Chiapas, The Mayan World; November 10 – 19, 2012 – Trip full, wait list available
Chiapas is an enigma – perhaps the most beautiful state in Mexico, but little known by most outsiders. (Many from the U.S. only know it from the headlines from January of 1994, when the Zapatista rebels briefly took over the town of San Cristobal de las Casas, before being driven out by the Mexican Army a few days later.) 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 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 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. 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. We’ll finish our journey with a group imae sharing party and celebration dinner.
| Day 1 (Nov 10): | Arrive in from your flights in Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capitol of the state of Chiapas. You'll be transferred to our hotel in the beautiful colonial town of San Cristobal de las Casas. We'll spend the night in San Cristobal de las Casas. |
| Day 2: | In the morning we'll go with our local guide on a walking tour of some of the most photogenic colonial churches and neighborhoods in San Cristobal. In the afternoon we'll go for a photo shoot of some local Mayan people in the late afternoon light. We'll spend the night in San Cristobal de las Casas. |
| Day 3: | After breakfast we drive 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 (hopefully) and birdlife. After lunch we'll have some free time, then 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 4: | On this day we'll visit a nearby traditional Maya village, 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 church (sorry - no photos inside the church). We'll return to San Cristobal in the late afternoon, in time for one last photo shoot. After dinner those who want to, will go for a cold refreshment at Bar Revolucion, a favorite watering-hole for writers, poets, artists, travelers, fire-jugglers, revolutionaries, musicians, Zapatistas, beatniks, hippies, and yes - photographers too. They are sure to have an eclectic line-up of live music.We'll spend the night in San Cristobal de las Casas. |
| Day 5: | We'll visit nearby Zinacantan, a traditional Mayan village slightly more part of the modern world than Chamula. We'll also have some free time in San Cristobal to take photos, shop or rest. We'll spend the night in San Cristobal de las Casas. |
| Day 6: | After breakfast we'll depart for Palenque. We'll stop on the way and visit Las Cascadas de Agua Azul, blue waters with multiple cascades to photograph, as well as some local villagers. We'll then continue on to Palenque, arriving in time for some free time before dinner. We'll go for dinner near where we're staying in the La Canada section of Palenque, a heavily wooded section away from the hustle and bustle of the main town. We'll spend the night in Palenque. |
| Day 7: | We'll arrive at the exquisite 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. For dinner we'll go to El Panchan, a famous destination in the international travelers scene. We'll spend the night in Palenque. |
| Day 8: | We'll depart early in the morning to venture to the less-visited Mayan sites of Yaxchilan and Bonampak. After a hearty breakfast en route we'll board our boat for the one hour journey on the Usamacinta River, which separates Chiapas from Guatemala. We'll then arrive at Yaxchilan, the ancient Mayan kingdom with it's jungle setting on the river. After lunch we'll drive to Bonampak, famous for its colorful stone murals, with much of the original paint intact, depicting warrriors and other facets of Mayan life. We'll spend the night in Palenque |
| Day 9: (Nov 5) | After breakfast we'll visit and photograph the mighty Misol Ha waterfalls. During times of low rain and good weather the pool at the base of the falls is an excellent swimming option. We'll have a free afternoon to go to town, or download images. In the evening we'll have dinner and an image-sharing party. We'll spend the night in Palenque. |
| Day 10 (19 Nov) | You are transported to the airport in Villahermosa for your flights home. |
Jim Cline
An award-winning photographer based in San Diego, California, Jim especially enjoys exploring and photographing less-traveled areas, avoiding the typical tourist destinations. He takes particular interest in the indigenous peoples and traditional and tribal cultures of developing nations, and in documenting these disappearing cultures.
Through his photographs he strives to portray the dignity and timeless beauty of these people living in harmony with nature. Jim’s wanderlust and search for compelling images has brought him to 30 countries around the globe, but his area of special interest is in the countries of Latin America. He is known for his willingness to shoot all around the edges of light, creating images with tremendous impact that capture the essence of a place or culture.
As well as winning numerous awards, Jim’s work has been displayed in galleries and in the San Diego Natural History Museum and published in numerous publications including books, magazines, annual reports, brochures, and CD covers. To see some samples of his published work
Dates: November 10 – 19, 2012
Costs $3675
The price is based on double occupancy. A single supplement of $455 applies.
Trip Leader: Jim Cline – The trip will be limited to 9 participants
Cost includes all ground transport, all 9 nights hotel accommodations, airport transfers, all breakfasts and dinners, one lunch, boat trips at Sumidero and Yaxchilan, entrance-fees at tourist sites, and local guides.
Cost does not include: international flights, passport & visas fees, travel insurance, vaccinations and medical cover/treatment, and personal expenses such as beverages/snacks, internet access fees, laundry fees etc.
*All prices subject to change without notice, owing to the variable nature of international currency exchange rates and sudden changes in local costs
To see a gallery of Jim’s Chiapas images click here and more here
Deposit and Final Payment
A deposit of $600 per person is required at time of booking. Full payment is due 90 days prior to departure.
Cancellation
- On cancellations more than 120 days prior to departure, all monies are refunded less a $275 administrative fee.
- Less than 120 but at least 90 days prior, total deposit amount is forfeited.
- Less than 90 but at least 75 days prior, 50% of trip price is forfeited.
- Less than 75 days prior to departure, 100% is forfeited.
Notification by phone or email is acceptable, but please follow with written notice. In the unlikely event we have to cancel a tour, a full refund will be given.
Responsibility
Jim Cline Photography, and their agents act only in the capacity as agents in all matters pertaining to hotel accommodations, sightseeing tours, and transportation, and are not responsible for any loss, damage, theft, or injury to person or property resulting from a defect in any vehicle, or the actions of any persons who provide services for this tour or for the action or inaction of any third party. Baggage is at the owner’s risk entirely. The tour operator reserves the right to withdraw the tour at any time, to decline any person as a member of the tour for any cause at any time. All prices are based on current rates of exchange and, while every effort will be made to hold them firm, they are subject to change.
Health
It is the responsibility of each tour member to inform the tour operator of any possible health problems or handicaps upon registration. By forwarding a signed reservation form and trip deposit, you certify that you do not knowingly have any physical or other conditions of disability that would create a risk for you or other trip participants. Once a trip has been confirmed, medical circumstances will not be considered as exceptions to our cancellation policy. We assume no responsibility for medical care or for special dietary requirements.
Trip Insurance
To allow for any unexpected contingencies, all participants are strongly urged to purchase trip cancellation and interruption insurance.
Itinerary
While Jim Cline Photography endeavors to make the itinerary as accurate as possible, it should be considered as an approximate schedule of activities rather than a rigid schedule of events. Trip itineraries are subject to revision due to weather, ocean or trail conditions, government restrictions, and other reasons beyond our control. The tour leader has the right to make changes in the published itinerary whenever in his sole judgment conditions warrant, or if he deems it necessary for the comfort or safety of the tour.
Health Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC website. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the infectious diseases section of the World Health Organization (WHO) website. The WHO website also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.
Money: Currency exchange rates
ATMs, Credit Cards, Travelers Checks:
Internet Access
Electricity in Mexico: Converters & Adapters Required
Suggested equipment: Digital SLR with lenses offering a focal length from wide (24mm or wider) to telephoto (100mm or longer), laptop or netbook computer running image viewing software such as Breeze Browser, bridge or Photo Mechanic and an image editing program such as Adobe Photoshop, or a combintation software program similar to Lightroom. Additionally we strongly recommend a back-up device such as external hard drive.
An award-winning photographer based in San Diego, California, Jim especially enjoys exploring and photographing less-traveled areas, avoiding the typical tourist destinations. He takes particular interest in the indigenous peoples and traditional and tribal cultures of developing nations, and in documenting these disappearingcultures.
Karl is a humanitarian photojournalist specializing in the photographic documentation of relief efforts and development work of NGOs worldwide. Over the last ten years, Karl has worked in over 50 countries, covering stories from the Indian Ocean Tsunami, to HIV/AIDS, malaria and Micro-Finance.