In Chiapas, see some of Mexico’s most beautiful scenery, from pine forests in the highlands to tropical jungles in the lowlands and the most gorgeous textiles in all of Mexico. Explore magnificent ruins and lovely colonial cities and native Mayan villages. In San Cristobal de Las Casas, see splendid colonial architecture and impressive museums. Take a boat ride on the Grijalva River through Sumidero Canyon, with cliff walls rising to 3,500 feet. Visit the fabulous Miguel Alvarez del Toro Zoo, a jungle zoo with over 100 species, all native to Chiapas. Explore the ancient archaeological site of Palenque, the most sublime of all the Mayan ruins, as well as Toniná, the tallest. In native markets and shops see striking weavings, ceramics and handicrafts. Don Sergio Castro will accompany us to several Maya-Lacandon villages near San Cristobal to visit artisans in their village workshops, and he will teach us about the distinctive types of dress and other aspects of village life. Visit the intriguing unorthodox church of San Juan Camula. See the breathtaking waterfalls of Agua Azul and Misol-ha. In Villahermosa visit Parque Museo La Venta with several massive Olmec stone heads peering through the jungle trees. You will learn much about recent Chiapanecan history and politics.
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OUR HOTELS ARE:
| CITY |
NIGHTS | HOTEL |
| Tuxtla Guitierrez |
2 | Camino Real |
| San Cristobal de Las Casas |
3 | Holiday Inn |
| Palenque |
2 | Chan-Kah Ruinas |
| Villahermosa |
1 | Calinda Viva |
COST Double occupancy: $2,145 per person
Single occupancy: $2,595 per person
Airfare is not included
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We encourage you to sign up for this unique travel opportunity without delay as space is limited.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
1-888-783-1331
Phone: 1-480-730-1764
Toll free: 1-888-783-1331
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DAY 1 Wednesday Fly to Mexico City. Change planes and fly to Tuxtla Gutierrez. Check into the Camino Real Hotel and meet your traveling companions over a welcome cocktail and dinner at the hotel. D.
DAY 2 Thursday This morning, drive through Tuxtla to the top of Sumidero Canyon to catch a breathtaking jungle view.. Then, drive on to the embarcadero of Caguaré and board the boat for the scenic trip on the Grijalva River. See the majestic canyon walls rise from both sides of the wide river. Have lunch in a seafood restaurant in a palapa. After lunch, visit the unique Manuel Alvarez del Toro Zoo in Tuxtla, where all the animals are native to Chiapas, and can be seen in settings resembling their natural jungle habitat. B, L.
DAY 3 Friday Drive to the beautiful colonial city of San Cristobal de las Casas (1 hr. 15 m.). On the way, stop at Chiapa de Corso to see the bizarre Fuente Mudejar on the plaza and, if time permits, visit a lacquer-ware museum in the Ex Convento de Santo Domingo de Guzmán. Continue on to San Cristobal and check into the Holiday Inn Hotel. Learn about the region when you take the fascinating Na Bolom tour, which includes a 50 minute film about: Frans and Trudi Blom, great friends of the Lacandón-Maya tribes; the ways of the Lacandón Indians; and Na Bolom. Enjoy cocktails and a delicious dinner at Na Bolom’s international long table in the colorful dining room. (Chef Rick Bayless cooked in Na Bolom’s kitchen when he visited San Cristobal.). B, D.
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DAY 4 Saturday On a walking tour of San Cristobal, see Arco de Carmen and visit the Mercado Municipal. Visit some of the four small museums: Café Museo Café, a coffee museum, where you can learn all about coffee (Chiapas is Mexico’s biggest producer of coffee), and try a cup of café Chapaneco; Museo de la Medicina Maya, a museum of indigenous medicine; the Amber Museum (Chiapas is one of the few places in the world that has amber mines); and the Jade Museum. Have a light lunch at Casa de Pan (another of Rick Bayless’ favorites). In the Tzotzil Maya village of Chamula visit the unorthodox Iglesia de San Juan Bautista with its candle-lit interior and pine needle strewn floor, where fascinating ancient Mayan healing rituals mingle with Catholicism. The Chamulan women are known as the best wool weavers in Chiapas and the men for their distinctive attire. In the late afternoon visit the fabulous Museo Sergio Castro, where Mr. Castro will talk to us about the ceremonial costumes displayed in the museum and the lives of the various indigenous tribes that live in the villages surrounding San Cristobal. B, L.
DAY 5 Sunday This morning, Don Sergio Castro will accompany us to three villages: the Tzotzil-Maya village of Zinacantan, where the men and women are known for their beautiful embroidered and woven attire - Pazcuala Vasquez Hernandez will demonstrate for us her loom weaving; the beautiful Tzeltal-Maya village of Tenejapa where you will see the exceptional weavings of the co-op artisans; and the village of Amatenango del Valle, known for its elegant ceramic tigers and it’s women potters who produce exceptional hand-built, pit-fired pottery – here you’ll visit the workshops of several ceramists. Return to San Cristobal. The afternoon and evening are free. B, D.
DAY 6 Monday This morning, depart for Palenque, On the way, make several stops. The first stop is at the waterfalls of Agua Azul, a series of beautiful waterfalls that cascade into the wide river. The second stop is at Misol Há Waterfall. See the tallest of the Maya ruins, Toniná, and have lunch in the town of Ocosingo. Continue on to Palenque and check into the resort-like hotel, the Chan-Kah Ruinas. B, D.
DAY 7 Tuesday Spend a long morning exploring the ruins of Palenque, one of the grand archaeological sites of Mexico, and certainly the most mysterious, in its lush jungle setting. Pottery shards show that people lived here as early as 300 B.C. This ancient Mayan city peaked around 600 to 700 A.D. See the Temple of the Inscriptions, Temple 13, the Palace, the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the Foliated Cross and Temple 14. Also, see the majestic Ball Court, the Temple of the Count and the Cascada Montiepa - a beautiful waterfall that creates a series of pools. Visit Palenque’s museum. Serious excavations of the Maya ruin began in 1923 under the direction of Franz Blom. After lunch, have a free afternoon to further explore Palenque or to relax in the gardens of Chan-Kah Ruinas or at their laguna-like swimming pool. B, D.
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DAY 8 Wednesday Drive north-east to Villahermosa, Mexico’s oil capital, to visit the jungle park and museum, Parque-Museo La Venta, where you can see the ruins of Mexico’s oldest civilization, the Olmec, including several Olmec heads that peer through the trees. The high civilization of the Olmec dates back to 1,200 BC. The Olmec heads, each with its own enigmatic features, are intricately carved and massive in size, and are a stunning example of the sophisticated artistry employed by the ancient Olmec. The heads are evidence that there were many migrations from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa more than 10,000 years ago. After lunch you may take a City tour and visit the Museo Carlos Pellicer, a regional museum with the remnants of the jaguar cult. This evening we have our going-away happy hour and dinner. B, L.
DAY 9 Thursday Fly to Mexico City and home. B.
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