Servicios Turísticos Lacandones S.S.S.

Overview

Description

Servicios Turísticos Lacandones is a business of the Social Solidarity Society (SSS) in the northwestern end of the Lacanjá – Chansayab corridor, outside the boundaries of the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve (REBIMA).

The area has 9,633 acres (3,900 hectares) that are designated for traditional Lacandón use and they contain:

• Vegetation native to the tall forest. Local flora consists of a wide variety of plant, tree, and seasonal fungi species.
• Many animal species including burrowing snakes, horned pit vipers, hawks, swallows, woodpeckers, warblers, flying squirrels, peccaries, bats, white-tailed deer, skunks, pumas, coyotes, boas, crocodiles, iguanas, snapping turtles, scarlet macaws, turkeys, keel-billed toucans, king vultures, armadillos, jaguars, manatees, raccoons, spider monkeys, howler monkeys, otters, ocelots, porcupines, and brocket deer. Conditions in the area favor the breeding of crocodiles, pacas, and deer.
• A dense hydrological network - the main river is the Usumacinta.
• Diverse climates at different elevations - warm, moist ones predominate.

The main activities at this campground are:

• Hike to the waterfall and the Lacanjá archeological area - includes descriptions of the flora (xate palms, chibe, ceiba trees) and medicinal plants, a visit to the waterfall on a tributary of the Cedro River, and the archeological site.
• Hike to Lacanjá lagoon (four hour trip) - includes a visit to the lagoon and the rivers in the area, as well as chances to see local wildlife (parrots, macaws, monkeys, turtles, ducks, and more).
• Visit to the cenote - includes a visit to a waterfall, a xate palm plantation, a traditional corn field, the conservation area, and the restoration area.

Rooms

• The Ya’ax Can cabin has three rooms, each with a bath; capacity is 12 people.
• The campground has room for 15 tents with up to four people per tent.

Making a Difference

Servicios Turísticos Lacandones is strongly committed to meeting the “Requirements and specifications for ecotourism sustentability” (Standard NMX-AA-133-SCFI-2006 guidelines), demonstrating its interest and willingness to conserve nature and to carry out sustainable ecotourism.

Although the business is not located in REBIMA, we conserve this area because we offer tourism activities there. REBIMA aims to restore and re-establish the basic ecological conditions in a way that fosters the evolution and continuity of natural processes. Another priority is restoring the area where cenote tours are offered, as this area used to contain traditional Lacandon corn fields.

Servicios Turíticos Lacandones is owned by the families that provide its services and the income from ecotourism goes directly to the families who live and work there. Moreover, other farming families of the region also benefit because they sell their produce in the campground.

Getting There

Nearest international airport: Mexico City (MEX)

Nearest local/national airport: Villahermosa (VSA)

Travel time to nearest airport: 6 hours

Additional Information

Date This Information Was Provided

February 2011.

Photos courtesy of Servicios Turísticos Lacandones S.S.S., Mexico, for SustainableTrip.org.