2 weeks tours from the city of Oaxaca to Palenque, Chiapas
If you are looking for a 360 degree experience in Mexico, you must go for this tour. It include the broadest range of experiences you might think of, from trekking in the Sierra Norte at 3000m altitute to sunbathing and swimming on the South Pacific Coast.

You will visit 2 of the most beautiful colonial cities in Mexico, small craft villages, stunning archaeological sites, natural parks, waterfalls and lagoons.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival to Oaxaca and transfer to Rancho Buenavista, located only 20 minutes from the city centre of Oaxaca. Visit to the city centre and back to the Rancho for the welcome dinner. Accommodation will be in rustic cabanas (bungalows) with bathroom with hot water. Some of them are ideal for families; they can sleep up to 6 persons and feature kitchen with dining area.

Day 2: Visit to the archaeological area of Monte Alban, the capital of the Zapotecs for over 1000 years. Monte Alban was both an inhabited city and a ceremonial centre, and the well preserved ruins will give you a good idea of the complex original structure of this important pre-columbian city.
Transfer to some craft villages in the surrounding central valleys, where you can see handcraft masters showing their techniques in weaving, green and black pottery, and wood carving and painting. Return to the Rancho at 3pm after lunch, the rest of the afternoon is free. This excursion can be organized by van, mountain biking or (in part) hiking.

Day 3: After breakfast you will leave the ranch for a trekking tour in the Northern Sierra (up to 3000 meters above sea level).
Here you will understand why the ancient Zapotecs who inhabited these mountain regions called themselved 'the cloud people': this the point where the clouds coming from the Gulf of Mexico meet the high mountains, and wrap the villages with a magical mist. Hiking at such an altidude is stunning, and along some footpaths you really feel like you are walking on the clouds. The unique geographical location of the Sierra offers also an incredible variety of ecosystems with different vegetation, birds, butterflies and wild animals, including the tapirs, spider monkeys and jaguars. The return to the rancho is scheduled for 6 pm. Lunch included.

Day 4: After breakfast you will leave the ranch for a trip to the Natural Springs of Salina Blanca. Salted water underground streams have been running down steep slopes for hundreds of thousands of years forming beautiful salt waterfalls. You can see these formations of stalagmites and stalactites from the banks of the river Quiechapa, surrounded by the dry tropical forest typical of this area. The charm of this natural park is due to its wilderness and remoteness from the inhabited areas, and to the spectacular colour contrast between the white of the salt-rock waterfalls and the turquoise of the river. Activities: trekking, climbing, swimming in the river. Lunch included.

Day 5: Breakfast. Departure to the Oaxaca South Coast and arrival to the Village of Mazunte in the afternoon. This small fishing village has been dependent for centuries on killing sea turtles and has now become an ecotourist destination, hosting the Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga: a laboratory/aquarium/museum dedicated to the study and protection of this endangered specie.
The village is quiet and you can enjoy the laid back atmosphere, chilling out on the palapas on the beach. Accommodation in bungalows.

Day 6: After breakfast, visit to the Ventanilla Lagoon, located on the outskirts of Mazunte. This is an ecological refuge and controlled breeding grounds for the crocodile, and you can watch a large varity of brids, also part of this amazing natural environment. Boat tours are done with oars only, not to damage the estuary and the wildlife.

Day 7: Free day for you to enjoy the beach, and maybe take a stroll to Punta Cometa, on the western side of the Mazunte bay, which is the southernmost point in Oaxaca and from where you can enjoy fantastic sunsets.

Day 8: Breakfast. Visit to the Copalitilla waterfalls (Cascadas Magicas de Copalitilla). Located 65 km from Huatulco along the Copalita River, these majestic waterfalls are an excellent place to relax. You can go swimming enjoying a magical atmosphere, surrounded by lush vegetation. This is the only night you will spend outdoors, camping near the waterfalls, for a 100% nature experience.

Day 9: After breakfast, you will be transferred back to Huatulco and visit to some of the beaches along the bahia. You will have the day free for sunbathing, swimming, or for a stroll in town. Overnight accommodation in hotel in Huatulco.

Day 10: After breakfast, departure to Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, where you will spend the night in hotel.

Day 11: Breakfast. Visit to the Sumidero Canyon and the Cascadas El Chorreadero (Spout Waterfalls). Located 23 km from Tuxtla Gutierrez, the place owes its name to the way its waters fall from a grotto 25 m high, forming pools in the midst of jungle vegetation. It is great for hiking and swimming, and inside the grotto are stalactites and stalagmites. (this visit is only from December to May). Transfer to San Cristobal de Las Casas for the night, accommodation in hotel.

Day 12: Breakfast. Visit of San Cristobal de Las Casas, one of Mexico's most beautiful colonial towns. Through its cobblestone streets you will discovers religious monuments with influence from Mexican and Central American colonial art, giving it a peculiar frontier town character. You will visit its churches, the famous cathedral, its cultural centres and busy and colourful markets displying traditional handcrafts.

Day 13: Breakfast. On the way to Palenque, you will stop for a visit to the Agua Azul and Misol Ha waterfalls. The Agua Azul (Blue Water) river tumbles down natural limestone steps, forming a series of amazing cascades with pools in calcareous depressions. The falls are on the Yax-Ha River that courses down on a limestone floor, giving the water its characteristic turquoise color and forming a series of cascades.
Misol Ha is a waterfall with a height of approximately 30 m among lush jungle vegetation with tall mahogany, Palo de Agua ("Water Stick"), chicozapote, and canshanes trees. Below the waterfall is a pool suitable for swimming. Overnight accommodation in hotel in Palenque.

Day 14: Visit to the archaeological site of Palenque, built by the Mayans in the late classic period (600-900 A.D.) This site is located in the magnificent backdrop of the verdant jungle hills and considered by UNESCO as a site that represents the heritage of all humanity. Return to the town of Palenque and end of the services.

Minimum 4 / maximum 7 people