Latuvi-Lachatao/Amatlan

A pre-Hispanic trade route along a charming river

Pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica was interconnected with a web of trade routes. This particular path was the principle entry to Oaxaca’s valleys for people from villages all the way up to the Gulf of México!

Starting in Latuvi and following a gentle river, the path passes through agricultural land marked by old stone walls. Famers here still plow their fields using bulls with wooden yokes. As the valley narrows and becomes rockier, there is a very sudden appearance of Spanish moss draped on tree branches and giving a fairy-tale ambience to the woods. With the Spanish moss comes a subtle but discernible change of flora including both epiphytic and ground cacti. If you are lucky you can see a Trogon – the red-white-and-green national bird of México. At least one pair nests along the river here. This is a truly special hike.

Highlights

Trees festooned with Spanish moss

Walking the scenic river valley