Chiapas: El Mundo Maya
Nov 10 - 19, 2008 with Jim Cline

Chiapas is an enigma - perhaps the most beautiful state in Mexico, but little known by most outsiders. It is an area rich in natural resources, yet many of it's inhabitants, descendants of the ancient Maya, are among the poorest in Mexico. It's a fascinating, exciting place to visit, with wildly beautiful landscapes, rich and mysterious indigenous cultures, the colonial charm of the town of San Cristobal de las Casas, and exotic Mayan ruins.

Chiapas is home to more than one million indigenous people, most of whom are descendants of the ancient Mayans. Each of the eight principal Mayan groups in the state has its own language, beliefs and customs. This high indigenous presence and the cultural variety it entails are among the most fascinating aspects of Chiapas. We will do our best to explore and photograph the various manifestations of the Mayan culture during our stay here.

We'll begin our journey in the bustling lowland capitol of Tuxtla Gutierrez. There we'll travel by boat on the Rio Grijalva to visit breathtaking Sumidero Canyon. While we're on the river we'll photograph the dramatic 3,000 foot cliffs, as well as birdlife and hopefully crocodiles along the shore. After our river trip we'll take a short drive up into a different world in the pine-forested mountains to the colonial gem of San Cristobal de las Casas. That will be our base for most of the trip - we'll visit the most beautiful colonial churches and sites in San Cristobal, and venture out to nearby traditional Maya villages, where many of the ancient beliefs are carried on to this day. We'll visit fascinating San Juan Chamula, a town of about 3,000 inhabitants which supports a community of about 80,000 Chamulans, most of whom live on small farms in the surrounding mountains. Here the people have fiercely hung on to their ancient beliefs - to step inside the church is to step back centuries in time. As you enter, thousands of flickering candels, thick copal incense, and worshippers kneeling with their faces to the pine needle carpeted floor creates a powerful impression. You will witness numerous healers performing age-old ceremonies on the floor of the church (sorry - no photography allowed inside the church). We'll then continue on to the weaving village of Zinacantan, where we'll visit and photograph families who weave some of the most beautiful textiles in the Mayan world. We'll also visit the village of Amatenango del Valle, where we'll photograph families who still make pottery by pre-hispanic methods.

We'll then descend from the cool mountains down to the tropical lowlands to visit Palenque, home to perhaps the most beautiful of all Mayan archeological sites. On the way we'll visit the ruins at Tonina, a very important site which at one time controlled powerful Palenque. The following day we'll visit ancient Palenque - standing at the point where the hills rise out of the Gulf Coast plain - the dense jungle covering these hills forms an evocative backdrop to the exquisite Maya architecture. Then we'll venture farther off the beaten track, into the Lacandon Jungle to visit the isolated ruins at Yaxchilan and Bonampak. To visit the ancient Maya city of Yaxchilan, one must travel by boat down the Usamacinta River, separating Chiapas from Guatemala. Next we'll have the opportunity to view and photograph the colorful murals at Bonampak. On our way back to San Cristobal we'll stop off first at the impressive Misol Ha waterfalls and the beautiful Cascadas de Agua Azul. There we'll photograph the turquoise waters with numerous cascades (and go swimming if you wish) as villagers approach to sell us local grown fruit. We'll finish our journey back in the mountains at San Cristobal where we'll have one more photo session of last light and shadows on the Cathedral and people in the plaza.ampak.

Day One (Nov 10): Arrive in from your flights in Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capitol of the state of Chiapas. We'll go to the nearby town of Chiapa de Corzo where we'll check into our hotel and have dinner. We'll spend the night in Chiapa de Corzo.

Day Two: After breakfast we go to the shore of the Rio Grijalva, where we'll board our private boat to take us for a photographic cruise on the river through the breathtaking Sumidero Canyon. There we'll photograph the towering 3,000 foot cliffs, crocodiles and birdlife. After lunch we'll drive up into the mountains (and a different world) to the beautiful colonial town of San Cristobal de las Casas, where we'll check into our charming colonial style hotel. There we'll have an orientation meeting before some rest-time. In the late afternoon we'll go to photograph the last light on the nearby Cathedral and local Maya people. We'll spend the night in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Day Three: In the morning we'll go with our local guide on a walking tour of some of the most important and photogenic colonial churches in San Cristobal. In the afternoon we'll have a photo lecture and slide show followed by a photo shoot in the late afternoon light. We'll spend the night in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Day Four: On this day we'll visit two nearby traditional Maya villages: First we'll visit San Juan Chamula. Here the Chamulans cling steadfastly to their ancient Mayan beliefs. In the church we'll witness traditional healers carrying on timeless Mayan ceremonies on the floor of the churdch (sorry - no photos inside the church). Then we'll visit nearby Zinacantan, a village slightly more part of the modern world. We'll return to San Cristobal in the late afternoon, in time for one last photo shoot. We'll spend the night in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Day Five: After breakfast we'll depart for Palenque. We'll stop on the way and visit the less-visited Mayan ruins site of Tonina, where we'll photograph the ruins and sculptures in stone of decapacitation scenes. After the ruins we'll have lunch in the nearby town of Ocosingo, known for its support of the Zapatista rebels. We'll then continue on to Palenque, arriving in time for some free time before dinner. For dinner we'll go to El Panchan, a famous destination in the international travelers scene. We'll spend the night in Palenque.

Day Six: We'll arrive at the Mayan ruins at Palenque when they open the gates at 8:00 a.m., when sometimes the temples are still wrapped in the morning mist. We'll have a guided tour of the site, and some free time to wander among the ruins and along the stream that runs through the site. We'll visit the museum to see the exquisite stone carvings of the ancient rulers. There will also be an optional visit back to the ruins for the last hour they are open. We'll go into the bustling town of Palenque for dinner. We'll spend the night in Palenque.

Day Seven: We'll depart early in the morning to visit the less-visted Mayan sites of Yaxchilan and Bonampak. After a hearty breakfast en route we'll board our boat for the 45 minute journey on the Usamacinta River, which separates Chiapas from Guatemala. We'll then arrive at Yaxchilan, with it's jungle setting on the river. After lunch we'll drive to Bonampak, famous for its colorful murals. We'll spend the night in Palenque.

Day Eight: After breakfast we'll head back to San Cristobal, stopping at Misol Ha waterfalls and Las Cascadas de Agua Azul, blue waters with multiple cascades to photograph, as well as some local villagers. We'll arrive back in San Cristobal de las Casas in time for the last light and one last photo shoot. We'll spend the night in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Day Nine: In the morning we'll go to the pottery-making village of Amatenango del Valle. We'll visit families who make pottery with a pre-Hispanic method - by building a wood fire around the pieces. After returning to San Cristobal we'll have free time in the afternoon to take photos, shop or rest before our celebration dinner in town. We'll spend the night in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Day Ten: You are transported to the airport for your flights home or ..............

ONE-DAY OPTIONAL EXTENSION: LAGOS DE MONTEBELLO
Cost $215: Nov 19 - 20
Situated in a temperate forest near the Guatemalan border, the Lagos de Montebello cosists of more than 50 small lakes of varying hues. We'll also visit the Grutas de San Cristobal, an extensive underground cave system where we can photograph the beautiful stalagtites and stalagmites, and the mighty waterfalls of El Chiflon.

Day Ten: We'll spend the day visiting and photographing the Lagos (or Lagunas) de Montebello. We'll begin by visiting the Grutas de San Cristobal, an undeground cave system with stalagtites and stalagmites. We'll then explore the Lagos de Montebello, spending time at the most photogenic ones. If we have time we'll visit El Chiflon, the mighty waterfalls near the town of Comitan. We'll spend the night in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Day Eleven: You are transported to the airport for your flights home.

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