Activities
ATTENTION SOLO TRAVELERS AND PARTIES OF TWO: PLEASE DO NOT BOOK THROUGH OUR SCHEDULING SYSTEM. PLEASE CONTACT US FOR AVAILABILIY AND APPROVAL FOR DATES .
Canoe Rides, Chinampa, and Axolotls
Day Tour:
Duration: 4 - 4 1/2. hour.
You will experience an educational guided canoe tour with a remero (a person who rows using the traditional technique of holding a long wooden pole to push through the shallow lake waters).
We will start our journey canoeing through the protected Chinampa Zone of Xochimilco (not the party zone). For a portion of the ride, we will talk about the ecosystem so you can learn the names of the birds, vegetation, and interesting facts about the chinampa region. At other times we will be silent so that you can make your own personal connection to the land and water, learning from Mother Earth herself and leaving with a greater understanding of all the life that surrounds us. After canoeing through the canals we will arrive to a local chinampa where you will explore and learn about the land. We will share a meal (made with local ingredients and drink delicious cafecito or a traditional drink. You will not leave hungry! On certain chinampas we can introduce you to the Axolotls that live there. After spending time on the chinampa we will head back to the docking station to end our day. If you are interested in exploring Xochimilco’s central mercado let us know and we can guide you there!
*Early morning or Afternoon start times
*ATTENTION SOLO TRAVELERS AND PARTIES OF TWO: PLEASE DO NOT BOOK THROUGH OUR SCHEDULING SYSTEM. PLEASE CONTACT US FOR AVAILABILITY AND SCHEDULING .
Sunrise Canoe Ride, Breakfast, Chinampa, Axolotls
*ATTENTION SOLO TRAVELERS AND PARTIES OF TWO: PLEASE DO NOT BOOK THROUGH OUR SCHEDULING SYSTEM. PLEASE CONTACT US FOR AVAILABILIY AND SCHEDULING .
Sunrise Tour :
Duration : Approximately 5 - 5 1/2 hour
A guided tour with a remero (a person who rows using the traditional technique of holding a long wooden pole to push through the shallow lake waters).
The sunrise tour in Lake Xochimilco is like no other. You will feel as if you are in a dream world, and a sense of peace in the quietness as we canoe through the sacred canals. The mist that surrounds you and the gentle sound of water are soothing like the voice of the ancestors telling us stories. When the sun rises between the trees you feel the life of the ecosystem waking up all around you. It feels like going back in time when there was no city. It's truly incredible and magical.
We will sit in our canoe until we are ready to continue on our journey to the chinampa we will be visiting. When we arrive we will sit and eat a delicious breakfast made with local ingredients and drink cafecito. You will explore and learn about the land and just relax for awhile. You will also get to meet the Axolotls being cared for on the chinampa! After the chinampa visit we will return to the docking station to end our day. If you are interested in exploring Xochimilco’s central mercado let us know and we can guide you there!
Axolotl Conservation
At some of our partner chinampas we have joined the conservation efforts to protect our precious relative, the Axolotl. We will discuss the dangers they are facing and explore efforts being implemented to save them from extinction. You will have an opportunity to meet them in person!
Huey Miccaihuitl
(la fiesta grande de los muertos.
Dia De Los Muertos
The grand celebration of our dead. )
Day of the Dead in Xochimilco among the fields of cempasúchi:
Storytelling, Reflection, Offerings, and Traditional Meal.
DURATION: 4 HOURS
Experience Dia De Los Muertos in an authentic way, far removed from standard tourist routes.
We will journey by canoe to a traditional chinampa. whiile sharing symbolism, legends, traditions, and beliefs that gave rise to this important celebration. You will learn about the relationship Indigenous Peoples of the region have with life, memory, and transformation. This is an interactive experience where we will all participate in offerings, reflection and planting seeds.
What your evening will look like:
We will meet at the boat dock to begin our journey through the canals of Xochimilco. As we travel past the chinampas, you will learn about the importance of this ancient agricultural system and the connection between cempasuchi and the Dia De Los Muertos celebration. Along the way, we will share the legends of Xóchitl and Huitzilin, the journey to Mictlán, and other stories from the Nahua traditions, specifically relating to the Xochimilca people.
Guided meditation and creation of a floating offering:
We will arrive at a working chinampa to engage in a brief guided meditation inspired by the land, the water, and the symbolic meaning of the cempasuchi. Afterward, you will craft a floating offering using flowers and natural elements, which we will carefully place on the canal as a symbolic act of gratitude and remembrance.
Sharing a meal
We will share a traditional dinner, featuring traditional Dia De Los Muertos dishes and Xochimilca specialties, and reflect on experience of. our evening
We will wrap up by sharing a dinner featuring traditional Day of the Dead dishes and Xochimilca specialties.
Before we part ways, you will receive cempasúchil seeds to plant so that when they bloom next year, we can remember you and the symbolism of the life cycle represented by this flower.
Retreats and Gatherings
For those wanting a more immersive experience and a deeper understanding of the basin of Mexico region, what it takes to be a chinampera/o, the history of Xochimilco, current conservation efforts, and more, a retreat is a great option. At our retreats, you will camp on our chinampa, and have hands-on learning opportunities in farming, rowing, cooking, and more. You will visit places like Teotihuacán, the pictographs at Cuahilama, The Zócalo, and Xochimilco’s main plaza center. The retreats will be 3-9 days, including travel.