Multi-Sport Vacations
& Soft Eco-Adventure Trips
to Veracruz, Mexico
Professional Guides
With Over 25 Years of
Combined Experience
 
 
Venture to Veracruz - South
8 Days of Relaxed Exploration
Soft Eco Adventure Tour to the state of Veracruz, Mexico

 
 
 
     
Trip Itinerary  
     
Day 1: 
Arrive in the city of Veracruz
Arrive at Las Bajadas Airport (VER) in the city of Veracruz, Mexico. Take a taxi to Hotel Veracruz Centro Historical to meet your representative from Discover Veracruz Tours. The evening is free to relax or go exploring.
 
Day 2:           
Tour the city - Travel south - See a beautiful waterfall  After breakfast, we will take a trolley tour of the historical  downtown area of the city of Veracruz. After that, we check out of our hotel, travel south 100 miles, and take in some great views along the way. You will definitely know you are in the tropics as you view the lush, green rolling hills, and forests of Veracruz. At times, we will be skirting miles of deserted sand beaches next to the Gulf of Mexico. The waterfall scene toward the end of the movie, Apocalypto (directed by Mel Gibson) was filmed at our next scenic stop. This massive waterfall called Salto de Eyipantla, is only a few feet shorter than Niagara Falls. We then continue on to the lakeside town of Catemaco and check in at Hotel Posada Koniapan. This will be our "home base" where we will venture out on different excursions over the next few days.
(B)
 
Day 3:
Spanish lession - Lake cruise - Visit a nature reserve       
In the morning, we will have fun learning basic Spanish words and phrases. Then we will put your new-found skills to the test as we take a walking tour of the town to see the market and other interesting aspects of Mexican life here.
In the afternoon, we board one of the cruise boats for a relaxing lake tour. Cone-shaped dormant volcanic peaks covered in green surround this huge lake. You may see fisherman in small rowboats casting their nets into the water to catch the abundant fish below, monkeys in the trees on islands, and birds everywhere. From this vantage point on the lake, you can really get a feel for this charming tropical Mexican paradise. We will dock and disembark to enter an ecological tropical reserve called, Nanciyaga. One of their resident guides will take us on a walking tour of the preserve and also give us some history of the area. Some years ago, the movie, The Medicine Man (starring Sean Connery) was filmed here. We then re-board the boat and head back to Catemaco. The evening is free to relax, explore, shop, and enjoy this typical tropical Mexican town.  (B)
 
Day 4:
Jungle Waterfalls - Swimming - Latin dance lessons
We will all travel by truck up into the tropical mountains to a private ranch. Along the way, we will get some fantastic views of the Gulf of Mexico far below us. This private hide-away called Cascadas Crystal, has 3 waterfalls with 3 big pools of crystal clear water below to swim in. You will swear you are in Hawaii. We then travel back to Catemaco and later this evening, we will have a dance instructor teach us Latin dances. Cha-cha-cha. (B,L)
 
Day 5:
Picnic - Swimming - Kayaking - Temazcal Ritual
Sleep late if you want or get up early, and watch the sun rise over the lake. It's up to you. In the late morning, we travel around the lake to picnic on the banks of the Rio Cuezalapan. There you can swim in the knee-to-waist deep crystal clear, cool waters of this small river. You might just feel like Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn as you squander the afternoon away "hangin out" on the banks of the stream. In the late afternoon, you will have the option of taking a one hour kayaking expedition down the river and into Lake Catemaco. In the evening, we will have a unique experience to participate in an ancient Meso-American ritual called, Temazcal. It is a ceremony to cleanse the spirit, mind, and body. We will enter an igloo-shaped hut which is a sauna and then cover ourselves from head-to-toe with a special mud. The mud bakes and dries as the ceremony continues. Afterwards, we wash off in the lake to complete the ritual. We then return to Catemaco. (B,L)
 
Day 6:
Explore mangrove swamps - Beach time on the Gulf
Today, we travel to the town of Sontecomapan and take a boat ride on a lake by the same name. We will explore the mangrove swamps which branch out from this lake that empties into the ocean. Then we continue on to the small gulf shore town of Montepio. Here we can soak up some sun, swim in the Gulf of Mexico and experience a thrilling ride over the ocean waves on a "banana boat" to view spectacular cliffs and caves created by the powerful actions of the waves. We will return to Catemaco and stay one more night. (B)
 
Day 7:
See ancient ruins - Travel to the city of Veracruz 
After breakfast, we check out of our hotel and travel north to see the ancient ruins of the Totonaca people near the town of Zempoala. This is where the Spanish conqueror, Hernando Cortez and his men landed in 1519 and had their first encounter with the natives from this new land. We will then travel a short distance back to the city of Veracruz to check in at the hotel, and later, have a farewell dinner. (B)
 
Day 8:
Travel day home - iBuen Viaje!
 

 
 $1595 per person
        in double occupancy
 $245 added for single
        room supplement

$1400 per child under   12 years old with a maximum of 2 kids staying in the same room with parents/guardians

Families with more than 2 young kids can be accommodated subject to re-pricing

 
 

 
 
  Check back later
 
 
 

 
2008 Departure Dates:  
November 28

2009 Departure Dates:
January 4
January 11
January 18
February 7
March 7
 
Duration:
8 days / 7 nights
 
Trip Size: Min. 4
              Max. 10
 
Age Restriction:
All ages welcome
 
Skill Level: You should be in good health and have a reasonably good level of general fitness.
 
Highlights: Tour of the city of Veracruz, see the spectacular waterfall Mel Gibson used in his movie, Apocalypto, learn about the ancient Olmec Indians at Nanciyaga Ecological Tropical Preserve, scenic boat ride on Lake Catemaco, wildlife viewing of birds and howler monkeys, swim in mountain pools, participate in a Temazcal ritual, explore the mangrove backwaters of Lake Sontecomapan, play on secluded beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, take a hike in the tropical jungle, eat fresh Mexican food, visit the ancient ruins of Zempoala, kayak down a river, and meet the friendly people of Veracruz.
 
Accomodations:
All the hotels you will stay in on this trip are equivalent to a 3-4 star rated hotel.
 
Hotel Veracruz Centro Hisorical,
city of Veracruz
 
Hotel Koniapan, Catemaco
 
Included: All ground transportation from the hotel in the city of Veracruz to all destinations throughout the trip, lodgings, meals and tours per itinerary, English-speaking assistance.
 
Not Included: Airfares, airport transfers to and from the hotel in Veracruz, airport departure taxes, tips of any kind, incidentals, any meals not included in the itinerary, alcoholic beverages, souvenirs, travel insurance.
 
 

  All rates are per person
and based on double
occupancy, unless
otherwise indicated. If a
hotel included in the trip is not available at the time of reservation, we will substitute it for a hotel of similar category.