Four Days in the Clouds

Deep into the Sierra Norte

Ruta: De las Nubes

This is one of our classic journeys and our deepest immersion into the Pueblos Mancomunados.

Walking from village to village and staying in the mountain communities you are entering into another world.

Over four days, we cross forests, valleys, rivers, and mountain trails — staying each night in community cabins and discovering a remarkable diversity of landscapes and ways of life.

Day 1 – San Isidro Llano Grande to San Antonio Cuajimoloyas

Our journey begins at high elevation and leads through meadows, forest, and the hidden canyon of La Cueva de la Iglesia — one of our favorite places in the Sierra Norte. Wild horses are often part of the experience. Overnight in the cabins of Cuajimoloyas.

Day 2 – San Antonio Cuajimoloyas to Santa Martha Latuvi

Today we descend through changing vegetation as cloud forest gradually transforms into oak forest. Along the way, we pass spectacular viewpoints and, with some luck, may encounter wild orchids. A late lunch at the village before you can rest in your beautiful cabins.
Overnight in Latuvi.

Day 3 – Santa Martha Latuvi to Santa Catarina Lachatao

Following the old Camino Real, a pre-Hispanic trading route that once connected the Gulf Coast with the Oaxaca Valley, we walk through enchanting oak forests draped in Spanish moss and air plants. Along rivers, corn fields, and old farmhouses, we arrive in Lachatao for a late lunch and overnight stay.
Our favorite cabins in the mountains.

Day 4 – Toward the Old Gold Hacienda

Our final day leads us through lower mountain forests rich in bromeliads to the ruins of an old gold hacienda — a walk through both nature and the layered history of the region. After lunch in the village, we return to Oaxaca.

Throughout the journey, we are guests in Zapotec communities and accompanied by local guides who share their knowledge and stories. Your luggage travels from village to village by vehicle, allowing you to walk with only a day pack.

Meals are shared in family homes, and after more than twenty years of visiting and collaborating with these communities, many of the encounters along the way feel less like tourism and more like returning to old friendships.

Highlights
– Four days walking village to village through the Sierra Norte
– Extraordinary diversity of ecosystems
– Overnight stays in Zapotec communities
– Local guides and meals in family homes
– Travel lightly while your luggage moves ahead

Gallery