Mexico - Malva Travel - An Exuberant Adventure to the Huasteca Potosina

The Huasteca Potosina region has some of the most spectacular landscapes in Mexico perfect for your next adventure. Its hydrographic richness is unique and offers a variety of amazing places to be visited with a wild spirit, lots of energy, a pair of walking shoes and a comfortable swimming suit.

Puente de Dios, Huasteca Potosina

The Huasteca Potosina is located in the northeast of Mexico, 20 different communities of San Luis Potosi state form this region. In the past, an ancient group used to live in this area, the huastecos. Their economy was based on trading using this territory as part of an important commercial route.

Media Luna Cave, Huasteca Potosina

How to get there

One could take a while to visit all the breathtaking sites in this area. Therefore, we will focus on the most significant and scenic places. For this route, we will need to have 4 days available and start the journey at Tampico Airport. There are regular flights between Mexico City and Tampico, it is suggested to take the earliest to make the most of your time. Otherwise, it is always possible to add an extra night to this adventure.

Xilitla Forest, Huasteca Potosina

Once in Tampico Airport, an expert local guide will welcome you and take you to your hotel in El Naranjo Community. Enjoy the ride that will take around 3 hours. At the hotel, you will have the chance to have a late breakfast or, as we call it in Mexico, almuerzo. You will need energy to fully enjoy this trip!

Traditional Lunch in Xilitla, Huasteca Potosina

Minas Viejas

Your first stop will be Minas Viejas Waterfalls. With 50 m height and beautiful turquoise blue water, it is located just a quick walk down a row of stairs. It is possible to swim there, and it is really a great spot to do so. Some bridges are leading different areas where you can jump for a fresh dip into the water or just to take a stroll and have an incredible photoshoot. Then you will have time to get back to the hotel for a delicious dinner and to get enough sleep for the next day.

Minas Viejas Waterfalls, Huasteca Potosina

Waterfall Jumping in Micos

On your second day, you will enjoy a delightful hiking adventure to get immersed in the greatness of mother nature. Then, you will be taken to one of the most adventurous and fun places in the region, Cascada Micos. Here, you will get all the equipment for an exciting activity, waterfall jumping. Yes! You will have the chance to jump from the smallest waterfalls to 10 meters one. This place is named after the funny monkeys that inhabit the area and is formed by a series of pools and waterfalls from one to twenty meters height.

Waterfall Jumping in Micos, Huasteca Potosina

To keep the adrenaline up, you will get to go on a zip line. This is a perfect opportunity to enjoy the landscape from above. Continue the journey to Ciudad Valles, where you will find plenty of different accommodations. However, Casa Ortiz is our favourite because of its local touch and dedicated service. Relax and get ready for more adventure!

Bike Zip Linning, Huasteca Potosina

Tamul Waterfall

On your third day after breakfast, your guide will take you to the Tamul Waterfall. Be ready to get into a small boat and paddle up the river to get to see this astonishing place. Then, you will be taken to a cave where you will get to swim and have fun before lunchtime.

Tamul Waterfall, San Luis Potosi

Cave of Swallows

This afternoon you will visit one of the most iconic and world-known places in San Luis Potosí, the Sotano de las Golondrinas (Cave of Swallows). It is a spectacular cave in the middle of the jungle where everyday birds fly out of at sunrise and return at sunset, both are amazing natural shows. The space is an open-air pit cave with a 370 meter (1,214 ft) drop from the highest side. If you love adventure and want to experience a unique high adrenaline activity, rappelling can be organized at this site. What an exciting experience! This must be planned in advance to have all the permits ready in advance.

Sotano de las Golondrinas (Cave of Swallows), San Luis Potosi

Xilitla

Later, you will head to Xilitla to spend the night at Posada James or Posada del Castillo. Even this is a small town, it has a charming atmosphere. You will have time a cup of delicious local coffee, taste the traditional enchiladas potosinas, and visit its central square. Enjoy your last evening in the Huasteca Potosina!

Xilitla, Pueblo Magico, San Luis Potosi

Today would be the last day of the tour, yet not the less important. After breakfast, you will go to Edward James Surrealist Garden. This is definitely a one of a kind place, with some stairs that lead to nothing and doors that open to nowhere, all these sculptures are well blended with the exuberant surrounding flora. Take enough time to enjoy it, take pictures, and escape reality. Then, visit Leonora Carrington’s Museum that is a great complement to fully acquire the magical vibes of this area. Then, you will go back to Tampico Airport to catch the late flight back home.

Sir Edward James Surrealist Garden in XIlitla

La Huasteca Potosina is a land of adventure, an excellent place to escape the crowds, to reconnect with oneself and nature. This place offers adventure experiences, culture, astonishing gastronomy, and warm-hearted people that are happy to welcome visitors. Contact Malva Travel to customize this itinerary or create a new one!

Las Pozas Garden Entrance, Xilitlaai

Contact us for much more opportunities in Mexico!

Turavion - Chile keeps on going for you!

Brazil has been open a quick update.

Dear Clients and Friends:

And just as we were gazing through our home windows at the unusual traffic-free skies, puzzled by the unpleasant surprise that swept through the globe and keeps unfolding and impacting our everyday lives, someone was flying under the radar at an unprecedented speed: time! And here we are, half-way through the third quarter of 2020. Yet, slowly, good signs of change are coming up on the horizon for our beloved industry that was forced to pull up, put plans on hold, watch, and wait...

Since July 29, Brazil has reopened international air travel to foreign tourists, which had been banned since March. Tourists from all countries may now travel to Brazil as long as they have health insurance for the duration of their trip. And in the wake of this reopening, hotels and tourist attractions are resuming operations, or in the process of doing so, by the end of September. They are all adopting the strict sanitary protocols recommended by the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism. Most of our local partners are also following the Good Sanitary Practices Guidelines for Ecotourism from ABETA, Brazilian Ecotourism and Adventure Tourism Trade Association (available for download in Portuguese here: http://abeta.tur.br/download/manual-de-boas-praticas-sanitarias-turismo-de-natureza/).

According to the Pan American Health Organization, WHO local branch, the peak of the pandemic in Brazil would happen in the current month of August. Their estimations are in alignment with the forecasts of the largest independent platform of health-related data in the country, Funcional Health Tech, whose assessments indicate that 22 of the 26 Brazilian states have already gone through the peak of infections, and the remaining 4 shall reach it by the end of the current month.

At least 4 different vaccines from distinct manufactures are being or will be tested in Brazil until the end of the year. Besides, we are one of the countries with the largest number of doses reserved (220 million in total so far). According to the Ministry of Health, the vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford should arrive here by December, and 15 million Brazilians are expected to receive it before the year comes to an end.

We are also keeping a close eye on the situation in our dear "Old Continent", since a second wave of outbreaks would not only slow down the current restart attempt but also offer us a head start, as the arrival of the virus in Brazil and the unfolding of the subsequent phases happened with a 50-day delay in relation to Europe.

In the meantime, in what is left of the "slow-yet-fleeting" (and challenging!) year 2020, we continue to reflect upon the silver lining learnings the coronavirus crisis has brought, and to work on the prices and conditions for 2021, while eagerly awaiting for an effective response to arrive. You can remain up to date with our latest news and interesting virtual events through our social media accounts. We are confident that 2021 will be much better, especially for our tourism sector which, echoing the words of the current UN Secretary-General, will "(...) promote solidarity and trust - crucial ingredients in advancing the global co-operation that is so urgently needed at this time".

With our warmest and most hopeful regards,

The Gondwana Team