The Parachicos Festival's flamboyant celebrations  are now on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This celebration of music, dance, handicrafts, gastronomy, religious ceremonies, and feasting honours the Catholic Saints. The technique of mask-making is passed from generation to generation. The dance of the Parachicos during the Great Feast embraces all spheres of local life, promoting mutual respect among communities, groups and individuals. Must be experienced to be believed!

The Maya of Chiapas are some of the most accomplished weavers in the world. Complex designs, some extremely ancient, are woven on the backstrap loom. Highland communities preserve their identity through traditional forms of clothing. Wool and cotton are still hand-spun and dyed with indigo and natural colourants. We will visit weaving cooperatives and homes of spinners, weavers and dyers. In Zinacantán, we will see constantly evolving clothing styles where garments are exuberantly embroidered with shimmering threads in an ever-changing range of colours.

Traditional ceramic skills are preserved in the village of Amatenango del Valle, where women hand-shape their work before burnishing and painting it with earth colours. Chiapa de Corzo is famous for its lacquered and exquisitely decorated gourds. Elaborate masks and dazzling costumes are made by specialists in Chiapa de Corzo for performers in la Danza de los Parachicos

The Maya have been a cultural force for well over 3,000 years. Immense stone cities like Palenque and Toniná were home to vast populations. Site museums include magnificent carved stone panels, fine ceramics and jade carvings.  We will visit these timeless sites accompanied by expert guides. 

This beautiful colonial town has bustling craft markets, interesting and quirky museums, spectacular churches, sidewalk cafes and restaurants with local cuisine. The Maya Centre, in the Ex-Convento de Santo Domingo, displays pre-Conquest and Colonial Art. Housed upstairs is one of the finest collections anywhere of Maya textiles, many dating back to the 1970s and beyond. We will base ourselves here for our deep exploration of Chiapas. 

Evening lectures by trip leader, Chloë Sayer. Chloë is a sought-after internationally recognised speaker on Mexican history, textiles, arts, crafts, festivals, and culture. Recipient of numerous awards including the Mexican govt.'s Ohtli Medal. From past travellers: "The lectures Chloë gave added immeasurably to my appreciation of what I was seeing. Timely and in-depth without being too academic. One of the tour highlights!"

Rich in flora and fauna, Chiapas has spectacular landscapes: dense rainforest, pine-covered highlands, lakes, labyrinthine caves, waterfalls and crystalline pools. In the spectacular Sumidero Canyon, small boats carry visitors beneath towering canyon walls along the Grijalva River.

A given on every E.Y.H.O. tour . . .  we are huge foodies! We will introduce you to how locals eat, in a safe and hygienic way. Meals with local artisan families and roadside eateries for a culinary immersion. Explore exciting trends in indigenous Maya cuisine. Worried about getting sick? We have an enviable fourteen-year record of keeping our travellers healthy!

The beating pulse of any traditional community is also the best place to imbibe local flavour. We will visit the very special textile market of San Pedro Chenalhó and the Sunday weavers market in San Andrés Larráinzar. This region has one of the most consistent weaving traditions and specializes in weaves that incorporate cultural symbolism

Learn alongside the best. Pottery workshop, classic Aguacatenango embroidery, optional pottery and handmade paper workshops. Visit private collections, and meet legendary influencers of Chiapas in intimate settings.