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Visit Indigenous Villages – San Juan Chamula & Zinacantan
The Chamulans are a dedicated independent Tzotzil group. The main town, San Juan Chamula, is located 10km northwest of San Cristóbal, and is the center for some unique religious practices. This town is a very unique and interesting place to visit, but do respect local sensibilities.
Chamulan men wear loose homespun gowns made of white wool (sometimes, when the weather gets cold, thicker black wool), while “cargo-holders” – those with important religious and ceremonial duties – wear a sleeveless black gown and a white scarf on their head. Chamulan women wear fairly plain white or blue blouses and/or shawls and woolen skirts.
Sunday is the weekly market, when people from the hills stream into the village to shop, trade and visit the main church. A corresponding number of tourist buses also stream in, so you might prefer to come another day (though due to local superstitions, there are fewer worshippers on Wednesdays).
The neat little town of San Lorenzo Zinacantán, about 11km northwest of San Cristóbal, is the main town of the Zinacantán municipality (population 36,000). Zinacantán people, like the Chamulans, are Tzotzil. The men wear distinctive pink gowns embroidered with flowery motifs and may wear flat, round, ribboned palm hats. Women wear pink or purple shawls over richly embroidered blouses.
The people of Zinacantán are known to grow flowers, with a particular passion for the geranium, which – along with pine branches – is offered in rituals for a wide range of benefits.
TOUR OVERVIEW
Your friendly driver will meet you at 9:30am at your San Cristobal lodging from where we start heading towards the indigenous community of San Lorenzo Zinacantán. Take your time to explore this unique town, taking photos while trying on typical wedding gowns, browsing through the authentic handicrafts offered by local vendors, or sipping on locally distilled brandy.
Our next stop will be the town to San Juan Chamula, where we visit the beautiful church and where we can observe the town locals in their traditional gowns performing religious rituals inside of the temple (please note that inside of the temple we are not allowed to take photos).
Stroll through the streets and immerse yourself in the Tzotzil culture. Sample local cuisine, drink home made fruit beverages, admire the way of life of the Chamulans and make unforgettable memories.
Our tour returns to San Cristóbal by 2:00pm.
OVERVIEW
- Price - $29 per person
- Small Group tour
- Duration - 4.5 hours
- Start time - 09:30am - 2:00pm
- Roundtrip Car transportation
- Exploration of San Juan Chamula & Zinacantan
- Return to hotel between by 2:00pm
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Air-conditioned transportation (door to door service)
- All entrance fees
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
- Food & Drinks
- Extra activities
- Gratuities
WHAT TO BRING
- Comfortable and adequate clothing to protect yourself from the sun and thus avoid the use of sunscreen. Creams (even biodegradable ones) are polluting and for that reason we do not promote their use
- Comfortable shoes
- Sun glasses
- Camera
- Cap or hat
- Insect Repellent
- A reusable bottle to fill with water during the day
- Cash for tips and souvenirs
CANCELATION POLICY
Please read our Tour Cancelation Policy before booking our tours.
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TOUR CANCELATION POLICY
Tao Travel 365 strives to deliver the best possible customer experience. If at any point you have a question or concern about our service, please call us at +1 (213)-212-3708 or by WhatsApp at +507-6109-3118.
TOUR POLICIES
Due to the nature of our business, we do not offer full refunds. A partial refund of 50 percent will be granted if Tao Travel 365 receives notice at least 48 hours in advance of the tour start time. All sales are final. If you are unable to attend the tour, contact us as soon as possible and we will try to arrange and reschedule the same or different tour for you. If you are not at the designated meeting point by the time of your tour start time, Tao Travel 365 reserves the right not to provide a refund. However, we will always try our best to locate you at the meeting point and call your WhatsApp number, if one was provided. After all, we want you to come on the tour and to have fun. That is our goal!
CANCELED OR POSTPONED TOURS
Occasionally, tours are canceled or postponed due to weather or ocean conditions, mechanical failure, or other unforeseen events. Should this occur, we will attempt to contact you about the cancellations and to inform you of refund or exchange procedures for that tour. For exact instructions on any canceled or postponed tour, please contact us. In the case of a cancellation of your tour by Tao Travel 365, we will refund your tour or schedule you for another tour, as detailed below.
REFUNDS
All sales are final. No refunds are available unless a tour is canceled or postponed, or we are given 48 hours advance noticed whereby a 50 percent refund will be awarded. We will offer refunds of the full face value of the tour(s) that are canceled or postponed (or, if a discounted tour, then instead the discounted tour price paid). No refunds are offered on any service, payment processing or convenience fees. To receive a refund for a canceled or postponed tour, contact us at sales@taotravel365.tours within 3 days of the tour cancellation and write "refund" in the subject line. Instructions will be provided in order to obtain your refund.
TOUR EXCHANGES
No tour exchanges are offered by Tao Travel 365. While in some extreme cases we may offer this service (such as a cancellation by Tao Travel 365), it is not guaranteed and often impossible. Contact us directly by phone at +1 (213) 212-3708, by WhatsApp at +507-6109-3118 or by email at sales@taotravel365.tours to inquire about tour exchanges. Fees may apply.
