This past weekend we headed out to the Ixil triangle town of Nebal to start a pilgrimage to the western highland indigenous town of Todos Santos. Every November 1st there is an enormous celebration honoring those loved ones that have moved on to greener pastures. The "Dia de los Muertos" as its called is a a day to fly kites, party at the cemetery and remember loved ones.
Depending on what route you take you can make the journey in 3-5 days. We always take the path less traveled and opted for a route that not many tourist take. It is harder and takes a couple days longer but the vistas and trails are absolutely stunning. We extended our trip with a cushy start hanging out at the "Finca San Antonio" the day we arrived to the area. It was a great chance to tour the pueblo of Acul, one of the first military "model villages" during the civil war.
The Finca has a few guest houses where you can chill out and enjoy the Swiss-like surroundings. We got dropped off at the trailhead and started our 3+ hour grinder up into the mountains. It was tough but the views made it all worth while. We stayed the night a cool community hostal high up on the plateau and enjoyed an afternoon swinging in hammocks.
The rest of the days push further into the Guatemalan back-country on a myriad of braided trails criss-crossing the rocky plains of the alti-plano. The trek takes you through lush green valleys, steep ravines, plenty of remote villages into a place where time seems to stand still.
It is a truly unique experience, one that should not be missed. If you make it to Guatemala and are looking for something different, something that feels connected to the people and places that you see, this is your trek. It really is a once in a lifetime experience. Peg it during the right time of year and you can stop in at Todos Santos in time for the fabled horse race. For more information on this walk and many more visit our
website.
See ya on the trail!
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