Our Lady of Guadalupe Pilgrimage with Fr. Michael Ledesma
Five days in Mexico City with Fr. Michael Ledesma: Mass before the Tilma of St. Juan Diego at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Fifth Apparition in Tulpetlac, and Puebla on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Your chaplain
Fr. Michael Ledesma
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Emory, Texas
“Am I not here, I who am your Mother?”
Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego, December 12, 1531
The words we reflect on at the Church of the Fifth Apparition in Tulpetlac, after Mass before the Tilma at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Day two · Tuesday, October 5 · The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City
Mexico City & Puebla, October 4 to 8, 2027
Five days, four nights in Mexico City, with day trips to the Fifth Apparition in Tulpetlac and to Puebla, and Mass each day.
Begins and ends in Mexico City
OvernightVisit
Nights: 4 Mexico City.
Departure & Arrival in Mexico City
Our pilgrimage begins as we depart the United States on our flight to Mexico City. Upon arrival, our local professional tour escort will greet us and accompany us to our hotel. After check-in, we gather this evening for a welcome dinner to begin our pilgrimage together. Overnight Mexico City.
Tlatelolco & Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
We begin this morning at the Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Tlatelolco, where the last battle of the Aztec empire was fought in 1521 and where the Church of Santiago Tlatelolco stands as one of the oldest churches in the Americas. It was here that Juan Diego was baptized and received instruction from Bishop Zumárraga, rooting the story of Guadalupe in the living faith of the indigenous people who first received it. We then make our way to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, where we celebrate Mass in the modern Basilica before the miraculous Tilma of Juan Diego. We also visit the Church of the Hill, the Church of the Well, the Monument of the Offerings, and the Church of the Indians. The afternoon is free for personal prayer at the shrine. Dinner and overnight in Mexico City.
Zócalo, Metropolitan Cathedral & Tulpetlac
This morning we explore the historic center of Mexico City, visiting the great Zócalo, the National Palace, and the Templo Mayor, the excavated ruins of the Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlán that once stood at the heart of the Aztec world. We then celebrate Mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral, the largest cathedral in Latin America, touring its remarkable interior and venerating the Tomb of Bishop Juan de Zumárraga, the first Bishop of Mexico. In the afternoon we travel to the Church of the Fifth Apparition in Tulpetlac, where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to and healed Juan Bernardino, the uncle of Juan Diego. On learning of his uncle’s grave illness and sudden healing, Our Lady told St. Juan Diego: “Am I not here, I who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy?” Here we find a well of healing water still used by locals today, and we pause to reflect on these consoling words of our Mother Mary. Dinner and overnight in Mexico City.
Excursion to Puebla
Today, following breakfast, we enjoy a spectacular drive to Puebla, known as one of Mexico’s most beautiful cities, climbing to over 10,000 feet above sea level with views of two magnificent peaks, one an active volcano and the other capped with snow. On our tour we visit the Cathedral dedicated to the Immaculate Conception and the Church of St. Dominic, admiring the Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary, built in 1690 and an outstanding example of Mexican Baroque with its dazzling gilded stucco and onyx stonework. We continue to the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, where we celebrate Mass and venerate the incorrupt body of Bl. Sebastián de Aparicio, patron saint of travelers. Born to Spanish peasants, this field worker lived a life of simplicity and chastity; though he accumulated considerable wealth as a farmer, he gave his goods to the poor and became a Franciscan brother at the age of 72, spending 25 years collecting alms for the friary and showing charity to all he met, earning him the name the Angel of Mexico, and his body has remained miraculously incorrupt since his death in 1600. Afterward the afternoon is free to browse El Parián, Puebla’s largest traditional handcraft market, known for its colorful glazed pottery. We return to Mexico City for our farewell dinner and an overnight stay at our hotel.
Holy Family Church, Mexico City & Return Home
This morning we visit the Church of the Holy Family, a Jesuit parish in Mexico City and the shrine of Blessed Miguel Pro, the young Jesuit priest who ministered to the faithful in secret during the brutal religious persecution of the Calles regime in the 1920s. Arrested on false charges and executed by firing squad on November 23, 1927, he faced death with his arms outstretched in the form of a cross, crying out “Viva Cristo Rey!” His first-class relics are venerated here, and the church preserves the memory of a martyr whose courage sustained the underground Church through one of the darkest chapters in Mexican Catholic history. We celebrate Mass here before making our way to the airport for our return flight home. With hearts renewed by the witness of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the faith of the Mexican Church, we return home.
What’s included
Everything below is covered by the package price.
Your hotel in Mexico City
All four nights are in a four-star hotel in Mexico City, with day trips to Tulpetlac and Puebla. The hotel is subject to final confirmation; if it changes, it is replaced with one of the same standard.
“Incredible experience from boarding the plane to the very end of this pilgrimage.”
“Everything was on time and well done, from the hotels to the food, to the places we visited, everything went off without a hitch.”
“The entire trip from start to finish went smoothly.”
Price per person
Per person, including roundtrip group airfare from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW). Flying from another city? You can request an airfare quote from your airport when you reserve.
$200 per person is non-refundable.
Final payment is due 90 days before departure and is non-refundable. Payment plans are available if you would like to make smaller payments before then.
Check
ACH bank transfer
Zelle
Cash, money order or cashier’s check
Protect your pilgrimage
Your pilgrimage is paid for long before you leave. Travel insurance is added as part of your booking: when you reserve, choose an Allianz plan on the insurance step. There is no separate quote to get. Classic is the plan we recommend for most pilgrims.
- Covers your trip cost. Classic reimburses 100% of the trip cost you insured if you cancel for a covered reason, and adds emergency medical care and baggage cover.
- Buy within 14 days of your first deposit to keep Cancel Anytime and pre-existing condition cover. The plans stay available until departure.
- Buy it in the same checkout as your pilgrimage. Prefer to add it by phone? Call us at +1 (800) 653-0017.
Frequently asked questions
Expect about 1 to 2 miles of walking on a typical day, at an easy pace with stops. The main climb is the stairs up Tepeyac Hill to the Church of the Hill on Day 2. Day 4 is a full day trip to Puebla by motorcoach.
You can have a room to yourself with the single room supplement of $399, or share a room with two beds with another pilgrim. If you would like to share, we will do our best to match you with a roommate; if we cannot find a match by the final payment date of July 6, 2027, the single room supplement applies. Couples, families, friends and singles are all welcome, and plenty of pilgrims come on their own.
Lunches, checked bag fees, donations at Masses, souvenirs and laundry. Tips for your local guides and driver: if you are satisfied with their service, it is customary to tip. Tips for hotel and restaurant staff are already included. Add travel insurance if you choose it, and the 3% fee if you pay by credit card. A typical lunch costs about $15 to $20. Abroad, we recommend paying for most things by credit card, which is accepted almost everywhere and comes with protection that cash does not; bring a couple hundred US dollars in cash for emergencies. When a card machine or ATM asks whether to pay in dollars or in the local currency (Mexican pesos), choose the local currency; it is almost always cheaper.
Yes. Let us know in writing. Up to July 6, 2027, everything you have paid is returned except $200. The final payment, due on July 6, 2027, is non-refundable, so cancellations after that date receive no refund. Travel insurance may cover a cancellation, depending on the reason.
Pilgrims from St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Emory, Texas, with Fr. Michael Ledesma, who celebrates Mass for the group each day, and a local tour manager who meets the group on arrival in Mexico City.
October is the end of the rainy season in central Mexico, with mild days and cool mornings and evenings. Mexico City sits at about 7,350 feet, so take the first day gently, drink plenty of water and bring sunscreen, a hat, a light rain jacket, a layer for the evenings and comfortable walking shoes.
Yes. Bring a valid U.S. passport book; a passport card is not accepted for international flights. We recommend a passport valid for at least six months beyond the return date, and we need your passport details at least 90 days before departure.
The group airfare includes one carry-on bag and one personal item per pilgrim. Checked bags can be added and are paid to the airline.
Yes. The price includes roundtrip group airfare from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Mexico City; if you book your own flights, the ground-only price is $1,800 per person, two sharing (choose “Book my own” on the flights step when you reserve). Send us your flight details once booked, so we can line your arrival up with the group’s in Mexico City on October 4 and your departure on October 8. Group air from other airports can be arranged; you can request an airfare quote from your airport when you reserve.
Final payment is due on July 6, 2027, 90 days before departure, and is non-refundable. Payment plans are available if you would like to make smaller payments before then.
We strongly encourage travel insurance for all of our pilgrims, and we partner with Allianz Travel Insurance to offer affordable coverage. Most of our pilgrims choose the Classic Plan. You add it as part of your booking: choose a plan on the insurance step when you reserve, or call us at +1 (800) 653-0017. Buy within 14 days of your first deposit to keep Cancel Anytime and pre-existing condition cover.
A pilgrimage is not a vacation or excursion but a unique spiritual journey that provides many opportunities to deepen your relationship with God and enrich your Catholic faith by bringing Scripture to life. Pilgrimages offer the opportunity to let Christ draw you near.
More questions are answered in our Support Center, covering booking, payments, travel insurance, passports and what to expect on pilgrimage.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Pilgrimage with Fr. Michael Ledesma
October 4 to 8, 2027, with Fr. Michael Ledesma and St. John the Evangelist, Emory, Texas. Reserve today with a $450 deposit per pilgrim.
Questions? Call +1 (800) 653-0017 or email hello@canterburypilgrimages.com.
Secure your spot today with a $450 deposit per pilgrim.