Physical Difficulty
Cultural rating
Wildlife expectation
Chiapas is an incredible state of Mexico, famous for its Indigenous people, incredible archaeological sites, natural prowess and culture. The scenery is incredible and the perfect backdrop for a number of adventure activities such as mountain biking, rafting, hiking and water activities in the numerous waterfalls and lakes.
Special features of our 9 Day Adventurous Chiapas Tour:
Type of Tourism: Archaeology, Nature, Wildlife
Places to Visit: Chetumal, Oxtankah, Rio Bec, Konhunlich, Dzibanche, Bacalar
Duration: 9 Days and 8 Nights.
Type of Service: group tours.
Accommodation: 3 star hotels at every destination that you will visit. These hotels have been carefully chosen and we can guarantee that you will feel comfortable and your every need catered for!
Today is arrival day to the Tuxtla Gutierrez airport. We will be waiting for your arrival to take you to Chiapa de Corzo and the Sumidero Canyon. a motorboat trip along waters surrounded by the majestic rock walls of the Sumidero Canyon towering above you. There will be many opportunities to see wildlife, such as crocodiles, cormorants, spider monkeys, and herons. We will then continue to the highlands and San Cristobal de las Casas, where we will spend the evening in a charming colonial hotel.
After breakfast, we will head out on a bike excursion through the Chiapan countryside, visiting the villages of Zinacantan and San Juan Chamula. Your bike trip is adapted to your interests and accompanied by an emergency vehicle. We will ride through San Cristobal, admiring the beautiful colonial streets and alleys lined with red-roof tiles and white-washed walls. We will then pass through Zinacantan, a Tzotzil Maya village outside of San Cristobal, famous for its flowers and being the only source of salt in the Chiapas Highlands. Ne...
Today we leave San Cristobal for the Montebello Lakes for a full day in this remarkable group of over fifty lakes, lagoons and ponds. Each lake varies in size, shape, and colour, ranging from emerald green to cobalt blue. We will hike among these lakes and the surrounding pine forest, offering dramatic views over the valleys below. We will then drive to the hacienda in Comitan for dinner and to settle in for the evening.
As we descend from the Chiapas highlands, we drop into the Lacandona Rainforest. We will make a stop at the Las Nubes Waterfall on the colourful Santo Domingo River. Here we will head out on a short hike in this stunning area of natural beauty. After lunch at a local restaurant, we will continue to Las Guacamayas, an ecotourism centre and where we will spend the next couple of days. The lodge focuses on the conservation of the macaw. Relax in your cabanas with a private bathroom, fall asleep to the jungle sounds as you prepare for th...
Choose from a number of options included in today's activities. You can take a two-hour boat trip on the Rio Lacantun for birdwatching and wildlife or walk to areas of the jungle where we hope to see the macaws in their habitat. If you simply want to relax at the lodge and listening to the sounds of the forest as you sip on a cold drink, that is also an option! Today can be customized based on your interests and energy levels.
After breakfast, we will leave Las Guacamayas and head to Yaxchitlan, a Mayan archaeological site known for its strategic location on a bend in the Usumacinta River. The site displays ornamental facades and carved stone slabs that depict Mayan battles and ceremonial events. This remote site is lesser-visited than other Mayan ruins in the area and offers more peace and space to explore the spectacular ruins with your guide's assistance.
Today, we will head out on a rafting trip along the Lacanja. This scenic river cuts through lush green jungle, passing by small waterfalls and pools, offering variation between calm, still waters and exciting rapids, perfect for a day's rafting! In the afternoon, we will visit Bonampak, a mysterious archaeological site with wall paintings depicting war scenes, sacrifices and celebrations. In the evening, we will travel to Palenque, where we will spend the evening.
Today we will visit the stunningly impressive Mayan archaeological site of Palenque. With the backdrop of the lush, green rainforest, the sculptures and spectacular architecture is a sight to behold! Palenque was an important centre during the height of Mayan civilization and dates back to 100 BC. It is unclear what led to its fall around 900 AD. You may explore and perhaps develop your own theories! This massive complex spread over 15 sq. km., only the central area has been excavated
After Palenque, we will continue to...
Today is the final day of the tour. We will head to Villahermosa in time for a late morning or afternoon flight home or onto your next destination!
Guides & Drivers:
2.2. Protective Measures and Equipment to consider:
2.2.1. Mandatory Equipment:
• Face mask
• Tied Hair (in case of having long hair)
• Closed Shoes (not sandals)
• Constant use of Hand Sanitizer
• Use pants with the uniform (not shorts)
• Sanitize your backpack and equipment constantly when providing services
• Limit the use of accessories (wallets, fanny packs, watches, etc.)
• Avoid sharing glasses, spoons, bottles, etc.
• Avoid the use of reusable tissues, make use of disposable towels or napkins
• Make use of the digital thermometer
• Avoid wearing a tie or scarf
III. SPECIFIC PREVENTION MEASURES
3.1. Tourist Guide Service
• Maximum 1 Guide for every 14 visitors
3.2. Tourist Reception
• Welcome: greet without physical contact and maintaining a distance of 1.5 meters.
3.3. Delivery of Preventive Utensils
• Take the temperature of Each Visitor
• Hand Sanitizer
• Masks, if necessary.
• Gloves
Physical distancy and wear masks in public spaces are mandatory for clients, guides and drivers.
We do not include travel or health insurance and we strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance for any unexpected circumstances. This is not obligatory, however. An full travel insurance policy that covers cancellations and delays as well as medical insurance.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure that you are up-to-date with the recommended vaccinations when traveling to the destination. In any case, a negative Coronavirus Molecular Test (PCR) is needed to enter the country.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure what medications you will need to bring to the destination. Pharmacies and drugstores are common in all cities, however, it is not certain that you will be able to find a specific drug that you can find in your country of origin.
As in any city in the world, there can be pickpockets in crowded places. We suggest being vigilant at all times, but if you are in a group you will always be safer.
We do not include the cost of any domestic or international flight in any of our programs. These services must be booked independently by each guest.
Yes, hotels will charge the cost of a double room as standard, so a single supplement will be charged if you are traveling alone.
VA Expeditions is supported by Valencia Travel, a company with more than 12 years of foundation with a solid financial position. We have insurance from the insurance company La Positiva, that supports us and protects our guests from any eventuality at the destination, covering our guests for more than 5 million US dollars.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, in addition to multi-day programs, we offer half-day experiences and excursions without overnight, which you can purchase as additional services. In case you wish to purchase one of these services, you can ask your guide, the transfer representative or your sales representative to provide you with the support you need.
Yes, you can add additional or optional services to your regular tour. We appreciate contacting your sales representative for any changes you wish to make.
Yes, you can travel with children and we have many activities to do as a family, however, depending on your itinerary, some experiences can be a bit demanding for young children. As a recommendation, we suggest that you ask your sales consultant if the tour you wish to book is suitable for children.
We work with a maximum group size of 12 passengers for sustainability reasons and a more personaized experience.
We suggest making your reservations at least one month before your trip in order to reserve the best hotels, transportation and services for your travel dates, however, in last minute cases, we can reserve up to 15 days in advance.
We suggest consulting with your embassy to review any documents, tests or special visa you need for your trip.
The official currency in Mexico is the mexican peso (MXN). In large cities there is a good chance that you will find ATMs or ATMs, however, we suggest that you do not rely entirely on this solution, as it may not be enabled to work with your bank.
Yes, we cater for all special dietary requirements. Please let us know at the time of booking if you have any allergies or special dietary needs.
As a sustainable travel company, we are in constant search of how we can improve the sustainability of our operations. An example of our sustainable projects:
Sustainable Tourism Policy
Our partner, Martsam Travel, organizes trips focused on sustainability while respecting the natural environment, the communities, and their traditions, trying as much as possible to use suppliers committed to sustainability practices, and collaborating with them in the implementation of these practices that lead us to raise the quality of the services offered.
Environmental Friendliness (Eco-Friendly):
All the activities of the company are analyzed, and it considered in order to avoid, mitigate, reverse or compensate any kind of environmental impact, since the natural environment is an essential part of our product and therefore is vital for our daily survival.
Social and Cultural Responsibility
It implies that the company analyzes and takes into account the social and cultural background of the sites and their areas of influence, in which it develops activities, so that these result benefits the local inhabitants as much as possible. The cultural environment is the most charismatic part of our product and therefore conserving it is conserving our way of life.
Financial Sustainability
We make sure that our operation generates profits for the local communities and make sure the benefits are real, we also ensure that the payments to the services they provide are fair.
Our partner, Martsam Travel, cooperates with different service providers such as hotels, restaurants, community projects, leaders, and local guides, relying on the “Best Practices Agreement in Sustainable Tourism”, established with the Rainforest Alliance in 2006.
Tips are not included in the cost of the tour. You should plan to tip 10% in restaurants and for your guided services, however, tipping is never required.
Cultural norms vary within each Latin American country, even within each city within the country, however, we recommend the following measures to have a pleasant visit in each destination: Latin American culture in general tends to be closer and more informal than in others cultures, so there is usually always a friendly approach in all conversations, and going directly to the point could be considered offensive to some people. Personal space can be much shorter as well, but without being interpreted as sexual in nature.
The schedules are also usually more relaxed and informal, however, this is not the case of VA EXPEDITIONS, since we will always respect the hours indicated in your itinerary. This may be different for other appointments that you can book on your own at other locations.
This depends on each itinerary, and will be indicated in the detail of the day. However, our itineraries always usually include free times to offer more flexibility to our guests.
For any emergency, we appreciate contacting the following number: + (502) 5417-5517
At VA Expeditions we believe that every action we take should generate a positive impact on the communities and the environment of our entire production chain, which is why we carry out various activities focused on this objective. An example of our sustainable projects: Conservation in Ria Lagartos,
Conservation in Selestun, Merida Yucatan
Conservation at Sian Kan Reserve and Muyil Archaeological Site,
Visit local families, markets, etc
Visit communiarian projects at Señor and Tihosuco in Quinta Roo,
Projects at Oaxaca with artisanal agave production.
All our guests have 24/7 support for any type of emergency or eventuality. For emergencies you can contact the following number: + (502) 5417-5517. For general inquiries, you can write to us at the following email: info@valenciatravelcusco.com
This depends on each itinerary, but generally is a ratio of one guide for every nine guests.
This depends on the type of the type of Travel insurance that the passenger has. We recommend that you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy for better care and hospital facilities.
The tours are carried out by an expert team that has determined the optimal times of visits to make the most of our guests' time, without rushing. All our programs are customizable, so if at any time at the destination you want to adjust the pace of the trip, you can ask your guide to reach a consensus with the whole group in case you need to make adjustments to the pace of the trip.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, you can safely store any luggage at your hotel.
For city tours, there are public bathrooms available, in remote destinations bathroom facilities are more sparse.
In the mountains and remote places there is no Internet connection. Hotels and public places usually have WIFI available.
In cities and tourist centers you will have good telephone reception. In remote areas, there may be no cell phone reception.
It depends on each itinerary. We suggest contacting your account representative to give you specific information regarding your program.
We suggest that you bring a refillable water bottle or purchase bottled water if necessary. Depending on your destination, at various points on your trip there will be places where you can fill your water bottle.
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