Our pick
Small-Group Premium Tequila Experience, The Agave Experience
An air-conditioned van collects you from your hotel inside Guadalajara and the tour starts at 10:00 am. The first stop is a Mexican breakfast in El Arenal, which means nobody meets the first tasting on an empty stomach.
Next comes Tequila Cava de Oro, where a Tequila Master walks you through the whole process for about two hours. Then you sit down in a VIP cellar for eight tastings of premium tequila and mezcal from small brands.
A second distillery in Amatitán shows a different way of working. The afternoon brings a meal and a walk in Tequila town, and the day closes at Cantaritos El Güero with live banda and mariachi.
- Duration
- About 10 hours, from 10:00 am
- Pickup
- Your hotel inside Guadalajara, by air-conditioned van
- Group
- Small group
- Distilleries
- Tequila Cava de Oro and a second one in Amatitán
- Tastings
- 8 premium tequilas and mezcals in a VIP cellar
- Food
- Breakfast and snacks included; lunch in Tequila extra
- Limits
- Not recommended for children; not wheelchair accessible
- Cancellation
- Free up to 24 hours before
How the day runs, step by step
This is the order the listing gives. Traffic on the highway and the size of the group can shift the times a little.
Out of Guadalajara
- Hotel pickup by air-conditioned van, starting at 10:00 am
- Mexican breakfast at a restaurant in El Arenal, about 45 minutes
- Tequila Cava de Oro with a Tequila Master, about two hours
Through the agave country
- Eight tastings of tequila and mezcal in the VIP cellar, about an hour
- A second distillery in Amatitán, then a meal and a walk in Tequila town
- Cantaritos El Güero with live music, then the drive back to your hotel
What the price covers
The fare pays for the ride, the guide, the distillery entries and the tastings. Lunch and tips are up to you.
Included
- Hotel pickup in Guadalajara
- Breakfast, plus water, chilled beer and snacks in the van
- Two distillery entries and eight tastings
Not included
- The meal in Tequila town
- Drinks at Cantaritos El Güero beyond what the guide offers
- Tips for the guide and driver (check the listing)
Between us, before you go
The operator asks each guest's name, weight, height and date of birth when you book, to choose the right vehicle. It reads oddly, but it is routine for them, so have the details ready.
Carry pesos for lunch and the tip. Eight tastings plus cantaritos is a lot of tequila, so sip, ask for water and read how to pace the day first.
Why it beats the bus tours
Evidence and comfort. Its 500+ Viator reviews add up to a 5.0, and no other day here pairs a hotel pickup with breakfast and a full sit-down tasting. How to taste what you are poured explains why that matters.
What you give up is money and children. At ~$149 it costs more than twice the craft route, and the listing does not recommend it for kids.
Who we would not send on it
Families with children, who will be happier on KanKan Tours' pyramids day. Travelers on a budget, who get a paired tasting for far less with Destino Agave. And anyone set on the José Cuervo name, since this day visits smaller houses.
Book it if
You want to taste a lot and learn why the glasses differ, without arranging a ride or skipping breakfast. It suits couples and small groups of friends, and anyone who prefers a boutique cellar to a big visitor center.
Skip it if
- Short on budget? Try the classic from ~$42
- Traveling with kids? Book the pyramids and Tequila day
- Want the big name? See the José Cuervo distillery tour
- Not much of a drinker? Read how much you will drink first
Ready for the agave country?
The day is sold on Viator, where it holds 5.0 from 500+ reviews. You can cancel for free up to 24 hours before, so you can wait for the weather forecast before you commit.
