Native Trails MyTrails 2025 291 Veracruz 32 Visit to the Archaeological Zone Tres Zapotes Duration: 01:30 h · Level: Easy Visit the archaeological site of Tres Zapotes on the slopes of the Tuxtla mountains, considered one of the main sites to observe Olmec artifacts. Some sculptures show artistic influences from the Guatemalan highlands and other styles of the region. Among the most important discoveries of the site is a monumental stone head about 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) high that José Melgar found in 1862. Despite its size, the head, carved from a single basalt block, appears almost delicate in its perfect proportions. The remarkably realistic rendering shows African features. 33 City tour in Santiago Tuxtla Duration: 01:30 h · Level: Easy Go for a walk through the homely city of Santiago Tuxtla. Historical parts of the center surround the artistic Zócalo, which is very popular and which could not be any brighter. The biggest Olmec head is located here (Cabeza Olmeca No. 3), which is 3.4 m (11 ft.) high and weighs 38 tonnes. The smallest Olmec head is also located in Santiago Tuxtla – you can enjoy it in the Museo Regional Tuxtleco together with various Olmec and Toltec artifacts made from stone, jade and wood. 34 Visit of a local cigar factory in San Andrés Tuxtla Duration: 01:30 h · Level: Easy Visit of a cigar factory in San Andrés Tuxtla and its good-humored staff. Learn all about the cultivation, the yearlong storage, and the processing of Mexican tobacco, whose wrappers and binders are sometimes even used for maduro cigars. The produced cigars consist completely of Mexican tobacco – they are so-called puros. The sweet-peppery flavor of tobacco from the Los Tuxtlas area is held in high esteem worldwide. 35 City tour in Catemaco Duration: 01:30 h · Level: Easy Catemaco is considered Mexico’s center of healers (curanderos) and sorcerers (brujos) to this very day. In an attitude sure of victory, they use magic potions, herbal juices, tinctures, dice, and cards to approach any problem of life. During a short walk through the small town, you visit the basilica of La Virgen del Carmen and the local market, and stroll along the Lago de Catemaco. 36 Boat trip on the Laguna de Catemaco Duration: 03:00 h · Level: Medium The rain forest around the oval, almost circular Lago de Catemaco, whose longest diameter is about 11 km (nearly 7 mi.), has been declared a nature preserve. Your boat takes you to the Isla de Changos – “monkey island” – where you can feed the animals from the boat. The island Nanciyaga was the scene for the movie “Medicine Man” with Sean Connery. A little nature preserve with great subjects for photographers. 37 Visit of the waterfall El Salto de Eyipantla Duration: 01:00 h · Level: Medium The way to the Salto de Eyipantla, a waterfall 50 m (ca. 165 ft.) high and 40 m (44 yds.) wide, includes a stairway of 244 steps. Your effort will be rewarded with a spectacular view of the cascades. In pre-Columbian times, the waterfall was regarded as the paradise of the rain god Tlaloc, and many villagers continue to this very day to venerate it as a sanctuary.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzIxMzY3Mw==