Chiapas/Tabasco
Colonial City, Mayan Villages and Ancient Ruins Tour
8
days/nights July 18-26, 2008
A special tour with Chef/cookbook author Daniel Hoyer of Well Eaten
Path-Chef Tours to visit Tabasco and Chiapas, Mexico. Daniel’s expertise in
the food and cooking of Mexico provide a window into this interesting culture
that is a mix of Colonial and indigenous Mayan influences. This is not cooking
school, although you will have several opportunities to cook and many more to
learn about the food of the area. Accomplished cooks, amateurs and non-cooking
participants can all enjoy the trips to markets, dining experiences and
interaction with local cooks. We also utilize local, expert guides for many of
our activities. We will start in Villahermosa where we will learn about the
Tabasqueña cuisine and dine in restaurants around this lively, interesting
city. We will then move on to Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas and an exciting boat
ride in the Cañon de Sumidero. The beautiful colonial city of San Cristobal de
las Casas will be our base for several days in southern Chiapas where we will
enjoy the history, architecture and food and also visit several indigenous
villages in the surrounding hill country, cooking with the locals and observing
the creation of artisan crafts. We will then proceed north through central
Chiapas with a stop in Ocosingo, known as Los Quesos, to learn about the
artisanal cheeses produced there and to visit the Maya ruins of Tonina. We
finish up in Palenque, one of the largest and most well known Maya ruins where
you will also have the option to visit other ruins deep in the jungle along the
Guatemala border.
Price: $2,250 per person, double occupancy ($375 single supplement)
Includes: most meals except where noted, all transportation upon arrival in
Villahermosa, all activities*, guides and accommodations. Transportation will be
in a comfortable, air conditioned private van with a bi-lingual driver who will
be with us for the entire trip.
*does not include airfare to/from Villahermosa
To apply for this
trip, print out the
Application Form,
fill out, sign and mail in the first two pages,
then visit the
payment page to select your deposit and payment
options.
Itinerary
Printable PDF Version
Information in this
itinerary has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith, however, it
is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client
and
Well Eaten Path-Chef’s Tours.
Itinerary
Friday 18th-Day 1
Arrival in Villahermosa, Tabasco. Check in at the
hotel Cencali. Welcome dinner and orientation.
Meals(1)- D
Overnight in Villahermosa
Saturday 19th-Day 2
Breakfast.
Tabasqueña cooking demonstration and comida at Los Tulipanes Restaurante
Museum tour at Parque la Ventana. Sunset cruise on the Rio Grajalva
with a cooking demonstration. Free evening to relax or to visit the Bohemian
Bar. Independent dinner.
Meals(2)
B, L
Overnight
in Villahermosa
Sunday 20th-Day 3
Early
breakfast and depart for Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas. Stop at Cañon de Sumidero
for a boat ride in this spectacular canyon teeming with birds and often other
wildlife. Drive up to San Cristobal de las Casas and check in at the hotel
Casa Mexicana, with its lovely colonial architecture and garden courtyard.
Dinner at Casa Na Bolom museum and former home of Swiss anthropologist
Trudy Blom for an insight into the indigenous peoples of Chiapas.
Meals(3)
Overnight
in San Cristobal de las Casas
Monday 21st-Day 4
Breakfast. Orientation and walking tour of the
central historical section of the city to include the Central Market, Cafe Museo
(the museum of the regional coffee growers), The Amber Museum, churches and
cathedrals. Cooking session with Daniel and local cooks where we will prepare a
traditional comida (main meal) of Chiapaqueña specialties. Free late afternoon
and evening for additional sightseeing, shopping and relaxing. Independent
dinner.
Meals(2)
B, L
Overnight
in San Cristobal de las Casas
Tuesday 22nd-Day 5
Drive to the indigenous Maya villages of San Juan
Chamula and San Lorenzo Zinacatan in the mountains above San Cristobal where the
people of each village dress in their unique and colorful hand-made clothing. .
At Chamula we will visit the amazing church that is more ancient Maya than
Catholic in practice. Inside, you will see Curanderos chanting and performing
incantations and other rituals of cleansing. In Zinacatan we will visit a local
family of weavers and cook in the traditional cocina with la Senora. Drive to
Amatenango de Valle to watch local experts at pre-Hispanic pottery. Return to
San Cristobal. Free evening. Independent dinner.
Meals(2)
B,
L
Overnight
in San Cristobal de las Casas
Wednesday 23rd-Day 6
Depart for Ocosingo also known as Los Quesos
for their cheese making. Visit the tianguis (indigenous market) and taste the
local cheeses. Visit the Tonina Mayan archeological site. Continue on to
Palenque. Check in at Villas Kin-Ha.
Meals(3)
Overnight
in Palenque
Thursday 24th-Day 7
All day excursion along the Rio Usumacinta
bordering Guatemala to visit the ruins of Bonampak and Yaxchilan.
Meals(2)B, L
Overnight
in Palenque
Friday 25th-Day 8
Guided morning tour of the Palenque ruins. Late
morning to relax and swim or continue your visit to the ruins. Independent
lunch. Check out and afternoon departure for Villa Hermosa. Check in at the
Hotel Cencali. Farewell dinner.
Meals(2)
B, D
Overnight
in Villahermosa
Saturday 26th-Departure day
Breakfast
Return flights home.
Meals(1)
information in this
itinerary has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith, however, it
is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client
and
Well Eaten
Path-Chef’s Tours.
Trip Information and
Tips
Travel
style
FUN, relaxed (most of
the time), educational, with comfortable accommodations and minimal hardships.
Group size
12 maximum
Flights to Villahermosa
The flights to Villahermosa
are not included in the price of the tour. Continental flies direct from
Houston and many US and Mexican airlines connect through Mexico City. Daniel
will meet the Continental flight and bring you to the hotel. If you are
arriving on another airline, instructions for taxi service to the hotel will be
provided. If you would like more info or help with the bus connection, please
contact Daniel.
cheftours@welleatenpath.com
Accommodation
3
nights Villahermosa, 3 nights San Cristobal de las Casas, 2 nights Palenque
All accommodations 3 star or
better
Extra Nights
Extra nights in Villahermosa
may be booked before or after the trip for $85/ per room per night
Transport
Air conditioned van
with professional driver
Physical
rating-This
is a relatively undemanding trip. There will be some moderate walking and it can
be hot and humid.
Culture shock rating-
The hotels used in
this trip are clean, cool and comfortable. The emphasis of the trip is primarily
on food, cooking and culture, and there may be a wide range of food qualities.
Every effort is made to ensure that meals are taken in known quality
establishments but occasionally the group will be eating “pot luck”. There will
be opportunities to try unfamiliar foods and beverages. Some areas will have
limited English speaking; however an interpreter is available most times. The
tour also includes some opportunity to pursue individual interests.
Local Payment
- Allow
USD $200 per person for the local payment.
This will be collected by Daniel at the start of the trip and is included in the
total quoted cost of the trip. The local payment is to facilitate the
payment of fees for the tour that often are in cash.
Travel insurance
Travel insurance
including emergency medical repatriation cover is highly recommended. You will
not be permitted to participate in the trip until evidence of travel insurance
has been shown to Daniel or a signed waiver is executed.
Health
Please contact your
doctor for up-to-date information and prescriptions for vaccinations,
anti-malarial requirements (not usually necessary) and any reasonably
foreseeable illnesses while traveling in Mexico. We recommend that you carry a
simple First Aid kit as well as any personal medical requirements (including a
spare pair of glasses). Please be aware that at times we are in remote areas and
away from medical facilities during this trip, and for legal reasons our guides
are prohibited from administering any type of drug including headache tablets,
antibiotics, etc. Please ensure that you are adequately prepared.
Spending money
Personal Spending
Money
How much you take is obviously a personal matter. If you intend to purchase many
souvenirs or if you enjoy a couple of glasses of wine or beer with meals, we
would recommend that you take more than the daily average estimate. Credit cards
and debit cards are very useful for cash advances. Visa cards are the most
widely accepted cards. While ATMs are widely available, there are no guarantees
that your credit or debit cards will actually work in Mexico. Check with your
bank. You should be aware that to purchase products or services on a credit card
a fee of 5%-10% may apply. Do not rely on credit or debit cards as your only
source of money. A combination of US dollars cash, traveler’s checks and cards
is best. Always take more rather than less, as you don't want to spoil the trip
by constantly feeling short of funds.
Tipping
There are several times during the trip where there is opportunity to tip the
local guides or service industry personnel. You may do this individually, or
Daniel will be happy to collect the money and tip as a group. Tipping is
strictly optional. All guide services, hotel personnel, drivers, etc.,
are paid a gratuity for their contracted services, and
Well Eaten Path-Chef’s Tours
pays at or above the going
rate for services, however, there may be circumstances where extra service or
assistance was required, or when outstanding services were rendered. A
little generosity can go a long way in creating good will!
Optional Tipping
suggestions:
(US dollar bills are ok for
tipping but US coins are practically worthless. If tipping less than a dollar
you should use pesos.)
·
Hotel rooms 10-15
Pesos per person per night for room cleaning, etc.
·
Bell
person 10-15 Pesos for luggage assistance per person
·
Taxi rides
independent of the group -10% of the fare
·
Cooking instruction
(classes and demos) 25-50 Pesos/person to the local instructor
·
Independent tour
guides and interpreters- as you see fit (25-50 Pesos per day for an interesting
and helpful guide is nice)
·
Driver- 25-50 Pesos
per day
Budget
Meals not
included - $100-250 USD per person (depending on your choices)
Snacks and beverages $50-150
USD depending on your personal habits. (All provided meals come with a beverage,
sometimes this is beer or wine, if desired; if you want additional drinks you
should budget for that. The hotels provide drinking water, but water away
from the hotel must be purchased.
Additional sightseeing – optional at your pleasure-Daniel can often get you
significant discounts on these activities.
Tips-
nothing required, I would bring between $50-150 USD to cover the optional
contingencies.
Local Payment - $200/person
US (part of quoted tour price)
Note on Paying
Locally: Most of our tours involve a local payment. Paying locally allows us
to keep the overall cost of our tours competitive and pass the savings on to
you. These funds are put towards local expenses. In some developing countries
the transferring of funds is at times problematic so this is a way to help us
serve you while saving you money. Payment is to be made to Daniel upon arrival.
Shopping- depends on your
desire for souvenirs, gifts, artwork, etc.
Film/video tape- also
depends on what you use. It is more economical to bring these with you but
you will have opportunities to purchase if you need to.
Keeping in touch - communication while on the
road
If you need to be
contacted while traveling we recommend that you set up an email address that can
be accessed on the road, rather than relying on postal mail. Hotmail, Gmail or
Yahoo is good for this. Email cafes are becoming increasingly commonplace and
cheap throughout the regions we visit, and have quickly become the preferred way
for our leaders and travelers to stay in touch.
If someone wishes to contact you in an emergency while you are on the trip we
recommend that they contact your email address. If you plan to phone home
during the trip it is recommended that you purchase a phone card in Mexico, they
are easy to come by. The cost is usually about .40- .50 cents a minute,
$5.00 USD per card. Hotel phones can be more than 10 times that amount and
collect calls home are out of sight.
Arrival complications
We
don't expect any problems, and nor should you, but if for any reason you are
unable to commence your trip as scheduled, please make the following contacts as
soon as possible:
The first contact should be your starting point hotel. You will receive this
information when confirmed.
If this is unsuccessful,
contact Daniel by email at daniel@welleatenpath.com
Your group leader
Daniel Hoyer will be
the group leader. Some of you have met Daniel through cooking classes.
Daniel’s aim as the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and
to help you have the best trip possible. He will provide information on the
places you are traveling through, offer suggestions for extra things to do and
see, introduce you to our local friends and participate in all the scheduled
activities. While not being a guide in the traditional sense you can expect him
to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, food
especially, but also including historical, cultural, religious and social
aspects. We also use local guides and interpreters where we think more specific
knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting- we think it
is the best of both worlds.
Responsible
travel
We believe strongly
in low impact or rather positive impact tourism. Broadly speaking this means
that we try to minimize the negative aspects of tourism on the local cultures
and environments that we visit and highlight the positive aspects. We always
show respect for the local culture and customs. Conservative attire is
sometimes required when visiting religious sites. Always ask before
photographing indigenous people. A smile goes a long way. Daniel
will keep you informed on special customs or dress requirements.
Meals
Most meals are
provided (see itinerary for details), in fact you will help prepare several of
them. All efforts will be made to accommodate differing tastes of
travelers; however, we ask that you bring an open mind (and palate) to enjoy the
regional specialties.
Visas
Visas are not
required for US citizens in Mexico. Tourist cards are, and are issued at the
border crossing or on your incoming flight.
Well Eaten Path-Chef’s Tours
does require that you carry your passports. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO
HAVE THE CORRECT TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION.
What to take
Check list
Documents:
*Passport (with photocopies)
*Travel insurance (with photocopies)
*Airline tickets (with photocopies)
*USD cash and travelers checks
*Credit
or debit card (see personal spending money)
*itinerary
Items
- First-aid kit**
- Sun block and sunburn treatment
- Sunglasses
- Toiletries
- Watch
or alarm clock
- Water bottle
Clothing (suggested minimum, less is better to keep your baggage light)
- Light jacket or sweater and/or Windproof/waterproof jacket (March
is not the rainy season but it is always a possibility)
- Small towel and swim wear (if desired)
- 4 shirts/t-shirts
- Sun hat
- 1or 2 pair of shorts
- 2-3 pairs of long trousers (1 long skirt, dress or wrap for women)
- Sport
sandals and/or casual shoes
-
Sturdy, comfortable walking shoes
-plenty of cotton socks (it is often very humid)
**First aid kit should contain lip salve, Aspirin or Tylenol, Band Aids,
anti-histamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, motion
sickness medicine (if needed), extra prescription drugs you may be taking.
Optional
Camera, batteries and film, reading/writing material, Spanish dictionary or
phrase book, binoculars, cover for backpacks, flashlight, concealable money
belt.
Safety
We
recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while traveling, for the safe
keeping of your passport, air tickets, travelers' checks, cash and other
valuable items. Leave your valuable jewelry at home - you won't need it while
traveling. Many of the hotels we use have a safety deposit box that is the most
secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your
luggage.
Note that your group leader has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the
trip itinerary if it is deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Your leader
will accompany you on all included activities. During your trip you will have
some free time to pursue your own interests, relax and take it easy or explore
at your leisure. While your group leader will assist you with options available
in a given location please note that any optional activities you undertake are
not part of your itinerary, and
Well Eaten Path-Chef’s Tours
makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the
operators running them. Please use your own good judgment when selecting an
independent activity.
The Well Eaten Path-Chef Tours
©2005
To apply for this
trip, print out the
Application Form,
fill out, sign and mail in the first two pages,
then visit the
payment page to select your deposit and payment
options.
The Well Eaten Path-Chef Tours
©2005
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