Urban Orchard in Desierto de los Leones in Mexico City

The best part of this Mexico City outing is how quickly a garden becomes a classroom, kitchen, and small wildlife refuge. Rubén and David show you edible plants, flowers, herbs, composting methods, chickens, and the living connections between soil, insects, birds, and food. I especially like the hands-on tasting and the chance to crush a leaf, smell it, and try it rather than simply hear a plant name.

I also like the quiet change of pace. You leave Roma Norte by air-conditioned vehicle and head toward the orchard near Desierto de los Leones, where the city feels far away. The final foraging and cooking activity gives the visit a useful point: you learn how fresh ingredients can become something simple and delicious.

The main consideration is the long transfer. Traffic can make the ride 45 minutes to an hour each way, so this is not a quick garden stop. At $75 per person, it makes the most sense if you care about plants, food, sustainability, or a private local experience.

Key points to know before you book

• A private orchard visit with Rubén and David: Only your group participates, allowing the hosts to adjust the conversation and activities to your interests.
• Plants are explored through all five senses: You may smell crushed leaves, taste edible flowers or vegetables, and study color, texture, and flavor.
• Foraging leads to a simple meal: Fresh produce from the garden becomes part of a creative cooking activity.
• The orchard supports birds, insects, hens, and bees: The garden is presented as a working ecosystem, not just a decorative collection of plants.
• The outing lasts about five hours: Allow for a 45-to-60-minute drive each way, depending on Mexico City traffic.
• Coffee, tea, snacks, and transport are included: Alcohol is not included, and the experience is offered in English.

Why this orchard feels different from a standard garden tour

Many garden visits ask you to look and listen. This one asks you to use your hands and taste what is growing. That small change matters. A crushed leaf releases its fragrance. A flower can reveal an unexpected flavor. A vegetable becomes more meaningful when you have seen the soil, insects, and care behind it.

Rubén and David have built their orchard around that kind of contact. You learn about trees, plants, vegetables, flowers, and gardening methods, but the visit does not stop at plant identification. You also hear about composting, care for their flock of chickens, and ways to create an urban oasis that attracts birds and insects.

The garden has been shaped as a connected system. Plants contribute to the soil, flowers draw pollinators, chickens form part of the working life of the orchard, and people eventually eat what grows there. That makes the experience useful for anyone curious about urban food production, not only for serious plant enthusiasts.

I like that the tone is personal. Rubén is described as welcoming and a good storyteller, while David explains plant qualities and brings cooking skill to the final part of the visit. The two roles give the experience a good balance between garden knowledge and food.

The ride from Roma Norte to Desierto de los Leones

You meet at Avenida Chapultepec in Roma Norte, at the stated meeting point in Mexico City. From there, the air-conditioned vehicle takes you to the orchard. The drive lasts around 45 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic.

That timing is important. Mexico City traffic can turn a short distance into a slow ride, so you should treat the outing as a half-day plan rather than a quick morning appointment. The transfer is part of the cost, and it removes the work of arranging your own transport to an area outside the central neighborhoods.

Desierto de los Leones gives the outing a clear change of setting. The experience is not in a polished central-city park. It takes you toward a quieter area where an orchard, native plants, birds, and insects can be noticed more easily.

One person described enjoying the journey by cable car as part of the wider visit to the area. The supplied tour details specify a pick-up and drive, however, so you should not assume that a cable-car ride is included in this booking. If that part interests you, ask before reserving.

The return is to the original meeting point. Since the activity operates Monday through Saturday from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM during the stated operating period, confirm the exact start time when booking and leave room in your day for traffic.

Walking through the orchard with Rubén and David

Once you arrive, the first task is to get to know the space. Rubén and David introduce the trees, plants, vegetables, and flowers that make up the orchard. You also learn which methods they have adapted, developed, or used while building and caring for it.

This part is not only about naming species. The hosts explain how plants fit into the garden and how the orchard supports a wider mix of life. You can expect attention to native plants, local flora, biodiversity, medicinal uses, and the relationship between soil and plant health.

A particularly useful feature is the way the garden is explained as a system. You see how composting helps care for the soil, how chickens fit into the daily work of the orchard, and how flowering plants can attract hummingbirds, bees, and other insects. The garden has become a place where different forms of life meet, rather than a row of isolated plants.

The experience can suit a beginner because the information is made practical. It can also hold the attention of people with experience in botany, sustainability, urban planning, or gardening. You are not expected to arrive with a technical background.

Smell, taste, and sound among the plants

The orchard is explored through the senses. You may crush a leaf to release its scent, taste a plant to discover a new flavor, and examine the colors and textures of food at its freshest.

This approach is one of the strongest reasons to choose the experience. A lecture about edible plants can fade quickly. A sharp fragrance released between your fingers or an unfamiliar flavor on your tongue is easier to remember.

Sound is part of the visit too. Birds and insects come and go during the day, adding another layer to the garden. Hummingbirds have been spotted around the flowers, and the orchard attracts several kinds of birds and insects.

You should keep expectations sensible. Wildlife sightings depend on the day, season, and conditions. The experience includes the chance to hear and observe these visitors, not a guarantee of a particular species.

The sensory approach also gives the tour a wider purpose. You are encouraged to pay attention to what food looks, smells, feels, and tastes like before it reaches a market or kitchen. That can change how you think about familiar ingredients.

Foraging and making something to eat

After exploring the orchard, you forage among what is available that day. The exact ingredients depend on what is growing and ready, so the food activity is tied to the garden rather than fixed to a strict menu.

You then use the fresh produce to imagine and prepare something simple. This is not presented as a formal cooking class with a long list of recipes. It is closer to a guided act of creativity: see what the garden offers, understand its flavors, and turn those ingredients into something good to eat.

David’s cooking is an important part of this stage. A particularly distinctive example is oleocitrate made with lemon, which shows how much useful flavor and quality can be missed when food parts are discarded. You may also learn about traditional Mexican cooking and ways to make better use of ingredients.

Coffee, tea, and snacks are included. Alcoholic drinks are not, so do not count on wine or beer with the food. The final dish is likely to be modest, but that is part of the point. The pleasure comes from shortening the distance between growing, gathering, preparing, and eating.

I find this part especially valuable for visitors who want ideas to take home. You may leave with a new way to use herbs, flowers, citrus, vegetables, or parts of food that usually end up in the bin.

What the $75 price covers

The price is $75 per person for approximately five hours. That is not bargain-priced for a garden visit, but it includes a private experience, transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, coffee or tea, and snacks.

The private format changes the value. Only your group participates, so you are not joining a large crowd moving through a public garden. You can ask questions about a plant, spend longer on a subject that interests you, or keep the pace relaxed.

The transport also matters. You do not have to arrange the trip from Roma Norte to the orchard yourself, and the vehicle brings you back to the meeting point. With Mexico City traffic, that transfer may take up a large share of the day, but it also makes the experience easier to fit into a visit to the city.

The best value goes to someone who wants more than photographs. If you simply want a scenic walk, $75 may feel high. If you value private guiding, food education, hands-on activities, and a quiet break from the city, the price is easier to justify.

Who should book this experience

I would choose this orchard for plant lovers, home gardeners, cooks, and anyone interested in biodiversity. It also suits visitors who want to see a less conventional side of Mexico City and spend several hours in a calm, green setting.

It works well for people with different levels of experience. A beginner can learn about edible and medicinal plants without needing prior knowledge. Someone already interested in sustainability or urban growing can ask more detailed questions about composting, soil, plant selection, and food use.

The private format may also appeal to couples, families, or small groups who prefer conversation over a fixed large-group tour. Service animals are allowed, and most people can participate. The experience is near public transportation, though the supplied details do not specify the best route or whether public transport is used during the activity.

This is less suitable if you have a tight schedule, dislike long vehicle rides, or want a highly structured cooking lesson. Weather matters too. The activity requires good weather and may be moved or canceled if conditions are poor.

Practical details that affect your day

The activity is offered in English. Confirmation is provided at booking, and the current stated operating days are Monday through Saturday, from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM.

The tour starts and ends at the same meeting point on Avenida Chapultepec in Roma Norte. Check the exact address details and start time carefully, then arrive with enough time to handle city traffic before departure.

Wear clothing that is comfortable for walking around a garden and taking part in hands-on activities. The supplied information does not specify the condition of paths, so if you have mobility concerns, ask the operator before booking rather than assuming every part of the orchard is accessible.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations made within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund. If poor weather forces a cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund.

Should you book the Urban Orchard experience?

Book it if you want an intimate, thoughtful outing built around plants, food, and the living world around them. Rubén and David bring together gardening, local flora, biodiversity, composting, chickens, sensory tasting, and simple cooking in a way that feels personal rather than staged.

Skip it if your Mexico City schedule cannot spare about five hours, or if $75 feels too much for a private garden visit with a long transfer. The ride can be slow, and the outdoor setting means weather may affect plans.

For the right person, this is one of the more distinctive ways to step away from central Mexico City. You return to Roma Norte with more than a few plant names. You may also carry home ideas about cooking, composting, and how a small orchard can make room for birds, bees, hens, and people.

FAQ

Where does the experience start?

It starts at Avenida Chapultepec in Roma Norte, Mexico City, at the stated meeting point.

Where does the experience end?

The activity ends back at the original meeting point.

How long does the experience last?

It lasts approximately five hours, including the journey to and from the orchard.

How long is the drive to the orchard?

The drive generally takes between 45 minutes and one hour, depending on traffic.

Is transportation included?

Yes. Transportation is provided in an air-conditioned vehicle from the meeting point to the orchard and back.

Is the experience private?

Yes. Only your group participates in the private activity.

Is the activity offered in English?

Yes. The experience is offered in English.

What food and drinks are included?

Coffee or tea and snacks are included. Alcoholic beverages are not included.

Can I participate without botanical experience?

Yes. Most people can participate, and the activity introduces plants and gardening methods through observation, touch, smell, taste, and conversation.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience requires good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you are offered another date or a full refund.