Indigenous Villages Cultural Tour: Chamula and Zinacantan from San Cristóbal de las Casas
San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico
Trip Type: Cultural Tours
Duration: 6 hours
See the color and traditions as you visit the local indigenous communities of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan where you will have plenty of time to wander around the local artisan markets and peek inside the beautifully preserved churches. Your tour includes transport and a professional guide.
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See the color and traditions as you visit the local indigenous communities of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan where you will have plenty of time to wander around the local artisan markets and peek inside the beautifully preserved churches. Your tour includes transport and a professional guide.The town of San Juan Chamula, situated 10 kilometers northeast of San Cristobal de Las Casas, is the home of about 2,000 inhabitants of direct Mayan descent, proud of their heritage. In Chamula, a local guide will explain to you the history of the region and you will be able to visit the Church of San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist) that has simple but incredibly beautiful ornamentation on the outer fascade. Once there, see the artistic beauty of the church on the inside and see the exceptional arrangement of its altars, with Catholic saints dressed according to indigenous traditional customs. You will find out about the native people and their customs. You can observe how ancient Mayan traditions are now intertwined with modern day Catholic practices.
You will continue to Zinacantan as the last part of the tour. This is another magical indigenous population very close to San Cristobal de las Casas, where you can admire the beauty of the Church of San Lorenzo (St. Lawrence) and see first hand the laborious handmade work of the weaver women, who, with a loom at their waists, make magnificent textile pieces such as 'Huipiles' (ponchos), tablecloths, bedspreads and cushion covers. You will enjoy a mini traditional lunch (beans, organic coffee, hand made tortillas and drink typical of the region) with a local family where you can learn more about its customs and traditions. Zinacantán literally means "land of bats" and comes from the Nahuatl language. People in Zinacantán speak Tzotzil(a Mayan language) and they call their own land "Sots'leb", that is, "land of bats" in their own language.
Enjoy this experience and relax back to your hotel in San Cristobal de las Casas.
You will continue to Zinacantan as the last part of the tour. This is another magical indigenous population very close to San Cristobal de las Casas, where you can admire the beauty of the Church of San Lorenzo (St. Lawrence) and see first hand the laborious handmade work of the weaver women, who, with a loom at their waists, make magnificent textile pieces such as 'Huipiles' (ponchos), tablecloths, bedspreads and cushion covers. You will enjoy a mini traditional lunch (beans, organic coffee, hand made tortillas and drink typical of the region) with a local family where you can learn more about its customs and traditions. Zinacantán literally means "land of bats" and comes from the Nahuatl language. People in Zinacantán speak Tzotzil(a Mayan language) and they call their own land "Sots'leb", that is, "land of bats" in their own language.
Enjoy this experience and relax back to your hotel in San Cristobal de las Casas.
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