Greetings from Mexico, where the weather is summery and we are still swimming in a deep cenote of warmth and conviviality after our Yucatán adventure ended yesterday. We hate saying goodbye to this part of the world, so we're doing this instead: With great anticipation and amor, we are announcing our return of this deep culinary adventure: Yucatán the Brave, November 16-20, 2024. This journey will be guided by one of our most charismatic leaders, Alejo Sabugo, in collaboration with our host Gonzalo Gil Lavedra and his friends in Mérida, Espita, Izamal and beyond.
Your Hosts: Culinary Explorers Gonzalo and Alejo
As those familiar with the League already know, we built our network of friends, compatriots and co-conspirators over the more than twelve years Roads & Kingdoms has been alive. We first met Alejo Sabugo through Bourdain's network: Alejo helped produce the Asturias episode of Parts Unknown and caused even Tony's demanding crew to fall in love with everything from his easy charm to his logistical wizardry. In the same way, chef René Redzepi, who co-created the upcoming series Omnivore with R&K's Matt Goulding, led us to Gonzalo Gil Lavedra, who was living in the Yucatán and helping René hunt for undiscovered gems throughout the rich interior of the peninsula.
What to Expect: Friends, Fire, Flavor
1. Tacos everywhere: The best you've ever had. We'll be visiting our friend, the queen of Mérida tacos Doña Lupita. We'll find carne asada to kill for in the markets of Espita. We'll leave knowing that tacos will never be the same for any of us.
2. The best of Mexican wine and spirits: Together with our personal liquor importer (yes, that's a thing that's happening) Lalo Ramirez, we're planning a deep bench of Mexican wines, craft beers and mezcals at every stop.
3. Exclusive Accommodations: Full buyouts the Yucatán's two greatest boutique properties: Casa Lecanda in Mérida and Casona Los Cedros in Espita. And we're keeping our base in Mérida all four nights so no check-in, check-out hassle, just deep relaxation: in hammocks, by pools, on patios.
4. Cochinita Pibil and the jungle: We'll find adventure in the depths of the Mayan heartland with a day at the incredible jungle farm of Gonzalo Samaranch. The best chefs in the world visit Mestiza de Indias to see the remarkable bounty of this historic ranch in the very heart of the peninsula. We'll be doing a whole roast suckling pig, cooked 24 hours underground in Mayan style, with the Mayan friends and neighbors of Samaranch and his wife Mara.
5. Cenote bliss: A morning spent swimming, relaxing, snacking, drinking, enjoying the incomparable peace of a private cenote. These Mesozoic swimming holes are part of the formation of the earth as we know it, as well as the cosmology of the Mayas. Deep in every sense of the word.
6. Private Dinners: Irreproducible, exclusive dining experiences ranging from the historical elegance of Hacienda Tekik de Regil to fire-driven cooking of Aleli Vicencio to the last night dinner with all our friends at Massimo Bottura's Refettorio community kitchen project, cooked by the great Mérida chef Alex Mendez.
We have a maximum of 10-12 travelers and we interview everyone who wants to join to be sure it's a good fit with the group and with our style of travel. Please email us directly if you want to hear more about how to join. More details and exact itinerary on our Yucatán the Brave page. You can find our other itineraries that still have space available, including in the first half of 2024, on the League site.
As with any of our published itineraries, if you have a private group of 8 or more travelers you would like to fill a trip with, please email us and we can find private departure dates that work for you.
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