Xihuacan Culture and Archaeology Tour: Uncover Pre-Columbian Brickwork in a Luxurious Setting

Uncover the secrets of the Xihuacan culture on a luxurious archaeological tour. Explore the only Pre-Columbian ceremonial center made of bricks and modeling clay in the Americas. Indulge in traditional Mexican cuisine and immerse yourself in the rich history of the Cuitlateca ethnic group.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights

The journey from the hotel to the archaeological dig site takes around 45 minutes. Spend approximately 3 hours exploring the entire ceremonial center. Then, drive 35 minutes to the beach for lunch. The return trip to the hotel is about 40 minutes.
The Xihuacan Archaeology Tour includes a visit to the Xihuacan Site Museum, which houses around 800…

What's Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Lunch
  • Driver/guide
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • We do not visit a lagoon
Additional Information

Embark on an extensive archaeological tour of Xihuacan from either Zihuatanejo or Ixtapa. This recently uncovered ceremonial center is unique in the continent, as it was built with bricks and modelling clay during the Pre-Columbian era. Enjoy a guided exploration of the Cuitlateca remains and discover the ethnic community who elevated pottery craft to…

Location
Ixtapa Zihuatanejo By Luis De La Maza
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(117 Ratings)
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Alison_u
Feb 6, 2026
If I could give this 10... - If I could give this 10 stars I would. It was really good! Our guide was extremely informative and so kind. I would recommend bringing some pesos along to buy coffee as we stop at a little coffee hut and also for tipping after our lunch.
Review provided by Viator
937diannee
Feb 5, 2026
Walking on an ancient pyramid and seeing first hand the game court was thrilling to me. I am a history buff! - I enjoyed the tour very much. Francisco was very knowledgeable and friendly. Lunch at a local restaurant was a nice treat. On a hot day, I would suggest going to the pyramid first and the museum second. I highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Klinti2026
Jan 27, 2026
An archaeological adventure! - We visited the Xihuacan museum and ruins on a privately guided tour arranged through our resorts tour department. The museum is very well laid out and informative with many items on display to show the rich history of the area. Our tour guide, Charlie, was very well spoken and versed in the English language and provided insight into the local area as well as the historic ruins. Can’t wait to visit the area again after further exploration has uncovered more of the ruins!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kristin_d
Jan 23, 2026
We had a great tour... - We had a great tour learning about the history of this beautiful area. Our guide was very knowledgeable and gave us a very thorough explanation of the museum and the architectural site.
Review provided by Viator
Rhonda_s
Jan 21, 2026
Fun and fascinating! - Today’s tour of the Xihuacan civilization with Francisco Quintero was excellent! We toured the museum and received an amazing amount of detailed information from him about the timeline of the group’s existence, their many fascinating artifacts and an overall history of this indigenous group from Zihua. You will not be bored! Our lunch stop was at a charming outdoor spot with delicious food and very nice people running the restaurant. We are very happy we booked this tour for our trip!
Review provided by Viator
Mary_a
Dec 30, 2025
This tour exceeded expectations - This local archaeological tour exceeded our expectations. We need up with a private tour and a local guide who took us to the museum and Xiachacan archaeological sites. The tour guide was timely and knowledgeable. The local lunch was also delicious, especially the homemade tortillas. Recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Deniser360
Nov 27, 2025
Best tour guides bar-none! - We actually did 3 tours w Luis’s group and all were top-rated. The best part is the extensive knowledge of the tour guides. Pablo was a wealth of historical knowledge as we did the city tour as well as the archaeological tour with him. He has a deep memory of the history and brings the culture to life. We went snorkeling with Francisco, who made our day fun and rewarding! They were also able to give us great suggestions on other activities such where to eat and shop and to explore for our next visit! We will definitely book with Luis’s group again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jan
Oct 31, 2025
Xihuacan adventure! - What I wrote for Luis: What can I say other than Luis is THE best? We lucked out being the only ones on his tour for the day and got the chance to know him and the area of Zihua/Ixtapa where he has lived his whole life. His knowledge of history and contemporary society was outstanding. We began the tour driving through the residential hills of Zihuatanejo. Luis was great at anticipating many questions and could explain the meanings behind our random observations. Our main interest was the archeological site of the Xihuacan pyramids, about a 45 min drive outside of the city. He went above and beyond for us, chronicling the timeline of the history of the state of Guerrero from about 1500 BCE to 1100 ACE. There was so much to see and learn. An authentic Mexican lunch was also provided at a great spot in the country. We are so grateful for the chance to meet Luis! We highly recommend any tour led by this great guide! We would love to return for the kayak tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
David_a
Oct 17, 2025
It's a small site; at... - It's a small site; at least the excavated portion is. It's interesting to visualize the extent back in the day. We had a great tour guide who was familiar with the history and the current conditions. The lunch was provided at a traditional family run spot next door to the site, with local style food which was delicious.
Review provided by Viator
66alexandrial
Jun 4, 2025
Tour - The tour was great and very informative. The museum and archeological site was amazing, our tour guide Francisco was very friendly. Lunch was also fantastic!! Thank you Francisco!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $92
up to 14 guests
2 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).