing equipment includes crampons, a pickaxe, a climbing belt, a helmet, and carabiners - all of which can be rented. Of course, those who wish to do so are also allowed to bring their own equipment. You can bring your own mountain boots and sleeping bag, but you can rent the necessary equipment from Estonia.
Okay, I registered. Now what?
To make your mountain hike more enjoyable, we recommend that you participate in our preparatory events before the trip - it's also part of the fun. We organize preparatory hiking training, give advice on suitable insurance and equipment, where to rent cheap equipment, what to train for, etc. We will definitely check the collected equipment just before the start of the trip and send reminders about important things.
Read more also frequently asked questions.
