Tequila Highlands Day Tour

Our private, Guadalajara-based Tequila Highlands day tour is for serious aficionados who are already familiar with the Tequila Valley region.

The Jalisco Highlands and the village of Arandas are a full two hours east of Guadalajara. Rest assured our expert guide will keep you informed and amused all the way there and back, through the iconic red earth fields of blue agave.

This private experience consists of an exclusive tour and tasting at a family-owned tequila distillery, a visit to Arandas’ central plaza and church, and lunch at the best carnitas restaurant in the Highlands region.

*Please note this tour involves four hours of driving, two up and two back, but the scenery and company are fantastic, so sit back and soak it all in.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Guided visit to the Vivanco family distillery (NOM 1414)

The Vivancos have been farming blue agave in Arandas for a century, and began making acclaimed tequilas in the 1990s. Their medium-scale process features steam-cooking in traditional brick ovens, fermentation with the “Mozart method,” and gorgeous copper-pot stills. We finish the tour with a tequila tasting in one of their picturesque gardens.

Guided visit to central Arandas’ main plaza

You’ll eat lunch at the region’s most acclaimed restaurant, where the entire Highlands tequila industry breaks bread. Get ready for whole-hog carnitas, fresh guacamole, and a selection of over 100 regional tequilas. After lunch, we’ll walk it off in the town plaza with its magnificent neo-Gothic church and the largest bell in Latin America.

Included:

Professional bilingual guide
Private transportation (including pickup and drop-off at any Guadalajara-area hotel)
One distillery tour and tasting
Lunch

Not Included:

Tips
Bottles of tequila to take home

Private Tour Details

Duration:
10am-6pm

Dates:
Seven days a week, year-round

Group Size:
Two to 12, contact us for larger groups

Cost (US Dollars):
$200/person

Payment in full is due at time of booking. If you are reserving less than three business days before your requested date, please contact us for confirmation of availability.

Want a longer, more in-depth experience?

Check out our four day Valley of Tequila Four Day Experience, Tequila Highlands Four Day Experience, and our custom experiences.

Each distillery has its own unique appeal to the taste buds as well as to the heart. I was already in love with tequila, but I fell in love again.

Our guide, Kami, was a wealth of agave and tequila knowledge, a consummate professional keeping us on track and on schedule, and patiently and pleasantly taking all of our questions and allowing us to enjoy our private tour to the fullest.

Each of the distilleries we visited welcomed Kami as if she were a family member, and within minutes treated us equally. The whole experience felt special, without a moment of concern for safety.

Tour FAQ

When will I be picked up for the tour?

Private day tour guests will be picked up at 10:00am. If we are running late for any reason, we will notify you as soon as possible. Please bear in mind that Guadalajara is a rapidly growing city of over five million people, with serious traffic problems. We appreciate your patience and understanding

What distilleries will we visit, and can I request different distilleries?

This private day tour is designed to be accessible from Guadalajara despite the two-hour distance to the Highlands. We visit the Vivanco family distillery (NOM 1414). The Vivancos are gracious hosts, one of the oldest agave-growing families in the Highlands, and make very tasty tequila. For other distilleries, please see our Custom Experiences page.

Can I use my own transportation for the tour?

No. For reasons of safety and liability, all tour transportation is provided by our professional, insured drivers in comfortable, late-model vehicles.

Can I do the tour as a solo traveler?

Private day tours have a firm minimum of two guests or $400 US dollars.

Should I bring cash to purchase tequila?

Yes! You should carry Mexican pesos. Distilleries and other stops on the tour are generally not able to accept credit cards or foreign currencies. Please be respectful and don’t attempt to haggle with the hard-working families who allow us into their distilleries.

Still have questions? Explore our FAQ page »