San Cristóbal de las Casas is a magical, chic, international town high up in the Sierra Madre mountains of Southern Mexico. Magical, in part, because it is surrounded by Mayan villagers whose ancestors built the great cities of Palenque and Bonampak.  Today they live in largely autonomous communities with feet planted in both the traditional and modern worlds. They speak their own languages, make their own clothes, practice a syncretic religion blending Catholicism and native ideas but also use cell phones and WiFi. The legacy of colonialism, liberation theology and the Zapatista rebellion of 1994 are all part of the story of resiliency we witness. We’ll use San Cristobal as our homebase while take day trips to nearby villages. We have planned the trip around several village festivals both religious and secular. You’ll visit 5 different indigenous communities and learn how clothing, food and ceremony contribute to a vibrant culture. We also visit world class artisans including award winning weavers and modern day culture keepers including poets, painters & bookmakers. And festival time is a special time to be in Chiapas.

- Intimate visits to 5 different indigenous villages

- Visits to 3 different community festivals

- A focus on learning about the textile traditions, IMO, the most intact and active in all of Mexico.. We visit fiber artists including award winning designers. A highlight for me is watching agave leaves being turned into ripe bags. Like spinning gold from straw. 

- Time at a ceremonial center blending Catholicism and native religions described by travel writer Nick Ryder as  ”one of the most intense religious centers anywhere“.  

- Boat ride through a stunning natural canyon with monkeys, alligators and great birdwatching

-Many opportunities to shop artisan direct and also to shop the San Cristóbal street markets some of the best in the country. Pom Pom lovers take note.  

 - DEPOSITS & PAYMENTS

Your $500 deposit is non refundable and holds your place. Final non refundable payment is due 30 days before the start of the trip. Please be committed  to this trip  Failure to make your final payment in 30 days before the trip may  forfeit your deposit and your place. We only offer refunds if the tour is cancelled because of government imposed restrictions and or lockdowns in which case there there will be a full refund This is the rare exception to our no refund policy.

INSURANCE -

Medical Travel insurance will be required for this trip as we will be in a remote location. We also recommend trip cancellation insurance as well for your own peace of mind. Lots of people like https://www.travelinsure.com and they cover both.

We’ll meet for a light meal in our cozy B and B  and have a little meet and greet.

Our day starts with a private tour at the Museo Textil where our friend and award winning indigenous weaver Eustaquia  shares with us stories behind their beautiful collection and current projects she has been working on. Later on the tour we will visit her family of weavers out in her village. Then a walk through the vibrant crafts and food markets.  See things you have never seen before!! Afternoon is spent in the home and studio of boundary breaking indigenous weaver Alberto Lopez Gomez who shares with us his story of going from selling textiles on the streets of San Cristobal to walking at New York Fashion Week.  Group meal in the town. 

Today we head to the market and ceremonial center of San Juan Chamula - 

We’ll learn about the traditions of their blended religion and visit home altars, their cemetery and their church filled with incense and candles. Pretty sure you’ve never seen anything like it. On our way home we eat at the restaurant of indigenous award winning chef Claudia Santiz who dedicates her work to sharing her indigenous ingredient and palette. 

Back in town the evening is free to explore and enjoy dinner on your own.

We head to Zinacantan, land of flowers where they celebrate their village saint today. We visit both the “official” and the “unofficial” church. Expect music, fireworks, dance in a display that is both solemn and festive. Afterwards lunch and  time with a weaving family. Evening on your own. 

We head down from the mountains to a lowland Mayan village specializing in ceramics.  We visit with two families and learn how life has changed over time for them. We’ll also see how they’ve taken two very different approaches to their work Because their craft is pottery, you don’t find woven textiles in this town but they have their own traditional embrodiered huipil. . Lunch cowboy style on our way back to San Cristobal 

Today we slow down a little and stay in town visiting indigenous driven galleries and studios. In the morning  we’ll have a chance to try our hand at papermaking at Galería Lenateros and learn about their extraordinary project. In the afternoon we visit indigenous driven Galería Muy for a private tour. We’ll see how the next generation of indigenous artists are tackling the problems of modernity driven by their indigenous values. Our visit to Galería Muy was one of the highlights of the trip for me last year. Can’t wait to go back. They are talented, articulate and uncompromising. Dinner on your own. 

We start in Chiapa de Corzo a town famous for lacquerware (a resin derived process where they paint the gourds using only their fingers or brushes made from cat hairs). The town is having a festival so we’re hoping for multiple parades. We will also have the opportunity to visit home

altars dedicated to the the village saints. 

After crazy fiesta time, we settle down for a private boatride through the magnificent Sumidero Canyon - our hit of deep nature.
Dinner back at Bela’s in San Cristobal. 

 Today we go out to the village of Tenejapa where we visit with the longtime women’s weaving cooperative and the village pom pom makers. (Footnote - Pom poms are part of the traditional men’s dress in this community but they have adapted them for the tourist industry. I am a tiny bit of a pom pom aficionando and these are the best of the best).  Our day ends at the beautiful and moving Romerillo hilltop cemetery. Dinner on your own later that evening. 

A final day to pack and do last minute shopping, get a massage, birdwatch, visit an orchid garden or whatever your heart desires. Late afternoon we meet with humanitarian activist Sergio Castro in his home which is part doctors office and part Museum filled with treasures his grateful patients have gifted him.  He’ll share stories about his textile collection and his work treating burn victims in the highlands. Always deeply moving. And finally we’ll end with a celebratory farewell meal. 

Some of you will stay on for a few more day, some head home (we’ll help arrange airport transport), and some head out to the ancient Mayan ruins in the jungles. Grateful to have this adventure with everyone.