Native Trails MyTrails 2025 70 Chiapas 47 The production of Panela sugar loafs Duration: 01:30 h · Level: Easy In Tzimol, as in many other communities of the region, the processing of sugar-cane, being one of the most important sources of income, pervades the people’s entire life. The production of panela, unrefined whole cane sugar, is manual work and starts with obtaining the juice of sugar cane and reducing it by cooking it in huge kettles and basins with continuous stirring. After the juice has been extracted, the cane fibers are dried and then used to kindle the fire. The molasses are poured into wooden forms, where they solidify to give the typical sugar loaves. During your visit of the small farmers, you learn all about the traditional and laborious production process. 48 Kayak tour on Río Lacantún Duration: 02:00 h · Level: Difficult You take a motorboat upstream Río Lacantún to a safe sand bar, where the kayaks are already waiting for you. After some dry practice and provided with life jackets, you now use your own muscles to explore the river valley, paddling downstream back to Canto de la Selva. On one side of Río Lacantún, you see the fields of the Mexican peasants, the other side is covered by the impenetrable Lacandon Jungle. Without the noise of motors, you perceive the tropical forest and the creatures living in it much more intensely. Enormous ceiba trees extend their branches over the green wall, crocodiles lie on the banks, lazily enjoying their rest, and busy macaws fly to and fro across the broad river. 49 Excursion to the Hacienda Monte Cristo Duration: 03:00 h · Level: Medium Outside the city limits of Comitán de Domínguez, you visit the lonely Monte Cristo hacienda. Investing much time and exhibiting a passion for detail, the owners are developing a coffee and agave plantation, including a roasting facility and a distillery, at a height of more than 1,600 m (5,250 ft.). During a tour of the hacienda and the small plantations, you learn interesting facts about the agricultural challenges posed by the variable climate in Chiapas and the difficulties and advantages associated with growing the aromatic highland coffee. To complete your experience, the tour ends with the degustation of Monte Cristo’s agave liquor. 50 Butterfly Reserve La Casa del Morpho Duration: 01:30 h · Level: Easy La Casa del Morpho is a sustainable project that looks to stop the deforestation of the Lacandon jungle in the area of the biosphere from Montes Azules. Through the breeding of butterflies and their subsequent use in handicrafts, thus creating jobs and alternative sources of income for the farmers of the surrounding communities. Take a tour of the small butterfly houses and learn about the different life stages of the blue morpho, the caligo and many other kinds of these colorful insects from the egg deposition to the larvae to the butterfly. After the tour, you have the opportunity of watching the artisans as they work. 51 Visit of the archaeological zone Tenam Puente Duration: 02:30 h · Level: Medium The excavation site of Tenam Puente is located 12 km (7.5 mi.) southwest of Comitán at an altitude of 1,700 m (5,575 ft.) in the foothills of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas. In the excavations, pottery, shells, and metal work were found, showing that the Mayan trade relations extended throughout Mexico and to South America. In the 30-hectare (74-acre) core zone of the site are located about 60 – religious and residential – buildings and three ball courts. You will visit the most interesting of those structures. 52 Hike to the lookout of Las Dos Torres Duration: 04:00 h · Level: Medium Your way to the lookout of Las Dos Torres (“the two towers”) passes through the untouched Lacandon Jungle in the administrative district of Flor de Marques. The chains of small hills and the rugged rock formations have prevented the felling of increasing numbers of giant trees in the past few years – luckily in retrospect, since this benefitted sustainable tourism in the region. After you have left behind the large fields in the plains where the settlers established their communities, the path now begins to rise more and more until it reaches an altitude of 265 m (870 ft.) at the summit of the two rock needles. The view from there over the canopy of leaves is simply breath-taking.
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