The best time to book a Guadalajara tequila tour
Day trips from Guadalajara to the agave fields run in every month, and the jimadores harvest all year. What changes is the weather underfoot and overhead, along with how crowded Tequila town gets. A few simple choices about the month and the day of the week make the trip easier.
Tours run in every month
There is no closed season for a tequila day trip. The distilleries work all year, and the tours on this site list departures across the calendar. You can book one in January as easily as in August.
The agave harvest does not stop either. Blue agave takes years to mature, so plants come out of the ground whenever they are ready. That means a jimador cutting a piña is something you can watch in any month.
So the question is less about whether you can go and more about what kind of day you want. Sunny or green, a quiet plaza or a lively one.
A year around Tequila, roughly
Guadalajara sits high enough that the heat rarely becomes punishing. Daytime highs run roughly 24–33 °C (75–91 °F) depending on the month. The table sums up the pattern in broad strokes, not as a forecast.
| Stretch of the year | Weather, roughly | What it means on the tour |
|---|---|---|
| November to March | Dry and sunny, milder days | Easy walking in the fields, dusty paths |
| April and May | Dry, the hottest weeks | Strong sun in the agave rows, hats matter |
| June to September | Rainy, afternoon storms | Green fields, muddy paths later in the day |
| October | Rains easing off | Still green, drier underfoot |
The rainy months, June to September
The rains arrive roughly in June and last into September. Storms tend to build in the afternoon, and mornings are often clear. Since most of the field time comes early in the day, the rain may miss the part you care about.
The reward is color. The hills turn green around the blue-grey agave rows, and the landscape that UNESCO listed in 2006 looks its freshest. Photos from these months tend to be the ones people keep.
The cost is mud. Field paths get soft and sticky after a storm, so wear shoes you do not mind cleaning. A light rain jacket in the bag helps for the walk around Tequila town later in the afternoon.
The dry months, November to May
From November the sky clears and stays that way for months. Days are sunny and the paths through the agave are firm, though they turn dusty. Light clothes that can take a little dirt suit the season well.
April and May bring the hottest weeks of the year. There is little shade between the agave rows, so a hat and sunscreen matter more than usual. Our guide to pacing the tequila on a tour explains why heat and samples are a poor mix.
A long day with breakfast first
The Agave Experience picks you up at your Guadalajara hotel at 10:00 am and starts with breakfast in El Arenal. It holds 5.0 from 500+ reviews on Viator, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Weekdays, weekends and holidays
Tequila town is a popular weekend outing for people from Guadalajara, and the plaza tends to fill on Saturdays and Sundays. Weekdays are usually calmer. We cannot promise empty streets on a Tuesday, but the odds lean that way.
Mexican holidays push the crowds up further. Holy Week before Easter and the Christmas weeks are the busiest stretches, both in town and at the big open-air bar in Amatitán. Our page on the stop at Cantaritos El Güero describes what a full house there feels like.
If a lively crowd is part of the fun for you, a weekend suits. If you would rather hear the guide at the stills and find a free table at lunch, pick a weekday.
Put the tour early in your stay
Book your tequila day near the start of your time in Guadalajara rather than on the last full day. If a storm or a change on the operator's side moves the date, you then have room to go later.
Free cancellation helps with this. The Agave Experience and KanKan Tours allow it up to 24 hours before, and the other main listings show it in search. The train day by Aventurate Por Jalisco is the exception, since it is non-refundable and cannot be changed. Our price comparison of all six tours sets these terms side by side.
A long tasting day also leaves you tired. Leave the next morning free if you can, rather than planning an early flight or a full sightseeing day straight after.
Start times and the length of the day
These are full days whatever the month. The Agave Experience from ~$149 starts at 10:00 am and lasts about 10 hours. The José Cuervo Express day from ~$289 collects you at 9:00 am and runs about 11 hours.
The other tours list 8 to 10 hours, so you will usually get back to the city in the evening. Where the day starts matters too, and our guide to hotel pickup and the Minerva meeting point covers each tour.
In the rainy months, a late return can mean a drive back through an evening storm. That is a reason to keep dinner plans loose, not a reason to skip the season.
For your free hours in town, any month works. Our guide to a few hours in Tequila town covers the plaza, the church of Santiago Apóstol and where to look for lunch, whatever the weather is doing.
Whichever month you choose, compare the tours on what they include rather than on the date. The weather shifts the mood of the day, while the stops and the tastings decide what you actually get for the money.