Río La Venta Expedition
The expedition on the La Venta river is an 89-km tour inside a canyon that crosses the Biosphere Reserve of El Ocote (El Ocote Forest). This canyon is also known as the “Sacred Canyon” due to the fact that remains of old civilizations can be found in its most inaccessible walls. There are caves—some between 40 and 70 meters above the river level—that have not been explored yet. In some parts of the canyon, the landscape is impressive, with walls of almost 400 meters of height and water filtering through these, creating fantastic limestone formations known as Christmas trees. In some places where the canyon becomes narrower, the drops form real waterfalls that cover the whole riverbed.
At some point during the tour, we will find ourselves on a wall of the canyon that forms a natural platform, where a Pre-Hispanic altar decorated with red-colored figures stands. The earth is covered with pieces of what might have been vessels.
On the penultimate day of the expedition, the canyon becomes narrower until its walls join completely; the canyon grows dark and the vegetation disappears, slowly turning into a huge cavern inside which hundreds of parakeets flutter around with loud cries. The tour ends when the La Venta river flows into the press of Malpaso, where a boat will take us to the village of Raudales.

Programme:

Day 1: We will pick you up in Tuxtla Gutierrez in the morning and will drive to a place known as “El Aguacero”, which is the starting point of the canyon and our rafting descent. This first day will give us the opportunity to visit some caves with archeological remains (vessels and cranes). In the afternoon, we will set the camping tents by the “La Conchuda” waterfall on the edge of the river.
Day 2: Continuing our rafting descent, we will visit a cave that is set about 50 mts. above the river level, with tunnels that remind us of a big maze. This cave might have been used by our ancestors as a shelter, because parts of vessels can be seen inside. We will then row for another two hours to get to our 2nd camp.
Day 3: We will continue our rafting descent. At midday, a landslide will force us to carry all the equipment for one hour and a half. In the afternoon, we will get to a section of the canyon where the river takes the shape of an omega: there, at the top part of the omega, stands a natural platform at 20 mts. above the river level. A Pre-Hispanic altar decorated with red-colored figures is set inside. The earth is covered with pieces of what might have been vessels. We will camp at the edge of the river.
Day 4: Continuing our rafting descent, the river starts to wind a lot. On a wall of the canyon, we will get to see cave paintings. The canyon then becomes very narrow. We will visit the cave of “La Venta”, before camping by the river at about 800 mts. Away from it.
Day 5: Continuing our rafting descent, we will promptly reach a landslide known as “La Ponedora”, which will force us to carry our whole load again and pass the rafts over using ropes. Further on, the canyon becomes narrower and water filters through its walls, creating fantastic limestone formations known as “Christmas trees”. Those drops form waterfalls that cover the whole riverbed. At midday, the walls of the canyon start to touch until joining completely: the canyon becomes dark and the vegetation disappears. You will slowly start to feel that the canyon is turning into a huge cavern of 100 mts. high and 400 mts. long, inside which hundreds of parakeets flutter around with loud cries. About 500 mts. away, we will reach the “big landslide”, with rocks the size of a house, forcing us to carry our equipment again for two hours. In the afternoon, we will set our camp in a hole that is situated in one of the walls of the river.
Day 6: We will continue our rafting descent, as the canyon starts to become wider again. We will get to a wall up on which cave paintings can be seen, before reaching at midday a place known as “La Junta”, where the rafting descent ends. A motorboat will pick us up at this point to take us across the whole press of Malpaso to the village of Raudales. We will arrive in Tuxtla Gutierrez around 5:00 pm.
 

Trip price:
6-10 passengers: $ 6,500 pesos per person
5 passengers: $ 7,600 pesos per person
4 passengers: $ 9,000 pesos per person
3 passengers: $ 12,000 pesos per person

Trip includes:
-Food for the 6 days of the tour
-River equipment (helmet, life-jacket, paddles, dry bags, etc.)
-Camping equipment (tents, covers, sleeping mats, cooking equipment, dishes, etc.)
-First-aid kit
-Communication kit
-Boat transfer from the mouth of the La Venta river to the village of Raudales
-Land transportation Tuxtla – expedition - Tuxtla
-Specialized guides
-Insurance

Season: from July to November.
Duration: six days.
Difficulty level: medium (this type of tour involves much physical activity and team work).
Age: 15 +.
Explora-ecoturismo y aventura
1°de marzo #30, Centro. CP:29200
San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas. México
Tel +52 (967) 674-6660 . explora@ecochiapas.com