6 days from highland markets to jungle ruins in Chiapas

Highland San Cristóbal, on foot. A cathedral on the main plaza, a baroque church of Santo Domingo with a market of weavers beside it, a house museum of the Lacandon Maya and a walking street that leads to a hill church. Go slowly, since the town is high.

1. Breakfast

   Eggs, black beans and coffee

   Eggs with black beans, fried plantain and tortillas, with a strong cup of coffee grown in the mountains.

   Local tip Chiapas is a coffee region, so order a cup and ask where it was grown.
2. 1
   Morning

   San Cristóbal Cathedral

   The cathedral on the main plaza, with a painted baroque front and a gilded interior. Sit on a bench in the plaza first and watch the town wake up, then step in. Stay quiet during services.

   Go when Morning, when the plaza is calm.

   Local tip It is a working church, so stay quiet and cover your shoulders. Sit in the plaza for a while before you go in.

   

   About 6 min walk0.4 km
3. 2
   Midday

   Santo Domingo Church

   A baroque church with a richly carved front, from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, with a market of weavers and sellers of textiles and amber in the plaza beside it. Look closely at the cloth, and ask about the patterns.

   Go when Midday, with time for the market beside it.

   Local tip Look at the carved front, then walk the market slowly. Ask about the pattern on a piece of cloth before you buy it, and buy from the weaver where you can.

4. Lunch

   Tamales of the highlands

   Steamed maize parcels with a filling of chicken, pork or herbs and cheese, wrapped in leaves.

   Local tip Peel the leaf and eat the tamale on its own, with a spoon of salsa.

   About 10 min walk0.8 km
5. 3
   Afternoon

   Casa Na Bolom

   A house museum once lived in by an archaeologist and a photographer, now devoted to the Lacandon Maya and their rainforest, with a library, a garden and rooms of photographs and objects. A calm, indoor rest in the cool of the afternoon.

   Go when Afternoon, as a calm rest.

   Local tip Take the walk through the house and the garden. Check ahead on the opening and on any guided visits.

   

   About 6 min walk0.5 km
6. 4
   Evening

   Real de Guadalupe

   A pedestrian street of cafes, galleries and small shops that runs east to the hill church of Guadalupe. Walk it as the lights come on, and climb the steps at the end for a view over the roofs.

   Go when Early evening, as the lights come on (about 6:20 PM).

   Local tip Walk the whole street to the church and back, and stop for a coffee grown in the mountains. Take a warm layer, since it cools quickly.

7. Dinner

   Bread soup

   A warm soup of bread, vegetables and sweet spices, a traditional dish of the state.

   Local tip A good dish for a cold night in the highlands.

A morning among the Tzotzil Maya villages in the hills, about half an hour from town, with a local guide. A village church where the rules are strict, a village of embroidered cloth, and the town market on the way back. Dress warmly.

1. Travel from Real de GuadalupeAbout 21 min by car or transit8.6 km

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Hot chocolate and sweet bread

   A thick cup of hot chocolate and a warm sweet roll, before the ride to the villages.

   Local tip Dress warmly, since the hills are cold in the morning.
3. 1
   Morning

   San Juan Chamula

   A Tzotzil Maya town in the hills, with a church that is a living place of worship, with no pews, pine needles on the floor and candles everywhere. Go with a local guide, follow the rules posted at the door, and do not take photographs inside, which are not allowed.

   Go when Morning, with a local guide.

   Local tip The church is a place of worship, not a sight. Follow the rules posted at the door, do not take photographs inside, and ask before photographing anyone in the town.

   

   About 13 min by car or transit4.5 km
4. 2
   Midday

   Zinacantán

   A Tzotzil Maya village known for its embroidered cloth, in bright flowers on dark backgrounds, and for its flower growing. Visit a family weaving cooperative with your guide, and buy directly from the weaver if you wish.

   Go when Midday, with your guide.

   Local tip Visit a family weaving cooperative and ask about the patterns. Buy directly from the weaver if you wish, and ask before taking photographs.

   

5. Lunch

   A simple village lunch

   Tortillas, beans, eggs and a little grilled meat at a family table, with a mug of hot drink.

   Local tip Eat what your guide recommends, and thank the cook.

   About 22 min by car or transit9.0 km
6. 3
   AfternoonIndoor

   Municipal Market

   The town's daily market, with fruit, vegetables, cheese, tortillas and household goods. Walk through slowly, ask before photographing anyone and buy a little something to eat from a stall.

   Go when Afternoon, when the stalls are busy.

   Local tip Walk through slowly, taste something from a stall and ask before photographing anyone. Keep your bag in front.

7. Dinner

   Cheese, cured meat and tortillas

   A plate of local cheese and thin strips of cured meat with warm tortillas and salsa, a taste of the highlands.

   Local tip Ask which cheese is from nearby, and try a small piece of each.

A long day west and down into the lowlands, about one hour each way to the first stop. A colonial town with a brick fountain, the canyon by boat and a zoo of the animals of Chiapas. Start early and bring a hat and water.

1. Drive from Municipal MarketAbout 49 min by car40.2 km

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Fruit and coffee before the road

   A plate of fruit, a roll and coffee before the long ride west.

   Local tip Take a hat, water and sunscreen for the boat.
3. 1
   Morning

   Chiapa de Corzo

   A colonial town on a river, with a sixteenth-century brick fountain called La Pila, a plaza of arcades and the landing for the canyon boats. Walk the plaza and look at the fountain before the boats.

   Go when Morning, before the boats.

   Local tip Look at the brick fountain and walk the plaza. The town holds a large fiesta in January, so ask your host about the dates.

   

   About 32 min by car or transit16.3 km
4. 2
   MiddayBest early

   Sumidero Canyon

   A deep canyon cut by a river, with walls that rise close to a kilometre above the water. Go by boat from the landing in Chiapa de Corzo, with a licensed boatman, and look for herons, spider monkeys and crocodiles on the banks.

   Go when Late morning, when the light reaches the walls.

   Local tip Go by boat with a licensed boatman and wear the life jacket you are given. Take a hat, water and sunscreen, since there is little shade.

   

5. Lunch

   Fresh fish and a cold maize drink

   Fried or grilled fish from the river with rice and salad, and a cold drink made from ground maize and cocoa.

   Local tip The cold maize drink is a local habit, and a cooling one in the heat.

   About 27 min by car or transit11.8 km
6. 3
   Afternoon

   Álvarez del Toro Zoo

   A zoo set in a forested hillside, devoted to the animals of Chiapas, with paths through shaded forest where jaguars, tapirs and many birds live. A cool, green walk after the heat of the river.

   Go when Afternoon, in the shade of the forest.

   Local tip The paths are shaded and quiet, and the animals are most active in the cooler hours. Check ahead on the opening.

7. Dinner

   A late supper back in the hills

   Soup, grilled meat and tortillas at a table in town, after the drive back up to the cool.

   Local tip Wear a warm layer, since the evening is cold at the top of the road.

A long day on the winding road north to the jungle, with several hours of driving and stops, in daylight only. A market town for breakfast and a river of cascades. Check the road before you set off.

1. Drive from Álvarez del Toro ZooAbout 1 h 40 min by car108.3 km

   Where Day 3 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Eggs and coffee on the road

   Eggs, beans, tortillas and strong coffee in the market town before the road north.

   Local tip Buy water and a snack for the drive.
3. 1
   Morning

   Ocosingo

   A market town on the high road to the jungle, a good place for breakfast and to stretch your legs. Look in the market for the cheese of the region, and fill your water bottle.

   Go when Morning, for breakfast and the market.

   Local tip Fill your water bottle, buy some cheese and stretch your legs. Ask a local about the road ahead before you go on.

   

4. Dinner

   River fish and plantain in Palenque

   Grilled fish with rice, fried plantain and a salad, a supper by the jungle after the long road.

   Local tip Order a cold fruit drink and eat early, since the day began early.

   About 48 min by car38.9 km
5. 2
   Midday

   Agua Azul

   A river that tumbles down a series of cascades and pools in the forest. Walk the paths above the water, and swim only where it is marked as fine; the currents can be strong. After rain the water runs brown, so do not count on the blue.

   Go when Midday, with time to walk the paths.

   Local tip The water runs brown after rain, so do not count on the blue. Swim only where it is marked as fine, and watch the currents and the slippery rocks.

   

6. Lunch

   A snack by the river

   Fresh fruit, grilled corn and fried snacks from the stalls beside the cascades.

   Local tip Eat from a stall that looks busy, and keep your hands clean.

The ruins of Palenque, in the jungle, best in the first hours of the day. A temple over a royal tomb, a palace with a tower and a group of three temples across a stream. Bring water and insect repellent.

1. Drive from Agua AzulAbout 39 min by car26.4 km

   Where Day 4 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Fruit and coffee before the ruins

   A quick breakfast of fruit, bread and coffee before the gates open.

   Local tip Eat light, and carry water to the site.
3. 1
   MorningBest early

   Temple of the Inscriptions

   A stepped pyramid over the tomb of the ruler Pakal, found inside it in the twentieth century. Climb the neighboring steps for the view over the forest, and check ahead on whether the inside can be visited.

   Go when Morning, as soon as the site opens.

   Local tip The jungle is hot and humid by midday, so be there early. Bring water and insect repellent, and check ahead on whether the inside can be visited.

   

   About 2 min walk0.1 km
4. 2
   Midday

   The Palace

   A large complex of courtyards, galleries and rooms with a tall tower, the heart of the city. Walk the galleries and look at the carved stucco on the walls. A cool rest in the shade of the passageways.

   Go when Midday, in the shade of the galleries.

   Local tip Look at the carved stucco on the walls and climb the tower if it is open. Stay on the marked paths.

5. Lunch

   Corn and fruit at the gate

   Grilled corn, sliced fruit with lime and chile, and a cold drink from the stalls near the entrance.

   Local tip Fruit with lime and chile is a local way to cool down.

   About 2 min walk0.2 km
6. 3
   Afternoon

   Temple of the Cross Group

   Three temples on terraces across a small stream, with carved panels that give the group its names. Walk the path through the forest between them, and listen for howler monkeys in the trees.

   Go when Afternoon, when the groups have thinned.

   Local tip The path to the group is shaded and cool. Listen for howler monkeys in the trees, and keep your voice low.

   

7. Dinner

   A jungle supper in town

   Grilled fish or chicken with rice, beans and tortillas, in a garden restaurant among the trees.

   Local tip Use repellent in the evening, and ask for a table away from the road.

A last slow day. A waterfall you can walk behind, south of the town, then the town itself with its plaza and market. Nothing is far, so there is time to rest before the road out.

1. Travel from Temple of the Cross GroupAbout 26 min by car or transit11.4 km

   Where Day 5 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Eggs and tortillas before the waterfall

   Eggs, beans and warm tortillas with coffee, before the ride south.

   Local tip Take water and a towel for the waterfall.
3. 1
   MorningBest early

   Misol Há

   A waterfall that drops into a round pool in the forest, with a path that leads behind the falling water. Go early, while it is cool, and take care on the wet stones.

   Go when Morning, before the heat and the crowds.

   Local tip Walk behind the falling water, and take care on the wet stones. Check ahead on swimming in the pool.

   

4. Lunch

   A long lunch of fish

   Grilled or fried fish with rice, salad and plantain, eaten slowly in the shade.

   Local tip There is nothing to hurry for, so order a cold drink and stay.

   About 29 min by car or transit13.3 km
5. 2
   Afternoon

   Palenque Town

   The town beside the ruins, with a plaza, a small market and cafes among the trees. A relaxed place to buy a last gift, write a card and sit in the shade before the way out.

   Go when Afternoon, after the waterfall.

   Local tip Sit in the plaza in the shade and have a cold drink. Leave time to plan the way out, and keep your bag in front in the market.

   

6. Dinner

   A farewell supper

   A last plate of the regional dishes, with a cup of hot chocolate or a fruit drink.

   Local tip Try a dish you have not eaten yet, and ask the cook what it is made from.