Xochimilco tequila tasting boat tour review
Rated 5.0 from 378 reviews at MX$752.50 pesos a head, and the only other tour here besides the party boat that leaves from a dock the city government itself lists. This is a tasting — unlimited tequila, seven expressions, a pulque tasting, a shot glass to keep — and the ten reviews shown focus on other parts of the trip.
What ten reviews say
Read them and the subject is staff and games. Names, energy, whether the guide got the boat going.
“Our tour was a lot of fun! We had amazing guides Gloria, Evee, and Alan. They made everything so inviting and brought the energy. The different games we did definitely opened everyone up and got people into the energy. Definitely would recommend this tour to another person visiting!”
“Very good. The girls have an excellent attitude. Great. Highly recommended.”
If you are booking for the tasting, note that reviewers focus on the hosts. If you are booking to be looked after by somebody who can get a boat of strangers talking, ten out of ten reviews say exactly that.
“Excellent tour, Alan and El Cachetes, excellent tour guides”
The French speaker is real
This and the party boat are the two tours here that list a French-speaking guide alongside English and Spanish, and one reviewer confirms it landed.
“Alan Armando and Alan the French speaker were amazing!!! So much fun this tour and everything included I swear the best experience in Mexico City!!”
What to know about alcohol on the trajinera
Two things are worth knowing. A rule published in the Gaceta Oficial and in force since 30 January 2020 limits what passengers bring aboard a trajinera to one bottle of up to a litre of spirits per boat, or three 355 ml beers per adult. This operator advertises unlimited tequila and beer served on its own vessel. Check with the operator how that rule applies to drinks it serves on board. The same rule also says visibly intoxicated passengers are returned to the dock.
The price and the hourly boat rate compared
MX$752.50 per person is almost exactly the MX$750 the alcaldía charges per hour for an entire eighteen-person boat. The two numbers are unrelated. It does tell you the shape of the trade: one seat here costs what a whole hour of boat costs, and what the extra buys is the drink, the host and a boat that is already full.
What works
- 5.0 across 378 reviews — a large sample
- Leaves from Embarcadero Las Flores Nativitas, a dock on the city government’s own venue list
- Guides in English, Spanish and French
- Unlimited tequila and beer, a pulque tasting and a shot glass are in the price
- Restrooms at the dock, which matters more than it sounds on a 2.5-hour trip
Worth knowing
- The ten reviews shown focus on other parts of the tour than the tasting
- Live music and tips are excluded — mariachi runs MX$300 a song under the official tariff
- Transport to the dock is not included
- All ten reviews shown are five stars
- A quiet trip this is not; the reviews are unanimous about the games
If the tasting is the reason you are booking, ask the operator through the booking chat what is poured and when.
Who it suits
Couples and solo travelers who want the party version without the party-boat price, and who are fine being brought into a group game by a host with a microphone. Louder and busier is the boat party review. Quieter and on the water at sunrise is the kayak review.
The obvious alternatives
The party boatMexico City: Xochimilco Boat Party with Unlimited Drinks
Cheapest & best ratedXochimilco: Traditional Boat Sightseeing Tour, Culture and Fun
The quiet oneMexico City: Kayak Experiences in Hidden Xochimilco
Frequently asked questions
Is the tequila tasting on the Xochimilco boat unlimited?
The operator advertises unlimited tequila and beer plus a pulque tasting. The ten reviews shown focus on other parts of the trip, so ask the operator for details of the pour.
Where does the tequila boat tour leave from?
Embarcadero Las Flores Nativitas, which is on the Mexico City government’s own list of docks — a traditional-route dock established in 1993. It and the boat party both meet at this official dock.
Can you drink on a trajinera in Xochimilco?
A rule in force since January 2020 caps what passengers may bring aboard at one bottle of up to a litre of spirits per boat, or three 355 ml beers per adult. For drinks served by a licensed operator on its own boat, check with the operator.
Is the tequila boat tour in English?
Yes — the live guide works in English, Spanish and French, and one reviewer specifically mentions the French-speaking guide.