Maya Cultural Tour from Tuxtla Gutiérrez: Chamula, Zinacantan, San Cristobal

After hotel pickup in Tuxtla Gutierrez, you will drive to the community of San Juan Chamula. This community has 2,000 inhabitants of direct Mayan descent and, with a local guide, you'll learn all about the region, customs and more. You'll also get to visit the Church of San Juan yBautista (St. John the Baptist) with its simple but incredibly beautiful ornamentation on the outer fascade. Go inside and admire the arrangement of its altars, with Catholic saints dressed according to indigenous traditional customs. Moreover, you'll learn and observe how ancient Mayan traditions are now intertwined with modern day Catholic practices.

The tour continues to Zinacantan which is another town with an indigenous population very close to San Cristobal de las Casas. Here, you'll visit the Church of San Lorenzo (St. Lawrence) and see the laborious handmade work of the weaver women. They use a loom at their waists to make amazing textile pieces such as 'Huipiles' (ponchos), tablecloths, bedspreads and cushion covers. You will then have 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 their customs and traditions. Zinacantán literally means "land of bats" and comes from the Nahuatl language. People here speak Tzotzil(a Mayan language). 

Finally, you'll go to the Magical Town of San Cristobal de las Casas where you'll have time to walk around visiting its main touristic walkers and surroundings. Enjoy this experience and relax back to your hotel in Tuxtla Gutiérrez.