Tour of Chiapas
Chocolate dress in El Museo Kakaw
In January of 2013, Sherry Hardage led a tour of eight people around the state of Chiapas. It was a feet-on-the-ground tour. Sometimes they took public transportation, other times they went with local tour guides. The group explored secret limestone caves once used by Zapatista rebels, rode boats on scenic rivers, saw magnificent waterfalls, and climbed Mayan pyramids. They ate fresh local food and stayed in nice Mexican hotels where the desk clerks didn't speak English. In other words, they got to know Mexico the way it really is.
Now, you too, can see a part of Mexico that most people don't know exists. Join us for a new redesigned two-week adventure. Meet modern day Mayans in the villages of Chamula and Zinacantan. Learn about their religion, marriage customs, diet and child rearing practices, and the myriad ways they cure illnesses.
We will explore five pre-Columbian Mayan city ruins: Toniná, Palenque, Yaxchilan, Bonampak and Chinkultik during a private van tour. On the way, we'll see the waterfalls and cascades of Misol Há, Santa Clara, and Agua Azul. In the Lacandon jungle we'll hear and see howler monkeys, many colorful birds, some crocodiles, and if we're lucky, a jaguar!
In the city of San Cristóbal de las Casas, sample the offerings of top-notch international restaurants, explore a dozen museums, shop for colorful textiles and indigenous crafts in the open air markets and listen to nightly marimba concerts in the Zócalo. Mexico is the birthplace of the cocoa tree and the Kakaw Museum gives you a tasty home-made piece of chocolate with each ticket!
Now, you too, can see a part of Mexico that most people don't know exists. Join us for a new redesigned two-week adventure. Meet modern day Mayans in the villages of Chamula and Zinacantan. Learn about their religion, marriage customs, diet and child rearing practices, and the myriad ways they cure illnesses.
We will explore five pre-Columbian Mayan city ruins: Toniná, Palenque, Yaxchilan, Bonampak and Chinkultik during a private van tour. On the way, we'll see the waterfalls and cascades of Misol Há, Santa Clara, and Agua Azul. In the Lacandon jungle we'll hear and see howler monkeys, many colorful birds, some crocodiles, and if we're lucky, a jaguar!
In the city of San Cristóbal de las Casas, sample the offerings of top-notch international restaurants, explore a dozen museums, shop for colorful textiles and indigenous crafts in the open air markets and listen to nightly marimba concerts in the Zócalo. Mexico is the birthplace of the cocoa tree and the Kakaw Museum gives you a tasty home-made piece of chocolate with each ticket!
What to expect on the tour...
Dangerous Mexico!
This tour of Chiapas is an adventure. You will experience the sights, sounds, and smells of Mexico, many of which are delightful and some.........aren't. We will explore well-known tourist attractions, and remote places few get to see.
We will climb pyramids and church steps, walk up and down many hills on rough trails, and spend a lot of time exploring on foot. In the highlands, the altitude averages 6000 feet, and less than 1000 feet in the lowlands where the pyramids are located. Before signing up, it would be a good idea to determine your personal fitness level. If you can climb six flights of stairs with brief rest stops, and walk four or five miles, then you are fit enough to get the most out of this trip. You can always opt out of an activity if you like.
We will stay in modern hotels and tourist accommodations in the jungle. Hotel rooms have private baths, double beds, and a TV. WiFi or Internet connection is usually available. In Palenque the hotel has air conditioning but the cabañas in the jungle, where we'll spend two nights, are more primitive. Those rooms have electric fans and private bathrooms with hot water. There is no cell phone service, WiFi, or internet.
Every effort will be made to ensure your health and safety, however, nothing is guaranteed, accidents and illnesses can occur any time. You'll be sent paperwork to sign, acknowledging that you know adventurous trips have inherent dangers. The remote areas we will visit are actively patrolled by the military (that's a good thing!). San Cristóbal is a unique and diverse city with a low crime rate. Yet still, there are dangers: uneven sidewalks, big holes, tripping hazards, close calls with cars and buses, and a few pickpockets and con artists. When you arrive, you'll receive a map of San Cristóbal, a knife for cutting up fruits and vegetables, disinfectant, and hand gel so you can (hopefully!) avoid the stomach woes of Moctezuma's Revenge.
As a global traveler and guide, I love it when people get excited about what they see. If I can't answer your questions, we'll find out the answers together. Come prepared with an open heart and curious mind.
I hope to meet you in Mexico! - Sherry Hardage
We will climb pyramids and church steps, walk up and down many hills on rough trails, and spend a lot of time exploring on foot. In the highlands, the altitude averages 6000 feet, and less than 1000 feet in the lowlands where the pyramids are located. Before signing up, it would be a good idea to determine your personal fitness level. If you can climb six flights of stairs with brief rest stops, and walk four or five miles, then you are fit enough to get the most out of this trip. You can always opt out of an activity if you like.
We will stay in modern hotels and tourist accommodations in the jungle. Hotel rooms have private baths, double beds, and a TV. WiFi or Internet connection is usually available. In Palenque the hotel has air conditioning but the cabañas in the jungle, where we'll spend two nights, are more primitive. Those rooms have electric fans and private bathrooms with hot water. There is no cell phone service, WiFi, or internet.
Every effort will be made to ensure your health and safety, however, nothing is guaranteed, accidents and illnesses can occur any time. You'll be sent paperwork to sign, acknowledging that you know adventurous trips have inherent dangers. The remote areas we will visit are actively patrolled by the military (that's a good thing!). San Cristóbal is a unique and diverse city with a low crime rate. Yet still, there are dangers: uneven sidewalks, big holes, tripping hazards, close calls with cars and buses, and a few pickpockets and con artists. When you arrive, you'll receive a map of San Cristóbal, a knife for cutting up fruits and vegetables, disinfectant, and hand gel so you can (hopefully!) avoid the stomach woes of Moctezuma's Revenge.
As a global traveler and guide, I love it when people get excited about what they see. If I can't answer your questions, we'll find out the answers together. Come prepared with an open heart and curious mind.
I hope to meet you in Mexico! - Sherry Hardage
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View of San Cristóbal from high in the mountains
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Mayan cemetery
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