Copper Moon Travels

10/02/2025

ANCIENT MYSTICISM & THE MAYA
MARCH 13-25, 2025

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES:
Palenque, Yaxchilan, Bonampak, Chinkultic and a remote site in the jungle are all fantastic and unique sites to explore. The site in the jungle requires mobility, as it is atop a short but relatively steep hill. This site will make you feel like a true archaeologist, as there is no ticket booth or entrance fee – and it is shrouded by jungle due to being in a remote area that has not yet been excavated. This site was only found about 6 years ago, so it’s amazing to visit a site that remains in a state of reclamation by its natural environment.

NATURE SITES:
We will stay at a Macaw Sanctuary surrounded by lush nature, bird watch for Quetzals in Montebello Lakes National Park, swim and hike at Cascadas el Chiflon, picnic at Los Golondrinas waterfall, and watch for wildlife at Canyon del Sumidero,

ART STUDIOS:

We will enjoy a short pottery workshop in Amatenango with a family of ceramic artisans who are well known for their jaguar sculptures. We will also visit an artist in Aguacatenango who embroiders very fine stitches on her traditional cotton blouses. We will visit a weaving collective in Zinacantan and guests may find pompom purses in San Juan Chamula, where we will also visit the most intriguing and mystical church in Chiapas. We will also visit a museum quality textile shop in San Cristobal de las Casas that is renowned for high quality weaving for huipiles, pillowcases, table runners, dresses and more.

MUSEUMS:

We will visit the Museo Parque la Venta in Villahermosa to see ancient Maya stelaes & altars, and also the Olmec heads that this park is so famous for. We will also visit the Amber, Jade, Cacao and Textile museums in San Cristobal de las Casas, as well as the private home and curio collection of legendary Sergio Castro of San Cristobal de las Casas.

HOTELS:
In Selva Lacandona, we will spend 4 nights at a wonderful and relaxing cattle ranch called Finca Vallescondido. With healthy meals and lovely hosts, this is a favourite respite among your guides and former guests of this region. We will then spend 2 nights at a rustic jungle lodge in a remote area where Macaws nest. The lodge owners are dedicated to assisting Macaws, and have wonderful programs that we will learn about and can also support. From there, we spend 2 nights in rustic but cute little cabins at Lake Tziscao inside UNESCO designated Montebello Lakes National Park. Here, we will bird watch and raft to an orchid island across an ancient cenote. We will also have the chance to visit a fun market in Guatemala without requiring our passports! At last, we will arrive at the gorgeous Sombra del Agua in the majestic city centro of San Cristobal de las Casas for 4 nights of elegance.

WEBSITE LINK: https://www.coppermoontravels.com/ancient-mysticism-and-the-maya

QUESTIONS?:

Please contact Jennifer Bjarnason at [email protected] or text me at +52 443 639 2782

This is a perfect opportunity to learn a broad range of things about the Maya from this region, including their environment and world view, their textiles, archaeological styles, cuisine and more.

The lands of the Maya are intriguing and diverse, Join our epic trip through the jungles of Chiapas and beyond. Email us at [email protected]

06/02/2025

Some of the fascinating things you learn on our butterfly tours includes how to identify certain predators of the monarch’s. The end of this video shows evidence of the “butterfly buffet,” but which predator ate these butterflies?

We will look at them and help you identify the predator based on what has been left behind.

Meanwhile, these butterflies are basking in the chilly sunlight, unaware of the predator in their midst. Thankfully for them, they departed this dangerous location before being attacked!

These two monarchs don’t realize they are in danger, as there is a natural black headed grosbeak nearby. The grosbeak pulls the abdomen off, leaving the win...

04/02/2025

Life sucks

04/02/2025

A bit blurry - but we made it!! Agua Blanca is just as charming as I remember ❤️🙏

03/02/2025

ANCIENT MYSTICISM & THE MAYA

The ancient Maya have remained a mysterious source of fascination for many of us who ponder just what compromised their powerful civilization. To desert ornamented sacred city centres that served as ritual sites for thousands of years required a catastrophe that defeated even the most powerful royal wars in these regions. That calamity was most certainly climate change.

Step away from the grid for what may just be one of the best adventures of your year. We will be mostly off-grid for about 6 nights to explore a region of Chiapas that is rarely visited by tourists. From the jungles of Lacandona to the textile villages around San Cristobal de las Casas, this journey is an eclectic and fascinating introduction to a beloved civilization that serves as a warning for our time.

Learn about Maya architectural styles at Palenque, Yaxchilan, Chinkultic and a site in the jungle that remains secluded and free to visit. We will also study the mesmerizing murals of Bonampak, which have survived the trespasses of time. We have a bird guide joining us for two days of search for the elusive Resplendent Quetzals, and will be staying right at a Macaw Sanctuary in the Montes Azules region, which is busting with wild orchids, butterflies and countless birds. To conclude our tour, we will return to modern civilization to visit Maya villages where weavers and embroidery artists maintain ancient traditions in their huipiles and other textiles. We will explore several museums to learn about cacao, amber, jade and textile styles. Did I mention shopping? Art Collection is a major attraction for many guests who love the textile market in San Cristobal de las Casas and the collectives in surrounding towns, including the ceramic studios of Aguacatenango where we will have breakfast with a local family of potters who make whimsical and powerful Jaguar sculptures. Our journey ends in Canyon del
Sumidero, where we will have one last encounter with birds and other wildlife before we return to our busy lives.

- [ ] DATES: March 13-25, 2025
PRICE: $38,000 is based on shared accommodations for 2. (Single supplement is $10,500). Price includes breakfast, ground transportation, all listed activities, entrance fees and bilingual services with expert licensed national guide. We will have a private driver so our guide can offer insights and stories on the road.

AIRPORTS: Fly into Villahermosa and home from Tuxtla Gutierrez. You may need to stay overnight before and after this tour, depending on where you are travelling from. Please send us your location so we can help you navigate your flight path.

HOTELS: We are booked for 4 nights at Finca Vallescondido in Selva Lacandona, 2 nights at the Macaw Sanctuary at Las Guacamayas, 2 nights at Junkol Cabins at Montebello Lakes National Park National Park, and 4 nights at Sombra del Agua in San Cristobal de las Casas.

We travel slowly and work hard to have fewer hotel changes so guests can unwind and relax at our sanctuaries after our adventures. Selva Lacandona and Sombra del Agua are fabulous hosts with comfortable beds, beautiful surroundings and well appointed rooms. The Macaw Sanctuary and Junkol Cabins are more rustic, but perfect in their settings.

QUESTIONS?

Contact Jennifer at [email protected] or WhatsApp text at +52 443 639 2782

We hope you consider joining us!

01/02/2025

Sanctuary of Our Lady Guadalupe

31/01/2025

Our tour kicks off with a lovely presentation by Jaime Hernandez Balderas of Animecha Tours! Thanks Jaime, Trecia and Blas from La Villa del Ensueno in Tlaquepaque, Jalisco! You can’t find a better hotel!! It’s boutique, beautiful and comfortable - and most of all, their staff is absolutely impeccable!

31/01/2025

Beautiful evening at Casa Luna, Tlaquepaque - and our tour is off to a great and delectable start!

30/01/2025

We always try to mix-up our lodgings, and opt for boutique hotels when possible! This place is truly outstanding! The service has been impeccable, grounds are well groomed and romantic, rooms are beautifully designed - hot water was plenty with great water pressure. Yup! This is how we roll!!

29/01/2025

Kiss of the Butterfly

29/01/2025

Eugene returns for another tour with Copper Moon Travels - only this time to Sierra Chincua Monarch Butterfly Reserve!! Where to next, amigo?!

27/01/2025

22/01/2025

HOPE FOR THE MONARCHS is an educational experience in the UNESCO Protected Monarch Butterfly Reserve. We just returned from a fantastic tour yesterday, and have been requested to organize another tour from San Miguel de Allende for February 9-10, 2025.

This tour is now confirmed! We still have room for 7 more guests to join us!

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN
Dr. Jaramillo's lecture "Hope for the Monarchs" is a solution-based presentation that covers a lot of material in an easy-to-retain format. Using visuals and maps, his talk explains the multi-generational migration pattern, monarch habitats & environmental needs, issues with the census counts, predators, obstacles and most importantly, how we can mitigate change as individuals through our daily dietary choices. FYI: He won't urge you to become a vegetarian! Dr. Jaramillo will also discuss some of the mistakes that have been made in the reserves themselves and will tell you about his award-winning project in an indigenous village that continues to reap financial rewards for the community while bettering the environment. This is a well-rounded and thoughtful presentation that guests are always fascinated by, followed by a question period and discussion during dinner.

OUR BUTTERFLY TOUR
We will visit the Sierra Chincua Reserve with Dr. Jaramillo in the lead. Guests can horseback or hike to our meeting point before we will all walk together into the reserve. Dr. Jaramillo will be there to offer more information, though it is important to remember that we must whisper once inside the sanctuary boundaries. This is to preserve the tranquility for other observers and also to ensure we don’t disturb the monarchs.

PRICE
$5500 MXN per person includes ground transportation from San Miguel de Allende to Tlalpujahua, the reserve and back to San Miguel. It also includes dinner, lecture, breakfast, entrance fee and tour with Dr. Jaramillo. If you would like a private room, the single supplement is $1000 pesos. Otherwise, the price also includes your room based on double occupancy.

BASIC ITINERARY
We are looking for a new meeting spot, so will advise guests once we have confirmed this tour. Guests should arrive by 8:40 AM to load luggage for our 9 AM departure for the Pueblo Magico of Tlalpujahua. We will have lunch at Fridas Bistro (not included) before enjoying some options. Guests can explore the village on your own or enjoy a walking tour. As check-in at the hotel is not until 3 PM we will check in after our walking tour / before our lecture and dinner begins.

At 5:30 PM, we will enjoy our lecture with Dr. Jaramillo in the Restaurant at the Villa Claus Inn hotel. The restaurant will serve us dinner at approximately 7 PM, though the lecture includes Guacamole and chips so you have something to snack on during the presentation. (Snacks and dinner included – drinks are separate).

The next morning, breakfast is scheduled for 9 AM. We will load the van at around 10 AM and depart for the reserve by 10:30 AM. We will head into the reserve to observe the monarchs then back to the parking lot for lunch with Yesenia and Isabela of the Villalobos Family. They will be cooking us an array of traditional Mazahua cuisine from their region. (Lunch is separate).

Guests will depart the reserve at around 4 PM for San Miguel, which will get you home at around 7:30 PM.

PAYMENT METHODS
I do not have Venmo, Zelle because I am Canadian and they require a US address. I use WISE or international banking transfers. If you want to sign up for WISE, I will send you a link for a discounted transaction. Otherwise, I charge 5% to invoice using STRIPE due to their high banking fees. If you have trouble with these payment methods, please contact me for further instruction.

QUESTIONS?
Please contact Jennifer Bjarnason at [email protected] or text me via Whatsapp at +52 443 639 2782.

19/01/2025

Floating inside a church was a new experience!!