Mexico Chiapas, San Cristobal and Palenque

Overview

In the southern state of Chiapas, San Cristóbal de las Casas, 2,100m, along with its surrounding villages – traditionally a focal point of political rebellion – is now a stronghold of indigenous lifestyle. The landscapes are savage, with jungle, rivers, canyons and lakes a backdrop to traditional settlements and some fine pre-Columbian ruined temples. The kilometre-deep Sumidero Canyon has vertical limestone cliffs plunging into trapped green waters of the river below; the rim road is punctuated with viewpoints. Further east is the religious centre at Mayan Palenque, once throttled by the surrounding jungle but now revealed in all the glory of its intricate masonry – vaults, pyramids, pillars and sculptures, all constructed on a series of terraces.