ROUTES - Route of the missions (V. en español)

XILITLA AND THE CHARM OF SIERRA GORDA

Day 1

Take the highway to Queretaro early in the morning, in order to visit the beauties in pink quarry stone, the XVIII century aqueduct (74 arcs), the churches of Santa Rosa, Santa Clara and San Agustin, the Neptuno fountain, meal at Mesón de Sta. Rosa. Hotel registration in evening.

Casa de la Marquesa, then a tour in the streets.

Day 2

Breakfast at the unique scenery of our hotel. We start our journey into the Sierra, into the very heart of it, taking a detour of 22 km of dirt road to discover the marvelous ruins of an ancient mission. Meal at Jalpan, lovely city and its renewed mission, we continue our journey by visiting San Nicolás Concá and Landa de Matamoros, and we will visit their missions, if the weather and seasons are propicious, we can watch the return of thousands of parrots, swifts and swallows to the Sotano de las Golondrinas, one of the longest mineshafts in the world with more than 512 m of depth. Lodging at

one of the Mesones.

Day 3

After breakfast we'll visit our two last missions, Tilaco and Tancoyol, and follow our trip to Xilitla, where we'll meet the ex-convent of San Agustin and the weird buildings, 36 structures that bind with a thick jungle, built buy an excentric english member of the royal family. If the group isn't of more than 12 persons and a guide (1) we can lodge there. The 2nd lodging option is at Ciudad Valles.

Day 4

Breakfast, return to Mexico City, from november through march there can be seen the Golondrinas de Aquismon.

OPTIONAL: two days for river Santa María descent, starting with a 30 min walk by the river edge until reaching the Tamul waterfall (105 m), which can be descended by rappel or through a path. With this incredible landscape, we initiate our ride through this turquoise river. We'll sail two hours through calm waters, then we'll take a meal and a swim to the Caverna de Agua, by noon we'll set our camping site, have dinner and light a bonfire.

On the second day, ride on the river Tampaón/Sta. María, we'll sail for 3 hours approximately enjoying class III rapids, we'll eat our lunch at the river edge and then continue our ride to the Micos waterfalls, a natural park where you can swim and have fun at the waterfalls. Trip to Aquisgran to set camp site and watch the beautiful entrance of the swallows. Dinner and bonfire.