ARCHAEOLOGY, NATURE & TEXTILES

ANCIENT MYSTICISM & THE MAYA

"My wife and I just completed Jennifer's Ancient Mysticism and the Maya tour of Chiapas. She did an outstanding job of putting together the itinerary of activities and booking accommodations. There were many highlights on this tour that we would never have known about or had access to if not for her deep knowledge of the area." - Greg (Ancient Mysticism & The Maya 2025)

ANCIENT MYSTICISM
& THE MAYA

A FASCINATING EXPLORATION OF MAYA ARCHAEOLOGY, NATURE, CUISINE, TEXTILES & MORE!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: If you do not have time to partake in this full tour, we are now offering you the option to join us for whichever part of this tour that appeals to you the most. For this tour, we have a 9 Night / 10 Day option for archaeology and nature, or a 7 Night / 8 Day option for textiles, art and museums. Please contact Jennifer for more information and prices.

STARTS: Villahermosa, Tabasco Mexico

ENDS: Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas Mexico

DATES: March 7-22, 2026

DURATION: 15 Nights / 16 Days

PRICE FOR 10-12: See Below for Cost Shared Prices

SINGLE OCCUPANCY: $14,000 MXN

(Prices include Taxes)

PRICES INCLUDE TAXES AND ARE BASED ON COST SHARING. IF YOU WOULD LIKE A PRIVATE ROOM FOR 1, THE EXTRA COST IS $14,000 MXN. PLEASE REQUEST A ROOMMATE, AND WE WILL TRY TO MATCH YOU WITH SOMEONE TO AVOID THIS EXTRA EXPENSE.

PRICE FOR 6 GUESTS: $98,000 MXN Ea (Approx $5200 USD / $7000 CAD)

PRICE FOR 8 GUESTS: $84,000 MXN Ea (Approx $4500 USD / $6000 CAD)

PRICE FOR 10 GUESTS: $75,000 MXN Ea (Approx $4000 USD / $5400 CAD)

PRICE FOR 12 GUESTS: $68,000 MXN Ea (Approx $3600 USD / $4800 CAD)

INCLUSIONS:

Hotel Rooms x 15 Nights (Double Occupancy), Breakfasts x 15, Lunches x 4 (Drinks Separate), Dinners x 6 (Drinks Separate), Boat Rides x 4 + Rafting on a lake, 5 Archaeological Sites, 1 Archaeological Museum, Bird Watching, Textile Collectives & Art Studios, All Museum Entrance Fees, Maya Cooking Class, Private Transportation for the duration of the tour, Bilingual guided services, Small Financial Contribution for Sergio Castro, Tips for Luggage Handlers & Hotel Staff

Tips for team leaders are discretionary but appreciated

Would you like a detailed itinerary? Please email Jennifer at coppermoontravels@protonmail.com. We have stopped posting our itineraries in detail due to an issue we had involving someone from abroad who promoted one of our tours as their own. In order to keep our guests safe from online scams, we ask that you please contact us directly.

CURRENCY CONVERTER

TRIP OVERVIEW

The ancient Maya are often described as a people who disappeared...

The Maya civilization originated in 2000 BCE and thrived until 1697 CE. Their city states spanned the southeastern Mexican states of Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana-Roo, all of Guatemala and Belize, and the western regions of El Salvador and Honduras. The Maya were never considered an Empire, as they did not have one central administration centre, but instead had many administration centres that oversaw smaller satellite cities...

but in fact, are still alive and thriving in their traditional territories...

Despite archaic notions of vanishing races and disappearing peoples that served to elevate Colonial usurping of indigenous territories, the Maya continue to thrive in their ancestral lands, with artisans who weave exquisite textiles with designs that pre-date the arrival of the Spanish, culinary traditions that are pre-Hispanic, and languages that continue to be the primary tongue of the household.

Please join us for an eclectic exploration of the Maya cultures of Chiapas, from ancient cities that rose in the heart of the jungle to artisans who are leading a flourishing textile renaissance in the highland region around the cosmopolitan city of San Cristóbal de las Casas.

We will visit exciting ancient cities in Selva Lacandona...

Most tourists visit the ancient site of Palenque when they are in Chiapas, but few venture further into the jungle region to explore remote sites such as Yaxchilan and Bonampak, let alone the other sites we will be visiting. We include three sites on this itinerary that are almost never visited by tourists, including one that is on the Guatemala side of the Usumacinta river. Piedras Negras is a fascinating site, as it was once excavated but have been left to reclamation by the jungle. We will enjoy a short boat ride to reach the site, and will explore the site, climbing up to the acropolis to visit the memorial site of architect Tatiana Proskouriakova, who was first to draft the acropolis and whose ashes are interred here. We will also visit a local Maya family who have a private museum on their property that houses the skeletal remains of a woman who lived over 2000 years ago. Our friend Jacinto will take us on a beautiful hike through the jungle, alongside a picturesque emerald river to his family property, which has been undergoing minimal excavations since 1998. To top it off, we have one last hidden treasure that lies buried in the jungle, where no ticket booth yet exists, and where we will once again find ourselves in the jungle without any tourists in sight...

and enjoy some bird watching in the jungle and cloud forest...

After our archaeological studies have concluded, we are off to the Montes Azules Macaw Sanctuary for one night, where we will enjoy a tranquil boat ride on the Rio Laconia to do some birding. On our last journey, we observed toucans, a Russet-naped Wood-Rail, herons, ospreys, a bat, kingfishers and a wild Macaw! From the sanctuary, we will move to cabins in UNESCO protected Montebello Lakes National Park for more birding in the cloud forest, this time seeking a glimpse of the elusive Resplendent Quetzals. We were fortunate to spy two of these on our last trip, and our bird guide then surprised us with an interesting tour of his coffee plantation, tasting included! We will also enjoy some rafting on an ancient cenote that has spectacular colours and boasts an island of orchids that we will row to. From there, we head to Cascade El Chiffon to enjoy the turquoise river with several waterfalls, and a tranquil conclusion to our nature-based experiences.

San Cristobal de las Casas is a magical, cosmopolitan haven...

The majority of tourists who venture into the enchanting streets of San Cristobal de las Casas are from Europe, and the boutique galleries, restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries and live music scene that is supported here is quite astonishing for a city of only 215,000+ people. With two pedestrian veins that cross the historical centre of the city, it's very easy to navigate the downtown, especially since the city is structured around its major churches. The nightlife is as colourful as the markets during the day, the food is varied, you will see women proudly adorned in their traditional clothing and countless picturesque scenes...

surrounded by intriguing Maya towns that specialize in various textiles....

We will visit 3 art villages on our way to San Cristobal las Casas, being Venustiano Carranza for light cotton weaving, Aguacatenango for exquisite embroidery and Amatenango, where the artisans are famous for their whimsical ceramic jaguar sculptures. During our other day trips, we will also visit the towns of San Andres Larrainzar, San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan with the curator of the textile museum. Eustaquia Ruiz was born and raised in San Andres Larrainzar, but is an expert on Maya textiles. We are very fortunate to be travelling with her to her home village, to learn about these ancient patterns that are still being woven on looms today. Our last Hurrah before boarding the plane is a lovely morning boating through the iconic Canyon del Sumidero, which has an abundance of wildlife from iguanas, crocodiles and birds to spider monkeys....

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS TOUR

Cascade de el Salto
Birding by Boat on Rio Lacanja
Cascadas El Chiflon
Birding in Cloud Forest
Rafting on Lake Pojoj
Boat Ride through Canyon del Sumidero

Parque Museo la Venta
Palenque
Yaxchilan
Piedras Negras
Bonampak
Lost Cities in Selva Lacandona

Jade Museum
Chocolate Museum
Amber Museum
Textile Museum
Curio Museum of Sergio Castro (Private Collection)

Backstrap Weavers of Venustiano de Carranza, Zinacantan & San Andres Larrainzar
Embroidery Artists in Aguacatenango
Ceramic workshop & studio in Amatenango del Valle

Special tour with textile expert and curator of the textile museum to the villages of San Andres Larrainzar, Zinacantan and Chamula

This trip is a little more challenging to organize for flights....

Guests must fly into Villahermosa Airport, which is located in the state of Tabasco. There are flights departing daily from Mexico City airport, with direct flights from Cancun and other select airports. Heading home from Tuxtla Gutierrez is equally challenging, as it is only connected to Mexico City airport, Cancun, and a few other select cities. Please tell us where you are flying from, and we can assist you with your flight path. If you would like to rest at the beach following this tour, you could also opt to fly through a beach destination that connects well.

We also recommend departing later if it's your first time in San Cristobal....

San Cristóbal de las Casas is an impressive and picturesque city that deserves time for full exploration. It's easy to get lost in the markets and pedestrian streets and there are dozens upon dozens of wonderful coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants and boutique galleries to browse through. The city has some tragic and fascinating history, wonderful churches and lots of nature parks to explore. If you would like to extend your stay, please let us know and we can book you at the same hotel to save you another move.

QUESTIONS?

Please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer if you have any questions or would like to schedule this tour at a different time for a private group.

Email: coppermoontravels@protonmail.com

WhatsApp: +52 443 639 2782 (Please text first)

PROMO VIDEOS

Short clips with photo galleries from the different places we will visit. If you are watching on a TV, Laptop or Computer, please use the Horizontal Format. If you are on a phone, please unlock your screen for better viewing on the wide-screen.