4-Hour Cycling Tour in San Cristóbal with Tsotzil Maya Communities

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Mountain biking in Los Altos de Chiapas
• 02 Discover Tsotzil Maya culture
• 03 Ride out from the colonial city of San Cristóbal
• 04 Visit Arcotete and its river, limestone bridge, and caves
• 05 Cycle through pine-oak forest and traditional agricultural areas

Set off from the colourful colonial city of San Cristóbal through rural and traditional agricultural areas to surrounding indigenous towns. Observe the traditional way of the Tsotzil Maya people, who still preserve their traditional clothes and agricultural work, as you cycle through spectacular mountain landscapes on a mix of low-traffic city streets, natural paths, and small trails. You will receive an individually fitted mountain bike, helmet, and water bottle, along with basic guidance on uphill and downhill cycling, bike position, and breathing at high altitude. Along the way, stop to recover and learn about the history of the people and places you pass.

This is a small park with a river, a limestone bridge, and caves.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 4 Hours

Tour type Shared

Activity level Hard

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

City San Cristobal de las Casas

Languages English, Spanish

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Ride to Carmen de Arcotete and Arcotete Park

• 8 am: Meet at the office, where you will receive your mountain bike, helmet, and basic recommendations.
• 8:15 am: Start pedalling out of the city of San Cristóbal toward the Mayan Tzotzil community of Carmen de Arcotete. See a beautiful 18th-century building, "La Quinta del Obispo," and a Catholic church used by the community for their pre-Hispanic religion.
• Take a short rest and continue to Arcotete. This is a small park with a river, a limestone bridge, and caves. You can walk, take photos, and enjoy nature.
• From there, head back on a long downhill ride, mostly on paved roads, to San Cristóbal, where you return around 1 or 2 o'clock.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• Tour guide in San Cristóbal de las Casas
• Mountain bike
• Helmet
• Water bottle
• Entrance to Arcotete Park

What's Not Included

Your own snacks (you can buy them at several points during the tour).

What to bring

• Comfortable clothes
• Suncream and a jacket

Know before you go

• You do not need mountain biking experience, but you do need to know how to ride a bike and have good balance. The tour is 24 km. In technical sections, it is always possible to walk, and we will have lots of breaks.
• To enjoy the tour, we recommend that you exercise 2-3 times a week. We are at 2200 m altitude, and the start is uphill.
• You cannot take pictures of the indigenous people or their animals. You can take pictures of the landscape and of us.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Ecuador #$-B, barrio de Mexicanos, 29240 San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, México

Tour start

San Cristobal de las Casas, Chis., Mexico

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.