Veracruz México Action Adventure Tour

After arriving to the Veracruz Airport, catch one of the airport taxis to the hotel in downtown Veracruz City. We will sleep here for 2 nights.

There are plenty of restaurants near our hotel to choose from. If time permits, why not take a stroll to start to get acquainted with city.

In the morning the sea is usually calm and just right for some kayaking in the Gulf of México right off the shores of the city of Veracruz. From out in the ocean we will get a nice view of the city and if the sea behaves, we can paddle out to a nearby island called, Isla de Sacrificio. We can snorkel in the nearby coral reefs. 

Next up, our guide will lead us on a tour to learn the history of the massive harbor fortress called, San Juan de Ulúa. This fortress with its very thick walls to withstand cannonball blasts was very important to the coastal defense from pirates and invading countries. 

Heading back into the center of the city, we’ll take a stroll to become acquainted with the city center and some of its landmark sites.

The evening will be free to relax and take in the vibes of this tropical port city.  (B,L) 

This morning it will be time to check out and continue our adventure tour by driving a short distance up the coast to the small seaside village of Playa Chachalacas. 

There we will get ready for an excellent adventure of ATV riding and sandboard surfing.

At the north end of Playa Chachalacas are a large expanse of tall sand dunes.

After a safety talk about how to operate an ATV, it will be time to head down the beach to the dunes. Our guide will lead us on a tour to ride up and down many of these steep sand dunes. At one point, everyone is welcome to attempt to try surfing down the dunes either standing or sitting on the sandboards. It’s fun and challenging!

Note: Only those 16 and older can ride solo on an ATV. Anyone under that age will be a passenger on the ATV riding behind an adult who will drive the vehicle throughout this activity. 

After a seaside lunch, there will be some time to hang out on the beach, swim in the ocean, take a snooze, or just relax to the sounds of the nearby Gulf of Mexico waves rolling up on shore. 

Later, it will be time to drive a short distance to the Hotel Puente Nacional, a complex nestled next to a tropical river and an ancient bridge built by the Spanish invaders hundreds of years ago. This will be our home for the next two nights.  (B,L,D) 

On this morning we change things up a little by visiting a small archaeological site which is also a burial site. Quiahuiztlán (Key-ah-wheetz-lán) sits atop a high bluff overlooking the Gulf of México and the beach where Spaniard, Hernán Cortés and his band of a several hundred men first landed to begin their trek to the interior where in less than two years, they conquered the mighty Aztec Empire and took control of this new land.

Later, we’ll go down to that beach and take a little hike to see where the ocean waves channel through rocky crevices building up momentum until they shoot upwards into large crashing sprays of water. 

A fun rappel will be set up nearby to scale down one of the sea cliffs. Think of it as a warmup to the waterfall rappels we will be doing on day 6. 

After lunch, our adventurous small group will hop on board a small boat to cruise through a mangrove estuary. Look for the little crabs that crawl around the tree roots and the seabirds flying around above.

We’ll then return back to our hotel.  (B,L,D) 

After breakfast, we’ll check out and travel inland to the River Rafting Capital of Veracruz found in the town of Jalcomulco. 

Following a river safety talk and demonstration, we’ll embark on an exciting whitewater river rafting adventure with class 2-3 rapids. We will all be participating by helping to paddle with our onboard professional rafting guide as the main steerer and captain of the raft. 

Our 2nd adventure of the day will be a series of 4 ziplines where we will  find ourselves flying high over the river we just went rafting on. 

In the afternoon, it will be time to leave this small river rafting town and head to the pre-Hispanic town of Coatepec. This designated Mexico Magic Town (Pueblo Magico) happens to be smack dab in the middle of the coffee-growing region of Veracruz.

Sometimes you can actually smell the coffee in the air. At an elevation of 4000 feet, this area of western Veracruz is also in what is called, a fog forest or bosque de niebla in Spanish. Sometimes it can get pretty foggy in this higher altitude. 

In Coatepec, there is a nice town square, boutique shops, restaurants, street vendors, and multiple shops to purchase fresh coffee and locally-made liquors. Of course, indoor and outdoor cafés are plentiful. Coffee anyone? 

The next town over is another quaint Pueblo Magico; the town of Xico. We will sleep here for 2 nights.  (B,L)

Day 6 will definitely be a day of fun challenges as we will be tasked to negotiate 5 waterfall rappels. When we say “waterfall rappels,” we mean just that. We’ll be rappelling either right down through a waterfall or right next to it. The water is cold but the good news is that we will all be wearing a neoprene wetsuit to keep us warm.

In this daylong adventure activity, our group will be hiking down grassy hills to get to the water and later, hiking back up to get out. So be prepared to do some walking. Plus at times, we’ll be slogging through the stream as we trek from one waterfall to the next.  

After lunch at a local restaurant, we’ll head back to Xico and our hotel. In the evening our guide will take us on a stroll through this cobbled street town.  (B,L)    

This morning our small group of adventure travelers will be heading into a higher elevation below the towering 15,800’ Pico de Orizaba mountain and the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains. Our destination for today will be the rugged cobbled street town of Coscomatepec. It is one of the Pueblos Mágicos in Veracruz state.

Every Monday this town transforms into a huge outdoor marketplace where everything from food to clothes to animals are being sold and bartered. Most likely our group will be the only foreigners walking around this market among the many local people. Most of the streets in this town are blocked off, plastic tarps are strung up in case of rain, and the goods are brought in for sale from the surrounding mountain villages. We will have the opportunity to wander around and take in the local culture at this rural weekly event. 

After eating lunch in the “food court” section of this market, we’ll wander around this mountain town to visit a few local artisans. 

We will sleep in Coscomatepec for 2 nights. (B)

Today we’ll go on a scenic drive up into the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains to the small town of Alpatlahuac. On a tall hill overlooking the town is the Chapel of the Cerrito de Tepeyac. From the large veranda in front of this chapel, on a clear day there will be a commanding beautiful view of the surrounding area. 

Our challenge this morning will be to reach that veranda by climbing up 205 stairs. We’ll be starting this climb at an altitude of approximately 6,500 feet above sea level. Good luck!

As the saying goes, “What goes up, must come down.” After all the photos are taken from this scenic high vantage point, it will be time to retrace our steps down all those stairs back to our vehicle. 

Our next stop will be the town of Huatusco where we’ll have lunch and then visit a farm. This farm however, is not your typical farm with animals, corn growing, and the like. It is a farm where a variety of different kinds of bamboo are grown. The company operating this farm is called Bambuver. They grow and sell the bamboo for commercial purposes. One of the cool things you will find at their farm is a sample house built entirely out of bamboo, inside and out. 

Later, we’ll return back to Coscomatepec and our hotel.  (B,L) 

On our travels back toward the port city of Veracruz, we’ll stop to hike down to a huge cavern with a massive opening. As a comparison, you might think it looks like a big arena for hosting events … and in fact, at certain times of the year, it is used for that purpose. The name of this cavern is Totomochapan.

Historical evidence has shown that this cave was used in pre-Hispanic times to hold ritual ceremonies called Xochitlallis. It was a celebration to give offerings and thanks to Mother Earth for her blessings of good weather and rain to produce a plentiful harvest. 

From the cavern, a short hike will bring us to the impressive waterfall called Popocatl. The name means Smoking Waters in the Nahuatl language. It has a 200 foot drop into a small internal lake located inside of a cave. Some consider Popocatl to be one of the more interesting falls in the country of Mexico.  

After lunch, it will be time to head back to the city of Veracruz and check in to our hotel. In the evening, we’ll get together with our guide for a farewell dinner to reminisce about our recent adventures together in the state of Veracruz.  (B,L,D) 

After breakfast, our tour officially end.  (B) 

Buen Viaje!